ST. LOUIS -- Just win baby! Isn't that what Al Davis, one-time owner of the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders used to say? It doesn't matter how, when and where, just find a way to win. Takeaways from Blues' 3-2 shootout win against Sharks The St. Louis Blues had been in a bit of a rut, winning just one of seven games (1-5-1) and falling down a slippery slope the past couple weeks. They just needed a win, and despite almost allowing it to slip away, they dug back in and regrouped for a 3-2 shootout win against the San Jose Sharks at Enterprise Center on Thursday. It wasn't a Picasso by any stretch, but a win is a win. The Blues (9-11-1) needed one, and they got one despite allowing the tying goal with 8.8 seconds left in the game. Jake Neighbours scored the only shootout goal and Jordan Binnington was 3-for-3 and in the process earned his 151st career win with the Blues to tie the franchise record with his agent, Mike Liut. Let's go to the three takeaways from this one: * The Blues just needed a win, good, bad or ugly -- The numbers hadn't been good lately for the Blues: Four straight losses at home, outscored 19-7, 1-5-1 the past seven games, outscored 15-3 the past seven third periods. It hasn't been good. Nobody was expecting perfection, ad it certainly wasn't by any stretch, but all that mattered was winning. Even if they had multiple cracks with the Sharks et empty for more than two minutes. "It was important (to win) for playing in on home ice and for our crowd and going on the road right now," Blues coach Drew Bannister said. "I think it was important for us to win this hockey game for the fans that come to support us. That's a good step in the right direction here moving forward onto the road." * Not wilting -- The Blues could have folded when Alexander Wennberg scored his second of the game with 8.8 seconds left in the third: It was one of those goals that really could drag a team down that has lacked confidence. But the Blues regrouped. They had no other choice. "I just think we still had an opportunity to get two points," Neighbours said. "At the end of the day, that's what you come to the rink to try and do. Obviously it's not ideal to give up one with nine seconds or whatever it was left. We got the job done, that's what matters." Whether something was said, whether the body language didn't droop, it was still business as usual. Just a bit of a different mindset. "I thought we were great on the bench," Bannister said. "Their focus was on getting the two points and not what just happened. That's a step in the right direction for us right now moving forward. Getting two points before we go o the road is important for us. I just liked our reaction on that after that puck went into the net. It was, 'Let's go get the two points now, guys." "It's hockey," forward Nathan Walker said. "They've got six guys on the ice trying to put the puck in the net. Things are going to happen. I thought we bounced back pretty well. I thought bounced back pretty well. We did a great job in OT and obviously 'Jakey' with the nice goal in the shootout." * 'WTF' Line setting tone -- Walker, Radek Faksa and Alexey Toropchenko have bee trend-setters all season, about as consistent as a line can get. But 11 seconds in? Who would have thought it? That's just what happened when Walker scored in tight: "I think if you can just have a good shift in itself, let alone get a goal on the first shift, itt kind of sets the tone for the game," Walker said. "'Faks' made a great heads-up play for me there. "I just kind of stayed in front of the net and got a nice little deflection on it." The Blues needed a break and went to work immediately and got one, helping give them some positive vibes: But it's a line with plenty of chemistry and differing nationalities. "We've got a Russian, a Czech and an Aussie, so the communication's a little tough sometimes," Walker joked. "We chat a lot. We're good friends on and off the ice. It definitely makes for a good mix-up. "We all take turns who's the captain on that line." Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA5MjcwNjk1MDQ0MDY0NDYy/subscribe2024-front-banner.jpg]
