NEW YORK It's not bad, but when it comes to theinjured players theBlues are without, much like the fictitious Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, the in-real-life hockey team is mi sing many of its best and key components.When the Blues defeated the Rangers Leki Fotu Jersey 3-1 at Madison Square Tuesday night, they did so without forwards Patrik Berglund, Robby Fabbri, Alex Steenand Zach Sanford, and defenseman Jay Bouwmeester. All have mi sed each of St. Louis' first four games, andonly Bouwmeester and Steen are close to returning. Fabbri with a torn ACL,Berglund could be back close to Jan. 1, and Sanford might be ready late in the regular season.POWER RANKINGS: So that's what the Blues don't have, but what they do have is eight out of a po sible eight points to open their season, despite an injured list talented enough to change the outlook of any NHL roster.Surprising, right?"It's early there are still things we can get better at but sitting here 4-0, if you would have told us that before the year, it's hard to say," said Jaden Schwartz, who had a goal and an a sist on Tuesday, his third multi-point game of the season. "But it's a nice feeling in here right now."The Blues aren't naive when it comes to the uphill battle they're facing. After losing in the second round of the playoffs last year, and the 2016 Western Conference Final, each time in six games, St. Louis figured to be at the front of the pack yet again.MORE:"It's not a secret we're mi sing top players on our team," said Brayden Schenn, who also scored on Tuesday.If it was, it would be one of the worst-kept secrets in hockey.But instead of wallowing in their own misfortune, or waiting for reinforcements to get healthy, St. Louis has won each of its first four games, spoiling the Penguins' , beating a tough divisional opponent in the Stars over the weekend, and sweeping a Isaiah Simmons Jersey New York back-to-back at the Islanders and Rangers."Those are your expectations going in to win every game po sible and it hasn't been an easy schedule, too," Schenn said. "We've played some good teams."PREDICTIONS:Expectations and reality never quite seem to align. Of course, there was optimism in St. Louis given how close the Blues have come each of the past two seasons. They added Schenn in the offseason, a goal-scorer who could help take some of the pre sure off Vladimir Tarasenko. They extended young defenseman Colton Parayko, a not-so-hidden gem anymore, ready to step up in place of Kevin Shattenkirk. They were expected to get back Fabbri, who mi sed 31 games last season with an injured knee, and contributions from the 22-year-old Sanford, Max Garcia Jersey the principal piece acquired in the Shattenkirk trade."I would say our veterans have really stepped up their game, and not allowed any type of adversity to creep in and give us any type of excuses," head coach Mike Yeo said before his team defeated the Rangers on Tuesday. "Our group is a competitive group, and we believe despite having some guys out of the lineup, we're still capable of winning hockey games."MORE:Each night it's been a different player starring for St. Louis. Alex Pietrangelo scored two goals against the Penguins, including the overtime winner. Jake Allen made 38 saves against the Stars over the weekend. Tarasenko scored twice in Brooklyn on Monday, and Schwartz and Schenn each scored at MSG Tuesday, while backup Carter Hutton stopped 16 shots in the third period, most of them while protecting a one-goal lead.Its next man up," Yeo said, beaming in coach-speak over his team's 4-0 start. "Thats the mentality our group has. Were not going to allow any excuses to creep in.Yeo himself probably embodies that philosophy as much as his players. He was hired by the Blues prior to the 2016-17 season to serve as the a sociate coach and understudy to Ken Hitchcock. The plan, which St. Louis publicly outlined when Yeo was hired was for Hitchcock to coach one more season, and then Yeo to take over the reigns for 2017-18.But expectations versus reality Zaven Collins Jersey reared its ugly head, and Hitchcock was fired mid-season with the Blues sitting in fourth place in the Central and with a 24-21-5 record. St. Louis was 3-7-0 in the final 10 games he coached, trending in the wrong direction as the calendar flipped to February.MORE:So Yeo stepped in, and the team traded Shattenkirk, knowing he was bound to walk in the offseason and at the very least recouping some kind of return for their star defenseman.And then came this offseason, in which St. Louis watched key player after key player succumb to different injuries."Obviously you need guys to step up," Yeo said. "As much as anything else, the play of our veterans, starting with Jake, you look at guys like Schwartz ;you look at guys like Tarasenko , Pietrangelo , each of one of them has had their moment. Schenn has been a great addition for us, so I would say our veterans have really stepped up their game, and not allowed any type of adversity to creep in and give us any type of excuses."The bad-luck Blues aren't letting their misfortunes define the early portion of their season. In Springfield, with Ken Griffey Jr. suffering from gigantism, Roger Clemens hypnotized, Wade Boggs Andy Lee Jersey unconscious, and Mike Scioscia hospitalized with radiation poisoning, the team still found a way.In St. Louis, the Blues are forging forward with the pieces they have, warping reality to circumvent expectations. Related Articles Ryan Getzlaf among the NHL's worst injuries in 2017-18