The St. Louis Blues , 6-3-3, returned home to square off against their division rivals the Minnesota Wild, 4-8-0. With the Wild sputtering, coming into game two of a back to back, and unofficially on a rebuild, we knew the Blues should come out on top even without Vladimir Tarasenko.
The St. Louis Blues came into their 13th game hoping Sammy Blais could fill the void left on the top line with Vladimir Tarasenko‘s absence. Blais was jumpy and over-anxious when the puck dropped, but would he settle down?
This game was closer than it needed to be. Part of it felt like the Blues were expecting a little less from Minnesota. The good guys jumped out to a 1-0 lead once Blais settled down and sniped a short side wrister above the glove hand of Devan Dubnyk.
Dubnyk looked surprised Blais could put it there. Regardless, it was a beauty and as I mentioned in my article this morning, Berube is the Blues Whisperer. He seems to push the right buttons at the right times and get the most out of this team.
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Minnesota was looking to get back into the win column and, after a crushing meltdown in Dallas the night before where they lead 3-0 at one point only to ultimately lose, they were not going to go quietly.
Any player will tell you, and the Blues have said it over and over, there is nothing better after a crushing loss than to have another game the next day or night.
The Wild were good in this game. They created chances and got in behind the Blues defense. They were causing turnovers. However, this team lacks the high end scoring forwards and their core is getting old.
The game was not one of the Blues best, but again we got the win, we did it at home, without Vladimir Tarasenko, and against a desperate opponent. There were stretches throughout the game where the Blues controlled the play and then others where the Wild were returning the favor. It wasn’t a high scoring affair as I anticipated.
It was a close game and made for some entertaining hockey. Goaltending on both sides was solid. It was a game of two teams battling, one trying to find their identity and groove, while the other was feeling out what they can do without their top sniper. Let’s get to the grades.
Offense- B
In their first home game officially without Vladi, the Blues and their Blues Whisperer Coach went with Blais on the top line. When the game started I thought Blais looked a little over-anxious and jumpy.
He looked like he was trying a little too hard and was trying to win the top-line minutes in his first couple shifts. Once the game got underway he seemed to settle down. Not sure if anyone else noticed, but at one point during the opening frame, Berube sent Alex Steen out on the top line and left Blais on the bench.
I was watching the bench when the camera would catch it and you could see Steve Ott and The Blues Whisperer talking to Blais on the bench. I thought, well, he lasted about three shifts on the top line.
Much to my pleasure Blais was back out there with the top line on the next few shifts, and whatever they said to him seemed to calm him down. You could see Sammy Blais start to do what he did in the early going of the season.
Blais managed to snipe a goal past Dubnyk and give the Blues the much-needed lead. Blais’s name was mentioned constantly when he was on the ice, albeit twice for two bad offensive zone penalties, but hey the kid was making noise.
The Blues were generating chances and when they were controlling the puck they were doing what they do to teams and confusing them in their coverages with the defense dipping in and out of the play.
This lead to the Blues’ second goal by Alex Pietrangelo on a patient and silky mitts drag and roof shot to give the Blues the lead again after allowing Minnesota’s newest contracted player Mats Zuccarello his first goal of the season.
Defense- A
The defense was solid. Although the Blues were outshot in this game 36-26 majority of the shots the Wild took were of the low danger variety and the defense was keeping the front of the net clear. Jordan Binnington was able to see the shots coming in.
The only goal was on a rebound and the defense missed, as Mike Milbury calls him – the Hobbit (Mats Zuccarello). He was allowed to slide in atop the crease freely and bang home the loose puck.
Other than that, the defense was tough. They didn’t allow a whole lot of dangerous opportunities and when they did the Blues goaltender was there to make the needed saves.
The captain, Pietrangelo, had the game-winning goal and also assisted on Blais’s goal to open the scoring.
Colton Parayko has become my favorite defenseman on this squad. The guy can fly. What I truly loved about his game tonight was he was getting feisty in the front of the net. He was roughing it up with Eric Staal and clearing the front of the net like a guy of his stature can. Keep it up Teddy Bear!
Goaltending- A
Binnington was in his playoff form last night. He wasn’t challenged often, as the defense was giving him every opportunity to see the pucks from the shooters, but when he was he stood tall.
After a poor showing in Detroit, I expected the most competitive player on the Blues’ roster to come out strong in his next game. He didn’t disappoint.
He was square to the shooters and his reaction and rebound control was the closest we’ve seen this season to his magical playoff run last year.
Special Teams- A
The penalty kill again did its job. Ho-hum, just another night at the office for these guys.
I don’t know what else I can say about the kill that already hasn’t been said. They fill lanes with sticks, keep pucks and shots to the outside and rarely let the opposition into the middle.
Now the power play. My cohort wrote a piece suggesting the power play may be better without Vladi. He beat me to the punch on that one. Well done Todd! I wanted to wait and see what they looked like for a few more games and didn’t expect Todd to write that article as he isn’t the type to jump on the hot topic train, but again Well Done Todd!
There is something to be said about the power play with Vladi and them seemingly forcing him the puck and trying to funnel it through him too much. The idea that Vladi could be for the Blues what Alex Ovechkin is to the Capitals on the power play is not entirely absurd.
The problem is the way the Blues have gone about it. Washington doesn’t funnel the puck through Ovechkin. they work the puck away from him drawing the defense off him and then get him open to take the shot. Without the likes of John Carlson, TJ Oshie, and Nicklas Backstrom to draw the defense away then Ovechkin is less open.
The Blues’ power play so far has looked decisive, mobile, fast and most importantly they are getting shots off quick. In all three chances they had, they got shots off in the first 30 seconds of the power play. That’s excellent!
They didn’t convert, but they were actually power plays! It was very encouraging and, like Todd mentioned, the sample size is tiny, but so far so good!
Coaching- A
The Blues Whisperer strikes again! I’d love to know what he and Steve Ott said to Blais on the bench. It was probably something super deep and motivational like, “Settle down.”
You’re not going to win the game or the minutes in the first shifts. Play your game. You’re here for a reason – to be Sammy Blais.
Regardless, it worked. Like most of what Craig Berube does, it worked.
I hope it continues to work. As much as everyone wants to see Robert Thomas take the next big step, I still think, especially after last night’s game he is better suited with Bozey on the third line.
The team was a little flat to start the game and seemed a little disorganized at times, but the coaches got the guys to settle down and play their game. There were some points in the game where the team seemed to let up and the coaches were there pushing and prodding to get them back on their toes.
Overall, it wasn’t a dominating game from start to finish and the Blues still seem to play down to their opponents, but a win is a win and every point is crucial. You can see the team is starting to round into better form than when the season started. It’s a long season and there will be many ups and downs, but the team play is encouraging and this fan is pleased.
The Blues face the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets, 5-5-2, on November 1st at 7 pm (CST). The Jackets are a team struggling for offense as well like the Wild. They are younger and faster. They have a similar heavy style of play like the Blues so the game should be a game of heavy hits and that is my favorite kind of game!
Drop the puck!