最新杏吧原创

BOSTON 鈥� Blues defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph flew back to 最新杏吧原创 for further evaluation of his lower-body injury and is considered day to day, coach Drew Bannister said before Saturday afternoon鈥檚 game against the Bruins.

Bannister said the Blues already have the test results, and 鈥渋t went well.鈥� Asked whether Joseph could play Tuesday against Minnesota, Bannister said 鈥渨e鈥檒l see when we get home.鈥�

Joseph was hurt early in the second period on Thursday night in Buffalo after an awkward collision with teammate Justin Faulk and Sabres forward Zach Benson. Joseph was helped off the ice, putting minimal weight on his left leg.

Joseph was elevated in the lineup alongside Faulk because of injuries to Nick Leddy (lower-body), Philip Broberg (lower-body) and Torey Krug (out for the season, ankle surgery). Thursday was his fifth game playing top-four minutes.

With Joseph out of the lineup on Saturday, the newly-recalled Corey Schueneman drew into the lineup on the back end. The Blues recalled Schueneman from AHL affiliate Springfield on Friday morning, as 最新杏吧原创 sent Leo Loof back to the AHL.

Why the switch of Schueneman for Loof?

鈥淲e wanted to get more of a veteran guy in, I think,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淪chueny has played a lot down there. He鈥檚 played a lot of good American League games. He鈥檚 had an opportunity to play in the NHL when he was with Montreal. So we wanted to get a guy in here to give him the opportunity. But he鈥檚 played well. He had a great camp for us, get Loofer back playing games in the American League. Looking forward to seeing Schueny here today.鈥�

Schueneman, 29, played 31 games in the NHL for Montreal across 2021-23. He spent all of last year with Colorado in the AHL, and had five points in 13 games this season with Springfield.

Bannister said defenseman Scott Perunovich was fine. Perunovich blocked a shot with about 8 1/2 minutes left in Thursday鈥檚 game and only played one more shift after that. The Blues had two defensemen over 30 minutes in ice time, as Ryan Suter played 33:06 and Colton Parayko was at 30:37.

It was the 22nd time in Suter鈥檚 career that he logged more than 33 minutes, but the first time since March 15, 2016 with Minnesota. According to NHL Edge data, Suter skated 4.68 miles on Thursday, which was tied for the most in the league this season.

Speeding through

After Thursday night鈥檚 game in Buffalo, Pavel Buchnevich emphasized the importance of generating speed through the neutral zone for his own personal game. He scored a goal against the Sabres on the rush.

鈥淗uge, huge,鈥� Buchnevich said of neutral-zone spped. 鈥淵ou see how I struggle offensively. I have to figure out how to find my game. I have to find how I can find the puck through the neutral zone and enter the zone with the puck. I should say last two games, I鈥檝e been improved. At least I start creating some chances. It鈥檚 a good sign.鈥�

Buchnevich鈥檚 goal against the Sabres was his first at 5 on 5 since Oct. 11 in Vegas. He had an empty-net goal Nov. 2 against Toronto, and entered Saturday with five goals and six assists in 17 games, mostly at center.

鈥淚 thought our counters as a team was much better,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淚 thought we had more speed through the neutral zone. I thought as a group, we were much better at that. 鈥� Getting out of the defensive zone quick to be able to create space for yourself and get up ice. You鈥檝e got to move your feet. You鈥檝e got to play fast.鈥�

More than goals

Brandon Saad鈥檚 two goal on Thursday against Buffalo were the highlights of his game vs. the Sabres, but Bannister liked his game overall in the overtime loss.

鈥淚 just thought he was really competitive, was heavy on pucks,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淗e used his speed. Even you take away the two goals, I thought he played a heck of a game for us.鈥�

During Saad鈥檚 16:40 of ice time at 5 on 5, the Blues outshot the Sabres 10-8 and outscored them 2-0.

鈥淎nytime you鈥檙e scoring goals and playing with the puck, it creates confidence,鈥� Saad said. 鈥淚 think as a line, we did a good job of being heavy on it and protecting it, playing with it. I think we can keep building on that.鈥�

Saturday was Saad鈥檚 second game in the top-six after playing fourth-line minutes on Tuesday.

