St Louis Blues on The Hockey News
Blues player to watch vs. Wild: Jake Neighbours
ST. LOUIS -- Jake Neighbours continues to play an important role for the St. Louis Blues.
In his second full season in the NHL, Neighbours has likely exceeded his expectations with 21 goals on the season, including one against the Minnesota Wild, tonight's opponent in a crucial late-season matchup.
Blues player to watch vs. Wild: Jake Neighbours (1:22)Neighbours is on the second line with Pavel Buchnevich and Zachary Bolduc and he's also the net front presence on the top power play unit. He scored Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings in a 3-1 win and has seemed to find his game again after a bit of a dip.
"I thought 'Jakey,' when we went on the road, I felt like he got away from his game a little bit for a few games there," Blues interim coach Drew Bannister said. "A quick conversation with 'Jakey' and then he's right back on the right track. I thought he played outstanding in Boston and was outstanding in that L.A. game. When he's playing a very direct north-south game, he's extremely effective, pulls guys into the fight but he also helps younger players out and makes it easy for us to put Bolduc into a situation where he needs the puck on his stick and I thought there was some good chemistry there between him and 'Buchy.'"
From the word go, Torey Krug-Matthew Kessel pairing has been a great match for Blues
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- It felt like from the word go that Torey Krug and Matthew Kessel would be a perfect match.
Pairing defensive partners can be one of the toughest challenges NHL coaches face, especially when one of them is an unknown to the ranks, but in this case, the St. Louis Blues were thrust into that situation when Krug's partner, Justin Faulk, was injured Dec. 29 against the Colorado Avalanche.
Kessel got the call he was coming to the Blues from Springfield of the American Hockey League the following day to face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kessel wouldn't be eased in; his partner was Krug, sliding into Faulk's spot, and ever since, it's fit like a glove.
Blues defenseman Torey Krug (47) has hit it off playing alongside rookie Matthew Kessel and has become a bit of a mentor."It's uncommon, but we also had a situation where it was like we were thrown into the fire, especially being a young guy like him," Krug said. "He's had to step up and play big minutes for us against top players too. We've had a lot of defensive zone starts, so he's been given a lot of responsibility and thrown into the fire. We've had to do it. Otherwise, the ship would sink a little bit. He's done a great job and it definitely doesn't always happen that way."
It's an understatement how well Krug and Kessel have played together, and they will be paired again on Saturday when the Blues (34-29-3) host the Minnesota Wild (33-27-7) in a crucial game with Western Conference wild card implications.
The numbers, however, don't always indicate as such, according to naturalstattrick.com which shows them playing together for 24 games. The Corsi-for percentage is 44.67 percent, and the Fenwick-for is 44.3 percent. Not great by normal standards, but what stands out is that the expected goals-against number is 13.57, but they've only been on the ice for eight against. It means they're shutting plays down before the puck ends up in the net, and there's the goaltending factor that is playing a role.
Regardless, the partnership is working, and it's elevating each individual's game.
"He can skate well and he's a big body," Krug said of Kessel. "I think the partners I've had success with in the past do a really good job at ending plays in the d-zone and I think a knack of his is to stop the cycle and if he ends the play, I'm able to get a puck and break us out and then all of the sudden, away we go. He's a big body that can skate well, think the game and he's been a pleasure to play with."
There's a feeling-out process, whether it's trial by error or it's an instant bang. There will be times when things don't go well, and there have been moments for Kessel, who was assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey League on Feb. 25 after a minus-3 game against the Detroit Red Wings. But overall, the process has been seamless, and Kessel seems to take the good with the bad with an even-keel attitude. After all, Kessel is still raw with only 26 NHL games played.
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"That even happens to us as older guys," Krug said. "It's a learning curve in the league that you don't always have to make a play every time you have the puck and sometimes defensively you're going to be over-aggressive and things are going to happen that you just can't control and the puck's going to end up in your net. He's obviously very proud of playing in the d-zone. He's put a lot of pressure on himself to perform as well because all of us do. It is important over an 82-game season that the Tuesday game in February vs. in March playing for a wild card spot. Although those games seem different, they're all the same and they're worth two points. You've just got to understand that things happen. He's got a good head on his shoulders. He seems like a very mature kid."
Krug is more the aggressor that likes to jump into rush plays; Kessel is considered the safety net that will provide the extra security blanket.
"I think that's kind of what I've been doing since juniors and the way I've played that way," Kessel said. "I played with Ryan Johnson (Buffalo Sabres), who's on Buffalo, and Zac Jones (New York Rangers) mostly at UMass. I think that's the role I kind of feel most comfortable in and let them do their thing when they want and I'll kind of be that little safety back there."
Krug, however, sees Kessel as more than a safety net.
"For sure, but it's not like a sit back and be a safety net because he plays a very aggressive style," Krug said. "I think in the neutral zone, we're both very aggressive trying to end plays in that regard, defend the blue line, whether it's make them go offsides or make them dump the puck. I think he does a very good job of that. I think we both thing the game that way. I try and make plays; he's trying to get the puck in my hands to make those plays, so I think it's a good partnership."
In these situations, Krug can thrive because he was once in Kessel's shoes with the Boston Bruins, learning from the likes of Adam McQuaid and to an extent, Zdeno Chara, who mentored Charlie McAvoy. Krug was in that position helping mentor Brandon Carlo before departing as a free agent to come to St. Louis, and how it appears he gets to help Kessel forge his identity.
"I've played with guys in this league for a long time, whether it's the Adam McQuaids, who is older than me, or Brandon Carlo in Boston that was younger than me," Krug said. "I've watched 'Z' mentor Charlie McAvoy and the list goes on and on. You've seen the way that these relationships have developed. Now 'Faulker's doing it a little bit with Scotty [Perunovich] and he's had a good relationship with Scotty 'P' since he's gotten here. It's just part of the role and for teams to be successful, you have to have young players lean on older players.
"I think it's fun. The evolution of guys' careers. Obviously when you start off, you're worried about just extending your career and you're just worrying about your next contract and worried about what position you're going to be, the role you might have on the team. I think as you get established, you can take a deep breath and understand what the team needs. At certain points throughout your career, a team might need you to help out a young guy here and there and pull the direction of an organization in the right way. It's been fun, it's been interesting. Some of these guys, they probably watched when I was first coming in the league, they were 11 or 12 years old. I think it's very interesting in that regard."
What makes Krug a good partner? Kessel said it's all about the voice.
"He's a good communicator and obviously a very good player," Kessel said. "Being able to have a partner that talks well, I think that makes the game a lot easier out there, so it's been great to be able to play with him and I think we work well together."
Blues interim coach Drew Bannister said he feels 32-year-old Krug has done a solid job taking the 23-year-old Kessel under his wing and that he's not surprised how quickly they've connected.
"I think he does a great job with Matthew and they've had a lot of success together since we've put them together," Bannister said. "He's a veteran player, he's been through it before, he's been that young guy. The struggle that can be as a pro, becoming an NHL player, day to day. I think it's important having those guys like [Colton] Parayko and Faulk and Krug to be able to lead those younger guys.
"'Kess' I think going back two years ago, there was an adjustment for him of who he was as a player and and I think he's really bought into that the last 10 months, since Christmas time the previous year and coming into this year and I think he has a better understanding of what type of player he has to be on the ice to have success. Then it's just the consistency part and not getting used to the day to day grind of the NHL and the difference between the NHL and the players you're playing against. I think he's adapted very quickly, he's a smart hockey player, he knows his strengths to his game and he's been using them."
Blues defenseman Matthew Kessel (left) has learned a lot playing on a pair with veteran Torey Krug and has helped elevate the 32-year-old's game too.Krug will continue to talk, and Kessel seems willing to listen, and after signing a two-year, one-way contract on Wednesday, this could be a partnership that lasts, and after they allowed the process to initially play out and grow, the trajectory is moving the needle upwards.
"A little bit of you try and be organic and let it grow," Krug said. "I have a job as the older guy to let him just play his game and maybe I can help him along the way, and then after we get a few games under our belt, then maybe we discuss a few things that might help us as a partnership. I just thought it was pretty organic from the get-go. He plays pretty confident and you can see that right away and it's been fun.
"We talked as he got up that it was a great opportunity and for him to just play his game and be assertive. Being the older guy, you have to discuss things, little things here and there, maybe get to know each other a bit more."
