St. Louis Blues Pros/Cons 2024-25 Game 15

Yet again, the St. Louis Blues allowed the first goal of the game as they faced the Washington Capitals for the first time in 2024-25. It's the 12th time out of 14 games they've allowed the first goal. They lost once when they scored first and then went 0-0 against the New York Islanders and then scored in OT.

It was another game allowing a goal in the first minute too. The Caps scored 59 seconds in, with a shot deflected by their own defender, fluttering past Jordan Binnington to make it 1-0.

Thankfully, the Blues battled back. At 7:07, Scott Perunovich scored his first career NHL goal to tie the game 1-1. Off a faceoff win, Perunovich cut to the slot, handled a pass from the point and snapped a wrister for the score.

The Caps almost got the first goal of the second period. A miscue from the near corner left the goal wide open. Somehow, Binnington got far enough back to get his stick on the shot and see it sail wide.

It became somewhat of a goalie duel as Logan Thompson made a sliding glove save on Brandon Saad just minutes later. Binnington couldn't bail the Blues out on their next chance though.

Alex Ovechkin crept a little closer to Wayne Gretzky when he made it 2-1. Although it was even strength play, Ovi scored on a snapshot from the left circle coming off a cross-ice pass. Binnington didn't stand a chance as it was a rocket over the blocker side.

Washington doubled their lead a little over three minutes later. Jordan Kyrou got poke checked at his own blue line and the Caps capitalized quickly. One pass to the left of the high slot found Jakob Chychrun and he scored over the blocker on a shot that may also have been tipped.

The Blues had the power play late in the second, but were robbed by Thompson again. He initially saved a Colton Parayko slap shot and then stopped two Brayden Schenn rebound attempts.

The wheels completely fell off for the Blues in the third period. Washington would score five goals in the final period.

The first came just over two minutes in. The officials called one of the softest hooking penalties you'll ever see and the Caps scored on the ensuing power play. Binnington made the initial save on Ovechkin, but the Blues got nowhere near the puck and after a couple quick passes, Ovi buried one into an empty net for a 4-1 lead.

Less than two minutes later, Washington added another. This time Michael Sgarbossa chipped it to himself on the break and then a drop pass made it 5-1.

The officials awarded Washington with another weak call on Ryan Suter. The Capitals just drove into the zone from the middle, found the open man cutting through from the right wing and it was an easy tuck in past Binnington for a 6-1 lead.

The seventh goal was even more ridiculous from the Blues. There was no puck pressure on the zone entry, Washington drew three players towards the puck in the slot and then a backdoor pass to the right wing made it 7-1.

Alas, that was not it. Proof that when it rains it pours, the Capitals outfought the pressure on the right and John Carlson got the pass to the top of the crease where Brandon Duhaime managed to tip it in even though Justin Faulk seemed in decent position.

For the second time in six games, the Blues got lit up for eight goals. A loss is bad enough, but to be destroyed on the scoreboard for every mistake is worse.

Con: Ryan Suter

When you lose 8-1, there's plenty of finger pointing to go around. Nobody played a good game, outside of perhaps Nathan Walker and that's based purely on effort.

However, it was not the best of nights at all for the veteran Ryan Suter. He was essentially directly responsible for three goals against.

The first one was the first goal of the game. He was trying to do his job, but by getting a stick on the puck, he changed the direction of the shot, not allowing his goaltender an opportunity to make a save.

Then he took two penalties and the Capitals scored on both of those goals. They were definitely ranging between soft and BS calls, but the bottom line is that he was in the box and then the team allowed two goals.

Pro: Monkey off Scott Perunovich

Things have not gone according to plan for Scott Perunovich's professional career. He came in with a lot of potential as a Hobbe Baker award winner in college.

He's had injury problems that derailed him, but he had not scored despite playing in parts of three seasons. That finally ended against the Capitals.

It wasn't just a junk goal either. It came at an important point of the game.

The Blues were behind by one and we saw the offensive potential of this defender. After the faceoff win, he cut toward the slot instead of retreating to the blue line. It was just a calm little deke back to the forehand and he's finally got goal number one in his NHL career.

Con: Jordan Kyrou

Offensively, Kyrou is still a weapon for the Blues. He had an assist on the team's lone goal and had some good chances with three official shots and a few he missed or got blocked.

However, it just seems like any mistake he makes anywhere near a blue line ends up in the back of the Blues net. It happened again.

One game prior, Kyrou coughed up the puck on an ill-advised drop pass when entering the zone. That turnover led to the game winning goal the other way.

In this game, he turned the puck over at his own blue line when he got poked trying to drive into the neutral zone. At this point, I'm not sure what he needs to do.

Kyrou has been vastly better in terms of on the puck strength and also making defensive plays. Yet, he still manages to give the puck up and see goals scored directly off those miscues.

Con: Another bad start

It's easy for us fans to say the team has to start better, but they really do have to start better somehow. This is beyond ridiculous how they keep falling behind.

This game was the fourth this season where St. Louis has allowed a goal in the first minute. St. Louis has allowed the first goal in the first period for seven straight games.

As mentioned earlier, they've allowed the first goal of the game in 12 games now. Just to be clear, that's 12 out of 15 games played.

Making matters worse, they lost to Vegas when scoring first once. They won a 0-0 game in overtime too. So, not only are they constantly playing from behind, but they almost never have the lead either.

Washington is on a roll, but deflected shot or not, you have to find a way to keep them off the board that early in the game.

Overview

Well, it's another game you just chuck into the garbage bin. You do have to look at it as one game and one performance, but these kinds of games are coming too often.

Even bad teams usually space these things out. This is two games in six where you've allowed eight goals. Prior to the Ottawa loss, you got badly out played by Montreal in a 5-2 loss.

These bad losses, particularly to Ottawa and Washington, showcase that you cannot rely on an ability to come back. You expend so much energy in comeback performances that when it's not there, it's really not there.

We've given the Blues credit for sticking up for one another, but that was not there in this game. There as no pushing and little shoving or scrapping even as the Caps had several goals from the doorstep.

On one hand maybe it makes no sense to put yourself in the box just for the sake of it, but you're leaving your goaltender out to dry with regularity and there wasn't much anger at all. The Blues seemed resigned once it was 4-1, and perhaps beforehand.

The officiating was bad. You cannot deny it changed the complexion of the game to take a 3-1 game and make it 4-1 after a cheap call.

However, this game is not on the refs because the Blues let it get to 3-1. What worries me about this team is not talent level - they have the talent to beat the best in the league on any given night.

The worry is that they have to play close to flawless. No game is without gaffes, but the Blues seem to always have their mistakes get put in the back of the net.

If the goalies are not standing on their head, it's a two-goal deficit, or more, before you can blink. You can't do that and expect to win.

I would say hopefully the Blues can pick up a needed win against a struggling Boston team on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the Blues seem to play worse against middling teams, so it will take a better effort than we've seen to take them down.