Blues star Tarasenko out at least two games

St. Louis Blues standout winger Vladimir Tarasenko will miss at least two games after suffering an upper-body injury during Thursday's victory over the Los Angeles Kings. St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong said Friday that Tarasenko won't travel to games at Boston on Saturday and at Detroit on Sunday due to the injury. Armstrong said Tarasenko will be evaluated early next week.

The Blues didn't reveal what type of injury Tarasenko suffered when he got mixed up with Sean Walker of the Kings during the first period of Thursday's game. But it appeared he injured his left shoulder while trying to fight off Walker's check. "Any time you lose a player it (stinks)," winger Robert Thomas told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Obviously a player like Vladi, it's even worse. But I thought we came together nicely and really picked up for him when he was gone. Hopefully he's back soon, but I think as a forward group we responded really well."

Tarasenko has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 10 games this season. The 27-year-old Russian has topped 30 goals in each of the past five seasons. Tarasenko was superb during the Blues' run to last season's Stanley Cup title. He scored 11 goals and added six assists in 26 playoff games.