Armstrong named GM of 2026 Canadian Olympic men's hockey team
Blues general manager and president of hockey operations, Doug Armstrong will serve as general manager of Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and as management group lead for Canada’s National Men’s Team. He will oversee the appointment of management groups that will lead Team Canada at various events over the next two seasons.
Doug Armstrong, Ryan Getzlaf and Scott Salmond will lead 🇨🇦’s National Men’s Team through #MilanoCortina2026! 👏
Doug Armstrong, Ryan Getzlaf et Scott Salmond dirigeront l’équipe nationale masculine du 🇨🇦 jusqu’aux Jeux olympiques de 2026! 👏
Armstrong (59) won gold medals at the IIHF World Championship in 2007 (special assistant), 2016 (senior advisor), and 2023 (general manager), and silver in 2008 (assistant general manager) and 2009 (general manager).
His extensive experience includes being part of the Worlds staff in 2002 and 2013. His successful tenure as the general manager of the St. Louis Blues, where he also serves as president of hockey operations, winning the Stanley Cup in 2019 and the NHL GM of the Year Award in 2011-12.
He recently became the 11th NHL general manager to record 800 career wins and is the second-fastest to reach this milestone. He previously spent 16 years (1992-2008) with the Dallas Stars, winning the Stanley Cup as assistant general manager in 1999.
Armstrong will oversee Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off, and 2025 IIHF World Championship, appointing and working with Canadian general managers and executives to help build Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team for the 2026 Olympics.
Recent ArticlesFUTURE WATCH: Dvorsky leading Blues prospects in Canadian juniors
Kessel signs two-year extension with Blues
FUTURE WATCH: Dvorsky leading Blues prospects in Canadian juniors
While the St. Louis Blues continue to work and address their struggles and inconsistencies at the NHL level, their growing prospect pool continues to mature and develop in the junior leagues.
This prospect report will focus on the club's prospects in the junior leagues currently playing in Canada. For clarification purposes, prospects are all players under the age of 25.
Michael BuchingerBuchinger was drafted by the Blues 88th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He remains a high-level, point-producing defenseman in the OHL. The 19-year-old suffered an injury in late January and was announced he would miss 6-8 weeks to have a torn tendon surgically repaired.
Burns returned to action with the Guelph Storm on March 1 and has produced one goal, one assist, and a minus-three rating over six games.
Buchy cashes in on the scoring, while Luch picks up his 3rd assist of the game 👊#StormCity | #TheStormIsComing pic.twitter.com/DGjmHw6lyG
— Guelph Storm (@Storm_City) March 15, 2024Buchinger remains one of the top defensemen in the Blues prospect pool, which currently features few top defensive prospects. As he continues to work his way into the pro hockey level, he could find himself topping out as a second-pairing defenseman should his development go according to plan.
Quinton BurnsOne of five players selected in the first three rounds of the 2023 draft, Burns is among the top 10 point-producing prospects for the Blues this season. The 18-year-old is often tasked with playing either the first or second-pairing unit for the Kingston Frontenacs and has a heavy workload for his club.
The Smith Falls, Ontario, native has remained a constant offensive threat for his team this year, producing six goals and 33 points over 54 games. However, his discipline will need work as he currently leads his team in penalty minutes (109) and a minus-19 rating.
Dalibor DvorskyA sensational point-producing forward in the OHL this season, Dvorsky is 19th in the league in total points (74) with 38 goals and 36 assists through 46 games with the Sudbury Wolves.
For a player who joined the Wolves nearly 20 games into the season, he currently sits third on his team in points and leads his team in goals scored.
Wolves Top Five Plays: Mar. 3-10 🐺🔥
5️⃣ David Goyette, Nick Yearwood
4️⃣ Kieron Walton, Alex Pharand
3️⃣ Dalibor Dvorsky
2️⃣ Dalibor Dvorsky, Landon McCallum, Quentin Musty
1️⃣ Dalibor Dvorsky#WeAreWolves 🐾 pic.twitter.com/7NwWpWDbxs
Dvorsky remains a well-rounded forward prospect who should develop into a dangerous top-six forward with the potential to score every time he is on the ice.
Matthew MayichThe third defensive prospect for the Blues in the OHL, Mayich, a sixth-round pick (170th overall) in the 2023 draft, is a left-shot defender currently playing for the Ottawa 67's. His six goals and 21 points this season rank him third in points among defensemen on his team and 12th overall.
While he is not a point-producing defender, Mayich is a quiet player who does all of the little things well of the modern defenseman.
With his work ethic and play style, he could become a useful, quiet defender in the pros who is shuffled between the second and third pairs at the height of his career.
Landon SimAfter missing almost half a season due to an undisclosed lower-body injury, Sim returned to action for the London Knights, producing 10 goals and 28 points through 38 games. Sim returned to action just in time to play his younger brother Lane for the first time in a game against the Sarnia Sting.
The 19-year-old moves well up and down the ice, setting his teammates up for a scoring opportunity. He can also be deceptive with the puck when looking for a shooting opportunity. After scoring 14 goals and 28 points through 56 games with the Knights during the 2022-23 season, he has returned to action well and is proving to himself and others that his injury is behind him.
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For Jordan Binnington, it's all about "we", "us"; Blues teammates sing different praises for goalies doing their part to keep them in playoff chase
ST. LOUIS -- Jordan Binnington's teammates were gushing over his play Wednesday night, any night for that matter, but the St. Louis Blues goalie would have none of it.
Binnington, who sparkled -- again -- with a 40-save performance Wednesday in a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings, keeping the Blues (34-29-3) in the hunt in the Western Conference wild card, is all about the team concept.
The Los Angeles Kings couldn't penetrate Blues goalie Jordan Binnington (bottom) but one time on Wednesday. The goalie was a rock for St. Louis in a 3-1 win, helping keep the Blues in the playoff race.Win as a team, lose as a team, and even though he was the backbone to the Blues' second straight win, he wanted no part of soaking in any of the adulation.
"I think we've done a good job this year as a group, playing the right way and playing tight in our own zone," Binnington said. 'I think it's been a lot better, and it's fun to play back there and I'm enjoying it. It's a big win for us, coming home like that. We've got more work to do. That's the focus."
"We" and "us." There was nothing about "me" and "I" in there.
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But in a season where the Blues, six points out of the wild card heading into action Thursday, are trying to stay in the hunt with 16 games remaining, the guy that led them from the basement to the pinnacle in 2019 is trying to channel his inner rookie season when he was 24-5-1 with a 1.89 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in the regular season and 16-10, 2.46 GAA and .914 save percentage in becoming the only rookie in NHL history to win 16 games in the postseason; he's 12-7-2 with a .235 GAA and .928 save percentage and two shutouts since Jan. 1.
"He's been amazing all year," Blues center Kevin Hayes said. "I've said this a bunch this year, he's the most surprising (to Hayes) as a new guy to this team, the most surprising guy in my mind how hard he works, how good he is, how good he is in practice and just how he goes about his every day life."
Joel Hofer, 11-11-0 in his rookie season with a 2.79 GAA and .915 save percentage after getting a taste the past two seasons, is doing his job pulling his weight as well. It's no secret that Blues goaltending has done as much, if not more, to keep the Blues relevant down the stretch.
"Since I've come here, the goaltending, whether it's been 'Binner' or Joel, have been outstanding for us," Blues interim coach Drew Bannister said. "They give us an opportunity to win, they keep games tight. The feeling on the bench is there's a lot of confidence in our goalies. If we do make mistakes, they're there to clean up some of the mess. We just have to minimize what happens after the first mistake."
Last season on this date, March 14, 2023, the Blues weren't mathematically out of the race yet but it was a mere formality playing out the string, 16 points out of the playoff chase and basically playing out the string.
Blues goalie Joel Hofer (30) was terrific for St. Louis on Monday in a 5-1 win against Brad Marchand (middle) and the Bruins. Hofer and Jordan Binnington are keeping the Blues alive in the Western Conference wild card race.Even though the odds are still stacked against them, at least these games mean something, and the goalies are giving them a reason to stay in it.
"Yeah, it's a lot more enjoyable," Binnington said. "We've put ourselves in a position here to create a new story and find a way in. We believe in this locker room that if you get there anything can happen. So, that's what we're working towards.
"... It seems like the guys are having more fun and have each other's backs out there, finding ways to create offense off the rush. I think that makes it more enjoyable as a player, and the energy builds from there."
