Blues impressive in season-opening 4-1 win over Avalanche

Team finds out it would be without Hoffman pregame because of 

visa issues, Sundqvist steps up, tallies two goals; Clifford scores in debut

By LOU KORAC
The Blues had every intention of playing a lineup that they've featured throughout training camp, knowing full well they'd open the 2020-21 season against a perennial Stanley Cup favorite.

But when it was announced 30 minutes before game-time that newly-signed MIke Hoffman would not play because his working visa paperwork had not been finalized yet, normally a mad scramble would unfold in efforts to try and alter a game plan.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Oskar Sundqvist (70) scores his second goal of the game for the Blues in a

4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche Wednesday night.

The Blues don't flinch in these situations. They plug-and-play. This included moving Oskar Sundqvist up off the fourth line into Hoffman's spot, and insert Sammy Blais into the lineup.
Next man up. That's how the Blues roll, and roll they did when Sundqvist scored twice in a 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche in the season opener Wednesday at Ball Arena.

"I actually didn't know until we got to the rink today," said Blues center Robert Thomas, who had two assists. "Yeah, I don't know what happened there, but I'm sure it'll be sorted out for next game. Obviously looking forward to playing with him. His speed and his shot, just the way he plays, he's really bought in here, so it'll be exciting to see next game."

Hoffman skated with Thomas and Jaden Schwartz in the morning skate but found out late that he could not play. Insert Sundqvist, the Blues' do-all forwards.

No matter what role he plays, Sundqvist seems to thrive in it. He was asked to jump into the top six and fill a void, and with Hoffman expected to fill a void created with Vladimir Tarasenko placed on long-term injured reserve with his left shoulder injury, the Blues were left searching again.

Not a problem.

"I got to know basically when I came to the rink today before the game," Sundqvist said. "It was a late call that I was going to play with Schwartz and Thomas. Doesn't affect me too much. I'm just trying to play my game. It doesn't matter who I play with. Tonight it worked out great.

"I think we've had that (next man up mentality) for a couple years now. As soon as someone goes down, whether it's an injury or paperwork like it was now, it doesn't matter, it's next man up. It doesn't matter if it was me or someone else, there's always someone else that's stepping up. That's one of our strengths with this team that we've got that mentality and no one really changes their game. We just move up the lineup and play the same style. It's nice to see."

Kyle Clifford scored in his Blues debut on his 30th birthday, Jordan Kyrou, who had to be put on the taxi squad Tuesday but called back up after Tarasenko went on LTIR, scored, and Jordan Binnington made 26 saves in a building that wasn't too kind to him in two outings last season.

It was a textbook style of win for the Blues, aside from a second period that the Blues relied on Binnington for 15 of his 26 saves, and yes, it's only one game, but it served as a notice from the Blues to not sleep on them despite all the talk of the Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights being not only favorites to come out of the new West Division, but Stanley Cup favorites.

"Yeah, I think that's been kind of our mentality since the bubble and since we lost in the first round last year," Thomas said. "I think we're ready to go, we're ready to prove to everyone that we're still a top team in this league and a Stanley Cup contender. That was our drive today and I think we played a great team game and really showed everyone not to sleep on us."

The Blues had a solid first period but gave up the first goal when Blais took an ill-advised penalty 200 feet from his net on an elbowing penalty to Devon Toews, and Andre Burakovsky scored 12 seconds into the man advantage at 4:55 for a 1-0 lead, a shot from the slot that caromed off Marco Scandella's stick.

But Sundqvist tied it 1-1 at 9:29, a play started by Thomas' nifty pass off the wall through Ryan Graves' skates that sprung Schwartz, who fed Sundqvist in close and he beat Philipp Grubauer top shelf.

"I knew Schwartzy had beaten his guy," Thomas said. "He was yelling for me and I knew I had a little bit of speed on the defender there, so I knew he had to keep on skating and luckily I was able to slip it through his legs and a great play by Sunny to get the goal there."

