St. Louis Blues coach Jim Montgomery hopes his team can learn from facing top NHL teams as it tries to restore a winning culture.
The Blues will try to apply the lessons learned from their 3-2 losses to the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers this week when they host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.
St. Louis took Edmonton into overtime before losing on Tuesday, then fell on Thursday when Florida scored a goal with 12 seconds to go in regulation.
“That’s a (Panthers) team that’s won the Stanley Cup, went to the Stanley Cup Final, they know who they are,” Montgomery said. “They know how they want to play. Pucks go to the goal line, they get in on the forecheck, they get heavy, and they’re just relentless. It’s over and over and over. Really good at it.
“We have to establish that kind of regularity with our identity.”
By the losing the first two contests in a three-game homestand before the NHL pauses for 4 Nations Face-Off, the Blues fell to 11-14-2 at Enterprise Center this season. They are 1-5-1 overall in their past seven games.
Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist found some solace in his team’s ability to make the Oilers and Panthers work hard for the wins.
“We’re playing two of the best teams in the league, and I think we’re playing two good hockey games against them,” Sundqvist said. “If we come out of that second period (Thursday) a goal or two up, it can be a whole different game.
“We take with us that we were playing two really good hockey teams, and we’re right there. We just need that last percent to tip it over to wins.”
The Blackhawks are 3-6-4 in their past 13 games. They come to St. Louis the heels of the 6-2 home-ice victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday.
Chicago’s point leader, Connor Bedard, has a goal and an assist against Nashville, giving him nine goals and 13 assists in his past 21 games.
“There’s a lot of pressure on him in general, but I think he puts more pressure on himself than anybody,” Blackhawks interim coach Anders Sorensen said. “So I think he’s handling it terrifically.”
Bedard believes his overall game is improving during his second NHL season.
“Maybe the biggest thing is, stick battles and stuff, I feel pretty good in that area, whether it’s on the forecheck or in my own end or whatever,” Bedard said. “It’s something I worked on a lot over the summer and I feel like I’ve progressed.
“As the year goes on, maybe I can win more battles. I’ll try to keep building on that.”
Chicago forward Jason Dickinson missed the Friday game due to an ankle sprain sustained Wednesday, and he will be sidelined on Saturday, too.
Since Petr Mrazek started in goal on Friday, the Blackhawks likely are to come back with Arvid Soderblom against the Blues. Mrazek allowed six goals on 28 shots when the Blackhawks lost to the Blues 6-2 on Dec. 31 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
The Blues got big production from defensemen Cam Fowler (two goals) and Justin Faulk (goal, two assists) in the outdoor game.
St. Louis goaltender Jordan Binnington stopped 28 of 30 shots to win that game, and he likely will start on Saturday before joining Team Canada for the 4 Nations event.
–Field Level Media