Related: Blues player of the game vs. Kings: Jordan Binnington
Can Saad, Hayes, Kapanen continue recent trend of driving play, impacting results? That's the big question for Blues as they look for secondary scoring
ST. LOUIS -- It's only been two games but it bears asking of the St. Louis Blues' line of Brandon Saad, Kevin Hayes and Kasperi Kapanen: is this sustainable?
For the second straight game in Wednesday's 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings at Enterprise Center, the Blues' third line not only was noticeable but made an impact with important shifts, and it translated to more ice time.
Kasperi Kapanen (42) is congratulated by Blues teammates after scoring against Tampa Bay during the third period at Enterprise Center on Nov. 14. His recent success with Kevin Hayes and Brandon Saad has helped fuel some depth scoring.The line followed up a three-goal, four-assist performance Monday in a 5-1 win against the Boston Bruins with only one goal on Wednesday (Saad's 20th of the season), but their impact was noticeable, and Blues interim coach Drew Bannister awarded them with more ice time in a game the Blues (34-29-3) had to have.
"That's two real good games for them," Bannister said after the game Wednesday. "They're playing with confidence and obviously in the Boston game, they were probably the best line on the ice. Again today, I thought they were real good for us. They're difference-makers when they're on their game. It can free up some of our other players, but we're getting scoring from our second through fourth lines and that's important for our team to have success here moving forward."
Saad has been bouncing up and down the lineup but in reaching 20 goals for the seventh time in his NHL career, he has a goal in three of the past four games and seven in 14.
His goal was a beauty redirection of Colton Parayko's feed from the right point down near the goal line to the left of Kings goalie Cam Talbot.
"He's done it on the power play, that little chip shot," Bannister said. "A 'Crosby' we call it. It's a skill play, but it's a dangerous play because it's hard for goalies to be able to react to it, but it's a very skilled play."
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Prior to the Boston game, Hayes' minutes slipped to under 12 per game in four of the previous five games and there were stretches where the center was parked on the bench, and for Kapanen, who had a goal and two assists in Boston, he played just 8:48 on Feb. 24 in Detroit, 9:22 on Feb. 27 at Winnipeg before being made a healthy scratch Feb. 28 at Edmonton.
Saad has played 15:06 and 15:24 the past two games; Hayes had skated 13:04 and 17:09, the most he's played since Jan. 6 at Carolina (17:57) the past two games, and Kapanen has gone 14:32, 15:40 and 16:01 the past three games.
So needless to say, the trio has found some positive light here despite their Corsi numbers (9-12, 9-10 against the past two games according to naturalstattrick.com) not matching the results, but for the Blues, that seems to be the norm.
"Yeah, I thought our line played well again here tonight," Hayes said after Wednesday's game. "When you're playing that team and they're in that 1-3-1, you've got to make sure you limit the turnovers and get pucks deep. I thought we did that.
"... I think just confidence honestly. We had a good game in Boston. Kind of happy with our games and I think our game is kind of correlating with one another."
It goes without saying that part of the Blues' secret has been secondary scoring and not relying on the likes of Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou when that trio is put together on one line, which hasn't been the case the past two games.
Jake Neighbours (21 goals), Alexey Toropchenko (13 goals) provided more secondary scoring Wednesday when each scored. Zachary Bolduc had his hands on the game Wednesday. Good signs if, and if is stressed, it's sustainable.
"If you can get scoring through your whole lineup, you give yourself a chance to win and certainly right now, the way some of our guys are able to score in those roles right now, and guys like Kyrou and Thomas and Buchnevich, they're going to get their opportunities and they're going to score," Bannister said. "Right now, those other cast of players for us are creating opportunities and they're able to score. That's the one thing, they're doing the right things to get the opportunities right now. They're getting the puck to the interior, they're getting to the net and they're getting rewarded for it. That's a confidence builder in itself. When they're doing the right things and they're getting rewarded, they're going to continue to do it."
Kings-Blues takeaways: Binnington leads way in keeping St. Louis relevant in Western Conference wild card race after 3-1 win over Los Angeles
ST. LOUIS -- The odds continue to remain stacked against them, but the St. Louis Blues continue to hang around.
They can thank Jordan Binnington, for one, and another team effort building off their win against the Boston Bruins on Monday by knocking off one of the teams they're chasing in the Western Conference wild card race, the Los Angeles Kings, 3-1, at Enterprise Center on Wednesday.
Kings-Blues takeaways (3-13-24) (3:35)Binnington put in another terrific performance with a 40-save effort and some of the Blues' young guns [Jake Neighbours and Alexey Toropchenko] scored goals, and Zack Bolduc, Matthew Kessel and Scott Perunovich continue to play important roles as the Blues (34-29-3) continue to make their push and stay within reach of the wild card.
They trail the Vegas Golden Knights, who currently hold down the second wild card, and Kings (33-21-11), who currently hold third in the Pacific Division, by six points. One will likely wind up in the top three in the Pacific and one will be on a wild card position, but the Blues have to keep close tabs on those two teams in particular.
"Obviously we need every point we can get right now," Blues center Kevin Hayes said. "When you're playing against teams that are above you, it's that much more important. I thought right from the start, we came to play. Wish we got 'Binner' the shutout, but we'll take the points."
Let's get into the takeaways from Wednesday's game and why the Blues won the season series against the Kings 2-1-0:
* First Period -- The Kings, who began a three-game road trip, carried a lot of the play in the opening 10 minutes of the game, but Binnington was holding down the fort for the most part.
The Blues were, however, in a bend-but-don't-break mindset. They had good sticks, were stepping up and breaking up L.A.'s pushes, and even when the Kings did have sustained zone time, the Blues were blocking shots (they had 19 for the game) and able to relieve pressure.
Brayden Schenn, who had one of his best defensive games of the season, caught Drew Doughty with an inadvertent high stick that put the Kings on the power play at 12:57. But Los Angeles would not get any shots during the game's opening power play.
Schenn however did set the tone for his game with this early hit on Kings forward Kevin Fiala.
Sometimes the game comes at you really fast. And hard. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/rGIPXrg10I
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 13, 2024As Blues interim coach Drew Bannister said postgame, the Blues were trying to find their legs in the game's opening 10 minutes or so after a long five-game road trip, that first game home can always be the toughest. But once they did, the Blues settled into the game.
Toropchenko extended his career-high for goals with his 13th when he put the Blues on top 1-0 at 17:30.
Colton Parayko and Nick Leddy each had crucial zone keep-ins prior to the goal; Parayko at the right point before feeding Oskar Sundqvist for a sharp-angled shot, then Nathan Walker broke his stick trying to fire off a rebound from the slot, but Leddy kept the puck in on his backhand, dropped it off to Toropchenko, who turned and fired a wrister above the right circle towards goal with traffic that eluded a couple sticks, including Walker's, and got past Cam Talbot.
Alexey Toropchenko just lit the goal lamp brighter than these Kings helmet. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/F0cA2c2TIz
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 14, 2024"'Torpo's being 'Torpo,'" Bannister said. "He's a hard guy to play against and he gets rewarded putting the puck to the net. He gets us going when the first 10 minutes of the first period, we were trying to find our legs and seemed after we scored that goal, we started to get to our game."
L.A. outshot the Blues 14-9 for the period, but the Blues carried a 1-0 lead into the second period.
* Second Period -- The Blues seemed to be on the front foot early, and Neighbours scored at 1:57 to make it 2-0 doing what he does best: drive the net.
Perunovich had a key chip of the puck to break up a Kings o-zone play that turned into into a transition for Bolduc, who made his way through the neutral zone and gave it to Buchnevich, who quickly gave it to Justin Faulk along the right boards. Faulk fed Bolduc cutting through the middle and the 2021 first-round puck backhanded a puck to the top of the crease where Neighbours came in and scooped a shot over Talbot.
"NEIGHBOURS!!! 2-0 BLUES!!!" #stlblues pic.twitter.com/t85yvfdKv7
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 14, 2024"I thought both 'Jakey' and Bolduc did an outstanding job," Bannister said. "If you look at who they're playing against, the way they played for young players on the ice and to be able to contribute."
Then Kessel, who earlier in the day signed a two-year, one-way contract extension, had a solid hit on Kings defenseman Andreas Englund to break up a play, and Binnington made a couple key saves on Trevor Lewis at 3:09 and 3:11 to keep it 2-0. And in the process, Binnington wasn't giving up rebounds on these in-tight shots the Kings had.
Alex Turcotte took the Kings' first minor at 5:46 for hooking, but the best chance to score came shorthanded for the Kings, and Binnington alertly got his body across on Doughty, who would have scored a nifty goal batting the puck out of midair driving the net at 7:05 off a feed from Anze Kopitar.
