After dropping two games to the Boston Bruins in the span of about a week, the Blues needed to try getting back on the winning track. A division game against a struggling Nashville Predators team seemed like just the ticket.
In 2025-26, nothing has been as it should seem, though. It didn't start well as the Blues again didn't have a good start.
Although they didn't allow an early goal, they looked like they were still in warmups for the first few minutes. Once they woke up, they looked decent. St. Louis got an early power play and then created some strong chances.
However, they could not convert. Pius Suter couldn't get the puck across to an open Jake Neighbours on the back door. Robert Thomas got stopped on a good look from the slot, and Jusse Saros also made a shoulder save on another big chance.
Those missed opportunities cost the Blues. Hugh McGing fanned on a shot in the slot, turning the puck over and leading to a two-on-one. The initial shot from Steven Stamkos was stopped, and then he batted the rebound out of midair to make it 1-0.
Stamkos made it 2-0 about three minutes later. The Predators had a lot of bodies in front of the net, screening Binnington. Again, he made the save through traffic, but Stamkos was right there for the rebound.
The Blues did themselves no favors by taking a double-minor at the end of the first period. They defended well to end the first and also managed to kill off the remaining two-plus minutes in the second.
For once, the Blues managed to turn that kind of momentum into results. After the kill, the Blues had some good zone time and pressure. After some board battle wins, the Blues hit some quick passes to McGing on the right hashmark, and a snapshot beat Saros to make it 2-1 about four minutes in.
That only lasted about four minutes. Nashville's top line was allowed to weave in and out with the Blues doing a lot of reaching again, and Ryan O'Reilly found a little space on the left circle and utilized a screen to make it 3-1.
O'Reilly kept being a pain in the Blues' side. His defensive stick denied a Blues goal close to 12 minutes in, and then the Predators filtered a couple passes through to Filip Forsberg on a partial break, and he made it 4-1 on a scoop shot.
It became 5-1 just 23 seconds later. Stamkos got the hat trick by banking one off Justin Faulk. Even if it didn't go in, there was a Predator on the side of the net that was the intended target of what was likely a pass anyway.
St. Louis got a good shift by their own top line as they worked the puck around this time. Robert Thomas scored from the right dot to make it 5-2 and give us a little hope.
It was a fool's hope as Nashville scored about 90 seconds later. The Preds scored on another rebound as Stamkos picked up his fourth on a backhand. How Dalibor Dvorsky ended up being the only man around him is puzzling, but pay no attention to that.
The Blues mercifully pulled Binnington during the intermission. It was more for his sake than anyone's. There wasn't anything he could really do on any of the goals, but there will be plenty of fools out there that say otherwise.
The Blues took a penalty when Suter tripped O'Reilly. The Predators beat Joel Hofer on a back-door tip-in to make it 7-2.
St. Louis got a power play with about five minutes left, but it was a complete mess. Cam Fowler fanned on a shot, and it ultimately led to a breakaway the other way, and then Philip Broberg fanned later, too.
The Blues ended the game on another power play, too, but only had one good shot. They lost by five goals to a team that was behind them in the standings.
Con: Second period woes
All this team is is question marks. Why are they so horrible in the second period?
Lots of teams allow more in the second than they score. It's easier to get caught out there, and if you defend too much, teams will take advantage. But every game?
St. Louis was outshot 13-9, so at least they had a little offense. They were outscored 4-2 in the second alone. It's bad enough you're regularly allowing four goals in games, but one period?
The Blues just have zero ability to stop the bleeding. You score early enough to think you can make a game of it and then allow three goals in under four minutes.
Pro: McGing
Listen, there's a reason this guy has been a career minor league player to this point. His game just isn't likely to transfer to the NHL on a regular basis.
At this point, however, I'll take anyone who wants to play hard and try to earn things every shift. That's what McGing did.
When you've got guys whose main hockey experience is from the AHL, you're going to get mistakes. McGing was a minus-1, so he was out there for two goals against.
Still, he skated, and he worked. He found open ice in a dangerous spot and released the puck from Fabbri quickly. Right now, the Blues have veterans who aren't doing some of those things, so I'll take it.
Con: Special teams
Overall, the penalty kill still did a decent job. They killed off the first three, and by the time Nashville scored, the game was decided anyway.
Statistically, it was another bad night, though. You go 0-3 with your own power play and nearly give up a shorthanded goal. Your penalty kill allows a goal, too.
Yes, there are injuries, and some of the penalties taken were by penalty killers. I don't care any longer. Find a way to stay out of the box, or find a way to actually score on a power play with regularity if you cannot score five-on-five anyway.
Pro: Thomas offense
I'll be honest, I'm including this because I'm grasping at straws. Overall, I didn't like Thomas' game. He's gliding and not really making a big impact.
That said, you still want him to stay involved offensively. He did that by picking up a goal and taking four shots.
The goal proves he needs to shoot more. When he's not trying way too hard, he has an accurate shot. The issue is when he is trying too hard, he misses by a foot or more.
Overview:
Nobody likes losing. The players don't like losing, so please, don't make yourself look dimwitted by going onto social media and saying these guys are only collecting paychecks. They have pride, but they're too wrapped up inside their own head to do anything.
With all that in mind, the blowouts simply can't happen. It's disgusting.
The goalies are too good, and the defenders are not nearly as bad as things show right now. It's not about the six guys on the blue line; it's about the entire five-man unit on each shift not defending well as a unit.
I don't care who you want to blame. Trade whoever you want. One player out of this lineup isn't making a difference.
St. Louis has allowed four-plus goals in four of their last six. They've scored two or fewer goals in 12 of their previous 14 games. Swapping goalies, firing a coach, or trading a forward that has the talent to score 20-30 goals isn't making an impact. The entire team is playing like trash when things are bad, so it's up to the entire team to figure something out.
Sports are supposed to be fun for fans, even if you're not at your very best. Right now, this is nothing but extra stress.
I'm tired of all the Monday morning quarterback fans that don't know anything on social media, and all the people saying blow it up. Blowing it up doesn't fix anything when there are some of these issues that have been there even when the team played well over the last few years.
The reality is that nobody outside that organization has the answers, and all we're doing is yelling at clouds. I just want to have fun watching the games again, and while those games in Canada were fun to watch, the bottom line is that most of this season has been nothing but a bother.