鈥淛ust coming ready to play,鈥� Saad said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my job to put the next game up and focus on the next game and leave the past in the past. It was a good response, but obviously, we want to get the win.鈥�

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BOSTON 鈥� For the first time in three weeks, the Blues outshot their opponent. It paid off in a 3-2 overtime win over the Bruins on Saturday afternoon, snapping a four-game losing streak.

With 2:07 remaining in overtime, Brayden Schenn scored the game-winning goal for 最新杏吧原创. The Blues outshot the Bruins, 31-17.

Radek Faksa and Nathan Walker scored for the Blues as their line continued to be a consistent factor for 最新杏吧原创. Walker's goal at 9:18 of the third period tied the game at 2 thanks to a relentless five-man forecheck and a no-look pass from below the goalline from Faksa.

Trent Frederic scored two goals for the Bruins.

Jordan Kyrou hit two posts, and Brayden Schenn was denied on three high-quality chances by Boston goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.

The Blues finish their three-game road trip with an afternoon date in Carolina on Sunday.

Burned by the hometown kid

Frederic scored twice in the first period, tallying his first goals since opening night, snapping a 17-game goal drought. Frederic is originally from 最新杏吧原创 having played for the AAA Blues and being part of the 2016 draft class that featured five 最新杏吧原创ans taken in the first round.

Frederic scored on a rebound at 9:34 of the first period, touching home a rebound of Georgii Merkulov鈥檚 deflection on goal. It was Merkulov鈥檚 first career NHL point, and the goal tied the game at 1.

Frederic struck again at 12:12, and once again at the net-front, tipping a point shot by Mason Lohrei past Jordan Binnington. Walker had two chances to clear the puck from the defensive zone, but it instead ended up on Lohrei鈥檚 stick for a shot with Frederic camped out in front.

Frederic, 26, was playing his eighth career game against the Blues and he entered Saturday with one goal and two assists against his hometown team.

Frederic鈥檚 goals negated a solid start to the game for the Blues, who weathered an early Bruins push (they hit two posts) to rip off seven straight shots at one point. That included Faksa鈥檚 goal at 6:25, a tip of Scott Perunovich鈥檚 point shot. Walker and Alexey Toropchenko set up the opportunity with their work entering the offensive zone.

Coming off the board

For the second straight game, goaltender interference took an apparent goal off the board. This time, though, it was a 最新杏吧原创 goal that was disallowed.

In the second period, Oskar Sundqvist appeared to tie the game at 2, but on-ice officials waived off the goal because of Mathieu Joseph鈥檚 interference on Korpisalo. Joseph entered the crease on his own, and clipped Korpisalo when he was in there.

Blues coach Drew Bannsiter chose not to challenge the play.

On Thursday, Bannister erased a would-be Buffalo goal with a successful challenge, his first of the season.

鈥� Perunovich exited the game briefly at the tail end of the second period when he was cross-checked into the boards by Frederic. Perunovich went down the Blues tunnel, but was on the ice to start the third period.

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Photos: Blues top Bruins in overtime to snap skid

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. 鈥� Dalibor Dvorsky does not want to pretend.

The prized Blues pick understands that playing for AHL affiliate Springfield is part of the process. He gets that he will bide his time developing in the minors before making his eventual jump up to 最新杏吧原创. But there鈥檚 no mistaking Dvorsky鈥檚 motivation for making his way to the NHL.

鈥淎nyone who says that they don鈥檛 think about it at all, they are lying,鈥� Dvorsky said. 鈥淓veryone thinks about it a little bit. But I think I鈥檓 pretty good at just being in the moment and playing these games. Obviously, everyone wants to get called up, right? I think I鈥檝e done a pretty good job with that being here and playing.鈥�

Dvorsky, the team鈥檚 first-round pick in 2023 with the No. 10 pick, is one of the youngest players in the AHL this season. While teenagers in Canadian junior hockey are restricted from playing in the AHL until they are 20, and most European teenagers remain there until it鈥檚 time to leap towards the NHL, Dvorsky is able to play in the AHL because he was drafted out of Europe.

