Blues left crippled by illness 'zipping' through lineup

It's not just the 2-3-1 start leaving the St. Louis Blues sick to their stomachs. 

The assertive club has been undercut by a problem that can't be solved with fists or shoulder pads; they're at the mercy of a devastating bacterial virus running rampant throughout the locker room.

"It starts with one person, and then it’s passed very quickly through water bottles, or a towel, or whatever, the shower floor," head coach Ken Hitchcock told reporters. "It just goes, like ‘right now,’ goes zipping through your team."

Hitchcock explained that the Blues are finding it difficult to field a 20-man lineup, and the players that do make it to the ice are being undermined by the condition. 

"It really zaps your energy, so you've got nothing. You’re not running a fever, so you can play (in games). Once we found out what it was, guys could play with medication. Now they’re not feeling great, but they can play."

The likes of David Backes, Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jay Bouwmeester missed preparations for Saturday's game with the Chicago Blackhawks, who are presumably licking their chops.