St Louis Blues vs Ottawa Senators: A football game broke out...

The team signed forward Alexey Toropchenko to a one-year contract extension worth $1.7 million. I love Alexey's hard nose play, that he doesn’t back down, speed to burn and is great on the penalty kill.

Injuries mounting

Already playing without Robert Thomas and Nick Leddy, the Blues have now lost forward Mathieu Joseph to a lower-body injury. Kasperi Kapanen back in replacing Joseph, as well as Kessel in for Perunovich. Hofer between the pipes where he is undefeated with three wins and a 2.32 GAA. Let’s hope his strong play continues as the Blues try to bounce back from another loss. Linus Ullmark in goal for the Senators.

Down 1 early

A offensive zone pinch attempt by Broberg leads to a two-man breakout by the Sens and a tip from the slot by Claude Giroux evades Hofer. Make that down two early…less than five minutes in and once again a broken play leads to a Sens goal as Schenn deflects a shot that beats Hofer high to the glove side.

Bannister calls his timeout to have a stern conversation with the team. The seventh time in 10 games that the Blues are down by two goals. I may sound like a broken record…a turnover and the Senators come in on another odd man break…2 on 1 and get one past Hofer low to the stick side…three to nothing Ottawa…

Ottawa had the big advantage in play with 16 shots to the Blues eight with the Sens having 24 total attempts. So, the score could have been worse as the Blues had 10 giveaways through 20 minutes.

Period 2 comeback??

Just as the Blues seemed to get on the right track…it’s not to be…nine minutes in while on a powerplay Ottawa's top ranked at home PP finds Tkachuk in the slot and he fights off a defender and goes five-hole to make it 4 – 0. Less than two minutes later another penalty on the Blues and Tkachuk fires one from the point beating Hofer high to the glove side and that’s all for Hofer giving up five on 21 shots. Tkachuk six goals in his last six games.

Binnington comes on in relief…and gets beat on the first shot he faces by former Blue Adam Gaudette (his third goal of the season) …TOUCHDOWN…six unanswered.

All Ottawa through 2 periods…

Shots favored the Sens 26 to 14 going into the third period. The Blues are 1-4-0 when trailing after two periods. Another injured Blue as Kapanen is out for the third period after taking a check from behind (no penalty) in the second, drove him face first into the glass - Upper body injury.

Ottawa kicks the extra point in the seventh minute…seven to zero! Not much of a chance for Binner. A Blues power play goal by the second unit, who started the man advantage, by Holloway cuts the lead to six (tongue in cheek). Holloway with his fourth goal.

Fourth-liner Gaudette takes a whiffed pass by Bolduc and gets his second of the night from right on the doorstep…the two-point conversion is good and that makes it 8 to 1…and brings us to the worst loss of the year. Next up on Thursday...the slumping Philadelphia Flyers.

Observations

* The fourth line of Faksa, Toropchenko and Sundqvist were the most aggressive lines and one of the few positives on in another very negative night. Including a chance to play on the power play in the third.
* Second powerplay unit has scored the last two PP goals.
* Six of 10 games had been decided by one goal...this one not so much...
* Broberg and Kapanen were the only players tonight that weren't negative +/-.

And most importantly on this night...Thoughts and prayers to the Perron family!