St. Louis Blues Pros/Cons 2024-25 Game 18

The St. Louis Blues didn't have to wait long to attempt some revenge on the Boston Bruins. Just days after allowing three unanswered goals in the third peiod en route to a 3-2 loss to Boston, St. Louis traveled to Beantown for a noon start.

It looked promising early on. The Blues scored 6:25 into the first period when Radek Faksa tipped a Scott Perunovich shot and it was 1-0.

The lead was short lived though. Boston tied it three minutes later when Trent Frederic got his first of two goals in the period. Jordan Binnington made a stick save on a redirection initially, but the puck went right to Frederic for the tap in.

Frederic's second came almost three minutes later. This time Boston unleashed a bomb from the left point and Frederic got the deflection right in front and it was 2-1.

The Blues just continued to be snake bitten after that. Jordan Kyrou had a great look early in the second period and rang one off the near post.

Joonas Korpisalo was leaking rebounds left and right, but the puck always seemed to either avoid the Blues or put them in a tight rebound shot, which Korpisalo was able to save since there was not enough room to elevate the puck. St. Louis even had a three-on-one and couldn't come up with the rebound.

The game remained 2-1 going into the second intermission. Seemingly proving the Blues bad luck, Brayden Schenn accidentally blocked his own teammates shot on the Blues power play in the dying seconds of the second period.

The unfortunate luck continued in the third. Kyrou hit yet another post, this time from the right circle. Pavel Buchnevich got the third, clanking iron almost eight minutes in.

The Blues finally tied the game almost halfway through. It was the fourth line again after Faksa won a puck battle on the end line and put it back into the slot for Walker's goal where he beat the goalie to the blocker side.

The game went to overtime and Boston nearly ended it in less than 30 seconds. The Blues lost track of David Pastrnak and the Bruins set him up for an Ovi-like one timer. Fortunately, Braden Schenn made the block or it was game over.

That allowed the Blues to win the game. Colton Parayko made a great poke check at his own blue line, played the puck to himself off the wall and then sprang Schenn up the left wing. The captain scored the OT winner just like earlier this season, snapping one across the grain and beating the goalie to the glove side for a 3-2 win.

Pro: Sticking with what works

Win or lose, we've seen the 2024-25 Blues often deviate from what's been working. That changes game to game, but if you have success with something, why change it until the other team stops it?

The Blues did not do that in this game. They got pucks to the net, got traffic in front and went for rebounds.

This game could have been over in regulation if not for some poor luck. St. Louis stuck with the game plan though and got the win.

Faksa's goal was because he was right in the kitchen for the tip. Walker was in the slot. Schenn's shot came from the wing, but he put it in a spot where even if the save is made, there would be a juicy rebound on the other side. That was solid, winning hockey.

Con: Posts galore

When you win the game, these things are much more tolerable. However, it is almost beyond belief how many times the Blues have hit iron lately.

If you're a glass half full person, you can say at least they're taking good shots that are beating the goalie. The flip side of that is wondering how bad your luck can get.

Kyrou particularly, you start wondering what more he can do. He's getting good looks and actually taking shots, which is something we get on him about, and not getting the breaks. He hit two posts in this game alone and three in the last two games.

The worry is that the Blues will revert to not shooting if they keep hitting the posts. That's not a good idea since they miss the net quite a bit anyway, so they need to shoot more.

Pro: Fourth line

Another double-edged sword for the Blues is that their fourth line is often their best line. Technically you could say it's currently the third line, but you all get the gist.

In terms of pure, simplified effort, there isn't a better line out there for the Blues than Alexey Toropchenko, Faksa and Walker.

They play north and south, do all the simple things and play physical as well. They were rewarded in this game with two goals, both of which were incredibly important. Faksa gets the Blues on the board first and then Walker tied it.

The drawback of this is that if your energy line is your best line, that means the upper portion of the roster isn't doing enough. For now, you don't look a gift with a sour face though and just take it.

The Blues need wins and points. This line was a main reason they got both.

Overview

Thankfully, the Blues won this game, even if it took overtime to get it. It had that feeling of going the other way plenty of times.

It had all the hallmarks of a heartbreaker. The Blues weren't giving up many shots or chances, which usually means some random squeaker ends up beating you.

The Blues had plenty off offense and just couldn't get some puck luck. That often bites them in the rear by the end of a game.

Too often we've seen that chance the Bruins had for Pasta in OT go in instead of being blocked. Instead, the Blues did make the block, did keep their foot on the gas and did find a way to win.

By no means was it a perfect game, but it may have been the Blues most complete game for 60 minutes in quite some time, if not all year. There was not that sustained lull in effort or results. The Blues never really got hemmed into their own zone for two or three shifts, which is something we've seen regularly.

Detractors will say it's not a great win because Boston has been struggling a lot. Who cares?

The Blues need wins. Nobody should care if they come against cellar dwellers, teams with injured players or against the best team in the league. You need W's. Style points don't count right now.

If it's ugly or if you get highlight reel goals, it all counts the same in the standings. For one game, the Blues understood that.

Outside of a handful of times, they didn't overpass it, they didn't try stupid drop passes that were always more likely to go the other way and they didn't set up the Bruins with horrendous turnovers. Even when those things did happen, St. Louis minimized the risk and got back to help out.

Binnington wasn't stellar, but he made the key saves when the Blues needed him. This was a Grant Fuhr game for him where maybe you allow a few goals, but you clamp things down when the team really needs it.

As I've said for weeks, I don't expect anything from this game to bleed to the next. Each game is its own entity for this squad.

Take the points, take a happy afternoon and we'll deal with how the team plays against Carolina come tomorrow.