Kyrou made it 2-1 off a give-and-go with Tyler Bozak after the Avalanche turned the puck over near the blue line. Zach Sanford coralled it, fed Kyrou, who got it back after feeding Bozak at 13:15.

The Blues outshot Colorado 17-5 in the first, but the Avalanche pushed back in the second, outshooting the Blues 15-6, but Binnington came up large, including a close-range glove save on Mikko Rantanen late in the period to preserve the lead.

It was tough sledding for the Blues, who had the long line changes in the second and playing in altitude for the first time, came away with the lead heading into the third, which was important.

"That was big," Binnington said. "They had some momentum in that period right to the last couple minutes. We found a way. It was big going into the third period with the lead just to keep it simple and play our game, be there for each other. Yeah, that was big."

"Well Binner made some big saves. It was big," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "We were a little bit worried about the second period. We just didn't advance the puck properly. I think we just got caught on our heels for a certain amount of time there. We came out hard and we just turned the puck over and then they came back at us. We didn't really advance the puck in the offensive zone and work them enough."

In a one-goal game, Clifford's goal was big. It came at 6:46 of the third after Ivan Barbashev fed him on the right hash marks in a soft area, and Clifford was able to wire a wrister high short side past Grubauer for a 3-1 lead.

Sundqvist's second of the game came at 14:22 to make it 4-1, finishing off a feed from Thomas after Thomas took a quick peak before winning a puck and feeding Sundqvist in the slot.

"Yeah, we got a lucky bounce," Thomas said. "It kind of jumped over the goalie's stick there, so I knew he was out of position. I just tried to put it on the net and Sunny had a good effort there -- two whacks at it and put it home."

Sundqvist seemed to know to have his stick on the ice and be ready.

"I played with him a little bit last too and I kind of have an understanding where he wants me to be and where he wants to pass the puck," Sundqvist said of Thomas. "It feels like for the most part we know where we want to go with the puck. He's got such good vision that he can find me there and as soon as the goalie was out of his crease, I knew I had to get open and he was going to give me the puck. He's a really good player to play with and easy to play when he plays like this."

Berube said in order for the Blues to have success, they would need to get pucks deep on the Avalanche defense and make them work. For the most part, it worked to perfection.

"We know how good they are off the rush," Thomas said. "Any time they're in the D-zone, how quick they jump. Especially in the second period, that's where they thrive and get a ton of offense. I think we got a little bit loose there, especially in the second half of the second period. Binner stood on his head and made some huge saves for us. I think in the third, we just came in with the right mentality and locked it down, and created a lot of offense off it."

"I feel like we were rolling lines and we were having good outs for each other and communicating in the d-zone, which is big," Binnington said. "Early in the year, we've got to communicate and have good line changes. Everyone was moving, everyone was playing and getting their touches. We kept it pretty tight. It was good to see.

"Excited to play hockey again. We came out strong as a team, couple penalties, but we did a good job. The boys stepped up and we found a way to get it done and we played right until the end. It was good to get in that win column again for sure."

And with a chance to sweep the mini two-game series, a chance to throw their name into the ring of contenders.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Jordan Binnington (50) makes a save on the Avalanche's Matt Calvert (11) 

on Wednesday, one of 26 saves for the Blues goalie.

"We obviously wanted to get a good start and I think that's exactly what we got," Sundqvist said. "Maybe try to stay out of the penalty box because we know they've got a really good power play. Five-on-five, I think we really controlled most of the game tonight. Obviously it's a new game on Friday and I'm pretty sure Colorado's going to come out flying that game so we have to be ready and play the same way as we played today, play our style of hockey and I think we'll be fine."

The Blues said they expect Hoffman to be available to them on Friday.

"Yeah, it was unfortunate with Hoffman, but I thought Sammy Blais stepped in and did a good job," Berube said. "... Well, I mean, it happened. It's something that came up and we adjusted. Hopefully Friday it's all cleared up. That's the best information I can give you."