ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues improved to 2-1-0 on the preseason when they slipped past the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 at Enterprise Center on Tuesday.
It was another home game in which a number of veterans played, including those that played their first preseason game, including forwards Brayden Schenn, Brandon Saad and Kevin Hayes making his Blues debut; defensemen Nick Leddy and Justin Faulk, who left after the second period with a lower-body injury that coach Craig Berube didn't think was serious, and goalie Jordan Binnington.
The Blue Jackets (1-1-1) fielded a very young, inexperienced lineup full of roster hopefuls that played quite well, well enough to be victorious and in convincing fashion, outshooting the Blues 32-13 for the game, 21-4 over the final four periods.
The Blues did all their scoring in the first period, with Jakub Vrana, Isaac Ratcliffe (more also on him later) and Oskar Sundqvist scoring goals against Columbus starter Aaron Dell.
So without further ado, let's look at some of the game takeaways from tonight, and we'll stick to the positives:
* Subban was a star -- Blues goalie Malcolm Subban was the top star of this game.
Subban, who played the final two periods after Binnington stopped 10 of 11 shots, was terrific in his second appearance.
Blues goalie Malcolm Subban (left) made a number of dazzling saves, including one with his glove Tuesday when he played the final two periods of a 3-2 win against Columbus at Enterprise Center.The 29-year-old stopped 20 of 21 shots after he made 30 saves on 33 shots in a 5-1 loss against the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday in Wichita, Kansas.
Subban, who made his NHL debut here with the Boston Bruins on Feb. 20, 2015, was exceptional especially when the Blue Jackets had a lengthy 5-on-3 power-play late in the third that they eventually scored on but it was during the 5-on-4 before the fourth Blues skater could get into the play.
Subban also made a lunging right kick save on a backside play in the second period.
"He was good, made some big saves, was great to see," Berube said. "Made a nice one in the second there on a rebound, or I don't know if it hit somebody in front. Then in the third made a couple big saves. He was really good."
Subban is likely destined for Springfield of the American Hockey League to tandem with Vadim Zherenko, but what it does is gives the Blues four solid tendys with Binnington and Joel Hofer manning the nets in St. Louis, and Zherenko and Subban in Springfield, with the ladder two as good reinforcements for St. Louis if needed.
"I think it's great for the depth in the organization," Berube said. "He's a guy that's played in the NHL, played some games and he's playing well right now."
Subban, who is 36-33-9 with a 3.10 goals-against average and .898 save percentage in 86 NHL games, has an open mind.
"That's what preseason is for," Subban said. "I'm just trying to improve every day and make a good impression. ... I just come in and try to play my game and whatever happens, happens. They're great goalies. I've watched (the Blues) for years, especially 'Binner.' Great goaltenders and I'm just coming in and playing my game."
* Hayes solid in debut -- Hayes, who was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 27 for a 2024 sixth round pick, played 17:41 and had an assist on Sundqvist's power-play goal that ultimately was the difference.
Hayes centered a line between Vrana and Sammy Blais and probably the most notable play came in the first period with the Blues on a power-play, and Hayes hustled back to break up what would have been a shorthanded 3-on-1 for the Jackets.
Hayes led the Blues with three shots and three takeaways and won six of 10 face-offs.
"I haven't played a game in a long time, but I felt pretty good with my linemates," Hayes said. "It was a little bit of sloppy hockey, but that's to be a little bit expected.
"It's still super-early. The team's not picked yet. Whatever they ask me to do, I'll do my best to try to the best of my ability."
* Blues making concerted effort to get to the net -- It was problematic last season, getting bodies to the net and scoring around it.
In three preseason games, the Blues are showing they want to go back to their bruising, forechecking, sacrificing the body by getting to the net ways.
Vrana's goal came on a bit of luck when a puck bounded and fell into the slot area but he was willing to get there before slotting a backhand for a 1-0 lead, but Ratfliffe, who was a surprise entry into the lineup when Kasperi Kapanen (upper body) came up on the injury report, scored by crashing the net after Saad's power move off the left edge, and Sundqvist for the second game in a row was on the spot by potting home a rebound of Nick Ritchie's effort off the right side.
"A lot of our goals that we've scored the two games here are all around the net," Berube said, "which is good. We're doing a much better job of driving the net. Just getting to the net in general."
* Ritchie joins the fight parade -- Ritchie, vying for a roster spot on a professional tryout, was having himself a decent game with an assist and two hits in 8:05 of ice time, but he was ejected from the game when he received a game-misconduct for not having his fight strap tied down when he took on O'Fallon native Josh Dunne at 8:04 of the second period.
Ritchie was in on the forecheck when linemates Sundqvist and Alexey Toropchenko were putting pucks in corners and behind the net.
"Nick showed me he was a physical player tonight," Berube said. "I know he got in a fight but did some good things with the puck too. A big body. I thought he gave us something tonight."
