The St. Louis Blues continue to be a puzzling team in 2024-25. Facing the Calgary Flames, we saw the good, the bad and the ugly from the Blues point of view.
While the Flames had the shot lead in the first period, the Blues raced out to a 2-0 lead. They got the first on the power play just about 12 minutes in.
After cycling the puck around the perimeter, the Blues found Zach Bolduc in the slot. He went to one knee to fire it past the goaltender.
Two minutes later, Robert Thomas doubled the lead. Thomas wiggled his way past the defenders after faking a pass. The centerman then roofed a shot off the bar and in to make it 2-0, on the very next shot on goal after the first goal.
The score lasted less than 30 seconds. The Blues turned the puck over at the Calgary line and the Flames came down to knock in a rebound goal for a 2-1 score that went into the locker room.
Statistically, the second period was even as both teams would end with nine shots apiece. However, only the Flames would light the lamp.
Calgary tied the game about five minutes into the period. The Flames got the puck moving on the power play and eventually Matt Coronato snapped it home from the left circle.
St. Louis regained the lead six minutes into the third period. After their power play had just ended, the Blues connected on a backdoor play where Pavel Buchnevich managed to shovel it in for a 3-2 lead.
Again, that lead was short-lived. The tying goal was a comedy of errors by the Blues too.
Thomas got blown up entering the zone and then St. Louis lost the ensuing puck battle at their own endwall. The guys were slow getting back and then just puck-watched, leading to an open player in the slot for a 3-3 game.
St. Louis kept taking silly penalties and coughing the puck up. They relied heavily on Jordan Binnington who stopped 14 of 15 shots in the third period alone.
The Blues did manage to get the game to overtime following a huge save by Binner late in the game. St. Louis managed to finish off the game and earn the extra point too.
Thomas drove the net and nearly put the game-winner in himself, with the puck stuck on the goalie's toe just inches from the goal line. Colton Parayko came in and poked the puck in for a 4-3 win after a lengthy coaches challenge from the Flames was unsuccessful.
Pro: Binnington
I'm literally at a loss as to how there are still such vocal detractors for this guy. You don't have to think he's the best goalie of all time, but he's bailed out this team time and time again and did it in this game.
Binner finished with 36 saves on 39 shots. I don't know what the league average is across the league, but most goalies aren't seeing that many pucks on a regular basis.
The quality of the saves he's forced to make is high too. Not every save is a gem, but enough are across the game, with the scoreline still in doubt, that he is staying sharp all the time.
Con: Third period
Sports are a funny thing. The Blues played reasonably well in the second period and allowed the only goal in those 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, they were close to trash in the third period and in that 20-minute span, it went 1-1. Some of that boiled down to goaltending and some just luck.
What was most worrying was the lack of any kind of offense. Other than Buchnevich's goal, the Blues only had three total shots throughout the rest of the period.
Even the broadcasters mentioned how little offense the Blues generated. With the game still in the balance, you can't just give the Flames credit for coming at the Blues. St. Louis has to find a way to counter and generate something.
Pro: Thomas
Thomas will get flack for the way he got laid out prior to the Flames goal. He turned the puck over a few times too.
However, it's hard to ignore a three-point night where the guy scores and sets up two others. It's not just numbers either.
Thomas was playing with some determination in this game. On his goal, and also his assist for the game-winner, Thomas was driving the net and creating havoc for the defense.
It's great to have those seeing-eye passes or sick saucer passes, but I'd much rather he play with that grit and bulldoze his way close to the front.
Overview:
Take the two points and get the heck out of Calgary as quick as you can. Perhaps the Blues didn't steal this game, but I wouldn't fully say they earned it either.
Binnington stole plenty of goals away from the Flames. The Blues made a lot out of a little offensively too.
You score two goals on two consecutive shots, but those shots were separated by several minutes. You win the game, but it's debateable whether it should have even gone to overtime when you only get four total shots in the third period.
The Blues weren't even that bad, but they switched off their brains at random times. I don't even blame Buchnevich specifically, but the tying goal just makes you wonder where everyone was and why they all got caught watching the puck when you know Flames players will be coming in with speed.
The turnovers, especially around both blue lines, continue to be a terrible problem. Nevertheless, if you show you can win when you're not at your best, then you're doing well enough.
It's hard to tell if the message is sinking in or if this is still that initial coaching change bump. Time will tell, but even when they play iffy, it's still much nicer to come out with wins instead of moral victories.