Three keys in Blues' 4-2 loss against Maple Leafs

ST. LOUIS -- In a playoff chase, points are critical.

Even one loss is detrimental, but now for the St. Louis Blues, who once again failed to step to the plate with a game on the line in the third period of a 4-2 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, the pressure gets tighter.

The Blues (29-24-2) had the chance to really gain some separation from those chasing them for one of two spots in the Western Conference wild card. Instead, they have plenty of traffic in the rear view mirror.

Losses against the Nashville Predators and now Maple Leafs (30-16-8) means by the time the Blues play again on Thursday against the New York Islanders, they could be on the outside looking in, instead of producing results like the one they had in impressive fashion against the Edmonton Oilers last week.

"Oh yeah, I think we all know where we're at right now, especially with how tight the race is," said Blues forward Brandon Saad, who scored a second-period power-play goal. "It's something I think we're following dearly."

Let's look at the three keys to a President's Day loss:

1. Critical mistakes -- Mistakes are one thing, but when they're made by the top guys at critical junctures of the game and they wind up in the back of the net, it costs hockey games.

It started with Toronto's opener 22 seconds into the second. The Blues thought a zone entry had either gone out of play or hit the linesman sitting on the Maple Leafs bench. It was clear that players let up on the play, but Nick Leddy gets stripped by Auston Matthews along the defensive zone boards, then blind backhands a feed to Matthew Knies, and when Colton Parayko doesn't take the body and allows Knies to get off a quick wrister, it's 1-0.

In a 1-1 game to begin the third period, Jordan Kyrou high-sticks Knies just four seconds in, and on the ensuing penalty kill, Pavel Buchnevich, who had another rough game, failed to get a clear. The Leafs had turned the puck over  to Leddy, but it was quickly poked away from him allowing Mitch Marner from behind the net to find the NHL's leading goal scorer [Auston Matthews] wide open all alone in the slot and he makes no mistake for his 49th just 45 seconds in for a 2-1 Toronto lead.

And on Toronto's, what would wind up being the game-winning goal, it was a plethora of blunders for Buchnevich. First, a chance to shoot or funnel a puck towards the net from the high slot. He chooses to keep it, then inexplicably throws a puck towards Torey Krug, who was coming towards him back to the point and not expecting the puck there, it gets turned over and William Nylander converts the shorthanded goal 2-on-0 at 7:29 for a 3-1 lead.

"We made three mistakes that cost us," Blues interim coach Drew Bannister said. "The first goal, we got caught on the wrong side of the puck. If we're under the puck there, that play probably doesn't develop. We take the penalty, they score on the power play, but that was missed coverage. The third goal's a turnover on the power play. We made three mistakes and they made us pay on them."

Is this a case of top players underperforming now the past few games?

"It's more consistency in their game than not playing well," Bannister said. 'I thought we had some pretty good performances tonight by guys. We have to find a way. I think we had 42 shot attempts that were either blocked or didn't hit the net, so we were shooting the puck enough but we have to find ways to get the puck to the net if we're going to create offense. The shooting the puck isn't the issue, but finding a way to get there and making sure that we get bodies around the net. That was something that stood out to me that we weren't able to get pucks to the net."

2. Getting more shots on goal/quicker attempts -- The Blues had just 21 shots on goal. It's not great. But they did have 62 shot attempts, so why such a disparity?

Simple. 

Toronto blocked 26 shots to the Blues' seven, and St. Louis missed the net another 15 times, which is unacceptable.

It was another case of holding onto a puck a split second longer than necessary, allowing enough time for a defender to get a block, or simply missing the net in critical areas of the ice.

"I think it is, a little bit quicker. We shot high quite a bit too," Bannister said. 'If guys are getting to the net, they don't want pucks around their head. We've got to keep the puck down around the knee level. Obviously it's easier to redirect in those areas, But I thought at times we held onto the puck too long. Whether the lane wasn't there possibly, or us waiting for guys to get to the net. We have to get those pucks off to the net quicker."

3. Failing to grab a game on the line in the third period -- For the second straight game, even if it wasn't their best, the Blues were in a one shot game.

Saturday, they trailed Nashville 2-1 and ultimately lost 5-2. On Monday, it was 1-1.

That's no points on home ice with the game on the line in the third period.

"I think special teams hurt us tonight," Saad said. "I think they scored a power play and penalty kill on the third period there. That's the difference in the game. It's hard to say. It was a tight-checking hockey game. Without those mistakes, it's an even game. It's tough."

The Blues have been outscored 6-2 the past two third periods.

"We've set ourselves up in a good spot going into the thirds," Parayko said. "Just got to find some ways to win some games. We're still in a good spot. It's no need to get excited or however you want to put it, but obviously we know where we're at in the standings. Everybody knows where it's at. These are big games. We're going to come to work the next couple days, get ready for Thursday, give it our best shot to get two more points."