The St. Louis Blues faced the Nashville Predators for the second time in as many games. Regardless of the result, the Blues just look disjointed right now.
The St. Louis Blues were looking for a solid, turnaround performance after somewhat of a stinker the last time they played the Nashville Predators. The performance was better, but there were too many similarities to the previous contest between these two.
The Blues did not play a bad first few minutes, but they were not overly sharp either. Due to the Blues sputtering offense, they let the Predators get on the board first.
Not only did Nashville strike first, but they took another two goal lead. While the Blues are one of the best at coming from behind, their reliance on that ability is getting annoying.
Overall, St. Louis was just disjointed for almost two periods. Their power play went back to being a detriment more than anything, failing to score on a five-on-three just minutes before the Predators doubled up their lead.
Fortunately for the Blues, they managed to keep things steady in the second period. Despite being outshot by the Preds in the middle frame, the Blues managed to get the only goal and cut the lead in half.
Still, the Blues relied on their goaltender to bail them out early in the third period. If Nashville had regained the two goal lead, the result would likely have been the same as the game in St. Louis.
Instead, some key saves allowed the Blues to get their legs going and get pressure on. The Blues would eventually tie the game. The odd thing was the goal was a just reward given how the team had been playing for the few minutes prior to that, but perhaps not a just reward given how they had played for the entire game prior to that. That is hockey though.
The Blues managed to hold on through the third period and eventually get it to overtime. Despite some early possession, the Blues never really threatened in the extra period and eventually fell in a shootout with the ultimate final being 3-2 Nashville.
Cons: Another bad start
The Blues lasted a few more minutes before relinquishing a goal in this contest. I suppose that’s not hard to do since Nashville scored just 20 seconds in the last time out.
However, overall, this game went quite similarly. The Blues were improved from the last game, but not enough to open things up.
St. Louis was actually decent defensively to open up the game, by not allowing many shots in the first five minutes – one in fact. However, when the Blues make a mistake defensively, it is almost always a big one.
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On the Predators first goal, Oskar Sundqvist decided to follow the a player through the slot even though Carl Gunnarsson already had that man covered. That left Nick Bonino wide open and he made no mistake, ripping one over the blocker and giving Jake Allen no chance at any save.
From there, the Blues just kind of fell apart. It was not as bad as we have ever seen, but the Blues let the floodgates open.
After only having two shots in almost eight minutes, the Predators were outshooting the Blues by the time they scored their next goal at 11:37. The Blues were either puck watching and standing still or being pulled out of position, trying to be over-agressive.
While the Blues managed to come back and tie things eventually, you just cannot keep putting that kind of pressure on yourselves. Even when 100% healthy, that is just too much effort.
Pros: Top guys
While stats say otherwise, it has felt like the Blues top players have gone silent in recent games. You’re not going to replace Vladimir Tarasenko with one player, but St. Louis has been hoping for other guys to step up instead of their top guys.
In this game, we finally got the bigger names to up their game and help out. Unfortunately, the Blues did not come out with a win, but they finally got their top six to come up with some big moments.
David Perron has actually been one of the few top-six guys that has stayed relatively hot. With his goal in this game, he now has three goals in four games. The last game against Nashville was the only one he was kept silent in, though he picked up an assist.
What made that goal so important, outside of just halving the lead, was the save prior. Instead of it being 3-0, the Blues sprang an attack right off a save and then Perron scored on his own rebound.
Then, Brayden Schenn managed to score the game-tying goal. Robert Thomas continued to show that he is going to be an elite center in this league in the years to come as well.
Thomas took the puck into the circle and then, either felt Schenn’s presence or has top notch peripheral vision. He slipped the puck past two defenders and then an open Schenn buried it in the slot. It was placed just right – a couple inches off the ice but low enough to sneak into the five hole.
It might be too early to really count on Thomas being a top guy consistently, but that’s what he is and he is showing it. He now has five points in three games.
Schenn has needed to step up his offensive game again after a mini-slump. The assists have been there, but this was only the second goal Schenn has scored in his last 11 games. If the Blues could get Ryan O’Reilly rolling again, they would be pretty good.
Cons: Power play
The Blues power play was clicking earlier in the year. For a stretch in October, the team creeped into the top five of the power plays in the entire NHL.
Perhaps that was fools gold or maybe the injuries threw everything off. Whatever the case, the power play looks more like the nonsense we saw in the playoffs in 2018-19 than the crisp, quick passes that made them look like a legitimate threat just a month ago.
St. Louis actually won some faceoffs to get things set up, but they continue to be one of the worst teams with a two-man advantage. The Blues have no scored a goal at five-on-three in over two seasons. It is just a joke at this point.
The man advantage shows flashes here or there, but even at their best they are snake bitten. When they get a decent chance, they hit the post or in this game they hit Jaden Schwartz in the back of the knee.
Through a quarter of the season, the Blues are 29th in the league in five-on-five scoring. If the power play cannot help out, things are going to be rough.
Pros: Allen
I stayed off social media for this game, so I cannot say for sure what the general consensus was regarding Jake Allen. However, given the fact any goal was scored on him, I can imagine the venom was out since he illicits an unreasonable reaction like today’s politicians.
Regardless of that, like Jordan Binnington being the only reason the score was respectable in the prior game, Allen was the main reason the Blues got a point out of this one. He allowed two goals, but had no chance to save either of them and made some huge saves outside of that.
Allen was solid in the second period and kept the Blues in the game the entire way. As mentioned in the open, his double save set up the breakout for the Blues first goal. The game could have easily be 3-0 at that point and out of reach. Instead, the Blues drove down the ice and cut the lead in half.
While the Blues played their best period in the third, the Predators almost doubled their lead again early. Allen came up with a big save at the right time and that allowed St. Louis to get going and eventually tie it up.
Allen is never going to be widely accepted in St. Louis. Even as a fan of his, I accept that. It would just be nice if more fans would give him credit where credit is deserved.
The Snake stole a point for the Blues here.
Overview
Personally, I don’t know how to feel about this game. It is important that the Blues battled back and stole a point from this one.
However, this game just touches a nerve for me. I have never liked either one, but as time goes on, the current NHL overtime format and shootouts just make me more and more the old man yelling at kids to get off his lawn.
I simply cannot stand it. Win or lose, it’s just dumb.
The Blues created a chance or two early in overtime, but once they gave the puck up, the Predators almost never relinquished it. It is a format that completely alters the way a team like the Blues plays.
Shootouts are just terrible too. Beyond the format, the Blues are just awful at them. They either bring the puck in too close to where there is no way to get it over the goalie, or in this case just let the puck slip away, or they make no move at all and shoot right at the goaltender.
Rant aside, it was a good third period for the Blues. Any point against a divisional opponent is a good one.
The Blues had their first and second lines playing pretty well when it counted most. They also had their goaltender playing top-notch hockey.
Defensively, this team is just a conundrum. They won with defense and goaltending in the playoffs last year and now they can’t defend to save their life.
The Blues didn’t give up 40 shots, but 39 is still pretty bad. It’s not just that they give up high shot totals, but they have returned to giving up grade-A chances. You cannot win consistently doing that.
At least they got the point and built some momentum for the next game. St. Louis usually has their A-game against Tampa, so I am not too worried for that. Still, the high shot totals against and poor starts are enough to give us all pause if nothing else.