GDT #26: Blues @ Islanders | 6:30 pm CT | BSMW, 101 ESPN

[theohall]

The St. Louis Blues -- inconsistent and defensively porous -- will finish their trek to New York on Tuesday night by getting a glimpse at a team that is playing an entirely different type of hockey.

St. Louis will look to snap its latest losing streak when it completes a back-to-back set by opposing the New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y.

The Blues' struggles continued Monday night, when they gave up three unanswered goals in the third period of a 6-4 loss to the New York Rangers. The Islanders were off Monday after earning a 3-0 win over the visiting Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

St. Louis, which has lost four straight and six of seven games (1-6-0), has run hot and cold almost without exception through the first 25 games.

The Blues won their first three games, then lost eight straight before winning seven straight. St. Louis lost two in a row before its most recent win on Nov. 26, when the Blues trailed 3-0 and 4-1 before rallying for a 5-4 overtime victory over the Florida Panthers.

The defeat Monday night encapsulated the struggles experienced by the Blues, who overcame a trio of one-goal deficits before taking a 4-3 lead by scoring twice in a span of 91 seconds shortly beyond the midway point of the second period. But the Rangers scored their three third-period goals in less than 10 minutes.

"We're not a confident hockey team," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "We've got to keep working at getting out of that. You've just got to go play. You can't play tentative and you can't play tight. You've got to loosen up and play. We did that for two periods, but the third, it didn't happen."

The Blues' fortunes have rested with their defense. St. Louis, whose 96 goals allowed are the fifth most in the NHL, has given up three goals or fewer in nine of its 11 wins but surrendered five or more goals in 10 of its 14 losses, including each of the past three.

"It's our mistakes that are causing their goals," Blues center Jordan Kyrou said. "We have to be better with that. We have to clean that up."

The Islanders blanked the Blackhawks to snap a two-game losing streak and provide another glimpse at the formula that helped New York make three straight trips to the playoffs from 2018-19 through 2020-21, a stretch it capped with consecutive appearances in the NHL semifinals.

The Islanders have allowed 66 goals, tied for fourth fewest in the NHL, and have yet to lose more than three straight games. They surrendered the fewest, fifth fewest and second fewest goals in the NHL in the three seasons from 2018-19 through 2020-21, a stretch in which New York had just three losing streaks longer than three games.

While New York allowed the seventh-fewest goals in the NHL last season, establishing a consistent identity was an elusive task for the Islanders following an 11-game losing streak from Nov. 7-Dec. 5 that effectively knocked them out of playoff contention.

"You saw our season last year," Islanders left winger Matt Martin said Sunday night. "We weren't banking points early in the year. Never really got any traction when we got our legs under us -- we were chasing it from the get-go."

[glen a richter]

Boomer Esaison, ever the biggest rangers fan in New York, just said on the radio that he thinks Binnington is the worst goalie in the league right now. He ain’t wrong but it’s not just him.

I assume Greiss is going tonight, but the isles are a better team than the rangers so I’m expecting more of the same shit as yesterday, maybe a little lower scoring. 4-1 islanders?

[theohall]

Worse then Cal Peterson, who actually got waived??? Damn, Boomer. Way to focus on just the team the Isles are playing and not the entire league. John Gibson is another one whose worse right now - and if anyone pulls the "it's the team in front of Gibson thing" - well, same case for Binnington. That being said, Binnington hasn't been helping himself more recently...

Yes, Binnington has been a head case, but he is not the "worst" goalie in the league. There are quite a few worse off than Binner.

[theohall]

I'd much rather see Tucker recalled and playing than continuing to see Rosen. We've seen Rosen's best.

OOO... a power play...

[theohall]

This is what drives me nuts about Thomas.... he's in front of the goal on the boards with guys to the side of the net, but behind the goal line. So he passes to the guy behind the goal line when no one is in front and DOESN'T GO TO THE NET... Someone has to go there... Better option, if you, as the passer won't follow the pass to the net is shoot for the rebound and let the guys to the side pounce on those.

Later, absolutely no one near the front of the net, except Islanders, he puts a weak shot at the net... next to zero chance of that going in...

JK, at one point during the power play, says "great pass" when Thomas passed the puck to Tarasenko. The pass handcuffed Tarasenko and was nowhere near a shooting type pass. Great passes set up shots on goal, they don't handcuff your premiere shooter. The only "great" thing about the pass is it got through 3 defenders.

[glen a richter]

Assholes never saw a lead they wanted to hold for more than a minute I guess.

