St. Louis Blues: Turning It Around Despite The Loss

ST. LOUIS, MO - JANUARY 11: Alexander Steen #20 of the St. Louis Blues takes the ice for warmups against the New York Rangers at Enterprise Center on January 11, 2020 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - JANUARY 11: Alexander Steen #20 of the St. Louis Blues takes the ice for warmups against the New York Rangers at Enterprise Center on January 11, 2020 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty Images)

The St. Louis Blues came out to start a home and home set with Nashville yesterday afternoon and someone forgot to tell them the game started at 2 pm.

The Blues found themselves being dominated for the entirety of the first period. The team showed some fight physically as Brayden Schenn and Robert Bortuzzo dropped the gloves with a couple of willing Predators, but that was all the fight the Blues had in the first period.

It looked like it was going to be a long afternoon in St. Louis for the Blues and their fans. Fans that resorted to boos as the Blues were floundering on the Powerplay.

Heading into the locker room embarrassed by their start they only found themselves down by 2. Being outshot and outplayed the Blues were not showing any signs of turning around their recent stretch of bad play and poor defense.

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Then the 2nd period started and with a reshuffling of the lines again the Blues started to turn the tide. With 3 goals in the second period and allowing only one, the Blues saw the game tied at 3 heading into the third period at home.

The defense was better in the second and third periods and the forecheck looked to have made some adjustments. Sadly it wasn’t enough as Nashville got the go-ahead goal and ended the game 8n regulation with a 4-3 win.

Now, this article isn’t so much about last night’s game, but more on the signs the Blues showed in periods two and three that they’re starting to find that fire again and are getting back to a defensively responsible game in their own end and neutral zone.

The forecheck was looking more tenacious on pucks and you could see some fire in the boys bellies.

Had the Blues started the game on time there’s no doubt in my mind they win that game and I expect them to win today in Nashville as long as Binnington does his part and controls the rebounds. Something he hasn’t been doing so well lately.

I expect the Blues will come out a little overly excited and a little too high for the game, but after a few minutes when they settle into it I expect we’ll see something reminiscent of last year’s playoff run.

Oskar Sundqvist may be back in as well and that will definitely help a Blues penalty kill that finds itself searching for their early season success again. Maybe a little “Sunny” disposition is just what the team needs.

Let’s remember it was last season’s home and home set that seemed to set the Blues as a team ablaze. This home and home set couldn’t come at a better time for the Blues and the early embarrassment I bet becomes gasoline on the fire that’s about to ignite for this team.

Get ready Blues fans. It may not skyrocket immediately but the volcano is bubbling and will erupt.

I don’t buy that Jordan Binnington is tired. Sure he’s played more this calendar year than ever before bet he’s a professional athlete and these players today are playing hockey all year long with small breaks even in the off-season.

Mentally it may be becoming challenging and tiring but physically he’s good. Teams are shooting to his stick side more and more and that is a weak spot in Binner’s game. It’s leading to some juicy rebounds.

They’re avoiding his glove side when possible because he’s shown the ability to swallow pucks with the mitt.

So expect him to be grinding it out while he adjusts to the league adjusting to him. It happens to every goalie and the great ones find a way to adjust as well.

Next. St. Louis Blues: Where Did The Blues Game Go?!?!. dark

Get ready Blue Bleeders. Tonight’s game I feel is going to be a really good one and a really fun one to watch.