St. Louis Blues Takeaways From A 3-2 Extra time Win Towards The Chicago Blackhawks

ST. LOUIS — Drew Bannister was trying to find some oomph out of the St. Louis Blues. Not essentially guys going out of their technique to be in hurt’s method so far as harm previous to the common season beginning however extra so guys preventing for jobs in a aggressive coaching camp.

The Blues coach obtained it tonight in a 3-2 come-from-behind extra time win in opposition to the Chicago Blackhawks within the preseason home-opener on Saturday at Enterprise Middle.

The Blues (1-3-0) had began the preseason with a little bit of a whimper, which prompted Bannister to see a way of urgency from some guys, particularly these preventing for few treasured jobs on the squad.

Dylan Holloway scored twice, together with the game-winner in OT to cap a two-goal comeback, which resulted within the Blues overcoming a 2-0 third-period deficit.

“Early on within the first couple video games and I’ve stated this earlier than, I believed lots of our gamers have been simply type of easing their method into it and I believed tonight, not that we did not begin effectively, I believed our begin was OK,” Bannister stated. “I believed we have been a little bit bit gradual to shut within the d-zone, we stood round and watched a little bit bit that triggered us points. However within the second and the third, we performed with extra of a goal and our velocity was actually evident within the second and the third.”

Takeaways from Saturday’s recreation embody the next standouts/good play:

* Holloway — It is a small pattern dimension, however the No. 14 choose within the 2020 NHL Draft could possibly be a steal for the Blues.

Holloway, who performed on a line with Radek Faksa and Mathieu Joseph and the road was strong, displayed a velocity ingredient together with plenty of his teammates that was clearly lacking from the Blues of a yr in the past and extra.

His OT aim got here after he practically received it on the primary shift of OT however was stopped by Petr Mrazek earlier than he scored at 3:11 of the additional session to finish it.

“He made an amazing save and it was an amazing play by ‘Colt’ there,” Holloway stated. “I type of had open ice however did not rating however I used to be glad the second went in.”

Holloway additionally put the Blues on the board at 4:44 of the third to make it 2-1 when his shot caromed off the leg of Chicago defenseman Louis Crevier as linemate Mathieu Joseph was on the web entrance.

“I believed Dylan performed excellent,” Bannister stated. “He simply continues to get higher.

“Clearly the velocity issue, that is one thing that actually is kind of noticeable in our workforce from final yr till what we have seen to date this yr. Whether or not it is him or Joseph or [Akexandre] Texier, they will all actually rise up the ice fairly fast. It actually modifications the dynamic and the tempo of the sport we will play at.”

Holloway, who’s slated to skate with Faksa and Joseph when the season begins, seems to be like a participant that would very effectively play within the prime six.

It is early, sure, however having him for the subsequent two years at a $2.29 million common annual worth could possibly be a steal.

“It was superior,” Holloway stated on enjoying in entrance of Blues followers as a Blue for the primary time. “I actually loved it. Clearly did not get off to the best begin, however the boys pulled by way of. Our followers have been nice. It was an amazing turnout for a preseason recreation.”

Holloway performed 15:48, had 4 pictures on aim (eight makes an attempt), two hits, a takeaway and three blocks all in an evening’s work.

* Texier — Fairly the debut for the ahead the Blues acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 28 for a 2025 fourth-round choose earlier than signing him to a two-year, $4.2 million contract.

Texier led the Blues with seven pictures on aim, performed 17:14, tied with Nick Leddy at plus-2, assisted on Holloway’s OT winner with two hits and a pair of blocks.

“I have been actually impressed with him in his practices not realizing a ton about him as a participant,” Bannister stated of Texier. “… I used to be actually impressed. I believed he had an excellent recreation right here tonight. I believed their complete line (with Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker) was actually good, however specifically him. He stood out for me, the velocity, the ability, he is heavy on the stick, makes inventive performs. He is all the time across the puck.”

* Nathan Walker — A relentless instance of somebody who performs each recreation — and each apply — as if he is preventing to remain within the NHL, and does it effectively.

