The St. Louis Blues extended their winning streak with another victory. Despite a surprising start to their road trip against the Boston Bruins on Thursday, the Blues maintained their strong performance, notably with Joel Hofer’s impressive 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway were key contributors, each chalking up three points—Schenn with two goals and an assist, including the game-winner in the third period, while Holloway scored once and assisted twice—to lead the Blues to a 4-3 triumph over the Montreal Canadiens at Montreal’s Bell Center.
In addition to Pavel Buchnevich’s goal, goalie Jordan Binnington made 23 crucial saves, helping the Blues improve their record to 11-12-7. They earned four of a possible six points over three Eastern Conference road games, marking only the second time in 12 games they’ve netted two or more points. The team is set to play five of their next six games at home. This marks the Blues’ second straight week of winning back-to-back games, following wins against Ottawa and the Utah Mammoth earlier.
The team faced challenges with missing key players—including Jimmy Snageld, Alexei Trobchenko, Nathan Walker, and Jordan Kyrou—forcing others to step up offensively. Schenn and Holloway, along with Mathieu Joseph, formed a productive line responsible for seven points in the game. Schenn’s power-play goal came at 7:59, capitalizing on Zach Bolduc’s penalty. His game-winning goal was pivotal, securing a 3-2 lead in the third period, which the team held onto despite some pressure from the Canadiens.
In clutch moments, Joseph’s hustle in the neutral zone and Holloway’s quick play set up Schenn’s winning shot. Even though Montreal closed in with a goal by Noah Dobson, Binnington denied a last-second chance by Cole Caufield, securing the win. Schenn and Holloway’s strong offensive presence complemented the team’s otherwise limited scoring chances, tallying only 18 shots on goal.
Schenn’s three-point night was his first since November 30, 2023, and Holloway also played a key defensive role in the second period. Though the Blues were briefly down 2-1 late in the first period, they quickly responded with two goals in 39 seconds early in the second, taking control with goals by Holloway and Buchnevich. The Blues outperformed the Canadiens in maintaining a two-goal advantage into the third period.
Binnington backed up Hofer’s strong Saturday performance with solid goaltending, making crucial saves including stopping Ivan Demidov twice. Improved goaltending gives the Blues optimism for more wins ahead. Additionally, former trade rivals Logan Mailloux for the Blues and Zach Bolduc for the Canadiens had respectable games but caused no significant damage, suggesting the trade comparisons should now be settled.
The Blues held well onto their lead despite a late goal from Dobson and some defensive hiccups. Binnington’s composure was key in the closing minutes as the team blocked shots and stymied scoring opportunities. The win underscores the Blues’ resilience and ability to thrive even with injuries and roster changes.
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Fan Take: This victory highlights the resilience and depth of the St. Louis Blues, crucial traits that hockey fans admire. Their ability to overcome injuries and maintain strong goaltending bodes well for the team’s playoff aspirations and keeps the competition fierce in the league.
