Apr 7, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; St. Louis Blues middle Brayden Schenn (10) seems on throughout a break in play in opposition to the Winnipeg Jets within the first interval at Canada Life Centre. Obligatory Credit score: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Pictures The St. Louis Blues hit fairly the bitter word to start 2025-26, getting shut out in a season opener for the primary time within the franchise’s 58-year historical past.
After seeing their 15-game dwelling successful streak (playoffs included) come to a halt, the Blues take their present on the highway Saturday once they go to the Calgary Flames.
“You clearly need to win the house opener in entrance of your followers,” St. Louis captain Brayden Schenn mentioned following his staff’s 5-0 setback to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
“(However) what, it is a lengthy season. We won’t dwell on one recreation. We’ve got to show the web page, and the very best half about it’s we have now a recreation (on Saturday). We will go proper again at it and make some changes, and we all know we might be higher.”
There have been stretches when the Blues have been higher than the Wild, together with a sequence during which they registered the primary 14 photographs of the second interval and appeared poised to chop right into a two-goal deficit. Alas, the momentum was halted as soon as Joel Eriksson Ek scored on the facility play at 12:27 of the second.
St. Louis was unable to resolve Minnesota goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who turned apart all 26 photographs he confronted.
“Nicely one (cause), we weren’t taking away his eyes,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery mentioned of Gustavsson. “(However) I haven’t got a solution. We’ve got quite a lot of good gamers that rating quite a lot of targets, and for no matter cause, we weren’t on our mark tonight.”
Throughout Thursday’s loss, rookie Jimmy Snuggerud was shuffled from the highest line with Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich to the third with Pius Suter and Mathieu Joseph.
“I believe it is actually necessary with younger guys that you just encourage, not discourage, and also you speak to them about what their strengths are,” Montgomery mentioned. “If we go down to 2 strains as a result of we’re attempting to guard a lead, and he is not on the market, inform him about it on the bench. ‘It is nothing you did not do, I am simply going to go along with guys which were right here earlier than and executed it earlier than.'”
The Flames adopted up their season-opening shootout win over the rival Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday with a 5-1 drubbing by the host Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
Along with the loss, Calgary defenseman Kevin Bahl departed early within the third after he took a wrist shot to the again of his head. The Canucks promptly scored to take a 2-0 lead, and the momentum modified from there.
There was not an instantaneous replace on Bahl’s situation.
Dustin Wolf has yielded eight targets on 61 photographs enjoying on back-to-back nights.
“Early within the yr, there ought to be ton of vitality within the tank,” Flames coach Ryan Huska mentioned after Wolf’s 21-save effort on Thursday. “I would not say this was Dustin’s greatest recreation, however he at all times offers us an opportunity to win.”
Backup Devin Cooley is ready within the wings after a less-than-stellar preseason. The 28-year-old has simply six NHL video games below his belt — all with the San Jose Sharks in 2023-24.
–Subject Stage Media
