The St. Louis Blues visited the Nashville Predators on Thursday night for their first matchup of the season with their rivals. It was not a good night for the team, as they fell 7-2 to the Preds. Steven Stamkos had a fantastic night, recording nine shots on goal and scoring four goals. Let’s jump into the takeaways from the Blues’ loss.
Front of the Net Struggles
The Blues had an early power play and generated three shots. This included Dylan Holloway and Pius Suter getting a chance each from in front of the net, but they were unable to capitalize on the scoring opportunity. Multiple times throughout the game, the Predators left open ice in front of the net, leading to scoring chances for the Blues. They were unable to score in a game in which an earlier goal could have turned the momentum.
The pucks may not have been going into the net in the offensive zone, but they certainly did in the defensive zone. Of the seven Nashville goals, five of them came from chances in front of the net. Three of Stamkos’ four goals came from there.
Simply put, the Blues’ scoring chances in front of the net did not go in. The Predators’ chances did. Hockey can be cruel that way. However, captain Brayden Schenn felt the team could have done more in those moments.
Youngsters Have Much to Learn
The Blues have been bitten by the injury bug a lot lately. As such, players like Aleksanteri Kaskimaki and Hugh McGing have had to enter the lineup. This is in addition to the youngsters typically in the lineup, like Dalibor Dvorsky and Logan Mailloux. When there is that much youth, mistakes are going to happen.
A prime example can be seen in the play leading to Stamkos’ first goal. McGing whiffed on the puck in the offensive zone, leading to an odd-man rush for the Predators, in which Stamkos scored.
Related: Steven Stamkos Scores 4 Goals, Predators Win 7-2 vs. Blues
Is it fair to call out the mistakes of young players getting playing time because of injuries? No. However, their lack of experience is notable in some areas of the game. There is much for them to learn. The good news is, this extended time in the lineup is an excellent opportunity to do so.
Let’s be fair and point out something positive that these youngsters did in the game. The group generated some chances on the last power play of the game. It was clear they wanted to impress while getting power-play time. They didn’t score, but they made a little noise. That can be the building block for the next game, which will be Friday night.
Returning Fabbri Didn’t Look Bad
Robby Fabbri, a 2019 Stanley Cup champion, played in his first game with the Blue Note since the 2019-20 season. The Blues signed Fabbri earlier in the week for depth following the injuries.
The Ontario native looked decent in his first game back. He took a double-minor penalty late in the first period, but other than that, he looked comfortable on the ice. He recorded the primary assist on McGing’s first NHL goal. Furthermore, he tied for second on the team in hits with three.
Fabbri scored 18 goals just two seasons ago. The Blues don’t need him to be that kind of forward, although they will not complain if he does. They need a veteran presence to hold down the fort until the injured players return. Thursday’s game showed he can provide that stability.
Is Fabbri going to move the needle for the Blues? No. Can he still be a productive bottom-six forward for the team? Absolutely.
Quick Turn Around
The Blues will not have much time to stew over this loss. The team gets right back on the ice Friday night, this time against the Chicago Blackhawks.
