Blues notebook: With trade deadline looming, Hoffman a healthy scratch | St. Louis Blues

Sammy Blais replaced Hoffman in the lineup Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights, marking his first game action since that March 28 contest in Anaheim. All told, Blais had been a healthy scratch in five of the past seven games, with Berube saying he wanted to see more emotion — more passion — in Blais’ game.

Blais went from out of the lineup to prime real estate, opening on a line with Ryan O’Reilly and David Perron and scoring a goal 7 minutes, 21 seconds into the contest to put the Blues up 2-0. Perron had an assist. It marked only the second time that trio had opened together, the previous being a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 24.

There were changes up and down the lineup as Berube desperately looked for something to click.

The Jaden Schwartz-Brayden Schenn-Vladimir Tarasenko line was reunited.

Jordan Kyrou, whose playing time has been plummeting and has no goals or assists in his last seven games, opened on the fourth line Wednesday with Kyle Clifford and Ivan Barbashev. That’s the first time that trio had opened together.

Ditto for the third line of Zach Sanford-Tyler Bozak-Robert Thomas.

After 26 consecutive games played since returning from injured reserve (concussion, facial injuries) on Feb. 8 against Arizona, veteran defenseman Robert Bortuzzo also was a healthy scratch Wednesday. His performance in Monday’s 6-1 loss to Vegas wasn’t one for the scrapbook — he was minus-3 in 15:32 of ice time although he had a team-best six hits.