I attended the game for the second game out of three in this home stand. So, once again, we'll get into the meat of it since so much is not good.
Con: Another bad first period
It's funny. I had a friend in Canada watching the game and since the Blues didn't allow a goal in the first two minutes, I was going to joke that they might have a good night.
That all went out the window when the Blues allowed the first goal just 52 seconds after that. Full credit to the pass, which was fantastic, but there just can't be an easy backdoor tap in just three minutes in.
I could sit here and say Brandon Saad didn't backcheck hard enough or Ryan Suter slid way too early, but it doesn't matter. The team as a whole just wasn't good enough on the zone entry or the backcheck. Every mistake is going into the back of the net.
That was evident in the next goal too. With the Canucks on the power play, you allow an open shot from the right hashmark, which sneaks through Jordan Binnington for an easy tap-in on the goal line.
You just can't consistently fall behind 2-0 in the first period. Four shots on goal aren't going to cut it either and that's been consistent too.
Con: Interference challenge
I get the desire to challenge the play that would have led to the Blues first goal. However, Jim Montgomery needed to realize the situation.
Goalie interference is the most wildly inconsistent call in the history of the league. Ask 20 people their opinion of one play and you'll get 15 different answers.
Chris Kerber agreed with the challenge but thought Dylan Holloway entered the crease on his own and then was pushed. I disagree with the challenge, but also felt the defender gave Holloway nowhere to go and then shoved him once he entered the crease.
Regardless, it just wasn't likely to be overturned. Once the goalie had no way of getting back to position to make a save, they just weren't going to change their minds no matter how he entered or who pushed whom.
Yeah, it would have been great to get that goal, but with the way the penalty kill has been, you don't chance it. 1-0 is easier to deal with than 2-0, plus the slap to the nuts of having the goal called off.
Pro: Parayko
One thing the internet has done is proliferate the spread of dumb ideas. One of those is that Colton Parayko isn't doing enough.
The chatter is less this season, but not nonexistent. What those people never mention is that Parayko is top five in defensive scoring.
He just added his 11th goal of the season, which is a career high and there's still a third of the season left. Parayko still makes the odd mistake, but there isn't a player on this team that doesn't.
What he brings and what he adds far outweighs any negatives. It would be great if he was even more offensive-minded, but what he's providing is right up there with the best defensive scorers anyway, so getting a few more shots might not make that big a difference.