The Blues closed the gap in shots for the game, with L.A. holding a 28-23 edge, but the Blues led on the scoreboard 2-0 and were in a good position.
* Third Period -- The Blues started off the period managing the period well, thwarting off Los Angeles' push, and the Kings went to the PK again when they were caught with too many men at 5:30, but that quickly evaporated for the Blues when Pavel Buchnevich was called for tripping 21 seconds into it at 5:51.
You know what's #EasyToCelebrate?
Three-goal leads.#stlblues | @budlight pic.twitter.com/PFiq30EV7y
Then, Binnington decided once and for all this one was in the bag.
With L.A. pressing, he was able to lunge to his left and kick out Mikey Anderson's one-timer at 10:56 before someone stopping Doughty's rebound attempt at 11:01 from the slot, doing so in the retro 90s jerseys, one wore by one of his idols: Curtis Joseph.
Jordan Binnington is the freakin' man. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/xpdpY6XulL
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 14, 2024"Yeah, you have some funny thoughts there, seeing the pictures on the walls of the retro guys," Binnington said. 'I have the 'Cujo' helmet still sitting at home. If I knew we were in these jerseys today, I probably should've brought it. I didn't realize it was these jerseys. Maybe next year.
Kempe finally solved Binnington when he whacked in a second rebound attempt from the top of the crease at 13:08 after Doughty sent the puck to the net, but Binnington sealed off a 40-save performance in style. There was even a moment when the 18,096 wanted him to shoot the puck towards the empty net with a two-goal lead.
"It seems like the guys are having more fun and have each other's backs out there, finding ways to create offense off the rush," Binnington said. "I think that makes it more enjoyable as a player, and the energy builds from there."
"Makes things interesting and it starts to put a little heat on the teams that are in front of us and certainly an important game," Bannister said. 'You can feel after the Boston game that obviously we had struggled to find a good feeling in our room, and after that Boston game, it seemed that we were starting to get it back. When you have that feeling, you've got to continue to work and we have to trust our work and when you lose it's hard hard to find it back. Obviously after Boston, we found ourselves and feel good about ourselves, but we have to continue to work to keep that feeling."
Related: Blues player of the game vs. Kings: Jordan Binnington
The Hockey News Archive
Blues player of the game vs. Kings: Jordan Binnington
ST. LOUIS -- Kevin Hayes admittedly didn't know much about Jordan Binnington when he arrived via trade to the St. Louis Blues last summer.
"I never met him before I got here," Hayes said Monday night after a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings at Enterprise Center.
Blues player of the game vs. Kings: Jordan Binnington (1:47)So the veteran forward had no impressions one way or the other.
He has many now, and they're all through the roof positive after another masterclass performance with 40 saves.
According to moneypuck.com, Binnington had a xGoals-Against of 3.408, but his Goals Saved Above Expected was 2.41. He is now sixth in the league at 13.8 for goalies that have played 40-plus games, and everyone above him (Connor Hellebuyck (29.4), Winnipeg Jets; Thatcher Demko (20.4), Vancouver Canucks; Sergei Bobrovsky (18.8), Florida Panthers; Igor Shesterkin (16.5), New York Rangers; and Jacob Markstrom (16.1), Calgary Flames) are all playoff teams except for Markstrom.
"Yeah it comes with the position. It's a privilege and an honor to be in that position," said Binnington, who has a 2.35 goals-against average and .928 save percentage since Jan. 1. "Like I keep saying, I'm enjoying these moments and able to be present and focused on the here and now."
It was another game where those watching could tell Binnington was locked in; he was swallowing up pucks without giving up high-percentage rebounds and when he did, they were whisked out of danger. His poke-check game was on par, particularly one in which he thwarted Adrian Kempe in the dying seconds of the second period protecting a 2-0 lead, and in the third period came the cream of the crop plays.
Binnington had consecutive saves on Mikey Anderson at 10:56 off a one-timer from the right circle, then with his stick lost, he someone got a mask on Drew Doughty's chance from the slot at 11:01.
WHAT A SAVE BY BINNINGTON 😱 pic.twitter.com/wECDi8B4V9
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 14, 2024"I don't know. Just sometimes, you don't even think, right," Binnington said. "You're just kind of reacting. That was kind of a free-for-all moment. That's the old road-hockey, mini-stick goalie coming out of you.
"... Anything goes. It's fun when you're out there with the group. Everyone is diving around, trying to find a way to keep the puck out. Those are fun moments."
Especially when the Blues (33-29-3) are winning, and their goaltending, whether it be Binnington or Joel Hofer, are providing the backbone play behind the team.
"Since I've come here, the goaltending, whether it's been 'Binner' or Joel, have been outstanding for us," Blues interim coach Drew Bannister said. "They give us an opportunity to win, they keep games tight.
"The feeling on the bench is there's a lot of confidence in our goalies. If we do make mistakes, they're there to clean up some of the mess. We just have to minimize what happens after the first mistake."
As for Hayes, he's learned one important trait about Binnington this season.
"He's been amazing all year," Hayes said. "I've said this a bunch this year, he's the most surprising as a new guy to this team, the most surprising guy in my mind how hard he works, how good he is, how good he is in practice and just how he goes about his every day life.
"It's huge. It's every night. He's been our best player all year. We were struggling to score goals for a bit and he kept us in every game. He pretty much keeps us in every game every night."
And keeping the Blues in the playoff race.
Kessel signs two-year extension with Blues
ST. LOUIS -- Matthew Kessel's early impressions in the NHL continue to rise.
And in doing so, the defenseman will move forward playing under a one-way contract when the St. Louis Blues announced on Wednesday afternoon an agreement on a two-year, one-way contract extension worth $1.6 million ($800,000 average annual value).
Kessel's entry into the NHL thus far has done quite smoothly; he made his debut on April 3, 2023 against the Boston Bruins when he played two games last season; he's played in 23 games this season and has three assists, including picking up one in a 5-1 win against the Bruins on Monday.
Blues sign Matthew Kessel to two-year extension (2:35)But Kessel, who is in the second year of a two-year, $1.85 million entry-level contract, will now have the luxury of likely being on the NHL roster moving forward. His play has certainly made an impact on veteran Torey Krug, and the two have been a solid pairing.
"Obviously with the injury to [Justin] Faulk, bringing him up and then putting them together, they seem to have some chemistry and we saw that again last night," Blues interim coach Drew Bannister said Tuesday. "Sometimes that just happens. Guys play well off each other and they read off each other. They seem to have a good fit and comfortable to play off each other. They've had success together."
Kessel was sent down to Springfield after playing against the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 24 but was recalled again on Sunday and had a solid game against the Bruins with an assist and a plus-2 in 13:45.
"I thought 'Kess' played really well," Bannister said. "I've always liked having righty-lefty. At the end of the day, you want to have your best players on the ice. We thought 'Kess' came in last night coming off, he played two games in three nights, so that was three in four. He played the way we saw him play when he was here with us. I thought he kept things simple, he was physical around his net, he was physical around the boards, transported pucks. I thought he had a real strong game for us."
Blues not rushing Zach Dean into action
With the St. Louis Blues pushing for a playoff spot, the spotlight is on the recently recalled one of the club's top prospects, Zach Dean. As fans eagerly anticipate his NHL debut, head coach Drew Bannister voiced his measured approach to the 21-year-old's integration into the team.
"I think we need to get him a couple of practices here. I think that's a fair thing for him and will get him comfortable," Bannister told the media on Tuesday.
"Today, we'll have him come in and go through the day like he is playing, sit in on meetings at game time so he gets comfortable with game time preparations, and from there, we will go day to day."
After a slow start to his professional career with the Springfield Thunderbirds and a few sustained injuries that kept him sidelined, Dean has put together a productive stretch of hockey, scoring six goals, nine points, and a plus-one rating over 13 games since Feb. 2. Dean has produced eight goals, 13 points, and a -15 rating through 47 AHL games this season.
THIS KID IS ON FIRE pic.twitter.com/qpoJsOuiMc
— Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) February 25, 2024The Blues will have a tough stretch of games ahead of them, with playoff implications hanging in the balance. Inserting a player like Dean will put him in the same lineup that features Zachary Bolduc and Matt Kessel, who have both played for the Thunderbirds this season. Dean has found success this year as he has acclimated to the pro level, but he could have difficulty working his way up out of a bottom-six role through the remainder of the season.
