St. Louis Blues Pros/Cons 2024-25 Game 4

The St. Louis Blues finally opened their 2024-25 home campaign after having three games on the road to start the year. Although the energy was in the building at first, it took a turn rather quickly.

Things went sour pretty early on. The referee made up a penalty on the Blues and the Wild scored almost immediately afterwards.

Ryan Hartman got in behind the defense on the rush into the zone. He tucked it past Jordan Binnington to make it 1-0.

The Blues had a decent period overall. Unfortunately, they just couldn't get anything steady on the offensive end, with just six shots coming mostly from the perimeter.

The second period didn't end up going much better. Again, the Blues had the better of the shot totals, but ended up surrendering the only goal.

The Wild scored on just their fifth shot on goal. Pouring salt on that wound, Minnesota got the goal shorthanded. Justin Falk took steps towards the wall to hold the puck in, but it took a bad hop off a glass partition, which sprang the break and it was 2-0.

It seemed as though the Blues had cut the lead in half. Jordan Kyrou knocked in a loose puck on the near post for what would have been a power play goal. Sadly, the whistle was blown as the referee had lost sight of the puck even though it was not fully covered.

Fans wanted a Blues goal at the end of the second period too. Ryan Suter got the puck into the back of the net, but it was after the horn had sounded and the clock was at zero.

The Blues started allowing too many shots against in the third, stalling any idea of a comeback. That idea became even more unlikely when the Wild went up by three.

Just 46 seconds in, Nick Leddy turned it over on a zone exit. The bad bounces contined as the centering pass went off the heel of Colton Parayko's stick and right to Marco Rossi for the tap in.

The Blues finally got on the board midway through the third period. This time the Blues took advantage of some Wild miscues that opened up space for Mathieu Joseph on the right circle for a blocker-side snap shot.

St. Louis had a break into the offensive end just after that, which they needed to finish off. Robert Thomas got stopped and it just never felt like the Blues were going to make the push.

The Blues took a double-minor with just over four minutes left in the period. So, they ended the game shorthanded which all but sealed their fate.

Adding insult to injury, the Blues got scored on by the goalie to make it 4-1. They fell to 2-2and have to find a way to get a lead.

Con: Bad luck

The Blues were not the better team over the course of the game, so it's not like they deserved a better result. However, it was just amazing how many little things went against them.

The referee literally made up a penalty early in the game. He called a high stick and, upon review, there was absolutely no contact with the stick, so they just made up a decision because the Minnesota player reacted.

The Kyrou non-goal was a killer. It's an unwinnable situation for a ref, but it just sucks when you have video evidence that the puck was not covered, but it's not reviewable because the official always intended to blow the whistle.

The Suter non-goal was correct. It came after the clock went to zero, but similarly it just showed that this was not going to be the Blues night.

People will blame Falk for the shorthanded goal, but as they pointed out on the broadcast, he made the sensible play. The puck almost always goes up the wall and he tried to keep it in. Instead, it takes a bad bounce out and it ends up a goal the other way.

The goalie goal was a great shot, but that's just bad luck for that to even happen.

Pro: Fourth line

Maybe it didn't show over the course of the entire game, but the Blues fourth line were their best players in the first period. I have often said that shows that the rest of your team isn't playing well, but you need someone to step up and they did.

While most of his contributions will go unnoticed, Radek Faksa has been one of the Blues best additions so far. He plays with an edge and also still has enough offensive skill to be a threat when he's out there.

Of the Blues six shots in the first, most of their best looks came from Faksa and the fourth line. They need more consistency from the rest of the guys, but early in the season, you take it where you can get it.

Con: Another game fallen behind

I love the team's resiliency and ability to shrug off most things. The fact they keep at it and can't be counted out is great.

However, even just four games in, I'm not sure how much the Blues have had the lead this season. They've played from behind in every single game and are often multiple goals behind.

That was the case again against Minnesota. You allow the first goal of the game, which happens, but then just don't find a way to get it even before another goes in.

You're going to need to come from behind throughout a season, but you can't make that your bread and butter. Like happened in this game and against Vegas, sometimes the bounces just won't go your way and you need to have been ahead to give yourself a chance.

Overview

I've seen a lot of the usual nonsense online already. The defense stinks and made no improvements. The goalie is to blame, as always.

C'mon. Do you people watch the games without a bias to look for negativity?

The only goal that had clear blame was the turnover by Leddy. Even then, it's still some bad luck. Parayko is technically in the correct position. Maybe you'd like to have him turned around with back to goal, but he's standing where he should be and the puck just ticks off his stick and right through the legs to an opponent.

People blame Falk, but he did what he was supposed to and what any other defender would have done. Binnington didn't have his very best game of all time, but the goals all came from high-danger areas.

As a team, the Blues need to be better. Blame the defense and goalie all you want, but what is the offense doing?

There isn't much going on five-on-five and your top line keeps getting jumbled up. I feel bad for Pavel Buchnevich as they're doing exactly what he asked them not to, which is moving him from center to wing almost constantly.

The Wild are a good defensive team, but the Blues just didn't make them uncomfortable here. There has to be more of an effort to exert your will, not react to what Minnesota is doing.