Nobody likes – or wants – to be bag-skated, which is how Tuesday’s hour-long practice session ended at Centene Community Ice Center. But the Blues’ coach, after extensive compete-oriented drills, was trying to get the attention of a roster that quite frankly needed – and still needs – quite the swift kick in the rear.
Apparently the message fell on deaf ears, and skates, on Friday as the Blues laid another egg and were shut out for the second time in three games, 5-0 against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena.
It was the fourth straight loss by the Blues (23-25-4), who have been outscored 16-4 the past four games, and even though he’s barely been on the job two months, Montgomery is running into a brick wall right now trying to come up with answers for this group that is showing no signs of a pulse.
Let’s look at Friday’s Three Takeaways, including a couple that aren’t necessarily reflective of the game but more so on the whole complexion:
* Another dismal first period – It’s like a broken record how many times the Blues talk about starting on time, being ready when the puck drops, ready to battle.
But for the fourth straight game, the Blues were chasing the game again, and early.
Johnathan Drouin’s goal at 4:57 turned out to be the game-winner, and it marked the fourth straight game the Blues surrendered the first goal within the first 10 minutes, including three of them inside the first five minutes:
In the last four games, #stlblues have fallen behind 1-0 to start a period at:
4:57 — tonight vs. COL
2:52 — Mon. vs. VAN
7:07 — Sat. vs. DAL
0:19 — Jan. 23 vs. VGK— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) February 1, 2025
If you want to get an idea of how the Blues are lacking in any sort of confidence or execution, watch how Martin Necas scored his first goal since being acquired by the Avalanche when he takes a puck at his own blue line, skates through the neutral zone with no Blues skater in sight following another less-than-stellar line change, Necas uncontested enters the St. Louis zone and wires a shot past Joel Hofer at 7:39 to make it 2-0:
It epitomized how the Blues played, and the shots on goal (21-6) were not misleading either; it’s the most shots the Blues have allowed in a period this season.
Oh, they also allowed two power-play goals also making it four straight failed penalty kills.
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