Recent Articles(3-13-24) Kings-Blues Gameday Lineup
Blues must consider breaking up Thomas and Kyrou on top line
(3-13-24) Kings-Blues Gameday Lineup
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- There's no denying the objective for the St. Louis Blues (33-29-3), as they prepare to go against one of those teams that they're trying to chase down, the Los Angeles Kings (33-20-11), when the puck drops at 6:30 p.m. today (TNT, ESPN 101.1-FM).
Los Angeles is technically at present time in third place in the Pacific Division, but the Kings are tied with the Vegas Golden Knights, who occupy the second wild card into the Western Conference, with 77 points. The Nashville Predators are the first wild card with 78 points, so no matter what the standings look like right now, the Blues, who have 17 games remaining in the regular season, of which 11 are at Enterprise Center, are eight points back.
"We've got to go out and play here," Blues interim coach Drew Bannister said. "We know every game, every point's important for us. It's nice to be home coming off the road. I thought we had some good energy. The energy we had on the ice was good today. The guys know what we're up against here right now. We've got to come out and be ready to play.
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"It's one game at a time. Obviously when you look at our schedule and the teams that we're playing, they're going to be important games. Obviously [tonight's] a big game for us in the standings with L.A. coming in here, coming off the game we had in Boston, we leave that game feeling good about ourselves and coming in here [Tuesday] feeling good about ourselves, but now we have to move on past that and get ourselves ready for L.A."
- - -
Bannister will leave the same lineup together that won 5-1 against the Boston Bruins on Monday, aside from Jordan Binnington starting in goal for Joel Hofer.
That means Brayden Schenn, who is on a career-worst 17-game goal drought, will remain on the top line and play left wing with Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou, and Pavel Buchnevich will stay at center between kids Jake Neighbours and Zachary Bolduc.
"I liked the change that we made with putting 'Buchy' at middle and putting Schenn up front," Bannister said. "I thought they played well. I thought Schenner played really well on the wall in that game. As we got into the third period, I flipped 'Boldy' for 'Torpo' because they loaded up their one line just to give us a little protection there, but I thought the lines looked good.
"It's something that [Buchnevich] has got to get used to obviously. The responsibilities of a centermen, face-offs, obviously taking face-offs are another thing too, but just going with his switches, who he's staying with. I think after that, you're just kind of playing hockey. Overall I think he enjoys the challenge and I like the look there with him, 'Jakey' and 'Boldy.' I thought they played well together."
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The Blues can only hope for, or get something in the direction of, what they received from third-line skaters Brandon Saad, Kevin Hayes and Kasperi Kapanen on Monday.
The trio combined for seven points (three goals, four assists),with Kapanen leading the way with a goal and two assists in the game.
"I thought they played a very direct game," Bannister said. "They got a lot of pucks to the net, I thought they supported each other well. When they didn't have a lot of space, they put a lot of pucks underneath. When they were able to skate pucks and get into the zone, I thought they did a good job of doing that and finishing at the net."
- - -
Matthew Kessel, recalled on Sunday from Springfield of the American Hockey League, stepped into the lineup in Boston as if he didn't miss a beat.
The defenseman played 13:45, had an assist and was a plus-2 on the win against the Bruins playing alongside Torey Krug, who certainly elevates his game playing with Kessel as his partner.
"I thought 'Kess' played really well," Bannister said. "I've always liked having righty-lefty. At the end of the day, you want to have your best players on the ice. We thought 'Kess' came in last night coming off, he played two games in three nights, so that was three in four. He played the way we saw him play when he was here with us. I thought he kept things simple, he was physical around his net, he was physical around the boards, transported pucks. I thought he had a real strong game for us.
"Obviously with the injury to [Justin] Faulk, bringing him up and then putting them together, they seem to have some chemistry and we saw that again last night. Sometimes that just happens. Guys play well off each other and they read off each other. They seem to have a good fit and comfortable to play off each other. They've had success together."
- - -
Zach Dean's NHL debut will certainly wait.
After being recalled from the Thunderbirds on Monday, the 30th pick in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Golden Knights will be a healthy scratch against the Kings.
"I think we need to get him in a couple practices here," Bannister said of Dean. "That's the fair thing to him and get him comfortable. I think today we'll have him come in and kind of go through the day like he is playing, sit in on the meetings at game time so he gets comfortable with that and our game day preparation. But from there, we'll go day to day. Certainly the way the guys played in Boston, they deserve the opportunity come back here and play tonight."
Dean talked about getting called up, the challenges he faced on his pro career and why he's picked it up of late in Springfield but understands he'll get his chance soon enough.
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The Blues' projected lineup:
Brayden Schenn-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou
Zack Bolduc-Pavel Buchnevich-Jake Neighbours
Brandon Saad-Kevin Hayes-Kasperi Kapanen
Alexey Toropchenko-Oskar Sundqvist-Nathan Walker
Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko
Torey Krug-Matthew Kessel
Scott Perunovich-Justin Faulk
Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Marco Scandella, Sammy Blais, Nikita Alexandrov, Tyler Tucker and Zach Dean. The Blues report no injuries.
- - -
The Kings' projected lineup
Alex Turcotte-Anze Kopitar-Quinton Byfield
Trevor Moore-Phillip Danault-Kevin Fiala
Alex Laferriere-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Adrian Kempe
Arthur Kaliyev-Blake Lizotte-Trevor Lewis
Mikey Anderson-Drew Doughty
Vladislav Gavrikov-Matt Roy
Andreas Englund-Jordan Spence
Cam Talbot will start in goal; David Rittich will be the backup.
The healthy scratch is Jacob Moverare. Viktor Arvidsson (lower body) and Carl Grundstrom (lower body) are out.
Related: Blues player to watch vs. Kings: Brandon Saad
Blues player to watch vs. Kings: Brandon Saad
Brandon Saad has quietly gone about his business this season for the St. Louis Blues.
After scoring a goal and adding an assist in a 5-1 win against the Boston Bruins on Monday, the forward sits at 19 goals in need of one more to reach to the 20-goal marker for the seventh time in his NHL career.
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Saad has six goals the past 13 games, and if the Blues (33-29-3) are to gain any ground on the Los Angeles Kings (33-20-11) on Wednesday, they're going to need to continue with secondary scoring.
Saad and linemates Kasperi Kapanen and Kevin Hayes combined for seven points (three goals, four assists) on Monday and a similar output, or anything close, would prove to be beneficial, making Saad the player to watch tonight.
Zach Dean had to grow up fast, led to some tough times early in his pro career; 2021 first-round pick started to figure it out at AHL level, rewarded with first NHL recall, awaiting debut with Blues
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Chalk up Zach Dean as one of the latest scoring threats from the junior level that perhaps thought a bump to the American Hockey League would be more like a walk in the park than a tough, arduous climb.
Dean, acquired by the St. Louis Blues from the Vegas Golden Knights days before the NHL Trade Deadline last season for Ivan Barbashev, was the Golden Knights' first-round pick (30th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft that came in with a load of confidence.
Zach Dean, a 2021 first-round pick by the Vegas Golden Knights traded to the St. Louis Blues last year, was recalled on Monday and could make his NHL debut any day.After all, the 21-year-old was flourishing for the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season when he put up 70 points (33 goals, 37 assists) in 50 games before taking fellow Blues prospect Zachary Bolduc the distance in their semifinal playoff round matchup.
But Dean, recalled by the Blues on Monday and is waiting to make his NHL debut, received a quick refresher course on having to become an adult for the first time, and fast.
"I think some things we forget about, a lot of it's talked about on the hockey aspect of it with these young players, but they leave whether it's college or their junior towns where everything's taken care for them, and now all of the sudden they have to find a place to live, they have to find a roommate, they have to pay bills, they have to wash all their clothes and now they have to cook their own meals," said Blues interim coach Drew Bannister, who was Dean's coach in Springfield before Bannister was promoted to St. Louis following the firing of Craig Berube. "That's a big adjustment for these players. It's just not the hockey aspect."
And Dean admitted as much. Not to make any excuses, but it showed in his early play.
Dean had just two goals and two assists the first 35 games of the season.
"Obviously first-year pro, coming in you're going to be playing against guys that are bigger, they're a lot older too, the speed of the game," Dean said Tuesday at Centene Community Ice Center. "I'm just trying to adjust to that. I think in the last little bit, I kind of found that groove of what I can do, what I can't do, just getting comfortable, holding onto pucks and making plays. Obviously it's not going to be easy all the time, and I was just enjoying it. Same thing with the living, first year living on your own, an apartment, stuff like that. There's adjustments, not just on the ice too. But I was enjoying it. I was having fun."
