The St. Louis Blues have allowed more goals this season, but it felt like they had not been quite as embarrassed as they were against the Colorado Avalanche. Facing the Vegas Golden Knights may not have been as daunting on paper, but they're still a highly talented team.
The first game of 2026 got off to an odd start. The Blues got called for a bogus holding call where Jack Eichel wrapped his arm around Jordan Kyrou, but St. Louis managed to kill it off.
Then the Blues did Blues things. Kyrou earned a penalty shot, but really didn't challenge the goalie on the try.
St. Louis then turned it over at the attacking blue line, which led to a rush the other way. The Blues had two guys go towards the puck, which allowed Keegan Kolesar in behind, and he scored to make it 1-0 at 10:12.
The Blues finally got a good push back, scoring at 10:39. Alexey Toropchenko came in strong on the left wing, took a shot that was stopped, but poked his own rebound right through the five-hole to make it 1-1.
St. Louis earned a power play with under a minute to go in the period, but could not get a goal, so it carried into the second. The Blues got no shots on nearly 90 seconds of power play time with fresh ice.
The season continued to prove its oddity. Despite Vegas picking up the momentum, the Blues would get two goals on their first two shots.
The first was a right-wing zinger from Justin Faulk at 5:39. The next was a rush play where the puck ended up at the edge of the crease, but Oskar Sundqvist managed to jab it in before the defender could clear it, and it was 3-1 less than a minute later.
Unfortunately, the Knights cut into the lead on a broken play. Mark Stone was able to get the finish at 9:10 to get the score 3-2.
The Blues were playing with fire. They started turning the puck over in their own zone, such as a poor cross-ice pass from Cam Fowler that hit his own teammate and went right to Vegas, and also left Mitch Marner unguarded in front of the net, where he almost slammed in his own rebound.
The implosion continued in the third period. St. Louis continued to have basically no offense with only two shots in the first nine minutes, and then a turnover led to the tying goal.
Justin Faulk, who has actually been one of the team's most steady defenders, somehow lost control of the puck along the wall during a zone exit. Despite it leading to a two-on-one, Pavel Dorofeyev just stickhandled Joel Hofer out of his jock and slid it across the goal line to make it 3-3.
Vegas hit a post about eight and a half left in the third. Hofer then made a great save at the right post on the follow-up chance to keep it tied.
Then, the Blues had a small miracle. A turnover in the neutral zone leads to a rush the other way. Jimmy Snuggerud took the initial shot, and then Brayden Schenn knocked in the rebound for a 4-3 score. It was reviewed since the puck went off Schenn's skate, but it was not kicked, so it stood.
That came with 93 seconds left, so then we had to sweat it out with the Vegas goalie pulled. Hofer went for it again, but missed. Buchnevich got the puck to avoid an icing, but quickly got knocked off it, and then St. Louis had to stress out after two more icings, but they held on for the win.
Pro: Fourth line
The bottom line for the Blues had regularly been the team's best throughout the season, but that's been part of the problem. Nevertheless, you take it when they play their normal game and get on the score sheet too.
All three forwards had two points, and two of them had a goal. The way they scored is what the entire team needs to do.
Toropchenko scores the opening goal of the game by driving the net and knocking in his own rebound. Sundqvist scored by driving the net and jousting the puck away from a Knight before they could clear it from the crease.
All three had a hit apiece too, so they got involved in all aspects.
Con: Defensive zone puck care
While not every single one became a turnover, the Blues put a lot of lumps in throats with how they cared for the puck in their defensive zone. These are good NHL players, regardless of what you read online, but the lack of control is astounding.
The most glaring one was Faulk's that resulted in the tying goal. How does his lower hand slip off the stick? St. Louis has not had luck, but c'mon.
It wasn't just him. Pucks rolled on Colton Parayko. Fowler has great vision, but felt like he found as many Vegas players with his zone exits as he did Blues.
It's not just the defenders, but those who stick out. Forwards would just leave the puck at the blue line like a phantom stole it or put a hole in their stick blade.
Con: Penalty shot
I give full credit to Jordan Kyrou. He came down with confidence and speed and got the shot off. That's more than we see from a lot of guys during shootout attempts.
I think we're spoiled with how good these current players can be, though. He shot the puck over the pad, but that's where the glove is going to be for 95% of the goalies today.
It's the one time I'd like him to actually try to roof the puck. Yeah, we'd all still whine if he shot over the net, but the end result is the same, so try to go for that upper half. I admit to being picky.
Pro: Comeback mentality
This has been such a trash season to this point, especially coming off a demoralizing loss to Colorado. I would not have been shocked to see this team just put their head down and watch this slip away.
Instead, they put their nose to the grindstone. You allow the opening goal of the game, soon after not capitalizing on the penalty shot, but turn around and tie it less than a minute later.
Vegas scored two unanswered goals to tie the game and the tying game comes off a fluke turnover that epitomized how this season has gone. But the Blues got a big save from Hofer to keep it tied and then Schenn drives the net and wins it.
If only we could see that same drive and determination every game, win or lose.
Overview:
St. Louis needed this win, and I mean that as written. The Blues definitely needed it, but the whole area needed it too.
2025 was a really bad sports year. The Blues make a mad dash to a playoff spot and then lose in about the worst way possible when they had the Jets on the ropes. The Cardinals were awful, and St. Louis City FC was mediocre at best.
Getting a win to kick off 2026 might mean absolutely nothing, but at least we all get an evening to be happy about sports to start the calendar year. It's much better than that losing feeling.
As far as the Blues are concerned, it's not just that they won, but how. As mentioned, they kept at it and got rewarded instead of just hoping. They drove the net instead of just throwing pucks at the net and doing a flyby.
The defense was pretty decent, allowing only 24 shots and blocking nine more. They weren't unbelievably strong, but considering Vegas could have made themselves the top team in the Pacific with a win, you'll take the overall effort.
There's no rest for the weary with Montreal coming to town for another afternoon game on Saturday, but all they can do is take it all one game at a time and get as many points as possible.