It was put up or shut up time for the St. Louis Blues as they hosted the Winnipeg Jets for the final time this season. While a loss wouldn't mathmatically eliminate the Note, it would make it very unlikely that they make the postseason.
So, getting a good start was important for the Blues and they did just that. They had some jump out of the gate, earned a power play and scored the first goal of the game.
Less than five minutes into the contest, Dylan Holloway joined Robert Thomas as a 20-goal scorer this year. That duo combined for the goal too as Thomas found Holloway near the bottom left of the circle and he fired one past the glove for a 1-0 lead.
That didn't last a full five minutes as the Jets tied it up before the midway point of the first. A pass from below the goal line found Alex Iafallo on the right circle for the tying goal. There was little-to-no pressure on him as the only defending was a weak steak reach from Jake Neighbours that Iafallo quickly lifted right before his shot.
The second period was set up for Blues success. They had the only two power plays of the period, but somehow only managed one shot.
Meanwhile, the Jets used their PK to give them momentum. They outshot the Blues 11-7 in that period and managed to grab the lead almost immediately after when Josh Morrissey banged home a rebound from the right wing.
The salt was poured into that open wound when former Blackhawk Jonathan Toews doubled the lead. A broken stick for Tyler Tucker left Toews wide open to make it 3-1 with less than five minutes left in the second.
The third period nearly opened in disaster. The Blues had another power play, but nearly gave up a shorthanded goal that would've sealed their fate.
As it was, they weren't giving themselves much of a chance. The Jets just settled into a defensive shell and countered the few times they had the space.
St. Louis at least gave themselves a little hope in the second half of the period. Jordan Binnington made a big save on a one timer on one end and the Blues came in on a three-on-one with Colton Parayko scoring glove side for a 3-2 score with about seven minutes left.
The Jets handed the Blues a chance on a silver platter taking a high sticking penalty with a little over two minutes left. However, whether you want to classify the Blues power play as sad or the Jets penalty kill as great, they held the Blues shotless again and the Blues couldn't even get a single shot on goal after the Blues goal.
The Jets killed off the final moments and they hung on for a 3-2 win, moving themselves two points from a playoff spot while the Blues are all but eliminated now.
Con: Missed chances
The St. Louis Blues weren't necessarily the better team in this game, but they weren't without opportunities to claim this game themselves. The Blues could easily have been up 2 or 3-1 after the first period, but instead found themselves tied.
The first period alone saw Neighbours have a glorious chance that seemed sure to go in, only for it to barely be blocked by a late stick. They also had two others miss open nets or just glance off the toe of the goalie.
The power plays all had good passing, possession and some looks but they couldn't even hit the net. The third period power play saw the Blues set up one-timers twice that could have been goals but instead stubbed it off the stick heel and not on goal.
Dalibor Dvorsky missed wide on a partial break right after the Blues second goal, which could have blown the roof of the arena, but instead stole the life out.
Pro: Holloway
For the second season in a row, we're seeing why so many are high on Dylan Holloway and why so many are asking the question if he can be a superstar in this league. The only thing holding him back right now is consistent health.
When he's not dinged up, the guy scores at a pace that would surely make him a 30-goal scorer and maybe more. We saw it again in this game.
His shot from the right circle was a sniper's shot. To pick out the glove side, knowing the history the Blues have had on Connor Hellebuyck, just shows he gets it. He also helped set up the second goal too, showcasing his shiftiness all game long.
Con: Power play
I know I mentioned some of the power play woes in the missed chances, but it deserves it's own discussion. It's amazing how the special teams unit for this team can go from such an asset when they're winning to the biggest reason they lost in this game, and the Colorado game too really.
St. Louis was handed this game on a silver platter with the Jets' proclivity to put themselves in the box. The Blues had five power plays and only scored on the very first of the game.
What was really embarassing was that on their final four power plays, they got one shot on goal. In eight minutes of game time, they put one puck on target.
They missed some grade-A chances, so it's not as though they were utterly horrible, but I'm not sure which was a worse scenario - not having any chances at all or having a few but forcing no saves at all.
2 out of 5 is all they needed for this game to go to overtime or maybe win it if get a goal much earlier.
Overview:
While I am not giving up on this franchise and its future, the dim hopes of the Blues to make the playoffs are flickering like a candle in the breeze. It's not completely out yet, but they'd need a bunch of help even if they won out.
The problem this team has, and it was shown with a spotlight in this game, is they have no consistency. They contend with any team in the league when they get to their game, but when they're forced to play anyone else's game, it's basically a no go.
There was too much of the old Blues in this one. The defending was weak from the five-man units. You can't blame Tucker when he was trying to get a stick, but it's just a bad optic for someone to be left that wide open.
Neighbours has to be stronger on the stick or quicker to the position on that first goal. I'd like to see the puck go off Binnington's pad intead of the stick for the Jets second, but that's such a bang-bang play that it's hard to fault anyone.
The power play was horrendous and unadventurous again. They look fine, in the way a good practice drill looks fine, with their passing and possession but you have to create. Nobody pressured the front of the net. Nobody created havoc. The Jets were allowed to pressure too much once they knew the Blues weren't going to shoot.
Much like earlier in the season, Binnington makes saves to keep the team in the game and doesn't get support. Your goalie makes 31 saves and you can't even get any offense when the game matters most.
In a two-goal game, how do you only manage three shots on goal in the third period? Once you tie the game, how do you manage to get no shots on goal? I'm a pretty calm fan these days, but this was just aggrivating.
The Jets are a good team with plenty of talent. They had an off year, but the roster is not that different than the one that won the Presidents Trophy last year. However, the Blues can be on their level on any night, yet they made them look like world beaters defensively in this one.
You do fine in the first, mediocre in the second and pathetic in the third from an offensive standpoint. It's ridiculous, especially when the season is kind of on the line.
Even if the team goes into next season with the same roster, plus a few more prospects, they have to find some sort of pitbull mentality. Right now they play like a house mutt that rolls over, looking for belly scratches.
They're a lot of fun when things are going great, but if an intruder breaks into your house, it's not of much use. Let's soak up these last handful of games this season, because the offseason will hit soon.