The Blues offense has been red-hot lately. They've scored 28 goals in their last five games, and have pulled the opposing goaltender in back to back games. They have completely flipped the script from Drew Bannister's philosophy.
Of course, we don't expect the Blues to keep up this pace of scoring, but it's nice to know they are capable of doing it. It's been a nice luxury to have, since the goaltending has been a little iffy since the calendar turned.
I'll be looking to see if the goaltending has another good performance tonight. It's yet to be seen if Binnington or Hofer will get the start, but both guys need to build some momentum.
The Blues identity switch is easy to see
Last season, the Blues' style was the opposite of this season. They had to rely on phenomenal goaltending and pray that they would be able to score three goals. Binnington and Hofer had great seasons last year, and that was pretty much the only reason the Blues were in playoff contention until the end.
Despite this change in play, they still have more ground to make up. The game against Anaheim was a great start. I liked how aggressive the Blues were early on. Anaheim wasn't a great team by any stretch, but they were playing decently well heading into the game.
They just played too safe under Bannister. They would look for the perfect shot, instead of putting pucks on net. With the new system, even Tyler Tucker has been noticeable on the offensive end. He scored a goal in the last game against Anaheim. Tucker is not an offensive-minded player in the slightest, but he's made some really impressive plays lately.
Last year, it seemed as if the Blues' top two lines weren't scoring, it meant they were pretty much out of the game. Now, it seems like they're always in the game.