The Blues and more importantly head coach Mike Yeo face a crucial stretch of games this week, playing four games in six days and facing two top divisional opponents (Nashville and Winnipeg) in three of the games. Before those tough games though, they host one of the worst teams in the league, the Los Angeles Kings.
The Blues are fresh off a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of the Sharks and have been shutout in two of their last three games and have lost three of their last four games. They also suffered a number of injuries on their 3 game road trip, losing Alexander Steen (day to day), Jaden Schwartz (out at least a week), Carl Gunnarsson (out at least a week), Robert Bortuzzo (still out), and Pat Maroon who might play this weekend, at the earliest. My sources say that Maroon has been working out and is dealing with a rib type injury.
From the little I saw of the game, it seemed to be the same old story in that I noticed blown defensive coverage, average to below average goaltending, and continued failings in converting quality chances.
Take for instance, Erik Karlsson’s 1st goal.
This play is a good example of the contrast between Jake Allen and Chad Johnson. Notice the pace at which Johnson moves out to challenge. It’s deliberate, almost slow. I’d like to see more urgency and more height on the top of the crease. Doing so would have improved his save chances though it may not have mattered.
Joe Pavelski scored the 2nd goal on a play that likely had Blues fans calling for Jay Bouwmeester to head back to the press box. Unfortunately, Jordan Schmaltz’s performance on the play was also press box worthy. Pavelski simply outworks both players to score the goal, something that can’t happen in a 1-0 game given the Blues current position. Blues fans likely didn’t realize how much they would miss Carl Gunnarsson and Robert Bortuzzo.
On the Sharks’ 3rd goal, notice how Johnson drops his glove hand early, allowing Evander Kane’s shot to beat him as he tries to bring his trapper back up to catch the shot. If he maintains, proper glove positioning, he would have likely made the save. If course, how do you let Kane get that open in that prime of a scoring area.
The poor 4-0 loss was after an impressive win against the Golden Knights the prior evening in a game that was arguably the best overall game the Blues have played to date this season. The inconsistency is driving fan and likely ownership and management crazy.
Hopefully tonight will be what helps cure the Blues, facing the Kings who have the lowest point percentage in the league thanks in part to being the worst scoring team in the league. They have the 2nd most futile power play and generate the 3rd fewest shots per game. They don’t have a single player averaging 0.75 points per game or better.
Rookie Cal Petersen will get the start in net as Jonathan Quick and Jack Campbell are both injured. Petersen has a 93.5% save percentage in his 3 games this season.
For the Blues, injuries will force the lines to look like this:
Fabbri-O'Reilly-Tarasenko
Perron-Bozak-Schenn
Soshnikov-Thomas-Blais
Sanford-Barbashev-Sundqvist
Dunn-Pietrangelo
Edmundson-Parayko
Bouwmeester-Schmaltz
Allen
If the Blues lay an egg tonight, I wonder if Mike Yeo even makes it to Thanskgiving in St. Louis.
NHL Champions for Charity
We’ve gotten some traction on the charity wager among the Central Division bloggers. More on that to come.
It’s a great day for hockey.
St Louis Blues Blogger • 
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