The St. Louis Blues 12-3-4 went into Columbus to face the Blues Jackets 6-8-3 on a quick one-game road trip. After losing in a shootout to Arizona two days prior the Blues were looking to get back to their winning ways.
In a game where the St. Louis Blues appeared mostly dominant controlling the puck and smothering the Jackets in all three zones throughout stretches of the game, and Jake Allen who got the start in the first of another back to back set playing well the Blues once again failed to get too much in the one area that matters. The front of the net.
Columbus would take the early lead at 9:34 in the first against the St. Louis Blues on Vladislav Gavrikov’s first NHL goal. Gavrikov would take advantage of the Blues single moment of a defensive breakdown.
He found himself lost in coverage and alone in the front of the net on the left side with the Blues and the play all on the right. Colton Parayko’s clearing attempt instead found Gavrikov’s stick and he slotted home a backhand into the net with Allen doing all he could to get to the other side sliding from his left to right to no avail.
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MacKenzie MacEachern would tie the game late int the first at 19:17 on a wrap-around shot that seemed to come out of nowhere.
The fourth line again was very good in this game. Playing on top of the opposition and not giving them any room to work. Something the other lines seemed to be cueing in on themselves and following suit at times.
In the second period, the Blues power play gave the Blues the lead at 2-1 on a very quick goal into the power play by Brayden Schenn. It was a matter of seconds for Schenn and the power play to convert and at this stage, the Blues appeared to be taking over the game.
Unfortunately, and all too familiar to the season and even the recently broken winning streak, the Blues failed to do the one thing that they haven’t been doing all season, yet have been talking about needing to do all season and that is, get to the front of the net.
The Blues had opportunities but found many of their shots being blocked or tipped wide. On the other side of the ice Columbus was able to get their shots on net.
The Blues Jackets have been outshooting their opponents fairly consistently. On a team that has lost an extensive amount of talent to free agency, they are doing what they need to do to try and win games.
Something the Blues severely need to do themselves. Get to the front of the net. Get the pucks on net and block as many of the opponent’s shots as you can.
The Blues did this better than anyone in the second half of last season, but this season the Blues find themselves doing everything they did wrong at the beginning of last season. Too many giveaways. Columbus dominated that stat only giving the puck away 5 times to the Blues whopping 13!
They won the takeaways as well. Dominating the Blues 11-4 in that category. Blocked shots? Well, they outdid the Blues there as well 18-11. The giveaways were mostly in the third period when the Jackets were beginning to turn the tide on the Blues and really pushing for the win.
Pierre-Luc Dubois tied the game at 2:50 into the third period and Columbus was pressing. They were creating turnovers and giving the Blues fits, but Allen held strong and kept the Blues alive in the game.
This game would not so surprisingly this season for the Blues would go to you guessed it. Overtime. In their 10th overtime game out of 20 total games, the Blues would once again in back to back games have a too many men penalty called against them.
Unlike the previous game against the Coyotes, the Blues wouldn’t kill this one-off and ultimately lose the game.
Before I get to the grades I want to acknowledge the fantastic moment that was the National Anthem at the game! Molly Oldham recently got to ring the bell that signals she is cancer-free. She also did something that even Nationally renowned song artists have failed to do and that is, deliver a very, very fierce and well sang National Anthem.
It’s easy for us to get caught up in the armchair coaching and the ups and downs of sports, but let’s all remember that the real story of the night was Molly. She was magnificent in her rendition and she is a magnificent reminder to all of us that beyond the distractions of sport and the in-game battles there are true warriors battling another opponent.
Molly is an example to all of us that these battles, although fierce, can be overcome and the triumph by some in these battles can be even fiercer than the performance she displayed of the National Anthem! A++++ Molly! Let’s get to the grades.
Offense-C
Once again the Blues offense was outshot and have not been generating the Grade A scoring chances that the Blues seem to give up with regularity. For a team that preaches puck control, solid defense, and shot suppression they seem to be doing all the opposite.
I’m not sure yet what the cause of this is. Not having Alex Steen in the line up doesn’t help as he is typically one the main forwards out there blocking shot attempts and seems to rarely turn the puck over as the Blues have been doing lately.
Part of it I’m sure is the loss of Vladimir Tarasenko not generating the offense he is so well known for. In any event, though the Blues have not been playing their brand of hockey consistently.
