The St. Louis Blues came into the 2018 Prospects Tournament with high hopes. Like preseason football or baseball, you cannot judge things based on pure results.
Going into preseason tournaments or preseason NHL games, we always try to tell ourselves the results do not matter. However, when we see guys suit up in that Blue Note, it’s hard not to want the St. Louis Blues to win.
For the second day in a row, the kids that we have pumped up so much came up short. They did a lot better throughout the game than in their opener in Traverse City. In the end, however, the result was the same – a loss.
The Blues faced off against the prospects from the Columbus Blue Jackets and fell 5-3. For the second game in a row, the Blues allowed the first goal of the game and found themselves down by two goals as well. The only difference this time was they tied the game at one and also at 3-3.
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On the positive side, the right people are putting up stats. In the first game of the tournament, Jake Walman scored and Robert Thomas had an assist. Despite that, though, the big name rookies did not really show too well. You could just tell it was their first game together with little time to prepare before.
The second game was a little different. There was a little more flow to the offensive game and guys seemed to have a better grasp of where their teammates would be on the ice.
Erik Foley, pictured and acquired in the Paul Stastny trade, scored the first Blues goal of the game in the first period. Tanner Kaspick, who had a fantastic 2017-18 season but is a forgotten man, scored the team’s second goal.
The two players the Blues are hoping could be a dynamic duo for years to come, Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, hooked up for the team’s third goal as well. Kyrou got the score on a Thomas set up. That goal tied the game in the third, but the Blues couldn’t find anything after that. You can view that goal here.
What is disappointing is that the defense/goaltending have allowed so many goals in this tournament so far. Nine goals have been scored against this squad in two games.
Again, we can all admit that results do not truly matter and this is more about individual performances, but you do need to focus on winning as a squad. At the very least, it does not show well on the defenders or, in this case, fourth-round draft pick Joel Hofer in net.
The next chance for these young players to show up and get a W will be on Monday evening, September 10. Hopefully, they can finally put it all together and knock off the Chicago Blackhawks prospects.