Takeaways from Blues’ 2-1 Win vs. Senators

Jake Neighbours Led The Way Offensively

Neighbours scored both goals in the Blues’ win, marking his first goals since returning from a lower-body injury that kept him out for 12 games.

He got his first goal of the game in the second period, and it was a bit unconventional. Brayden Schenn received the puck at the right circle and fired a quick shot. Linus Ullmark made the initial save, but Neighbours crashed the net hard. The puck popped into the air, and as it was falling, he quickly tapped it in for a 1-0 lead.

Neighbours’ second goal came just 12 seconds into the third period, following a Blues win on the opening faceoff. The puck was quickly dumped into the zone, and Neighbours applied pressure in front of the net. The Senators tried to clear it around the boards, but Pavel Buchnevich intercepted the puck and delivered a long, precise pass to Neighbours, who tapped it in on the back door for a 2-0 lead.

It was great to see Neighbours back on the scoresheet after missing 12 games, especially as one of the Blues’ most reliable scorers.

Penalty Kill Came Saved The Game

Considering how many times the Blues were on the penalty kill, you would think they might have come away with a loss. In the first period alone, St. Louis took three penalties, including a double minor. Despite a total of seven penalties, the Blues’ defense held up remarkably well, which is no small feat given how taxing it is to play under constant penalty-kill pressure. While Hofer was the most noticeable, the team effectively limited the Senators’ scoring chances on the power play.

At even strength, the Senators appeared to have better scoring opportunities, aside from their single goal. Overall, the Senators managed just eight shots on goal during all of their man advantages, highlighting how well the Blues’ penalty-kill units performed despite the constant defensive strain.

Unlucky With Injuries

Just 2:52 into the game, Jordan Kyrou took a hit along the wall, immediately fell to the ice, and grabbed his knee. He appeared to be in significant pain and was helped off the ice and into the locker room. The team announced that he would not return to the game, and Montgomery later confirmed that Kyrou will undergo an MRI.

While no one else left the game due to injury like Kyrou, both Philip Broberg and Oskar Sundqvist took hard hits while blocking shots in the third period. Broberg appeared to take one to the foot and headed into the tunnel, but fortunately returned to the bench and finished the game. Sundqvist experienced a similar situation—he played the remainder of the game but was visibly in excruciating pain on the bench.

With many of the star players out right now for St. Louis, this is very concerning, seeing more players in pain.

Overall

This still wasn’t the Blues’ best game, but Hofer played like an all-star, and the Senators simply couldn’t capitalize on their chances. Penalties plagued the team, putting heavy pressure on the defense, yet they held strong when it mattered most. It was a hard-fought win, but the Blues came away with the victory, finally reaching double digits in the standings. Next, the team will head to Montreal on Sunday to close out this road trip, looking to carry this resilience and momentum forward.