St. Louis Blues Pros And Cons From Game 14 Vs. San Jose

The St. Louis Blues came into their early November matchup with San Jose needing to build on some momentum. They got off to a good start and, for once, did not let up.

The St. Louis Blues might only have a two game winning streak going on after their 4-0 win over the San Jose Sharks. However, for all our fretting, they are now winners of four of their last five.

For some reason, it just does not feel like they’ve played all that well. The losses prior and during this little streak have shaken Blues fans to their core.

We doubt the coach, the players and even ourselves. Despite this, the team has found a way to soldier on.

They do not always make it pretty or comfortable on fans, but they are starting to get the job done with regularity. Will we ever be able to feel comfortable with this group is the current question.

Focusing on this game, in particular, it was not the greatest game you will ever see. Neither team came out with a ton of energy and fight, but even with several large lulls in the action, the Blues were consistent.

They got pucks out when they needed to and they pressured when they needed to. Their shot selection was smart, without just chucking pucks at the net aimlessly or refusing to shoot at all (both of which they have been guilty of before).

Four goals came again, proving this team is not short on scoring. They just need to keep them out and when you keep a 0 on the opponent’s board, you’re doing well.

Pros: Alex Pietrangelo Not Dropping The Ball

I was going to put an old phrase that involved an adult act and a K-9, but I went the clean route. Anyway, it was good to see the Blues captain, Alex Pietrangelo, look more like the player we know he can be and should be, at last.

As with the entire team, Pietrangelo did not play a perfect game. There were still a few hints of the awful play he has had of late, but they were few and far between and did not cost the team.

Pietrangelo was not guilty of constantly screening his own goaltender. He had good defensive position on most shifts and was smart in his offensive selection.

We have regularly seen Pietrangelo get punished for pinching into the offensive zone too much. This game, he seemed to pick all the right times to join the play and be smarter about when not to.

The captain was rewarded for his solid game with a score of his own too. It was an impressive goal where Pietrangelo showed great patience with the puck. With plenty of open ice in a four-on-four, he settled into the slot, and buried a roof shot for the score.

If he could have games like this for 95% of the season, he would jump back into the conversation for Norris, even if he was not going to win it. Hopefully, this is the start of a trend and not a blip on the screen.

Cons: Missed Chances

Yes, yes, I know. It seems a bit harsh to claim the Blues missed opportunities when they win 4-0 over a pretty good team. However, it is not untrue.

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This game could have easily been 6 or 7-0 and possibly should have. The Blues were decent on the power play, but went 0-4.

You are going to have games like that, of course, but in the close games you need to find ways to capitalize on every chance you are given.

Additionally, the Blues continue to make backup goaltenders look like All-Stars. I hate taking anything away from any netminder, but c’mon now. Robert Thomas should have had a goal, though Aaron Dell did make a great save.

There were a few other times too, that the Blues were either thwarted or shot right into the goaltender. It is just frustrating since we know this team can do more.

Again, I fully admit that this is a nit pick. The Blues scored four goals, kept their opponent off the board and won the game. That should be good enough.

Yet, with a team that does not defend well, you can’t expect these kinds of defensive performances to last. So, if you need to rely on the offense, you need it to take advantage every time.

Pros: Ryan O’Reilly Keeps It Going

Ryan O’Reilly has been as good or better than advertised. The Blues knew they were getting a really good player, but even the most optimistic of us might not have expected what we have seen out of him.

After a slow start to the year, mirroring the team, O’Reilly has caught fire. He originally thought he had an assist on the team’s first/game winning goal. That was taken away, but he shrugged it off by scoring the next time he had a chance.

What makes O’Reilly even more special right now is he seems an expert at aiding his own goals. He does such a good job of seeking out the puck on the forecheck and then transitioning immediately to a good spot on the ice that he’s always ready to score the puck.

He is also forming a good bond with Vladimir Tarasenko. While I understood why they separated the two, I felt they had done enough as a duo to keep them together.

Now, even when Brayden Schenn comes back, I think it would be best to keep O’Reilly and Tarasenko together. If nothing else, it makes goals easier for O’Reilly. While some fans rag on Tarasenko for not scoring as much as they would like, the constant defensive pressure he demands opens up space for O’Reilly and others. That is why Tarasenko has so many assists early in the year.

At this juncture, I don’t care if it’s assists or goals – I will take Tarasenko racking up points. If/when O’Reilly is the beneficiary, so much the better.

We talk a lot about letters on the chest, but I really don’t care much about that. If the team would follow the example O’Reilly sets on the ice, they would go far.

Cons: Third Period Penalties And Slacking

Once again, in a game where you win by four goals and keep your opponent from scoring, any example of something negative seems a reach. You cannot deny the facts though.

The Blues had nine shots in the first period and third. But, despite their totals, they had the least amount of good chances in the third period.

St. Louis should have been turning on the gas and putting the Sharks out of their misery. Instead, they allowed the Sharks to gain a little momentum.

There are plenty of times when we all need to step back and realize there are other teams out there. Nobody usually just gives up. Even so, you do not like to see your team allow any kind of gap where another team could capitalize.

On top of that, you don’t want to be taking silly penalties in the third either.

While there was less than a minute left in the period, the too-many-men penalties are just garbage. It happened under Ken Hitchcock too, so it cannot just be this staff, but the Blues have to lead the league in these penalties over the last five years. I would be shocked if they do not.

On top of that, while you like the physicality Joel Edmundson showed on his penalty, you don’t like that it happened. Yeah, the old-school fan in me likes that he took the guy out. In that scenario, up by three and well over half a period to go, you cannot give the official any reason to put his arm up.

It was a check he simply did not have to make. We can argue over whether it is a penalty or if the league has taken the spice out of the game, but the fact remains that it is a penalty in today’s NHL. Playing a team with more jump might give them a momentum boost in that situation.

Fortunately, it did not bite them in this one.

Overview

This team is insanely hard to read. Wins do not feel as good as they should because we are constantly on edge that the worst could happen.

Despite winning four of five and five of eight, everything still feels like it can and will go wrong with this team. Even in this game it felt that way.

The Blues never got outplayed or allowed a crazy amount of chances, like we saw against Carolina. They did not get full of themselves and seek out goals where none would come, allowing big gaps at the back.

Even so, it felt like if San Jose scored it could all unravel. Maybe one day we will get beyond that kind of feeling. It was not on this night, so it was more relief than joy by getting a win.

Overall, though, you cannot say too much bad about this game. You got four goals. While it was against a backup, it is still no easy task to score.

What is even more interesting about this team is, after their win against San Jose, they are actually second in the NHL in goals per game (3.75).

We knew the team would be better offensively, but with so many other teams with as much or more star power in the firepower category, you didn’t think of the Blues in that context. Yet, here we are with them scoring boatloads over the last stretch.

Again, they just have to tighten things up at the back. Whether you blame goaltending or defense (it’s the defense, I promise you), they have to stop other teams. You’re not going to win 7-3 all the time, so you have to be able to compete in a 1-0 or 2-1 game. Time will tell if they can, but they showed they can take care of business in the 4-0 wins by beating San Jose.