It has been inconsistent not just over the course of the season, but you can see it in the course of each game. The Blues had stretches in this game where they were humming and really cramming their brand of hockey down Columbus’ throat, but then a series of turnovers and careless puck play, lose defense would allow Columbus to return the favor.
If we are struggling to generate grade-A scoring chances then the time for the staff to give Kostin a go at it is warranted. If the current team is going to get outshot and beat in the turnover and giveaway categories as they have been then a rookie doing that at times is of no consequence.
Defense- C
The defense was sloppy for stretches getting the puck out of their zone. There was the coverage mishap that led to the opening goal. Justin Faulk still appears to be getting more and more lost. I think he would benefit from an aerial view of a couple of games and we put Robert Bortuzzo in.
Bortuzzo is a shot-blocking monster and is something this team desperately needs in their game right now. Sadly though, if Bortuzzo comes in then most likely Carl Gunnarsson will sit rather than Faulk.
Bortuzzo has played a mere seven games and is tied for 11th on the team in blocked shots. Tied for 12th in hits and I believe is someone the Blues need in the game currently. With the offense struggling to generate our defense needs to be stout and suppressive. Bortuzzo adds that element.
Goaltending- A-
Jake Allen has been playing well the last few games and is not the reason the Blues lost this game. He gets a B only because although he has kept the Blues alive in the last two games he’s started and made some fantastic saves his rebound control has been a little poor.
Quite a few times he gave up some juicy, juicy rebounds to the front of the net in the slot that luckily found a Blue getting to before a Blue Jacket.
Aside from the rebound control Snake was great! He made some amazing saves and over the last two games, he has shown the athleticism that makes every coach and GM think he has what it takes to be a number.
Unfortunately for Allen, he seems to be missing the one thing his brother in arms, Jordan Binnington, has in spades and that is Mental Fortitude!
Special Teams- B
The Blues power play wasted no time in converting on one of their chances. Aside from that opportunity, the first unit seemed disorganized as hurried as the Blue Jackets dod to them what the Coyotes penalty kill did last game and that is aggressively pressuring the puck handler.
The second unit was able to generate a little more zone time than the first unit in this one and the sole reason for that is that the unit has some savvy puck handlers in Robert Thomas and Vince Dunn.
Those two were able to nullify the pressure where the top unit could not. In the end, it was the first unit that converted and thank goodness for that or we’d be having a different conversation.
The penalty kill has been surrendering more goals than we’re used to seeing. They killed off the two in regulation but failed to do the same in the extra frame. What I like to call the Blues fourth period now.
Special teams in this one were ultimately a wash, but again for a team that prides itself on solid defense and penalty killing this grade could be lower as it’s not what we have been seeing so far this season.
Coaching- D
The writing is on the wall coaches! I refuse to believe they don’t see the same things we see. The Blues are losing the 5 on 5 game. They are getting outshot in most games. Not generating grade-A chances even remotely close to the one they are surrendering.
Time to make some changes and send some messages to the team. Put Klim Kostin in and let him have a go. Get Bortuzzo back in the line up to block some shots and scare the opposition from getting to the front of the net as often.
Kostin is a big body, he has a hard shot and isn’t afraid to mix it up with the other team’s defense. Blues need some umph! Some toughness and will to get to the net and get to the hard areas and generate some grade-A chances.
We aren’t going to outscore many opponents with the current play of the offense so shake it up. Not much to lose right now. The Blues have been winning in games that statistically they should’ve been losing.
We’ve been playing a poor 5 on 5 game for most of the season and living on our special teams. If the Blues want to repeat as champions they are going to need to refind that grit they had and start implementing that shutdown style they performed so well last half of the 2018-19 season.
The time for some changes is here. We called up Kostin and we should put him in. Let the kid play and see what he can bring to the table. His AHL coaches have been praising his consistency and the brand of hockey he has been playing down in the AHL. They say he has found the style that will carry over to success in the NHL.
How much success? We won’t know that question until he gets the chance to play. In the end, it can’t hurt any more than the brand we have failed to play at current. The kid may spark the team in a way that Binnington did last season. We won’t know. The time for him is now. the game for him is tonight. The Blues are home against Anaheim at 7 pm (CST). It’s Kostin time if you ask this blue bleeder.
Drop the puck!