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Blues forward Dylan Holloway’s availability is considered week-to-week after sustaining a lower-body injury on Thursday vs. Pittsburgh, the team announced on Friday afternoon.

Holloway was injured in the first period against the Penguins, and did not return after first intermission. He was not on the ice for Blues’ practice on Friday, when coach Jim Montgomery said Holloway would miss at least the next two games.

“He went and saw a doctor today, and he’s not back yet, so we don’t have information,� Montgomery said. “But he’s not going to be a player for the next couple games.�

Holloway appeared to get injured on a hit by Pittsburgh’s Rutger McGroarty in the corner after Holloway’s 3-on-1 rush was snuffed out. He had one more shift after the hit, a 14-second one in which he returned quickly to the bench and did not play again.

Without Holloway available, the Blues shuffled their top three lines to account for his absence.

Jake Neighbours joined Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou on the line that Holloway has been on for most of the last four months. That left a spot available alongside Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, and it was filled by rookie Jimmy Snuggerud, who is set to play his third career NHL game on Saturday.

Mathieu Joseph returned to the third line with Zack Bolduc and Oskar Sundqvist, a line that was together for 16 straight games at one point this season.

Montgomery said he wanted to keep the fourth line of Alexey Toropchenko, Radek Faksa and Nathan Walker together because “they’re just too important to our team identity and how I use them.� He liked “The 70s Line,� with Joseph, Sundqvist and Bolduc all wearing numbers in the 70s. And, on Neighbours, he said “moving Jake with Schenn and Kyrou is going to allow me to get more ice time for Jake.�

Snuggerud’s promotion is the biggest jump of the group, as in a little more than a week he’s gone from being a college player with Minnesota to a linemate with Thomas and Buchnevich.

“He’s shown us a lot,� Montgomery said. “He’s a hockey player, he’s making plays and he’s competing. As long as that maintains and stays up (it’s good). I say that cautiously because this is the NHL. To be an everyday player in the NHL is not easy. You see it a lot with young players.�

When Holloway exited the game on Thursday, Snuggerud became a de facto top-six forward for the Blues. In the second and third periods, plus overtime, Snuggerud logged 10:54 of ice time, which ranked sixth among Blues forwards.

Snuggerud is also expected to play on the power play at the net-front on a unit with Thomas, Bolduc, Buchnevich and Cam Fowler. With Sundqvist and Neighbours both as net-front options on the other unit, why didn’t Montgomery want to put one of them at the net-front instead of Snuggerud?

“We’ve liked what we’ve seen from Thomas and Snuggerud and ‘Buchy’ and Bolduc together,� Montgomery said. “We know ‘Snuggy’ played there, he informed us. He goes ‘Yeah, I played there freshman year, maybe.’ Not surprising because smart players, they understand time and space, whether you’re goalline. Even if he hadn’t played, it’s a smart answer: ‘Yeah, I’ve played there.’�

Holloway’s absence would be a big blow to their forward production. He has 26 goals and 37 assists for 63 points in 77 games. Saturday against Colorado will be the first game he’s missed all season.

The Blues also were without forward Alexandre Texier for Friday’s practice, because of an upper-body injury, Montgomery said. Texier has played just four of the last 23 games, and was a healthy scratch in the last three games.

“Upper-body issue that he went to see a doctor about, see what treatment he needs to get back as soon as possible,� Montgomery said. “I think he is day-to-day, not a player tomorrow. That’s all the information I have. He’s not back from the doctor.�

Because the Blues were without Holloway and Texier, they only had 12 forwards available for practice. Montgomery said the Blues would not need an extra forward for Saturday , but potentially for the upcoming trip to Winnipeg, Edmonton and Seattle.

“When we find out the results of the doctor visits, maybe we call someone up for the road trip,� Montgomery said. “We will have to if that’s the case.�

Blues defenseman Colton Parayko, meanwhile, continued to practice with the team as he recovers from a knee surgery less than four weeks ago.

“I saw a couple instances out there where, for me, I wouldn’t have the confidence to play him even if he told me he’s a player,� Montgomery said. “He’s getting close, but to me, he’s not ready.�

The Blues’ 11-game win streak has put them in a position not to have to rush Parayko back. Their magic number to clinch a playoff spot is down to eight, which could happen as soon as Monday’s game against the Jets.

“We weren’t playing great (Thursday) at one point in the game, and my thought was ‘I wonder if he’s going to be ready (Saturday) night,’� Montgomery said of Parayko. “So yes, that (thought) goes through. I’m not worried about it now because of the results.