In an exciting tilt, albeit a pre-pre-season one, the St. Louis Blues defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in the first game of the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase (in Maryland Heights at CCIC). Simon Robertson, a third round pick in 2021) netted the game winner.
Chicago presented a clear challenge to the Blues side as they iced a talented roster recently voted as one of the best prospect pipelines in the NHL. Frank Nazar, AJ Spellacy, Paul Ludwinski, and Gavin Hayes were making plays with sklill and speed, however it would eventually be for not as the Blues consistently would match their playmaking with intensity and grit.
In regulation Michael Buchinger, Lukas Fischer, and Matthew Mayich would all score to lock the game at three and send it to extra time. Former 7th rounder Vadim Zherenko would stop 26 shots on goal and keep the game in hand. It would be late in the matchup that would prove devisive as Zherenko would make several big stops on an attacking Hawks line.
The Blues would outshoot the Blackhawks by five and claim the victory. They wrap up the prospect showcase with a game against the Minnesota Wild (live now).