St. Louis Blues: Win #1 of the Season…Binnington the Difference!

The Blues started the game slow being out played by the Kraken in the first period and being outshot 11 to 6. Several point-blank stops by Binnington didn’t wake the Blues up as they needed to get their legs moving. Number 50 was the difference in the first 12 minutes of the game with seven saves. The defense seemed to be back on their heels for most of the first period. The Kraken had the advantage in scoring chances six to two with Binnington kicking out and swatting shots away with that big glove hand. My initial thoughts...here we go again...

The second period started much like the first with the Kraken taking advantage of a misplay by Colton Parayko along the boards and former Blue Vince Dunn skated in on a two-on-one. He fired a hard wrist shot that Binnington saved, however Dunn got his own rebound and sneaked it past Binnington. Not much of a chance for the goaltender with no defensive support on the rebound.

Just 1:52 later a deflected shot from the point eluded Binnington…again no chance for Jordan to stop the seventh shot of the period by the Kraken. Defense and offense seemed to be lackluster at best.  All that changed with 10:59 left in the period when a scuffle broke out after a disallowed Kraken goal (clearly offside with the shot coming from outside the zone) that would have made it 3-0.

Did I mention my here we go again thoughts dancing in my head...

The Blues showed life with 4 quick shots on goal and the first penalty of the game came with 6:40 left against the Kraken. The other Jordan…Kyrou, 22 seconds later put the Blues on the board. Two more goals in the next minute and 55 seconds put the Blues on top to stay as newcomer Philip Broberg and Kyrou (on a breakaway) scored. Now I was thinking...can we hold on...

While all eyes seem to be on the offense and lack thereof in the 2023-24 season for the Blues, it was the effort of Jordan Binnington early in the game and late as the Kraken pushed to tie it up in the third period. With the goalie pulled with just under two minutes to play the Blues were up to the task of thwarting the efforts of the Kraken to get the tying goal. I have to say my heart beats a bit faster in the last minute of the game and the other team has the man advantage...can they hold on...

The Blues were 29-1-1 last season when leading after two periods and fortunately that trend stuck for game one of the 2024-25 season. Binnington stopped 30 of 32 shots for a stellar .938 save percentage for the game and was the second star of the game with Kyrou being the first star...the offense seems to get the edge. Can’t win them all if you don’t win the first one…LET’S GO BLUES!!