Allen entered Thursday's game in the third period when starter Carter Hutton was pulled after allowing five goals on 30 shots in St. Louis' 5-1 loss to Minnesota.

EDGE Analysis

Allen faced just three shots, stopping them all, but it was a low-pressure situation that will hopefully help to regain his confidence after he was pulled from his last three starts. Whether or not he can return to last season's form, we've learned that the Blues can't count on Hutton as the No. 1 goalie. Their best bet is to give Allen a second chance, which should begin on the other side of the All-Star break Tuesday at home against Winnipeg.

Allen will return to the active lineup Thursday and serve as a backup to starter Carter Hutton, Tom Timmerman and Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

EDGE Analysis

Allen, who didn't dress for the Blues' last two games, had been penciled in to start Thursday against the Wild, but Hutton's 34-save shutout in Pittsburgh on Tuesday scrapped those plans. Had Hutton not played so well against the Penguins, St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said he would have no problem starting Allen. With the All-Star break coming up after Thursday's game, the soonest Allen will be back in goal is Jan. 31 against Winnipeg.

Allen, who is scheduled to start Thursday's game against Minnesota, may not get the start after Carter Hutton shutout the Penguins on Tuesday, Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. "We've got to consider that, to be honest with you," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We've got to think about that and have that discussion for sure."

EDGE Analysis

Hutton stopped all 34 shots in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, helping the Blues snap a three-game losing streak. For a team that's allowed 18 goals during the streak, it makes sense for Hitchcock to reconsider his decision to start Allen.

Allen (rest) will return to the starter's crease for Thursday's matchup versus Minnesota, Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

EDGE Analysis

Allen will actually get one more night of rest as Carter Hutton will get the starting nod Tuesday against the Penguins, with Pheonix Copley filling in as the backup. The 26-year-old Allen has not registered a win since Jan. 2 when he allowed the Blackhawks to put just one into the back of the net. Since then, when he is in the lineup, the netminder is winless with an atrocious 6.05 GAA.

Allen will not travel with the team for its Saturday game in Winnipeg, Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

EDGE Analysis

To be clear, Allen is not actually injured, he's just gone through a very rough patch recently -- and that's putting it lightly. Coach Ken Hitchcock has not announced who will start in goal for the Blues on Saturday, but it will be either Carter Hutton, who has not looked especially stellar recently either, or Pheonix Copley, who has never started an NHL game. For the moment, the goalie situation in St. Louis is one to avoid completely.

Allen allowed four goals on 10 shots and was replaced by Carter Hutton for the third straight game in the Blues' 7-3 loss to the Capitals on Thursday. This was the fourth time in six games that the struggling Allen has been pulled.

EDGE Analysis

Allen was actually yanked from Thursday's game twice -- once briefly during the first period then for good after giving up his fourth goal mid-way through the second. Hutton, who allowed three goals on eight shots, was marginally better in relief. This appears to be a mental block for Allen, who's allowed 10 goals on just 36 shots (.722 save percentage) over his last three starts. Given the struggles of both goalies, it will be interesting to see who will be the starter Saturday in Winnipeg. The Blues may dip down to AHL Chicago and recall Phoenix Copley, who has a 2.32 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 18 games for the Wolves.

Allen will start between the pipes in Thursday's home game against the Capitals, Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

EDGE Analysis

Allen hasn't played well recently, posting a 1-4-0 record with an ugly 3.89 GAA and .861 save percentage over his last six appearances. The backstop's poor play prompted the Blues to turn to Carter Hutton, who has made the team's last three starts in goal. Allen will need to turn in a solid performance in a tough home matchup with a Capitals team that's 11-4-5 on the road this season, or he may find himself limited to a backup role going forward.

Allen allowed three goals on 15 shots in 25 minutes before being pulled for backup Carter Hutton in Los Angeles on Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

This poor performance comes on the heels of an even worse effort Tuesday against the Bruins in which Allen allowed three goals on 11 shots before being pulled. The skidding goaltender has now conceded at least three goals in five of his past six appearances.

Allen is in the starter's net for Thursday night's clash in Los Angeles, Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

EDGE Analysis

Allen will look to break out of his current funk when he takes the ice Thursday -- he's allowed at least three goals in five of his last seven starts and didn't even make it to the second period against Boston on Tuesday. He'll look to turn it around against a Kings squad that ranks 21st in the league with 2.46 goals per game and was shutout by Detroit on Jan. 5.

Allen was lit up for three goals on 11 shots before being yanked at the first intermission of Tuesday's 5-3 home loss to the Bruins.

EDGE Analysis

Carter Hutton played well in relief, but the Blues weren't able to mount much of a comeback attempt. Allen has been mired in a brutal slump lately, stopping just 211 of the 239 shots he's faced over the last nine games -- an .882 save percentage. Unsurprisingly, he has only three wins in that span, continuing Allen's season-long disappointment of fantasy owners who thought they were buying a young goalie on the rise.