In his first season with Springfield, and entering Friday鈥檚 game against Lehigh Valley, Dvorsky is the team鈥檚 leading scorer with six goals and 10 points in 13 games played. He is second among AHL rookies in goals, and is tied for seventh in points. Dvorsky is also fifth among rookies with 32 shots on goal.

Springfield coach Steve Konowalchuk said that Dvorsky has adjusted to the pace of the AHL, which is noticeably higher than the Ontario Hockey League, where Dvorsky played for Sudbury last season.

鈥淣ow, he has to use his body, plus get a little quicker, and he has been,鈥� Konowalchuk said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 pushing the pace now. He鈥檚 skating strong. His stride is getting better. Everything he鈥檚 doing is just more assertive, and that鈥檚 confidence. He鈥檚 really building that confidence to want to carry the puck through the neutral zone and more confidence to engage in the battles. His growth over the last five, six games is really trending in the right direction.鈥�

Dvorsky said: 鈥淚 have the speed, it鈥檚 just a little mindset thing. But the pace of the game pushes me to adjust to it. Lately, I鈥檓 not even thinking about it. I know I have to move fast to make plays in this league. If I don鈥檛, then it鈥檚 not going to happen. So that pushes me, and I think I鈥檝e done that well lately, so just got to keep building on it.鈥�

From Oct. 27 to Nov. 6, Dvorsky had a four-game goal streak, and when the streak ended on Saturday, his consolation prize was picking up two assists. Dvorsky had four points in his first seven games, and six in his last six before the weekend.

Dvorsky, 19, is the fifth-youngest player in the AHL.

鈥淵oung players have a habit of wanting to think about how can I get a goal vs. just playing the game right and you鈥檒l end up getting the goal,鈥� Konowalchuk said. 鈥淚 think, for him, that鈥檚 where he鈥檚 really doing a good job of building into a 200-foot hockey player. Now, he has the puck more and he gets more opportunities and he scores, and it keeps building that confidence.鈥�

For the Blues, Dvorsky is a key piece as they transition their core to the next wave of talent on the way. At No. 10, he was the club鈥檚 highest pick in 15 years, when the Blues took Alex Pietrangelo at No. 4 in 2008. Dvorsky was the first forward taken with a top-10 pick by the Blues since Rod Brind鈥橝mour went ninth in 1988.

The hope is that Dvorsky can form a one-two punch with Robert Thomas down the middle that the Blues can build a lineup around. And with that much on the line, the Blues are being careful not to rush Dvorsky, and general manager Doug Armstrong acknowledged as much before training camp two months ago.

Konowalchuk echoed a similar message on Friday morning, saying he wants Dvorsky to go to the NHL when he鈥檚 ready to leave the AHL behind.

鈥淗is play will dictate whether he has to take a longer development path or not,鈥� Konowalchuk said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 necessarily want to cap that and say 鈥榊ou鈥檙e 19, it might take you longer.鈥� If he keeps trending like he鈥檚 trending, a month from now, two months from now, I鈥檇 like to see him knocking at that door (of the NHL).

鈥淭he other thing I鈥檇 like to see with all our guys, when they get called up, they鈥檙e ready to stay. A lot of guys can go up and play four or five games in certain roles and the coach can fit you in. But it鈥檚 important and I鈥檒l feel proud when Dvo goes up, it鈥檚 when it鈥檚 right and we don鈥檛 see him again. That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e trying to build into his game. I don鈥檛 think age necessarily needs to be a factor. Let his play dictate it.鈥�

Dvorsky entered training camp as a possible inclusion on the opening day roster, but was sent down after 10 days of the preseason. The message? To develop.

鈥淭his is a developmental league, to do my best, not to think too much forward and just to improve in everything in my game,鈥� Dvorsky said. 鈥淏e as good a player as I can be, and that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 doing.鈥�

Dvorsky, at 6-1 and 206 pounds, has the physical skills to protect pucks from the opposition, the hands in-tight to make plays in all three zones, the vision to find teammates, and a top-notch shot that includes a wicked one-timer on the power play.

But in adjusting to the speed of the AHL, does he have to think the game any differently?