[theohall]

20 minutes - 6 shots on goal - 2 of them were by Leivo. When he's leading the team in shots over the past 10 games - this team has a shooting problem. Like that's a mystery we haven't already heard about. Berube needs to get over the "quality shots" thing and get this team to just start putting pucks on net whenever someone is near the net - whether it's too the side beneath the goal line, in front, or on the way to the front.

Acciari got caught cheating on the Isles - which makes no damn sense on that play considering he had no chance of receiving a pass beyond the blueline with Dobson in between him and the puck. Really bad decision by Acciari there. You're the checking line - CHECK FIRST - play offense after.

[theohall]

20 minutes - 6 shots on goal - 2 of them were by Leivo. When he's leading the team in shots over the past 10 games - this team has a shooting problem. Like that's a mystery we haven't already heard about. Berube needs to get over the "quality shots" thing and get this team to just start putting pucks on net whenever someone is near the net - whether it's to the side beneath the goal line, in front, or on the way to the front.

Acciari got caught cheating on the Isles - which makes no damn sense on that play considering he had no chance of receiving a pass beyond the blueline with Dobson in between him and the puck. Really bad decision by Acciari there. You're the checking line - CHECK FIRST - play offense after.

[theohall]

Let's see if the next shift doesn't shit the bed after Barbashev's goal.

[theohall]

Really don't like that boarding call on Rosen. Pageau didn't even hit the boards. And how in the heck is puck over glass still not reviewable. Those are easy reviews. At least they got it right.

[theohall]

If the opposing team is a "very patient" team, your team shouldn't be outshot 21-10 more than halfway through the game. You should be outshooting any "patient" team.

[theohall]

That setup with just over 5 to go in the 2nd by Thomas was fantastic. Of course - it's a few and far between setup. While the Blues are winning right now, this isn't a consistently winning style of hockey with how little time the Blues spend in the offensive zone. Reminds me of the 2 Anaheim games - while the Blues are winning the game, they aren't playing the kind of hockey that wins more than once in awhile.

[theohall]

It's scary when Josh Leivo is the primary driver of this team's offense...

[theohall]

That I didn't expect to start the 3rd. Let's see if this team is capable of holding a 4 goal lead.

[glen a richter]

What is this sorcery? Dare I say they might not piss away this one?

[theohall]

Another flipping goal deflected into the Blues net off of a Blues player? This has to be some kind of record for goals deflected by the own team into their own net.

[theohall]

Holy Crap! Robert Thomas put a puck into the goal.... he actually had a shot on goal!!!

[theohall]

Panger talking about Acciari: "That's his 8th goal of the game" LOL

So Acciari got back to even on the night.

Panger saying Greiss could go on a run??? Griess gave up 4 goals tonight. On the season, Greiss in his starts has given up 3, 5, 5, 4, 4, and 4 goals against. If Greiss "going on a run" is the answer, the Blues are screwed.

Glad they won, but... 2 empty netters and a fortunate goal from Parayko were the difference - a goal which we'd be berating Binnington for if he would've allowed the same.

Yes, the Blues won. However, this isn't a winning style of hockey. I'd bet if we looked at possession time in the offensive zones, the Isles won. The Isles are an offensively challenged team. I'm chalking up a loss at home on Thursday to the Jets, who are flying, and a win on Saturday vs the Avs who have a significant number of injuries to top 6 players.

[theohall]

Listening to ESPN101 online (which is the local St Louis station) - there is WAY too much praise for this team. They started off praise, praise, praise, priase, and almost as an aside mention how badly the Blues were outshot and (oh Nancy - the Blues gave up 3 goals in one period, (my emphasis AGAIN) - their emphasis (for the 7th straight game) - 8th straight game with 4 GA allowed. This team and it's unwillingness to shoot will not overcome 4 GA/game going forward.

[theohall]

Blues radio is way too nice. Yes, the Blues won. They were being outplayed in zone time and shots on goal through 2 periods, yet still had a 2 goal lead - thanks Josh Leivo - who the post-game radio guys barely acknowledge while praising the goalless Tarasenko, ROR - who Leivo setup, and Parayko who scored on a puck that should not have went in, along with the praising the "leaders" who scored empty netters. No mention of the meaningful goal and assist by Leivo. He's driving the offense and the St Louis post-game radio barely even mentions him. Panger and Kerbs did before it shifted to "happy happy Alex Ferrario land". IMO, I agree with glen. The Blues players need a more aggressive media, instead of the "you won, let's praise you crap" which ignored how badly the team was outplayed for 2 periods.