The St. Louis Blues hit fairly the bitter word to start 2025-26, getting shut out in a season opener for the primary time within the franchise’s 58-year historical past.
After seeing their 15-game residence successful streak (playoffs included) come to a halt, the Blues take their present on the highway Saturday after they go to the Calgary Flames.
“You clearly wish to win the house opener in entrance of your followers,” St. Louis captain Brayden Schenn stated following his workforce’s 5-0 setback to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
“(However) you recognize what, it is a lengthy season. We won’t dwell on one recreation. Now we have to show the web page, and the perfect half about it’s now we have a recreation (on Saturday). We will go proper again at it and make some changes, and we all know we may be higher.”
There have been stretches when the Blues had been higher than the Wild, together with a sequence wherein they registered the primary 14 pictures of the second interval and appeared poised to chop right into a two-goal deficit. Alas, the momentum was halted as soon as Joel Eriksson Ek scored on the ability play at 12:27 of the second.
St. Louis was unable to resolve Minnesota goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who turned apart all 26 pictures he confronted.
“Nicely one (motive), we weren’t taking away his eyes,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery stated of Gustavsson. “(However) I haven’t got a solution. Now we have a whole lot of good gamers that rating a whole lot of objectives, and for no matter motive, we weren’t on our mark tonight.”
Throughout Thursday’s loss, rookie Jimmy Snuggerud was shuffled from the highest line with Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich to the third with Pius Suter and Mathieu Joseph.
“I feel it is actually essential with younger guys that you simply encourage, not discourage, and also you discuss to them about what their strengths are,” Montgomery stated. “If we go down to 2 strains as a result of we’re attempting to guard a lead, and he isn’t on the market, inform him about it on the bench. ‘It is nothing you did not do, I am simply going to go together with guys which have been right here earlier than and achieved it earlier than.'”
The Flames adopted up their season-opening shootout win over the rival Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday with a 5-1 drubbing by the host Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
Along with the loss, Calgary defenseman Kevin Bahl departed early within the third after he took a wrist shot to the again of his head. The Canucks promptly scored to take a 2-0 lead, and the momentum modified from there.
There was not a direct replace on Bahl’s situation.
Dustin Wolf has yielded eight objectives on 61 pictures enjoying on back-to-back nights.
“Early within the 12 months, there must be ton of power within the tank,” Flames coach Ryan Huska stated after Wolf’s 21-save effort on Thursday. “I would not say this was Dustin’s greatest recreation, however he at all times provides us an opportunity to win.”
Backup Devin Cooley is ready within the wings after a less-than-stellar preseason. The 28-year-old has simply six NHL video games beneath his belt — all with the San Jose Sharks in 2023-24.
–Area Stage Media
