Preview: The St. Louis Blues (22-20-4) play their first-ever game in Utah. In the past four games, the Blues have come out hard and fast scoring eight of their 13 total goals in the first period. The Blues now take their two-game win streak and travel west, visiting the Utah Hockey Club and the Vegas Golden Knights. Can the Blues win three in a row? Their 8th attempt of the season to win three…The Utah Hockey Club (18-19-7) is entering Saturday’s matchup on a three-game losing streak, Utah currently ranks sixth in the Central Division of the Western Conference. Ryan Suter is expected to appear in his 1,491st game on Saturday. It would mark his 500th consecutive game, whe second-longest active streak (1. Brent Burns, 888). No changes for the game…the same forward lines and defense pairs, with Jordan Binnington starting in goal. Connor Ingram in the net for Utah.
Blues strike quick…Utah comes back quicker…in Period 1…
"Big Country" Tyler Tucker on the second shot of the game right off a faceoff at 2:05 scores on a shot from the blueline and then off the next faceoff at center…Tucker is in a fight and now is two-thirds of his way to. Gordie Howe's hat trick in less than three minutes. Goal was assisted by Oskar Sundqvist who won the faceoff back to Tucker.
At the five-minute mark, Utah has had the edge in play…shots six to two…but is down 1-0.
With 14:45 left Utah goes on the powerplay …and at 13:54 they capitalize on a lazer wrist shot high on the stick side to beat Binnington and we are tied at one. Scoring on their only shot on the man advantage.
At 11:35, the Keller-Schmaltz connection…always a Blues Killer… struck again against the Blues with a tip in…not much chance for Binnington. 2-1 Utah.
And with 9:29 left in the period, on a delayed penalty, a spin-o-rama shot deflects off Cam Fowler and past Binnington. The St Louis kid Keller with the goal…on their 13th shot (three shots for the Blues). 3-1, Utah.
The bench was shortened after the last Utah goal as the Thomas-Buchnevich-Neighbours line got no ice time…
Blues go to the powerplay with 13 seconds left…and it will carry over to the 2nd period.
Period ends 3-1 Utah with them leading in shots 17 to six.
Utah continues to lead by 2 after 2 periods…
Starting on the powerplay, Jake Neighbours taps in a rebound with assists by Dylan Holloway and Brayden Schenn just over one minute into the period. Neighbours 10th of the season. Blues within one…3-2. Two shots on the PP.
Halfway through and Utah continues the shots advantage 23 to 10…3-2 on the scoreboard.
A broken play that’s not cleared in the Blues end and the puck finds a player in the slot and its wristed into the top corner…4 to 2. Keller was an assist for his 4th point of the game with over nine minutes left in the period.
Blues playing too much in their own end…the team not playing as a solid 5-man unit.
The period ends at 4 to 2 Utah and they continue to lead in SOG 26 to 15.
Utah holds the lead…in period 3…
Blues to the penalty kill as Sundqvist takes an interference penalty with 17 minutes left. Blues allow one shot during the kill.
Sundqvist then draws an interference penalty with 14:29 left. Need to narrow the gap…no official shots on the PP…We remain trailing 4 to 2.
With 10:36 the Blues again find themselves back on the PP…again no shots on goal…
7:37 left and the Blues get their 3rd powerplay in a row…1 shot and now 1 for 4 on the powerplay.
5 Minutes!!! Evening things up… the refs calling a crosscheck on Suter with just over 4 minutes left so the Blues can’t pull the goalie and they can kill it off. 1:05 left and Binnington is to the bench for the extra skater…and can’t get a goal. The game ends 4 to 2 Utah…33 to 24…and for the 8th time, the Blues can’t go three games above .500.