Dean had 'that moment' where everything started to click.
He scored on Feb. 3 against Hartford, then had an assist the following game against Hershey that started a run of eight points (five goals, three assists) in eight games, including a three-point night against Providence on Feb. 24 and this beauty of a goal:
EVERYONE WATCH THIS ZACH DEAN GOAL, YOU'RE WELCOME pic.twitter.com/LTTrtKwNpa
— Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) February 4, 2024Dean was playing down in the lineup but out of necessity when the Blues started calling players up, he got his chance to move higher up into a top six role and ran with it.
"I think the biggest thing is just be more confident with the puck and using my speed," Dean said. "In the last little bit when I've done that, that's when I've had the most success. That's just what I'm going to try and do going forward.
"I think my speed, I think that's something I've always used. Obviously in juniors, it's a completely different game and you're playing with guys that are more around your age. I would say my speed and just using that as a strength."
The early part of the season has become a forgone conclusion, even experimenting at wing, a position Dean said he had no qualms about playing but prefers to be a center. All of it needed to run its course.
"I think all the kids, they struggle, especially the good players coming out of junior hockey, they think it's going to be a lot easier than it is, and all of the sudden you're thrown into a league that there's a lot of good hockey players, a lot of guys that played numerous games, numerous years in the NHL and they're men," Bannister said. "I think the players come in and they're taken a little bit by surprise, it leaves little bit of confidence in themselves, there's some doubt with how they thought they came in or what their perception of the league would be, and then it just takes time to build that confidence back up. And then just an understanding of how difficult it is on a day to day basis to be a pro."
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Not only the living aspects and becoming an adult living alone, aside from having his girlfriend with him, Dean's last year involved being traded at a young age changing organizations, playing out his junior career and adjusting to a pro life.
"Obviously you think about all that stuff when it happens, but to think about it all at one time, it's kind of crazy even going back to getting drafted to the NHL and obviously getting traded and still in junior," Dean said. "That was something too that was still pretty crazy. I can remember that. I had a game, it was an early game that day, woke up, got traded and I had to go right to the rink pretty much as soon as I found out the news. There wasn't too much time to think about it there. I'm just enjoying the process and I'm having lots of fun with it."
Dean joined the Blues in Boston and watched the game against the Bruins from the press box and was able to process what it takes to scale the mountain even more from AHL level to the NHL.
"Obviously it's the NHL," he said. "The pace and the way everyone plays, it's incredible really. Especially being up there, you get to see a full view of the ice. Obviously people watching, it looks a little bit easier but when you get out there, it's going to be a little hard."
With Matthew Kessel and Bolduc already having their feet wet in the organization, Dean is next in line to begin his journey and continue to form that foundation of younger prospects that will soon enough mold this franchise into the future.
"Obviously we haven't really talked about that too much," Dean said. "Just right now, I would say it's a lot going on getting the call and getting up. 'Boldy's playing his first games now, 'Kess' was up for a while and stuff like that. I don't think we're really thinking that far down the road, but obviously that's something that you could think about."
Dean's NHL debut will likely have to wait beyond Wednesday since the Blues are expected to field the same lineup that won in Boston, but the Blues wouldn't have recalled him unless they wanted him to get a taste.
"We'll see. I think right now with the way our guys played yesterday, I think it's imperative that we get everybody back in," Bannister said. 'They deserve to be back in the lineup, but i think when 'Deaner' gets in, and he will here in the near future, he played wing for me down there early on just to get him adapted to the league and then we moved him back to center before I came up here. As far as I know, he's been playing very well, probably one of their best forwards since Christmas time. Once we see where our lineup kind of sits here moving forward, we'll get him in. He's a versatile player. He can play both wing and center. I think we envision him moving forward as a centerman, but it's not an easy league to play center in, so there are some ups and downs that go with that, so we want to protect him and make sure we get him in the right spots."
And when Dean does, you can surely bet that his parents, Trent and Kendra Dean, will make their way down from Newfoundland to see it.
"I think whenever I find out, then they'll make their way down," Dean said. "I don't think they'll miss that one."
Blues must consider breaking up Thomas and Kyrou on top line
As the St. Louis Blues grapple with the challenge of maintaining a sustained and consistent five-on-five offense, the decision by head coach Drew Bannister and the coaching staff to retain the duo on the team's top line becomes a crucial point of discussion. While this choice appears logical on paper, the results paint a different picture, underscoring the importance of the top line's performance.
Thomas and Kyrou, the two highest-paid players on the club's roster, have managed two goals, three points, and a combined mins-11 rating as we approach the midpoint of March. Despite his 16 shots on goal through six games, Kyrou's lone goal of the month has come at even-strength, while Thomas has been limited to power play opportunities to contribute to the team's offense.
Everybody's hands go UP!!! #stlblues pic.twitter.com/28SbAQkzev
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 11, 2024After their 5-1 victory over the Boston Bruins, the Blues remain six points back of the Vegas Golden Knights and nine points back of the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference Wild Card standings. Though a playoff berth may seem like a stretch at this point in the season, the coaching staff should consider breaking up the pair to bolster their top-six offense.
Should Bannister look to move Kyrou to the second line, this could suggest a swap of him and Jake Neighbours on the right wing. The flip would bring a heavy, potentially slow top line featuring team captain Brayden Schenn on the left wing. However, the move would reunite Kyrou and Buchnevich on the second line alongside rookie forward Zachary Bolduc.
Blues alternate captain Thomas is on pace to break his career-high of 77 points (20 goals, 57 assists) set during the 2021-22 season after scoring his 21st goal and 70th point of the season against the Bruins. However, Kyrou remains far behind his back-to-back seasons, producing over 70 points with only 20 goals and 48 points through 65 games. Should the offense falter again, Bannister could look to make a change.
Blues-Bruins takeaways: Kapanen, Hayes, Saad line fuels St. Louis' 5-1 win against Boston to end three-game losing streak
It hasn't been the kind of trip the St. Louis Blues had hoped for, only picking up one win from the first four games and arguably the toughest of the five awaited them against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Monday.
The offense has been scarce, so interim coach Drew Bannister jumbled some things up, particularly on the top six, and the Blues were hoping for better results and got it, with the Kevin Hayes line with Brandon Saad and Kasperi Kapanen providing the secondary scoring, combining for seven points (three goals, four assists), and Joel Hofer provided the backstopping necessary with 36 saves in a 5-1 win against the Bruins.
Blues-Bruins takeaways (3-11-24) (3:16)The Blues (33-29-3) had slipped down the slope in the race of the Western Conference wild card race, falling eight points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild card, and nine points in back of the Nashville Predators for the first wild card.
Entering this trip, the Blues were hoping to make some headway and stay relevant in the race but opening the trip with a tough 2-1 shootout win against the Philadelphia Flyers, they followed it up with back-to-back losses against the New York Islanders (4-2) and New Jersey Devils (4-1) heading onto the NHL Trade Deadline that came and went without any locker room changes.
But an un-inspirational 4-0 loss against the New York Rangers on Saturday made the climb even steeper with one more great challenge ahead, but the Blues played arguably one of their better games in some time.
They were sharp, crisp, on the same page, mistakes were minimal and not necessarily in bad spots on the ice, and when called upon, Hofer was the backbone providing the necessary saves.
Let's get into the takeaways from just the Blues' fifth win (5-8-1) the past 14 games:
* First Period -- Brayden Schenn was one of the skaters moved in the lineup, elevated to the line with Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou playing left wing. It has been tough of late with Schenn when he matched his career-worst goal drought with 16 games entering Monday, and things seemed to get worse right off the hop when the captain was whistled for interference on Brad Marchand just 53 seconds into the game.
But in a prelude of things to come, the Blues' penalty kill, which was carved up for three goals against by the Rangers on Saturday, came up with a big kill to start the game and it carried throughout the game.
Hofer was tested at the 8:30 mark and he came up with a big save on Jesper Boqvist after Colton Parayko had one of the rare mistakes in the d-zone that turned into a solid scoring chance. Again, it was another prelude of things to come when Hofer was up to the task.
Kapanen could only sing the praises of finally catching a break when he scored his first goal in 21 games dating to Dec. 30, 2023 against the Pittsburgh Penguins and his fifth of the season at 10:13 to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.
