The St. Louis Blues could not handle the Utah Mammoth on the road, losing 4-2. There was a ton to unpack from the game, but only three really stood out above the rest.
Let's talk about it.
It was a great game to watch
Despite it being another losing effort, and one that should entice the Blues to smash that panic button, this was a great game to watch. Officiating was suspect, but in terms of both teams playing above their means, it had it all.
Opening draw fighting, finished checks throughout, and some highlight reel goals proved that this was one of the more enjoyable losses of the season. The Blues did not roll over, and the two-goal differential was a very close margin.
Utah is a bitter rival now
This Blues-Mammoth rivalry is heating up. With the rebranded and re-identified Mammoth squad coming into their own, it is clear that they are not the same as they once were in the desert. Ever since that accidental knee-on-knee with Logan Cooley, these two teams have been trying to find any excuse to battle.
One of the most interesting parts of this matchup is that both teams are very close in the standings. Both teams, which belong to the same Central Division, stand no chance of making it into the top three of the division at the end of the season. They will both be fighting for a playoff spot via the wildcard, and guess who happens to play each other in the last day of the regular season...
Narrowly avoided the end of their season
At the beginning of the final period, Robert Thomas had an injury scare that had a season-ending implication attached to it. It was a freak collision with Utah forward Lawson Crouse, and Thomas was uprooted and fell face-first onto the ice. He would stay down until the medical trainer arrived, and needed assistance off the ice from Alexey Toropchenko and Colton Parayko.
Robert Thomas needed assistance after hitting his face on the ice due to a collision with Lawson Crouse 🤕 pic.twitter.com/LEaXOYJinZ
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) January 10, 2026
This scary moment had all the implications of a pretty severe upper-body injury, likely a concussion of some sort. But, with Thomas being a hockey guy, he would return to the ice at the end of the game to try and help his team when goaltender Joel Hofer was pulled to give the Blues an extra attacker.
Had this been more serious, and Thomas had to miss more time, there is a good chance that this season would have sunk faster than it already is. Thomas is such an integral part of this team, and with the injuries still at a pretty lengthy list, there is no way this team could be sustainable without No. 18 on the ice.