His aim at 11:04 of the third is the standard type of Walker model of aim, one that will not make the highlights on NHL Community however as greasy as they arrive, being across the web and poking it over the road.

It wanted video replay earlier than officers rapidly deemed it to be a superb aim and tie the sport 2-2.

“I believed [Mrazek] had a little bit backwards movement too,” Walker stated. “I believe I gave him a little bit little bit of a poke too to assist it get there, however on the finish of the day, it was a superb aim.

“I’ve obtained one job to do on the ice and that is simply to work laborious, attempt to be the perfect I can and the perfect teammate I can. That is all I can do at this level.”

Walker was a plus-1 in 13:43 with 4 hits and received 5 of eight attracts.

“I believed ‘Walks’ was excellent too,” Bannister stated. “He is a participant, and I stated this earlier than, he regarded like a participant preventing for a spot on our workforce.

“Earlier than tonight, I did not see lots of that from lots of our guys and I felt like tonight, lots of guys stepped up and confirmed they need to be St. Louis Blues.”

* 3-on-3 — Dare or not it’s stated that the Blues will need to play OT video games this season?

Why not after they can show the velocity ingredient that may earn them the additional level when wanted.

It was evident from the primary face-off when Bannister can put Faksa on the market to win possession, he comes off for a speedster like Holloway or Joseph or Texier, Colton Parayko, and people have been simply the fellows within the lineup tonight.

“No query. Once more, it is only a totally different dynamic, however we nonetheless have some gamers that weren’t within the lineup tonight that may play in these conditions too,” Bannister stated. “However it’s good to have the ability to have choices like that whether or not it is a 4-on-4 scenario or 3-on-3.”

* Leo Loof — The defenseman and third-round choose in 2020 has been kind of a forgotten d-man on the organizational depth chart will get factors for taking out Frank Nazar after the Chicago ahead shoved No. 10 choose in 2023, Dalibor Dvorsky from behind into the boards in a harmful scenario.

Loof was given a roughing minor and the Blackhawks scored on the play when Oakville’s Pat Maroon made it 2-0 however you possibly can reside with that penalty in that scenario when Loof is available in and defends his teammate the best way he did.

Loof, who performed 58 video games in Springfield final season, had seven assists. He performed 14:33 on Saturday with two hits.

“I believed Leo had an amazing recreation for somebody that hasn’t performed lots in North America and performed lots at this degree, I believed he had a extremely good outing tonight,” Bannister stated. “I’ve gotten to know Leo a little bit bit, I noticed him a little bit bit on the American League degree. Final yr in his second half, he actually began to return on. Slightly little bit of a language barrier with him early on however I believe he is type of previous that. The physicality, he leans into guys, he is a tricky child. He performs laborious. He is a man that type of will get below different groups’ pores and skin and he is seen on the ice. I used to be actually blissful for Leo and what he did right here tonight and the way he performed.”

* Colten Ellis — Ellis retains rising up the Blues’ goalie depth chart and can preserve Thunderbirds No. 1 (for now) Vadim Zherenko on his toes and chew into extra enjoying time.

Ellis relieved starter Jordan Binnington for the third interval and OT and stopped all 11 pictures he confronted, together with a couple of high-danger possibilities and swallowed up pucks earlier than any rebounds have been out there.

“In all probability three years now that I’ve seen Colten develop,” Bannister stated. “When a goalie of his dimension begins to get confidence in themselves, they appear larger within the web and I believe he presents lots larger. He really is. He seems to be actually massive on the web. He has the identical capacity to maneuver pucks like Binner, like Joel. He will get out to pucks fast, he makes good choices, which makes it very simple on the D and on the forwards as a result of he can break you out fairly fast. A number of positives for me in his improvement that I’ve seen over the past three years and him turning professional and I believe he continues to get higher.”

* Colton Parayko — Is there any query how good the Blues’ top-pairing defenseman is? No must even play him in any extra preseason video games. He is able to go. THE END.