Jake Allen to start Blues' last game before All-Star break
The St. Louis Blues are giving Jake Allen a few more days off from game action.
Hitchcock says Hutton will start Tuesday against Pittsburgh. Allen starts Thursday in Minnesota. #stlblues
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 23, 2017
The Penguins and Wild are tough opponents for any goalie, and head coach Ken Hitchcock - who didn't bring the struggling netminder on a weekend road trip to Winnipeg - wants Allen to have more time to work on his focus, giving him the latter start.
Related: Brodeur maintains faith in Blues' Allen
Allen has spent the past few days working out and with family, and feels he's in a better place mentally, thanks to the support of management and players.
"I'm doing everything I possibly can right now away from the game times, and I feel like I'm doing them well," he said Monday, according to Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "If I wasn't, I'd be even more upset with myself because you're not giving yourself the best opportunity to be ready for the games.
"I feel like I'm preparing really well. If that was an excuse, that's unacceptable. But that's not the case. I've got to get back in there, whenever that may be, if it's this week, next week, or two weeks, and just find a way to get it done."
Allen has posted a 17-12-3 record this season, but with a dismal save percentage of .897 after weeks of subpar starts.