ST. LOUIS — The Blues have been playing strong defense this season, and Wednesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers was no exception. But you have still have to score goals to win hockey games, and the Blues’ normally reliable offense struggled to light the lamp at Enterprise Center.
On the heels of a 4-0 loss to Winnipeg on Monday, the Blues fell behind 2-1 on a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal with 6:16 to play in the third period Wednesday against the Oilers.
The Blues worked hard, dominating the second period — when they outshot Edmonton 20-6. They had 39 shots on goal, easily a season high and were pressuring the Oilers until Zach Hyman scored an empty-net goal with 26.7 seconds left.
The result was a 3-1 Blues loss, dropping their record to 3-2-0 with a second consecutive loss. Edmonton improved to 4-3-0.
Where’s O’Reilly?
Here’s O’Reilly, tying the game at 1-1 late in the second period. O’Reilly didn’t have a goal or an assist this season entering Wednesday’s game. That is, until he swatted in the rebound of a Justin Faulk deflection of a Brayden Schenn shot with a mere five seconds left in the second.
The score came on the power play, with Evander Kane off for hooking Jordan Kyrou with 1:49 left in the period.
After an optional morning skate Wednesday, coach Craig Berube said the Blues needed to get inside more on offense. And that’s where O’Reilly was, stationed net front to the left of Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner.
O’Reilly’s goal ended a scoreless streak of 100 minutes, 57 seconds, dating back to Faulk’s empty-net goal at the end of Saturday’s 2-0 win over the Oilers.
PK to the rescue
The Blues entered the game as one of only two teams in the NHL yet to give up a power play goal this season. They were a perfect 9 for 9 on penalty kills and added to that sequence with an impressive two minutes of work in the first period.
After Noel Acciari was whistled for hooking Markus Niemelainen at the 10:05 mark of the opening period, the Oilers had the puck in the St. Louis defensive zone for the entire power play. They continuously buzzed around the net, but Jordan Binnington stopped all four shots — including two by Nugent-Hopkins.
With the Blues already down 1-0 and their offense struggling to gain traction, an Edmonton goal here would’ve been big trouble for St. Louis.
The Islanders entered the night as the only other NHL team with a clean sheet on the PK, and having been a lot busier, at 22 for 22. The Islanders extended their streak to 25 for 25, killing off all three New York Rangers power plays in a 3-0 victory Wednesday.
At the 8:38 mark of the second period, the Blues’ PK unit was called up again, this time after Faulk was guilty of tripping Leon Draisaitl. It was another frantic Edmonton power play, but once again, the Blues held off the Oilers.
Niko Mikkola had two blocks, Nathan Walker one. All told, Edmonton managed only one shot on goal, but again they held the puck in the St. Louis D-zone for most of the two minutes. Binnington was razor sharp in playing the puck and cutting down angles.
There were some frantic seconds after the power play ended, with the Oilers maintaining possession. But the Blues got more bodies on the puck, with Alexey Toropchenko and Walker blocking shots.
The kill raised St. Louis to 11 for 11 on PKs this year, matching a franchise record for most successful PKs to start a season.
No shutout this time
Coming off his 11th career shutout Saturday in Edmonton, Binnington was touched for a first-period goal by Jesse Puljujarvi. Originally, the goal was awarded to defenseman Darnell Nurse, who trailing the play skated in uncovered down the slot for the shot.
But Puljujarvi, stationed about 15 feet in front of the net, tipped the puck past Binnington for a 1-0 Oilers lead just 6:07 into the contest. Binnington’s scoreless streak ended at 89 minutes, 46 seconds, dating back to late in the second period against Seattle.
Overall, Binnington was sharp once again. His best save of the night may have come with 15:33 left in the third period, when he stoned Connor McDavid, who was bearing down on left wing, with a pad save.
In memory
There was a moment of silence prior to puck drop in recognition of the students, teachers, staff and family members at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, site of the school shooting Monday. Blues players wore a CVPA sticker on their helmets during the game to honor those affected by the shooting.
