The St. Louis Blues came into their fifth game of the season needing to turn some things around. Through four games, they had consistently played from behind and also came in on a two-game losing streak.
Things didn't get off to the best of starts. The offense was tepid at best, not getting the first shot of the game until it was over five minutes old. Pavel Buchnevich had a great look from the high slot, but it was met with a blocker save.
St. Louis continued to pass far too much. It's extremely early in this season and under the tenure of Drew Bannister, but can we please get rid of the whole quality over quantity idea?
It should be noted that the New York Islanders were playing a sound defensive game. The Blues had almost a minute of sustained zone pressure and only got one shot on goal in that time.
On the flip side, the top line of the Blues only had one attempt in the first period. That's not good enough.
The Blue got lucky early in the second period. Bo Horvat missed a wide-open net tap in on one chance and also hit the post just moments before that.
One of the Blues best looks of the period came off a turnover. Brayden Schenn charged the net after the giveaway and then clanked the post, keeping it 0-0.
Overall, the Blues had a pretty good period in the second. The scoring chances were better and the shots were higher, but there wasn't anything tangible to show for it.
The third period got off to a fast start. The Blues took one too many passes on a rush play with Jordan Kyrou and Brandon Saad and then the Islanders moved the puck quickly, with the Isles just putting one off the outside of the post during a scramble after their own rush the other way.
The teams traded shots, but it just felt like Joel Hofer was having to make the better saves. The only worry was he seemed to not track the rebounds a little too often.
The contest went into overtime, and it was an entertaining period. Both teams created solid offense and both goaltenders kept being up to the task.
Initially, I thought Hofer was keeping the play alive far too much, but it worked. The Blues actually played the puck back to Hofer, who sprang the counter with a long pass to Phillip Broberg. The new defender then tossed one in front to Jake Neighbours who finished it off with a back hander off the left post.
Pro/Con: Hofer
The guy got the win and a shutout, so that's important. He was also making a lot of key saves, especially in the second and third period.
The worry with Hofer, especially in this game, is rebound control and being loose with his decision making. Hofer's loss earlier in the season also saw some rebound issues and it continued in this game.
It wasn't as though it was important in the outcome, but it's worrisome that pucks are coming off him and he doesn't even know where they are at times. His insistence on keeping the puck alive several times could have cost him if his teammates weren't aware of his intentions and dangerous if the Islanders had guys closing in.
It worked out though. I can't be too tough on a guy that made 34 saves and was a key to the victory.
Con: Best chances?
The offense is likely to be an inconsistency for this team throughout the year. However, one carryover from last season is that the team's best looks often weren't even on net.
In the end, the Blues shot total was fine and on par with what the Islanders had. However, it just felt like Ilya Sorokin didn't have to make as many key saves.
St. Louis often passed up a shot or shot wide on their best looks throughout the game. Dylan Holloway had a 98 mile per hour shot from the left circle in the third, but missed the net completely.
Kyrou regularly passed the puck away. He had a great, open look at a shot on the rush play in the third, but tried a one-time pass back to Saad that didn't even connect. You need this guy to be selfish at times.
Some nights you're just not going to have the finishing. However, when you don't even try or miss completely, you're not giving yourself enough chance to score.
Pro: Kyrou's defense
Jordan Kyrou is likely never going to win the Selke. That doesn't mean that we haven't seen improvements early this season and in this game.
One that stood out was a puck battle win near the blue line in overtime. In previous seasons, Kyrou would have lost that or not even attempted and the Islanders would have scored almost immediately.
Instead, Kyrou won the battle and the Blues gained possession off it. That's what the team needs from him.
You don't need him to get out of position going for checks. You don't even need him to block a bunch of shots. The Blues need him to be strong on the puck and make smart plays with his positioning where he can get in the way or intercept passes.
Those are small asks, yes, but necessary and he got it done in this game.
Overview
This was a good game for the broadcast crew. They made it more exciting than it actually was.
The game picked up as it went along, but there weren't nearly as many quality chances or grade-A looks as they might have you believe.
Hofer and Sorokin played very well, but calling it a goaltender's duel was a little generous. It wasn't like either was being pelted and having to make 10-bell saves with regularity.
Both teams were reasonably well positioned defensively and there were a few hits and extra-curricular activities after the whistle, but it was much more like the old East vs West games where there just isn't much bad blood there. That doesn't mean it was a completely boring game, but it was very much an early season game by two teams likely to finish somewhere near the middle of the pack.
We continue to see examples of why we should think the Blues have improved. We also see a ton of inconsistency that makes you think they're still going to struggle to be a playoff team.
The talent is there, but they're just a bunch of individuals right now. If they get some chemistry and cohesion, we can reassess.
For now, let's be happy they got the win and got back above .500 for at least a night. The Blues used to find ways to lose this kind of game, so two points in your back pocket is more than welcomed.