The St. Louis Blues are still picking up the pieces after firing their last two coaches in just over a year as they try to build up their game. While they have struggled in many areas this season, they have done well in others to rank in the top 10 in the league. Here’s a look at what the Blues are doing right.
Blues’ Wins When Trailing First in Games
Last season, the Blues were one of the top teams in the league in wins when scoring first, ranking eighth (33 wins). They also had an 11-game winning streak when scoring first from October to December. This season, they are in the top 10 (six wins) in the opposite stat, winning when trailing first, which they struggled with last season, ranking 27th in the league (10 wins).
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The Blues have also won nine games when trailing by one goal, meaning they tend to do better when they are down. This is a good sign that their defensive core will fight to help the team come back to win games. With 83 goals against, the Blues are one of the top teams at winning when trailing in games.
Now, with new head coach Jim Montgomery taking control, the Blues’ defensive game should improve, followed by their ability to score first and win more games when leading by one or more goals. Under Mongomery last season, the Boston Bruins ranked in the top five in the league at winning when leading by a goal and when scoring first.
Blues in Overtime
The Blues rank fourth in the league in overtime goals, with four wins in seven overtime games this season. Winning in overtime is important because it decides the Blues’ ability to win games in make-or-break situations.
The Blues blew leads in two of the seven overtime games and were forced into overtime or a shootout. While they struggled to win them under Bannister, they are in great shape under Montgomery as the head coach. The Blues have won two of Montgomery’s first three games behind the bench, with a lead of two or more goals, and were able to win in regulation.
Last season, the Blues finished in the top 10 in overtime wins with seven in 17 opportunities. They also pushed most of those overtime games into a shootout and ranked in the top 10 in that as well (seven shootout games played ). With forward Brayden Schenn leading the team in overtime goals, the Blues have what they need to continue their dominance in the extra frame.
Blues Full of Big Hitters
Last season, the Blues had the fewest hits in the league, finishing 27th (1,654). This season, they rank in the top 10, with 612 hits. The team’s top three hitters are Nathan Walker (70), Jake Neighbours (66), and Schenn (59). With several new players added to the lineup, hits have seen a significant improvement, which will be crucial if they make the playoffs.
Sammy Blais, Schenn, and Alexey Toropchenko were the Blues’ top three players in hits and played a key role in their grit last season. Blais, the Blues’ biggest hitter, was given a professional tryout offer (PTO) by the Vancouver Canucks but was later released. Under Mongomery, the Blues should expect to be in the top three in hits, as the Bruins were within that rank last season.
That said, the Blues will be a tough team to deal with if they make the playoffs and continue to be physical. Physicality and dominance on the ice are essential if they want to be playoff contenders again. When the Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019, they dominated physically, leading the playoffs in hits (819). Meanwhile, in 2018-19, they ranked 24th (1,615). Showing that physical play was important to winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup and making it to the playoffs.
Where Blues Will Trend From Here
The Blues are trending in the right direction; they are 4-0-1 under Montgomery, and their game is starting to look better. The team is consistently winning and is putting themselves in a good position to make the playoffs, sitting 10th in the Western Conference.
The team is scoring more and looking better on defense to help keep them in games, especially when they are down a goal. They’ve also shown that they can compete against contending teams like the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, and Calgary Flames, who they recently beat in overtime. The Blues should now focus on the areas that still need improvement, like their special teams.
