There were not many positives from the St. Louis Blues' 7-4 loss to the Utah Mammoth. When you allow a hat trick in the first period and go into the locker room down 4-0, there is not much you can take away in terms of good. It's the type of game that was so bad that you want to forget about it and move on to the next one. However, one of the few positives was Pavel Buchnevich scoring on the power-play for his first goal of the season.
This season has been a mixed bag for Buchnevich. He had a four-game point streak to start the season. But these points were assists and not goals. This is the longest Buchnevich has started a season without a goal since the 2017-18 season. But this goal could be the turning point for Buchnevich. It could be the break he needs to get hot and carry the Blues' offense.
The Blues need this game to be a springboard for Pavel Buchnevich
For years, Buchnevich has been one of the primary weapons in the Blues' offense. Entering this season, Buchnevich has registered 103 goals and 160 assists for 163 points as a Blue. This means he's averaged roughly 26 goals and 40 assists per season while in St. Louis. This is precisely what you want out of a top-six winger. He's the type of player who can lead an offense and be the guy a team can count on in a big spot.
Buchnevich, not having a goal, didn't come from a lack of trying. He has 11 shots on goal and 23 shot attempts, both of which rank in the top ten among Blues players. His offensive metrics also show that Buchnevich has been applying a ton of offensive pressure. According to Natural Stat Trick, he has a CF percentage of 50.68% and an xGF of 3.66. It's clear that Buchnevich has been playing at a high level; he's just been getting unlucky when it comes to putting the puck in the back of the net.
But this goal could be what gets him going. The most challenging goal to get is always the first one. While it was still early in the season, the longer this scoreless streak went on, the more pressure would have been put on him. No matter how good a player you are, this can get into your head. It can cause you to press and take ill-advised shots. But this goal gets that monkey off his back. It takes the pressure off him and will allow him to play his game.
If this goal gets Buchnevich going, it will drastically improve the Blues' offense. The Blues are averaging 2.86 goals per game, which ranks 12th-worst in the league. The young guys like Jake Neighbours and Jimmy Snuggerud have been leading the way on offense. This is good for their development, but with how inexperienced they are, there are concerns about whether they can keep it going. A Buchnevich playing up to his potential will improve the offensive production and mask any regression the younger player might have.
Although it looks like a meaningless goal in the box score, it could be one of the biggest goals for the Blues. It could be just what the team needs to take the next step.