Preview: The St. Louis Blues (23-25-4) are seeking revenge against the Utah Hockey Club 2 weeks after their last meeting, a 4-2 loss in the Blues’ first-ever trip to Delta Center. The Utah Hockey Club (21-21-9) has 51 points, one spot and one point above the Blues. Here’s the lineup for your Blues…forward lines: Buchnevich-Thomas-Kyrou (reuniting this line); Holloway-Schenn-Joseph (9 hits in the Avalanche game); Neighbours-Sundqvist-Bolduc (Sundqvist back after sitting for two games); Toropchenko-Faksa-Texier. On defense, the pairings will be Fowler-Parayko (back after missing one game with the flu), Broberg-Faulk, and Suter-Tucker (Walker and Kessel, the healthy scratches). Jordan Binnington is in the net and is opposed by Connor Ingram, who is 4-1 against the Blues. The Blues need to contain Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz, who kill the Blues. In the prior four games, the Blues have been outscored 10 to 1 in the first period in those losses…that needs to change…
Blues start strong and score late in period 1…
In the first 5 minutes of the game, the Blues were aggressive and had three shots on goal to Utah’s two…no scoring.
Blues get a powerplay with 13:10 left in the period. Blues get three shots…and have some pressure…but no scoring…
Tyler Tucker at 8:38 gets into a wrestling match with Jack McBain after a solid check that McBain takes offense too… 5-minute fighting majors for both…second time in as many games against Utah that Tucker has dropped the gloves.
At 2:19, Alex Texier…working hard with Radek Faksa and Alexey Toropchenko…gets rewarded with a wrist shot for his 4th goal of the year. The Blues 14th shot. 1-0 Blues!
Jordan Kyrou gets nabbed for holding with 59 seconds left…the penalty kill has been killing the Blues in recent games… needs a good kill to finish the period and carry it over.
Blues lead after the first period 1-0 and outshoot Utah 15 to 6—their best period in a while…27 shot attempts while winning 70% of the face-offs.
Blues hold serve in Period 2…
The Blues have 50 seconds left to kill at the start of the period…and only allow one shot…a solid penalty kill.
2:27 into the period, tripping penalties were called against both teams…Brayden Schenn gets the Blues penalty, and we go 4-on-4. Open ice and a lot of skating in circles…no goals for either side…Utah with two shots.
Again I ask…why does Pavel Buchnevich pass the puck to players that are covered while he is alone and able to skate with the puck…especially on the rush??? Reminds me of Vladimir Tarasenko…
Utah penalty for high sticking, clipping Jake Neighbours with 7:39 left in the period. Binnington was forced to make a great save on a shorthanded chance. Blues have one shot on the PP…no goal.
No goals in the period so the Blues remain up by 1. Continue to have the advantage in shots and shot attempts…22 to 15 and 55 to 26, respectively.
Utah pressures...but Blues hold on...
Blues leading by 1 goal going into the 3rd period…their 18-2-1 when leading after 2 periods…
Tie game…3:27 into the period…a blast from the point after Utah wins a face-off in the Blues end, and it’s off the post and in…their 17th shot… 1-to-1. Looked like Binnington was screened.
Jordan Kyrou takes a pass from the corner from Robert Thomas and zips a shot 5-hole for a 2-1 lead with just under 13 minutes left on their 26th shot. Pavel Buchnevich with the secondary assist. Kyrou’s 22nd!
The Blues take a penalty with 11:38 left in the period…interference on Ryan Suter. Utah moved the puck around very well…hit a crossbar…no goal…but as the penalty ended Mathieu Joseph took a tripping penalty which nullified some great stick-on-puck work by Joseph to clear the puck…need another big kill on back-to-back penalties. 3 for 3 on the kill allowing 3 shots.
5 minutes to go!!
Shots are 27 to 22 in favor of the Blues…
Binnington standing tall…Utah pulls the goalie with 1:10 left…but the Blues hold on…break the 4-game losing streak…Binnington the win and a deserving first star making 24 saves. 2-1 in the final. Blues finished with a shot advantage of 29 to 25.
Back home for six games.