鈥淭he game goes quicker, but I play my game and I process it the same way as I do always,鈥� Dvorsky said. 鈥淓very player is different and I have my own style of play, so that鈥檚 how I think, that鈥檚 how I play and that鈥檚 how I will keep playing.鈥�

If the Blues are going to successfully thread the needle of a shortened retool, Dvorsky鈥檚 development will be paramount, and it鈥檚 off to a good start this season.

鈥淗e鈥檚 driven, which is awesome,鈥� Konowalchuk said. 鈥淗e wants to be a hockey player in the NHL and I truly believe he will be. There鈥檚 just a lot of good qualities there.鈥�

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Still wearing some of his gear after the Flyers' morning skate last week in Tampa Bay, Erik Johnson looked around the visitors' locker room inside the bowels of Amalie Arena.

"It's actually fun being back in this locker room because this is where we won," the defenseman told The Inquirer, showing off a few missing teeth on the top row.

The small room with white walls and light-colored wooden stalls looks quite different now than that late June 2022 day 鈥� it was "very wet" back then, he laughed. From the smile and pure joy on his face more than two years later, you could physically see the memory of that day envelop and transport him back to a moment he never thought would happen: becoming a Stanley Cup champion.

"I think the stars aligned and everything happened for a reason and we ended up winning that year. ... Kind of crazy how things fall into place," he said of achieving hockey's greatest prize with the Colorado Avalanche.

The next place Johnson will land is on the list of guys 鈥� it currently sits at 402 鈥� who have laced up their skates for 1,000 NHL games. The rugged defenseman is one away from becoming the 12th player to hit the mark from the 2006 draft class, in which Johnson was drafted No. 1 overall by the 最新杏吧原创 Blues.

Although he'd much rather play 100 games and win a Stanley Cup than play 1,000 and never win one, Johnson knows that "to do both is kind of a mind-blowing thing I never expected."

It's even more mind-blowing because it wasn't that long ago that Johnson almost quit hockey.

More than bumps and bruises

"Honestly it was a lot that had built up before that with injuries," Johnson said. "I missed half the [pandemic] bubble, I had a high ankle sprain, and then before that, I had an MCL [injury], shoulder surgery, and a broken kneecap, all within like a year and a half.

"So, I was pretty mentally drained of just going through all that injury stuff that really slowed me down. It felt like it kept me from being as good as I could be and I was just kind of tired of not being at my best. And then the concussion came in that COVID-shortened year and I wasn't doing very well."

On Jan. 30, 2021, skating in the neutral zone against the Minnesota Wild, Johnson hit the red line and moved the puck down the boards. Within a flash he was crunched along the boards by Jordan Greenway and sent flying, coming down hard and hitting his head on the ice.

"I saw the hit that happened," said Peggy Johnson, Erik's mother. "I was like, oh my gosh, I really hope that he quits. Because as a parent, and especially through the injury-prone career that he had 鈥� and then especially that particular injury 鈥� it was like, is that worth it?"

Flipping through the chapters of Johnson's career, the list of injuries is almost as long as a CVS receipt. Among the injuries are a broken foot, a golf cart accident that left him with two torn knee ligaments before his sophomore season, shoulder surgeries, another knee surgery, lost teeth, and a broken finger. Across his 18-year career, he has never played a full NHL season.

"I needed a reset, and the concussion made me go through a kind of a full-body reset almost," he said. "I ended up getting myself right but there were times where I just thought about walking away from the game just because I was so mentally drained from all the significant injuries that I had. It ended up kind of snowballing at that point."

The blueliner reached out to his former Blues teammate Paul Kariya, whom Johnson lives near in Orange County during the offseason and dealt with concussions across his Hall of Fame career. Johnson wanted to see the doctor Kariya sought help from, Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychologist and one of the NFL's leading post-concussion experts, who focuses on brain function and health.

"After going through that, I didn't think I was going to play again because based on what the scan told me and he told me. He said, 'Your brain doesn't look great but I can probably scan over half the NHL and their brains wouldn't look great,'" Johnson said.

The now 36-year-old wanted to return to the game he loves and began a program that included a hyperbaric chamber three to five times a week for three months. Over time he started feeling better.

