St. Louis Blues takeaways from a 5-3 loss towards the Utah Hockey Membership

The St. Louis Blues dropped their second preseason video games in as many nights, this time falling to the Utah Hockey Membership, 5-3, at Wells Fargo Enviornment in Des Moines, Iowa on Sunday.

It was the inaugural sport for Utah after its transfer from Arizona when the Coyotes had been bought to Qualtrics proprietor Ryan and Ashley Smith, who additionally personal the NBA’s Utah Jazz and the Delta Middle.

As for the sport, some extra encouraging play in spurts from the Blues, who fell 2-1 on Saturday towards the Dallas Stars, and there have been some not-so-encouraging play at instances.

As for the nice:

* Joel Hofer adopted up Jordan Binnington’s efficiency on Saturday with a strong interval of motion on his personal. Hofer stopped all 13 pictures he confronted and gave method to Vadim Zherenko for the ultimate two durations and the glorified shootout that adopted. Mixed now, after Binnington’s 10-save effort in Dallas, the Blues’ goalie tandem in 2024-25 are an ideal 23-for-23.

Goaltending should not as soon as once more be a problem for the Blues shifting ahead.

* Dylan Holloway made his Blues debut together with Radek Faksa, Philip Broberg and Dalibor Dvorsky.

For a primary impression, Holloway suits the invoice. His velocity off the frenzy is obvious. His puck-moving capabilities had been on par and he scored the Blues’ first aim on the facility play at 12:31 of the primary interval off a pleasant feed from Brayden Schenn.

If improved group velocity is a component the Blues needed so as to add, they seem to have executed it with the No. 14 choose within the 2020 NHL Draft.

* Let’s put this int he pure luck class, nevertheless it was good for the Blues when Utah scored into its personal internet to offer St. Louis a 2-0 lead.

Whereas on a delayed penalty and enjoying with the goalie pulled, a puck to the purpose skidded previous and down the ice into the Utah internet at 3:28, credited to defenseman Anton Malmstrom.

* Simon Robertsson continues to impress. The third-round choose in 2021 scored a fairly aim, off an equally fairly move from Juraj Pekarcik (third spherical, 2023) that tied the sport 3-3 at 15:58 of the third interval, nevertheless it’s not nearly scoring, it is about the best way Robertsson performs. He is not afraid to enter the onerous areas, and he scored in a similar way that he scored in time beyond regulation towards the Chicago Blackhawks within the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase final week, by driving onerous to the online.

We wrote about Robertsson, who had 4 pictures on aim, lately at The Hockey Information and consider if this child stays on the right track and commits to doing what he must, there’s an NHL future awaiting him.

* Defenseman Michael Buchinger, as he did so within the prospect showcase, displayed as soon as once more his puck-moving capabilities and his inventory retains rising.

As for the combined outcomes:

* Dvorsky wasn’t significantly robust on the dot, which is to be anticipated at this degree getting his ft moist in his first NHL sport (official stats unavailable since sport was not performed in an NHL rink); Dvorsky, who performed with Schenn and Mathias Laferriere, did have a team-high 5 pictures and had a pair strong scoring possibilities. Not a foul sport however not an eye-popping one both.

* Zherenko made a pair good saves within the sport, however a .778 save share for the sport will not lower it. He stopped 14 of 18 pictures and acquired caught backing into his internet when Logan Cooley scored what can be the game-winner with 1:17 remaining on a penalty shot.

* The Blues had been outscored 2-1 within the second interval, nevertheless it was by far their finest periodof hockey once they had their finest scoring possibilities. The primary and thirds, not a lot. Not solely did they get outshot a mixed 26-11 in these durations however weren’t clear transitioning pucks, too many damaged performs and hemmed inside their zone.

* Malmstrom, an undrafted free agent signing, did get credit score for the personal aim however was overwhelmed badly down the left wing by Owen Allard for a hooking penalty within the third interval that finally led to Dylan Guenther’s go-ahead aim at 8:55 for a 3-2 Utah lead.

* It was additionally a combined bag for defenseman Scott Perunovich, who sprung Schenn that led to Holloway’s aim, however he and Buchinger additionally acquired beat via the center of the ice that led to Cooley’s penalty shot aim and in addition a puck squirted by him on the proper level that led to the icing on the cake empty-netter by Michael Carcone. Simply did not see a difference-making efficiency from Perunovich, who’s in a battle for a spot on the roster this season.

* The Blues subsequent motion is Wednesday towards the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hear from Holloway and Malmstrom on tonight’s sport: