Blackhawks at Blues
The St. Louis Blues have high expectations after retooling their forward corps in the offseason and they put up 42 shots in their season opener only to drop a 5-1 decision to Central Division favorite Winnipeg on Thursday at home. The Blues hope to take advantage of their opportunities better and avoid breakdowns Saturday night when they host the rival Chicago Blackhawks.
“We lost a hockey game,” St. Louis coach Mike Yeo told reporters. “It doesn’t mean the season’s over. It’s the first game here. I didn’t think we were gonna go 82-0. But that said, there should be enough pride in the room to make sure that we look at what we didn’t do properly, learn from it and come back with a really, really strong effort next game.” The Blues won three of four matchups last season against Chicago, which rebounded from a rough first period Thursday to win 4-3 in overtime on former Hart Trophy winner Patrick Kane’s goal. Kane and captain Jonathan Toews each finished with a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, who gave up three tallies in the first period and trailed 3-2 with less than 10 minutes left in regulation. “It’s a good way to start,” Kane told reporters. “You never want to be down going into the third, but to have it finish like that where you’re coming back, tying it up and winning in overtime gives everyone confidence.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (1-0-0): Veteran Cam Ward got the start in net for the opener with All-Star Corey Crawford still out until at least mid-October with post-concussion syndrome, and blanked Ottawa over the final 44:06. “I was really excited about the opportunity to play and start the season,” Ward told reporters. “I felt good, but it felt like I was moving around a little too much. In the second and third, I just felt a lot more composed and made the big save when we needed it.” Coach Joel Quenneville said Toews “did everything” in the opener as the center was 20-9 in the faceoff circle, posted a plus-3 rating and had four shots along with a block.
ABOUT THE BLUES (0-1-0): Defenseman Vincent Dunn had the only goal for St. Louis on Thursday after falling behind 5-0, and newcomers Ryan O’Reilly, along with Tyler Bozak, earned the assists. Rookie forwards Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas had six shots combined in their NHL debuts against Winnipeg while veteran forward Patrick Maroon, an offseason free-agent signing, had four hits and three shots. Joel Edmundson missed the opener with a groin injury, but has been skating and could return soon, and fellow defenseman Robert Bortuzzo is eligible to return Saturday after serving a one-game suspension for an illegal hit during the preseason.
OVERTIME
1. Chicago D Brent Seabrook scored the tying goal in the third period Thursday and led everyone with five blocks.
2. St. Louis RW Vladimir Tarasenko, who recorded 149 goals in his previous four seasons, had a game-high six shots in the opener.
3. The Blues recalled F Chris Thorburn and sent D Niko Mikkola to San Antonio of the American Hockey League on Friday.