"My husband and I were like, 'this is your life, this is your career, and we support you in that,'" said Peggy Johnson. "If you feel like you can continue to play, that's what we want you to do. And that's the year they won the Cup, and there was no injury."

Because of his support system, from family to teammates like Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog, Johnson felt he could suit up again. He returned to the Colorado lineup on Oct. 13, 2021, registering an assist in a 4-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks.

"I just think I find the greatest comfort being on the ice. That's kind of my happy place, even when I was a kid, so I just thought, this is what you love to do and if something's going to happen it might as well be doing something that you love," he said.

'I just kind of pinch myself'

Peggy Johnson will tell you at the beginning of her son's hockey career, he told her, "I don't know if I want to do this." But her strong-willed child hit his stride and "took that energy and focused it all in something he loved." Hockey became his passion. And while Erik Johnson loves what hockey has given him, he gives it right back.

A veteran blueliner on a young Flyers squad, he had 18-year-old Jett Luchanko living with him 鈥� like Al MacInnis did for him in 最新杏吧原创. He jokes around with Matvei Michkov, keeping the 19-year-old loose, and is a mentor to the young defensemen on the Flyers like Emil Andrae.

But it also speaks to who he is because he'll have thank-you gifts for his teammates when game No. 1,000 hits. "It's as much about the people around you as it is yourself going through it," he said. When asked if it would be cigars, which he is known to indulge in, he wouldn't reveal the gifts but said he doesn't discriminate against his alcohol either. And, while he didn't say it, you'd have to think there will surely be a gift for Brad Shaw. The Flyers associate coach was there for his first game as an assistant with 最新杏吧原创 and will be there for his 1,000th.

"All the friendships and memories, I think, are the most important things when you look back at your time in the game," Johnson said. "So, I think the biggest thing is, did you make a difference where you played and where you lived? Who did you impact? Who did you help? I think those are the biggest things that you want to be remembered for. ... I think everything after that is secondary."

Now on the precipice of a major milestone, one that shows resilience for any player let alone a guy who has gone through what he has, Johnson is comfortable taking a step back and looking at the journey.

"I just kind of pinch myself," he said. "I think being a little kid, if you told me I was going to do all this, I'd sign up every day of the week."

The journey has been long. He faced immense pressure early on after being the second American-born defenseman chosen No. 1 in the draft, after Bryan Berard in 1995. He struggled to find his game in 最新杏吧原创 and was quickly traded to an Avalanche team struggling to refind their identity after years of success.

But in the high altitude, among the mountains, Johnson grew into a rugged defenseman 鈥� one of 13 players ever to record both 1,500 hits and 1,500 blocked shots 鈥� and a leader on a team that rose from the ashes to win a Stanley Cup in 2022. In the twilight of his career, he is paying it all forward as a veteran mentor, first with the Buffalo Sabres and now with the Flyers.

Johnson waited 791 regular season and 55 playoff games before being handed the trophy he dreamed of winning his whole life on that June day. He'll be remembered for drinking Bloody Mary's and wine out of the Cup 鈥� although, for the record, he said the wine didn't taste very good out of the metallic bowl 鈥� and for bringing the treasured trophy to places like a fire station and a veterans' hospital.

And now, with his name engraved into the silver cup, and another 209 regular-season games under his belt, he'll get another piece of silver hardware 鈥� a silver stick etched with the commemoration of 1,000 games, as is NHL tradition.

In the end, Johnson is right, the stars certainly aligned.

"It was frustrating at times because there were a lot of serious significant [injuries] that slowed me down and made me feel like I wasn't able to be at my best. But at the end of the day, I am still grateful for everything I've gotten in this game and my career," he said.

"I feel very grateful and blessed to be able to do this for as long as I have and a lot of people in my corner supporting me and a lot of great friends and teammates I've learned from and definitely something I am grateful for and proud of. "

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. 鈥� AHL affiliate Springfield welcomed two players back to the lineup Friday night: defenseman Tyler Tucker and forward Simon Robertsson.

Tucker missed the previous six games with a lower-body injury but skated during Springfield鈥檚 morning skate Friday. Had he not been injured, Tucker would have been a candidate to be recalled to the NHL due to the Blues鈥� injuries on the blue line.