The line with Saad and Hayes did a nice job of gaining the zone and working the puck, and after former Bruins defenseman Torey Krug tried throwing the puck back down low around the boards, it hit the stanchion of the zamboni door, off one of the official's skates and caromed into the slot right to Kapanen, who beat Jeremy Swayman blocker side.
Sometimes all you need is a good bounce. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/KBhKcB8O3X
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 11, 2024Hofer was again called into action making consecutive quick saves on Pavel Zacha and Danton Heinen at 12:53 and 12:54 to keep it a 1-0 game.
whoa pic.twitter.com/WBg5uvpnDd
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 11, 2024Then the Bruins got hit with a rash of penalties, with Jake DeBrusk first sent to the box for holding the stick at 13:55.
The Blues didn't do anything with their first power play, but they were given another opportunity when Charlie Coyle was called for hooking Robert Thomas at 16:47, then St. Louis native Trent Frederic high-sticked Schenn trying to lift his stick at 17:49 giving the Blues 58 seconds of 5-on-3.
They were just 1-for-7 in those situations but wasted little time on this one when Thomas whistled in his 21st of the season, his career-high to make it 2-0 at 17:59.
Thomas won the face-off, and Justin Faulk worked it to Thomas, who worked a nice high-low play with Pavel Buchnevich before wiring a slap shot from the top of the right circle.
Robert Thomas. One-timer. Another #stlblues goal! This one on the power play. 🚨🚨
Watch on the Bally Sports app, brought to you by @BommaritoAuto. pic.twitter.com/a4CREZWfYG
It was a fairly even-played period with the Blues ahead 2-0 but outshot 12-10.
* Second Period -- The Blues had the chance early to extend the lead when Jordan Kyrou was off to the races on a breakaway but Swayman had the answer with the blocker at 2:06.
But the Hayes line was on it in the second period. Hayes made it 3-0 at 4:31 when the Blues transitioned the puck through the neutral zone and into the offensive cleanly, Kapanen had a mini odd-man, took it to the net and fed Hayes for the finish after former Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk took the backdoor play to Saad and had to vacate Hayes in the middle.
Nothing better than scoring a goal in your hometown. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/4CMSIuOSnK
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 12, 2024Oskar Sundqvist lost a puck, then hooked Charlie McAvoy at 8:40 to give Boston its second power play but nothing doing on that one either.
The Bruins thought they scored on a wonky bounce by Justin Brazeau at 8:49 to make it a 3-1 game. It came after Kessel's backhand along the wall was picked off, and Brazeau took it hard to the net and the puck caromed up into the air and in off Krug and Hofer's sticks. But the Blues challenged for offside, and it was determined that Brazeau preceded the puck into the zone at 9:06 and the goal was waved off.
The Blues fed off the good fortune and Saad made it 4-0 at 15:25 when he drove hard to the back post after Hayes possessed the puck in the offensive zone, curled to his left and fed Saad, whose initial shot hit the post but he stayed with it and banged home his 19th of the season.
Make that four unanswered goals for the Blues! Brandon Saad joins the scoresheet.
📺: Bally Sports | 📱: Bally Sports app pic.twitter.com/qt1AlE5msR
The Blues only got seven shots in the period and were getting outshot 24-17 but doubled their lead to 4-0 heading into the third period.
* Third Period -- Even down four, the Blues were going to push and had a push early on.
Zacha had just missed an open one-timer at the right post but was able to retrieve the puck, get it to Shattenkirk, who fed David Pastrnak for a wicked one-timer near the blue line that made it 4-1 at 1:48.
Boston was pushing hard, but Hofer, who made 36 saves, had all the answers to keep it 4-1.
Ladies and gentlemen, Joel Hofer.#stlblues | @pncbank pic.twitter.com/byx1q2aZIe
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 12, 2024Swayman came up with a dandy of his own when he made a stop on Nathan Walker's chance off a 2-on-1 with Scott Perunovich. And then Alexey Toropchenko's drive to the net almost results in a goal when he redirected Jake Neighbours' shot off the post at 8:28.
But knowing he had to do something, Bruins coach and former Blues assistant Jim Montgomery pulled Swayman with roughly nine minutes left and a three-goal deficit, but Toropchenko didn't waste any time in scoring into the empty net to make it 5-1 at 11:27 when he tipped Parayko's flipper from his side of the red line.
You don't see goals deflected from center ice very often but we just did. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/HC1YJw5Lur
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 12, 2024The Blues had to kill off one more minor on Kyrou for holding at 13:13 but they limited Boston's ninth-ranked power play to just two shots on three attempts.
It capped off a solid win despite being outshot 37-22.
And along with Hofer's solid performance, the story was the Saad-Hayes-Kapanen line with seven points in much-needed secondary scoring as the Blues head home for a four-game homestand and play 11 of their final 17 games at Enterprise Center.
My eyes see … Hayes and Kappy! #stlblues pic.twitter.com/HeX4g1WqzO
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 12, 2024Related: Blues player of the game vs. Bruins: Kasperi Kapanen
The Hockey News Archive
Blues player of the game vs. Bruins: Kasperi Kapanen
To say it's been a tough go for Kasperi Kapanen offensively this season, and overall as of late, would be understating it.
The Blues forward has been mired in a scoring drought, 20 games to be exact, heading into a tough road matchup Monday against the Boston Bruins.
It's been so dry, Kapanen even he joked in an interview with the Bally Sports Midwest crew after scoring in the first period Monday:
Kasperi Kapanen describes the game-opening goal: "We were holding onto the puck and had a good shift. Got a lucky bounce. Once in a blue moon, I'll score a goal." #stlblues pic.twitter.com/mwVVDo5BpJ
— Bally Sports Midwest (@BallySportsMW) March 12, 2024But Kapanen was on it Monday, as were linemates Kevin Hayes and Brandon Saad. They combined for seven points, including Kapanen with his first three-point game in nearly a year with a goal and two helpers in an impressive 5-1 win against the Bruins at TD Garden to close out a season-long five-game road trip with bookend wins.
Blues player of the game vs. Bruins: Kasperi Kapanen (2:54)Kapanen finished with 15:40 ice time in the game and had five shot attempts with one takeaway but was noticeable tonight in transporting pucks, entering the offensive zone cleanly and working in unison with his linemates.
Did he catch a break on his goal, his first since Dec. 30 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, when Torey Krug's puck play around the boards hit the corner stanchion of the zamboni door right to him in the slot that gave the Blues a 1-0 lead at 10:13 of the first? Sure, but sometimes you create your own luck, and it was a prerequisite of things to come in the game for Kapanen, who was noticeable throughout the game.
Remember, this was a guy who was recently healthy-scratched but came through with a solid game on this night.
Hayes and Saad also deserved consideration for player of the game, as did Joel Hofer with a solid 36-save effort between the pipes, but player of the game honors goes to Kapanen.
(3-11-24) Blues-Bruins Gameday Lineup
It's blender time for the St. Louis Blues as they close out a season-long five-game road trip against the Boston Bruins on Monday at 6 p.m. (BSMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).
Morning skate report vs. Bruins (3-11-24) (2:47)It's no secret that the Blues (32-29-3), who have lost three straight and continue to plummet in the Western Conference wild card race to the point of no return, are struggling in many aspects.
And scoring is one of them, right at the forefront.
So interim coach Drew Bannister has thrown the lines, particularly the top six, into full blender mode, moving Brayden Schenn up to play wing with Robert Thomas, who did not skate this morning but is expected to play, and Jordan Kyrou; Pavel Buchnevich, if you haven't heard, wasn't traded and will center and be flanked by kids Zachary Bolduc and Jake Neighbours.
Schenn has matched his career-worst drought for goal-scoring (set earlier this season) having gone 16 straight games without a goal; his last came Jan. 28 in overtime of a 4-3 win against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Blues have been outscored 12-1 the past 2.5 games since leading the New York Islanders 2-0 midway through that game last Tuesday and can't seem to find shot volume, let alone scoring goals.
Also, Matthew Kessel, who was recalled from Springfield of the American Hockey League on Sunday and made the short drive down to Beantown, will be back in the lineup and play alongside Torey Krug; Justin Faulk, who has struggled, moves down to play alongside Scott Perunovich and veteran Marco Scandella will be a healthy scratch.
Joel Hofer will get the start after Jordan Binnington started the past two games against the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers.
