The St. Louis Blues played three thrilling games last week. First, they surged back from a 3-0 deficit to the Dallas Stars but surrendered the winning goal with just a minute remaining in a 4-3 loss. They claimed a high-scoring 5-4 victory over the defending champion Florida Panthers, notching the decisive goal in the final seconds. The week ended with another offensive showcase; however, the Blues ultimately fell short in a 5-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
After all that scoring and drama, here are the players who stood out.
Standout #3- Brayden Schenn
Brayden Schenn is a true leader, and his leadership has been especially valuable as the Blues’ captain through a retool. He has never been afraid to stand up for his teammates, and recently, he’s been contributing on the score sheet. His efforts, especially in last week’s memorable games, are among the reasons why Schenn is generating interest from teams as we approach the trade deadline.
St. Louis Blues Standouts of the Week
Last week, Schenn recorded four points in three games, including two goals in the third period of Tuesday’s game against the Stars to help claw their way back into the contest. He then recorded two assists on Saturday against the Blue Jackets, including one on the power play.
Schenn’s offense is heating up, which will only increase his trade value with two games left before the Olympic break.
Related: Suggested Trade Sends Blues’ Brayden Schenn to the Golden Knights
Standout #2- Jimmy Snuggerud
Meanwhile, the face of the Blues’ youth movement scored perhaps the biggest goal of the season on Thursday against the Panthers. Jimmy Snuggerud’s goal with 7.6 seconds left broke a 4-4 tie and helped the Blues beat the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. The sequence—from strong passing and patience in the offensive zone to a great feed from Pavel Buchnevich—set up Snuggerud’s one-timer. Snuggerud added another goal on Saturday.
The rookie closed the week with five points in three games. Beyond his two goals, he chipped in three assists—keeping him on pace to flirt with the 20-goal mark in his first full season. During a week in which the Blues tallied 11 goals, Snuggerud factored into five of them.
Standout #1- Special Teams
The power play has become a topic of interest since head coach Jim Montgomery took over duties. However, both the power play and the penalty kill stood out last week. Unfortunately, the penalty kill stood out for the wrong reasons.
On Tuesday, the team gave up two power-play goals in the second period. The rough patch turned the tide of the game, giving the Stars some momentum, and they built a 3-0 lead before the Blues rallied. On Thursday, the Blues allowed two power-play goals, including a big one by Matthew Tkachuk that tied the game for the Panthers, who quickly erased a 4-2 deficit. The struggling penalty kill continues to struggle.
The penalty kill did have some bright spots, including a crucial kill against the Panthers that earned praise from Montgomery:
“We had already given up two power-play goals. The effort by our penalty killers was awesome. The response by our fans was awesome, and it gave us life.”
However, one or two additional kills could have given the Blues a chance to go undefeated last week.
The power play, meanwhile, continues to be effective under Montgomery. Snuggerud’s winning goal came via the power play, and Jonatan Berggren added another on Saturday. The power play kept the Blues in every game and helped make up for their struggling penalty kill.
Blues Week Ahead
The Blues play two games on the road this week before the Olympic break, starting with tonight’s contest against the Nashville Predators. They then have a rematch with the Stars on Wednesday before they either head to the Olympics or enjoy three weeks of rest. They return to action on Feb. 26 when the Seattle Kraken come to town.
