ST. LOUIS -- Similar execution, but it was a different result for the St. Louis Blues in its 2-1 shootout win against the Seattle Kraken in the home opener on Saturday night at Enterprise Center.
Facing another formidable opponent that was desperate for a win, the Blues saw little margin for error. For the second game in a row, there was a lid on the goal.
The Blues have scored two goals in two games after a 2-1 shootout loss against the Dallas Stars on Thursday but have somehow found their way to pick up three of a possible four points.
Breaking down the game Saturday for the Blues from a period perspective, we'll highlight as many takeaways that impacted/affected the game.
Let's go:
* First Period -- It was not a good opening 20 for the home side, who didn't thrive off the energy brought by the 18,096 energetic fans that was loud and boisterous.
The Blues had to handle the Seattle skating speed and didn't do it well from the outset, getting hemmed in the zone while the Kraken were retrieving pucks and sustaining zone time.
The Blues kept themselves in it with 13 blocks in the period, including nine in the opening 6:55, highlighted by Colton Parayko's four blocks and Justin Faulk's three.
I'm not sure the Blues needed assistance from video coach Darryl Seward and video coordinator Elliott Mondou on this one, but they got another call right on a would-be goal by former Blue Vince Dunn at 12:36.
Dunn's deflected shot got past Jordan Binnington, but the Blues challenged, as they did on Thursday on an offside call they got right, and got this one right as well for goalie interference.
Jared McCann tried to get a deflection on Dunn's shot but hit Binnington in the facemask before the puck got to the net and the quick review negated a 1-0 Kraken lead.
The Blues early power-play woes continued. They got two more opportunities in the opening period and did little to nothing on each. The good news is they actually put two shots on after zero shots in three power-play attempts Thursday, but the continuity was nowhere to be found.
It got worse when Pavel Buchnevich was cross-checked into the offensive zone boards by Jamie Oleksiak with 3:13 remaining in the period; the Blues forward would not return due to an upper-body injury that coach Craig Berube said afterwards was an injury he didn't know the severity of.
"Obviously that's a tough loss there," Kyrou said. "Guys just got to step up in his spot."
The Blues escaped the period scoreless and outshot 9-4.
* Second period -- The forward lines got shuffled with Buchnevich out, but for the second straight game, the Blues were scored on in the first minute.
Old friend Jaden Schwartz was camped out in front of Binnington, getting behind Parayko and doing what he does best, deflecting an Oliver Bjorkstrand shot from the top of the right circle past Binnington 40 seconds into the period. The Blues had allowed a Jamie Benn goal Thursday just 18 seconds into the second.
But unlike the first, the Blues finally found some zone time, and it was a forward's back-check that made the difference, and it was Jordan Kyrou intercepting a pass in the defensive zone and leading a 3-on-2 odd-man rush the other way, then perfecting a give-and-go with Robert Thomas to finish from the high slot 7:49 into the period for Kyrou to tie the game 1-1.
"We're just trying to key in on an all-around good game as a group of five," Kyrou said. "Good defense leads to offense and that's what happened tonight."
A third power play went by the wayside with no shots on goal.
The Blues aren't going to score on every man-advantage, but having some semblance of cohesion would be nice. Right now, they don't look like anyone's on the same page. Perhaps shuffling around some personnel would make a difference.
* Third period -- Another early power-play came off a terrific hustle play by Alexey Toropchenko, inducing an interference penalty on Dunn at the 4:00 mark but once again, the Blues did nothing with it.
As for Toropchenko, his hustle play breaking up a potential 2-on-1 prevented Seattle from grabbing a lead, one of several moments in which the forwards made solid, smart back-checks in the game.
The Blues outshot the Kraken 11-9 in the period, and Sammy Blais had the best chance when he dipsy-doodled towards goalie Joey Daccord but was stopped at the right post with 5:00 left.
Seattle was dangerous late in the game, and it was apparent the Kraken were going for the win, but Binnington stacked the pads with saves on McCann and Dunn to send the game to overtime.
* Overtime/shootout -- Seattle played keep-away with the puck for virtually the entire five-minute extra session. The Kraken didn't seem to want to push the initiative despite keeping the Blues from changing, and Thomas, Kyrou and Justin Faulk being on the ice for 2:16 to begin OT and obviously tired in their blades.
When the Blues were able to get a change, they just didn't keep the puck long enough to make a play, but Brayden Schenn had a chance to win it with 2:20 left or dish to Kasperi Kapanen to the left of Daccord but put his shot into the Kraken's goalie's midsection.
Binnington was called to duty late and kicked out Adam Larsson's effort from the low slot with 28 seconds remaining to send the game to a shootout.
"Crazy," Parayko said. "It was a good opportunity by Larsson. Better save by 'Binner.'"
The goalies ruled the roost in the shootout.
Binnington said no to Matty Beniers and Bjorkstrand to open, while Daccord made saves on Schenn and Kyrou.
Thomas made the Blues' third attempt count pulling the puck to his backhand and roofing the Blues into the lead before Binnington kept Jordan Eberle's effort out to win the game.
"He was unbelievable," forward Brandon Saad said of Binnington. "That's what we expect out of him. We know his capabilities, so he's been huge for us the past two games. It's nice to get the job done in front of him tonight."
