St. Louis Blues Pros/Cons 2024-25 Game 14

As inconsistent as the St. Louis Blues have been in 2024-25, the one thing they are consistent at is starting poorly. In their first regular season game against the Utah Hockey Club, the Blues allowed a goal just 18 seconds in.

Utah went from defense to offensive zone in two passes, including a high chip pass from Clayton Keller, who hit a defender on the breakaway. Michael Kesslering gloved it down, fanned on the deke and the puck just slid through the legs of Joel Hofer for a 1-0 lead.

The Blues struggled the next couple minutes, trying to adjust and get their legs under them. Fortunately, it stayed 1-0 until they finally found their game.

Although the Blues looked pedestrian on their first power play of the game, they looked very threatening during a 26-second five-on-three and that seemed to spark them. Even on the one-man advantage that followed, the Blues looked dangerous.

The Blues would finally tie the game with just under two minutes remaining in the period. Colton Parayko was alone in the slot, faked a pass to shrug off the closest defender and then ripped a wrister into the top of the net to make it 1-1.

The second period was entertaining, though worrying. It initially looked like Alexey Toropchenko would be injured after a knee to knee hit, but he shrugged it off.

Unfortunately, all the momentum gained on the last power play just disappeared. With a three-minute power play, following an instigator penalty against P.O. Joseph and the major for the knee hit for Utah, the Blues didn't even generate a shot and really only had one chance - a Jordan Kyrou wrister that went just wide.

Things got stagnant offensively in the second half of the period. The Blues got denied on a two-on-one when Ryan Suter was denied with a sliding blocker save and then Hofer made a couple key saves, but the defense was tight for both teams overall.

Utah turned the tables, scoring the late goal in this period. The Blues had been absorbing too much pressure and eventually a wrister from about five feet outside the circle beat Hofer over the left pad and it was 2-1 heading into the locker room.

It seemed like the game was going to slip away. The Blues just weren't getting enough chances as the third period went along.

They finally tied it with about seven minutes left. Kyrou burst into the zone, passed it to Pavel Buchnevich and then struck with a one-timer from the left circle to make it 2-2.

Sadly, Kyrou gave it back just moments later. He tried an ill-advised drop pass in the offensive zone and completely missed his teammate, springing a two-on-one the other way. Utah's pass from right to left went off the hip of Colton Parayko and snuck past Hofer for a 3-2 score with 3:21 left.

The Blues inability on the power play came up again when they pulled their goaltender. It never even looked like they had an extra skater.

Their futility on faceoffs bit them as well. St. Louis couldn't win a key faceoff with 10 seconds left and Utah scored on the empty net for a 4-2 win.

Con: Power play

As good as the power play looked on their second opportunity, there just isn't enough potential going on here. It's not because of the injuries either.

What's frustrating is the lack of even a threat. Sometimes you go cold, so not scoring is one thing, but teams don't even respect them.

Utah pressured the puck relentlessly on the third power play, resulting in an inability to even get set up or gain access to the zone. The Blues are a decent passing team, but they force themselves into areas that are easily defended and then they make the clear.

St. Louis has failed to score a power play on home ice too. Argue all you want about the power play dance, but the team has to use the man advantage to create some energy in the building and it does the opposite.

It doesn't count as part of the power play, but the failures with the goalie pulled just showcased the problems with the man advantage. There's no ability to generate space or possession and teams don't fear them at all. Utah had two guys around the puck at all times, meaning two players should have been open but there was no way to find them.

Pro: Dylan Holloway

If Dylan Holloway wasn't a fan favorite, he definitely is now. He is the epitome of the old phrase "he's a hockey player." They're just built different.

Just one game ago, people were sending out prayers to him. He took a puck to the throat and had to be stretchered off the bench with reports that he was struggling to breathe.

Having the vast majority of fans still remembering the Jay Bouwmeester incident, some even feared for his life when he had to be taken to the hospital. It turned out a nerve had been struck, but the funny thing after the fact is it happened during the play and then he completed the shift with a two-on-one.

The day afterwards, he was on the bike even though doctors recommended no activity for 24 hours. 24 hours after that, he was suited up and playing again as though nothing happened.

Con: Joel Hofer

I almost never blame goalies. However, Hofer needed to do more on both goals.

Some fans point to the first goal as being embarassing, but the reality is that the defending was embarrassing since they allowed a tic-tac-toe play from zone to zone. My gripe is with modern goaltending instead of Hofer directly. The stick just doesn't guard anything on most sliding plays, whereas it used to always be down on the ice to cover the five hole in the past. Maybe it still slides past anyway since that's just not something a goalie expects, but it looked bad to the eye test.

The second goal also wasn't completely on him, but you'd like him to do better. Alexandre Texier was a slight screen, but the shot still seemed to go through Hofer. Again, it just didn't feel quite right even if it wasn't outright his fault.

Hofer wasn't to blame for this loss, but the goals were just so odd that it felt like he could have done things differently.

Overview

This was a weird game. You never felt like the Blues played all that poorly, but they defintely weren't good for long enough periods.

St. Louis has been good in the second period for most of the season, but managed just two shots on goal. That's disgustingly bad.

With the game on the line, the Blues only managed five shots on goal in the third period. You give credit to Utah for not allowing them any good looks, but the Blues just didn't do enough to generate offense.

As has happened all season long, the Blues don't play that terribly, but their mistakes always seem to cost them goals. I still don't know how you allow a defenseman to break in behind everyone in the opening minute of the game.

As good as Kyrou is and as much better as he's played with the puck and defensively, his decision making for passes is still not good enough. You have to realize the situation of the game and dropping the puck back within a yard or two of the attacking blue line is just a bad idea unless you are 100% certain of the pass. That miscue loses you the game.

Too many players are just non-factors right now. He got an assist, but Buchnevich is a ghost.

Brayden Schenn is an emotional leader, but he's providing next to nothing offensively. The fact the third and fourth line generate your best energy and chances is not a recipe for winning hockey.

I've said it for awhile and it appears more and more true. Nothing carries over.

Even with two wins, the Toronto win didn't really impact the win over Tampa. Similarly, that win did not carry over at all against Utah.

This team is better, but they just don't know how to string together 60 minutes. Until they do, it's going to be this yo-yo effort and results all season.