Despite defeat, Blues are encouraged

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Was it a win and two points for the St. Louis Blues in their opener Thursday night against the Dallas Stars? No, but were there encouraging things to take away from it? Most definitely.

That's the attitude and mindset on Friday after a full practice following a 2-1 shootout loss, a loss in which the Blues collected a point, yes, for their efforts. Now if they lose that game in regulation and come away empty-handed, now there's some resentment.

But that wasn't the case, and it all stems from what the Blues have been preaching from Day 1 heading into the new season.

"We played hard defensively, we didn't give up much from the slot," captain Brayden Schenn said. "We ended plays on the second and third opportunities for the most part and guys are bought into competing and working and doing the right thing. It's one game where we know we can play better. I feel like the first game's always a little on emotion and less using your brain. Guys are fired up to play. You don't think as clearly in the first game, I would say, and that comes from both sides. Guys are excited, guys are over-trying at some times which leads to poor puck play or overreads and stuff like that. We'll clean it up. The second game, you'll see a lot of cleaner, smoother game."

The Blues seem to be buying into the defense first mantra and the remaining roots sprouted will lead to other positive results, like finishing scoring chances created on offense by playing good defense and managing pucks well.

"Yeah, Dallas is a tough team," center Robert Thomas said. "Every game we play against them it's 2-1, really tight games, usually (end) in overtime. I think we created a lot of chances. I thought their goalie [Jake Oettinger] played really well, made some big saves, but I think as a group, we played pretty good and it's a good building direction in a right way."

Each line produced scoring chances, whether it be 5-on-5 or even shorthanded in this game.

"Yeah, they all contributed," coach Craig Berube said. "That's how we're built and that's how we've got to play. We used everybody last night, the minutes were really good. We need everybody to play the full rink -- how I like to call it -- 200 feet. Be responsible defensively. You take 'Sunny's like for example. Do they have the skill set that Thomas's line has? No, but they can still create by doing simple things and playing hard, getting to the net, hounding pucks, just stuff like that. They just do it differently."

It's a solid buy-in the Blues have going right now, and that's why their greatest takeaway from Thursday has to be how they fought from start to finish.

"I think competitiveness," Thomas said. "I think we played really well as a team, first game, all together really against a full team. A lot of good things to learn from. I think we did a lot of things well as a team. The energy's still there from the start of preseason and just that camaraderie, sticking up for your teammates, working hard for your teammates, just the atmosphere and the environment we've created in camp really showed in that first game."

Over an 82-game season, it's tough to keep that energy and competitiveness for a prolonged period of time. So what's the key to doing that?

"It's just simplifying it day to day," Thomas said. "I think it's sticking with our foundation, sticking with what's made us successful and keeping that energy. A lot of it comes with wins. We need to get some wins on the board, but just sticking with our foundation is so important."