Schenn, Kyrou, Holloway Have Been Lethal Combination Past 10 Games For Blues

ST. LOUIS – One is the grizzled older veteran, the other two are the younger risers with speed and skill to complement to each one’s best on-ice traits.

Ten games ago, St. Louis Blues coach Jim Montgomery put together Brayden Schenn with Jordan Kyrou and Dylan Holloway, forming a second line that had to be a must for the Blues to give them more scoring balance.

It had to come from more than Robert Thomas, and whoever played on his line, whether it be Pavel Buchnevich, Jake Neighbours, or lately, Brandon Saad.

When the Blues lost 4-1 against the New Jersey Devils, it was time for that change, and it may have taken a couple games, but as evidenced by the Blues’ recent surge in goal scoring (four or more goals in five straight games, 24 goals, and 37 in the past eight, or 4.625 per game), it’s been a collective effort, but Schenn, Holloway and Kyrou have been scorching.

Here are the numbers the past 10 games:

Holloway – 13 points (five goals, eight assists), plus-8, five even-strength goals, 10 even-strength points, 17:24 average time per game … actually, Holloway’s 13 points have come the past eight games.

Kyrou – 10 points (five goals, five assists), plus-3, two even-strength goals, six even-strength points, three power-play goals, 17:28 average time per game.

Schenn – Seven points (three goals, four assists; all even strength points), plus-5, 16:53 average time on ice, 50.7 percent face-off wins.

So the line has combined for 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists), plus-16.

They’ve played five times together prior to this 10-game run, so in 15 games this season together, Schenn, Kyrou and Holloway have a plus-41 (170-129) Corsi-for rating, or 56.86 percent, according to naturalstartrick.com; They’re also a plus-32 (120-88) Fenwick-for rating; plus-39 scoring chances for (85-56); 10 goals for and five against at 5-on-5.

It doesn’t seem to be a coincidence anymore.

So how is this happening?

“I think all three of us complement each other really well,” Holloway said. “You’ve got ‘Schenner’ who’s just a great two-way centerman and he keeps it locked down in the D-zone. ‘Rou’ can fly, can skate. He’s so good with the puck. He just makes so many good plays. I just try and complement them as well. We’re always talking on the bench and talking off the ice too. We’re just trying to get dialed in and play as best as we can.”

The line is obviously defending the other side of the ice well and protecting it when it doesn’t have the puck and taking advantage of opportunities off the rush or sustained O-zone time.

“Being on the right side of the puck, managing the game,” Schenn said. “Those guys are obviously very talented and skilled with a lot of speed. I think they’re doing a good job of making the play when it’s there and if not, not being afraid to go and get it. I’m having a ton of fun playing with them. They’re obviously very gifted offensively and they’re a ton of fun to play with and they see the ice extremely well and getting lots of chances each night just by reading off one another. Having fun playing with those two.”

Kyrou reached 300 points in the NHL on Thursday in a 6-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks with a goal and an assist, becoming the ninth player in the 2016 draft class to reach the achievement. But Holloway seems to be the wild card in all this.

His recent surge of 13 points come on the heels of six straight without a point that followed a seven-game point streak (11 points; six goals, five assists). Here’s a go-getter that isn’t just about the glitz and glamour of pouncing on offensive chances but creating those chances with hard work and little details, following in Schenn’s lead, and something that this season, Kyrou has also gravitated towards.

“I’m really impressed with how hard he plays,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said of Holloway. “He just wants the puck. He got hit hard twice tonight and he just gets up and continues to play. You love to see a guy that’s never deterred that always wants the puck and always is looking to push forward.”

Holloway attributes it to, “playing with good linemates. Credit to those two for sure. I feel like it’s just been a great line effort. Our team’s been trending in the right direction. Things are feeling good right now.

“… I want to grow as a player and those small details are a way to do that. Definitely will be focusing on those and playing the best as I can here going forward.”