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The Blues' projected lineup:
Brayden Schenn-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou
Zachary Bolduc-Pavel Buchnevich-Jake Neighbours
Brandon Saad-Kevin Hayes-Kasperi Kapanen
Alexey Toropchenko-Oskar Sundqvist-Nathan Walker
Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko
Torey Krug-Matthew Kessel
Scott Perunovich-Justin Faulk
Joel Hofer will start in goal; Jordan Binnington will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Marco Scandella, Tyler Tucker, Sammy Blais and Nikita Alexandrov. The Blues report no injuries.
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The Bruins' projected lineup:
Brad Marchand-Charlie Coyle-Jake DeBrusk
Danton Heinen-Pavel Zacha-David Pastrnak
James van Riemsdyk-Morgan Geekie-Trent Frederic
Jakub Lauko-Jesper Boqvist-Justin Brazeau
Matt Grzelcyk-Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo
Mason Lohrei-Kevin Shattenkirk
Jeremy Swayman will start in goal; Linus Ullmark will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Andrew Peeke and Parker Wotherspoon. The Bruins report no injuries.
Blues player to watch vs. Bruins: Torey Krug
It hasn't been the trip the St. Louis Blues wanted, or needed, as it winds down on Monday night against the Boston Bruins.
Blues player to watch vs. Bruins: Torey Krug (2:20)Losers of three in a row, it's been a rough stretch for the Blues (32-29-3), and it won't be any easier as they close out their longest road trip of the season (five games) against the Bruins (38-13-15), who have just one regulation loss the past 12 games (7-1-4).
But our player to watch tonight is on former Bruins defenseman Torey Krug, who seems to get that extra giddy-up when the Blues defenseman faces his former mates. He has four points (two goals, two assists) in five games since leaving Boston and signing with St. Louis in 2020.
Krug doesn't have a point on the trip, which has seen the Blues go 1-3-0 thus far with three straight losses but he's logging the minutes, having played in 20 or more minutes per game the past 16 games.
Krug will quarterback one of the power play units again tonight, and it will need an injection since it has gone 0-for-9 on the trip and just 2-for-24 the past eight games.
Related: (3-11-24) Blues-Bruins Gameday Lineup
Mistake-prone, undisciplined Blues once again can't get out of their own way in 4-0 loss against Rangers for third straight loss, ninth in 13 games
There was supposed to be some relief, some clarity of the objective once the NHL Trade Deadline came and went on Friday afternoon.
The St. Louis Blues were probably on pins and needles wondering if general manager Doug Armstrong would alter the roster as the team was slumping in the standings.
When Armstrong didn't make any changes, at least to the Blues roster, their objective was simple: get back to playing consistent hockey and become relevant in the chase for the wild card in the Western Conference, only trailing it by six points with 19 games remaining coming into Saturday's game against the New York Rangers.
Well, the more things are supposed to change, the more they stayed the same. The Blues were mistake-prone again, and on this night, they were uncharacteristically undisciplined in allowing three power-play goals, and the offense, while it had chances, especially in the first period, fell flat in a 4-0 loss against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
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When Armstrong didn't make changes, it was a clear message that he didn't find anything to his liking, for one, and as Armstrong said, nobody was knocking on their door for some of their players.
So the message from him was simple.
"This is the time of year where I hope our players find it being the most enjoyable," Armstrong said Friday. "You should come to the rink with a smile on your face, with the desire and excitement to compete. For whatever reason, we haven't had that desire and compete the last little while. I hope they can find it back because it should be a joyful time. As far as competing, we talked about what does a successful season look like. Part of it is wins and losses."
Well, the wins are not coming, with three straight losses, and the fun obviously isn't there, and it's leading to mistakes -- again by veterans -- and as a result, pucks are winding up in the back of the net.
Such was the case again on Saturday.
Case in point, a Kevin Hayes slashing penalty, literally 36 seconds after the Blues had just killed a Zack Bolduc slashing minor, led to Vincent Trocheck's power-play goal at 5:51 to make it 1-0, and it came after Nick Leddy had a chance to clear a puck from behind his net, and instead of slamming it around the boards and out, he wristed the puck, it was stopped at the blue line, the Rangers kept it in, and the rest is history when Trocheck redirected a puck from slot off Colton Parayko and past Jordan Binnington.
The Troch touch. 🤌🤌🤌 pic.twitter.com/SC3HbFC9hU
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 10, 2024The second goal, and the absolute back-breaker by Jimmy Vesey with 23 seconds left in the first, there's just no excuse for it.
The Blues had control of the puck. It actually wasn't a bad period. They had 14 shots, some good looks at Igor Shesterkin in the period (Pavel Buchnevich, Robert Thomas and Brandon Saad), but breaking out of the d-zone with no resistance, mind you, Justin Faulk, who had a rough game, tried moving the puck to Parayko along the wall. When he failed to dump the puck in deep to basically kill the period, it got picked off, Vesey was off to the races because Faulk was going off for a line change and made it 2-0.
Could Faulk have taken another stride or two and fired the puck in himself? Sure, but again, it's two veterans making critical errors when they understand the time and puck management.
Jim scores + The Garden COMES ALIVE. pic.twitter.com/qOqRydx5jv
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 10, 2024And with the lack of offense by the Blues, particularly on this road trip, it was basically game over. Shoulders again started to slump, heads were down, players can't make basic plays.
It got worse in the third period with two more power-play goals by Chris Kreider, one in which Brayden Schenn had a failed clearing attempt on, and Kappo Kakko on net front plays. Oh and the Blues negated their only two power plays of the game with mismanaging the puck on each occasion that resulted in ensuing minor penalties.
The Blues opened this trip with a 2-1 shootout win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday thanks to Binnington's 40-save performance, and they actually led 2-0 against the New York Islanders midway through that game on Tuesday, but in the past 2.5 games, the Blues have now been outscored 12-1.
And the trip ends Monday night against the Boston Bruins.
Yikes.
(3-9-24) Blues-Rangers Gameday Lineup
When general manager Doug Armstrong ultimately didn't alter the St. Louis Blues' roster by Friday's 2p.m. (CT) NHL Trade Deadline, whether it was because he didn't find the right suitors and/or price, or he didn't have any suitors at all, the immediate message was clear: go out and make the most of what's left of the 2023-24 regular season.
The Blues (32-28-3), who visit the New York Rangers (40-18-4) today at 6:30 p.m. (BSMW, ESPN 101.1-FM) at Madison Square Garden, know their plight. It may not seem all that difficult, but they are six points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild card from the Western Conference.
Morning skate report vs. Rangers (3-9-24) (3:53)Armstrong said Friday he hasn't given up on this season yet, but the Blues, who are 4-7-1 in the past 12 games after ripping off seven of eight wins, are in no place to be taking any more nights off like the past two games of this three-game road trip.
"I'll talk to them. I think I owe that to them," Armstong said of speaking to the players. "I'll talk to them and give them my outlook, but ultimately I'm a big believer, what's going to happen, there will be 25 guys in there and they have to look at each other and really want to play for each other and play for the guy beside them and get ahead. It doesn't really matter what the manager says at that point. I have to have a belief that they're going to get that done."
The Blues started the trip on the right foot, thanks to Jordan Binnington's 40-save effort in a 2-1 shootout win against the Philadelphia Flyers but stumbled in losing to the New York Islanders (4-2) after leading 2-0 and 4-1 on Thursday against the Tyler Toffoli-less New Jersey Devils.
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The Blues did not hold a morning skate on Saturday, so interim coach Drew Bannister will make any lineup updates at 4:20 p.m. (CT) outside the Blues locker room today, so until then, assume the lineup will not change.
The Blues' projected lineup:
Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou
Brandon Saad-Brayden Schenn-Jake Neighbours
Zachary Bolduc-Kevin Hayes-Kasperi Kapanen
Alexey Toropchenko-Oskar Sundqvist-Nathan Walker
Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko
Torey Krug-Justin Faulk
Marco Scandella-Scott Perunovich
Jordan Binnington is projected to start in goal; Joel Hofer would be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Sammy Blais, Nikita Alexandrov and Tyler Tucker. The Blues report no injuries.
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The Rangers' projected lineup:
Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Jack Roslovic
Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trocheck-Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle-Alex Wennberg-Kaapo Kakko
Jimmy Vesey-Barclay Goodrow-Matt Rempe
Ryan Lindgren-Adam Fox
K'Andre Miller-Braden Schneider
Erik Gustafsson-Zac Jones
Igor Shesterkin will start in goal; Jonathan Quick will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Jonny Brodzinski and Chad Ruhwedel. Jacob Trouba (lower body) is out.
Related: Blues player to watch vs. Rangers: Brayden Schenn