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Problem solved? Elliott injured, Blues recall Allen

Brian Elliott

St. Louis head coach Ken Hitchcock has joked throughout the week that, while choosing between Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak is a great problem to have, talking about his starting goalie choice is “a pain in the ass.”

Well, the pain might’ve been alleviated.

The Blues have listed Elliott as day-to-day with an upper body injury after he left Tuesday’s practice, with Hitchcock telling the Post-Dispatch that Elliott has been nursing the injury “for a week.”

While the ailment is not believed to be severe, it was serious enough for Blues GM Doug Armstrong to make an emergency recall of AHL Peoria goalie Jake Allen, the club’s second-round selection from the 2008 draft.

This development would make it seem that Jaroslav Halak’s likely to start Thursday when St. Louis opens its first-round series against San Jose, but Hitchcock was quick to point out that’s not the case.

“He’s fine to play, so that’s not an issue,” he said. “He’s nursing something that’s going to take a day or two to be 100 percent. But now, if the game started tomorrow and I decided on him, he’s a player.”

Of note, Hitchcock also said he’s bumped up decision day -- he’ll announce his starting goalie on Wednesday rather than Thursday, which is what he originally planned for.

“I’m going to move it up a day so you guys can write about something,” he said. “I’m going to give you a little treat.”