鈥淗e鈥檚 ready to go, so obviously that鈥檚 a huge part for us with the physical play and the veteran experience,鈥� Konowalchuk said.

Robertsson missed the last four games with a lower-body injury. He also was out for the first five games of the AHL season while he dealt with an injury suffered during Blues training camp.

鈥淗e鈥檚 one of our young guys that down the stretch can be a very big player for us,鈥� Konowalchuk said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 had two different stints with an injury that鈥檚 slowed him down. We want to get him in there and get him feeling confident. I thought his last game before his injury, he started to get the North American game and the way we need to play and get his legs under him.鈥�

Even in getting Tucker and Robertsson back in the lineup, the Thunderbirds are still without forwards Zach Dean and Mackenzie MacEachern.

Dean is a long-term absence with a lower-body injury. Konowalchuk said Dean would be back before the season ends, and when asked whether that meant February or March, he said 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping sooner, but it鈥檒l be a little bit.鈥�

Dean played just three games before he got hurt.

鈥淭he game he got hurt, it really looked like he was settling in with the compete and tenacity to go with his hockey sense that he needs to get ready for the NHL,鈥� Konowalchuk said. 鈥淎n unfortunate setback, but we do expect him to be back at some point this season. It鈥檒l be good for him, and good for our team.鈥�

MacEachern has not played since Oct. 20, and Friday was the ninth game he missed due to an upper-body injury.

鈥淣ot sure on his timeline, but he鈥檚 obviously a big part of our team when he鈥檚 in there,鈥� Konowalchuk said.

Schueneman called up

The Blues switched out defensemen on Friday, sending Leo Loof back to AHL affiliate Springfield and recalling Corey Schueneman.

Loof was recalled before the road trip as the seventh defenseman, and was a healthy scratch Thursday night in Buffalo. Schueneman, 29, has played 31 career games in the NHL and had five points in 13 games for Springfield this season.

The Blues signed Schueneman as a free agent over the summer.

鈥淗e鈥檚 steady eddy on the ice,鈥� Springfield coach Steve Konowalchuk said. 鈥淔irst pass (is good), win battles, he鈥檚 a tough hockey player because he gets in there and wins battles. He鈥檚 not a big guy that blows you up, but he鈥檚 tough because he鈥檒l get in a battle and he鈥檒l move the puck up. Good penalty killer.

鈥淗e鈥檚 right there with our leaders as far as our leadership group. He鈥檚 really led by example and goes out and plays the way he needs to lead, but he also has a voice in that locker room. He鈥檚 been a big part of our team.鈥�

During Thursday鈥檚 4-3 overtime loss to the Sabres, the Blues finished the game without Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Scott Perunovich. 最新杏吧原创 was already without Philip Broberg (lower-body), Nick Leddy (lower-body) and Torey Krug (out for the season, ankle surgery).

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BUFFALO, N.Y. 鈥� In the end, the Blues were just trying to hang on.

During a 4-3 overtime loss to the Sabres on Thursday night, the Blues had already killed about 90 seconds of a critical 4 on 3 power play. They dodged some bullets as J.J. Peterka hit the post, and as Jack Quinn sailed a shot high and as Rasmus Dahlin shot wide of the net. But Dahlin鈥檚 one-timer 1:33 into overtime guaranteed that one point was all the Blues would get out of Buffalo on Thursday.

The point was the first for the Blues since a Nov. 5 win over Tampa Bay, but it was still the team鈥檚 fourth straight loss. It was the first four-game losing streak for 最新杏吧原创 under Drew Bannister, and the last time the Blues lost four consecutive games, they fired Craig Berube.

鈥淚 was happy with the effort,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淚 was happy the way we played. Guys did a lot of good things out there. They were competing. They looked much more confident. We had opportunities, hit the post a couple times. But we鈥檝e got to bear down on those opportunities, too, because there鈥檚 not a lot of them a game right now. We鈥檝e got to make sure (we capitalize) when we have those opportunities.鈥�

Brandon Saad scored two goals and Pavel Buchnevich added another for the Blues. Jordan Binnington made 29 saves as 最新杏吧原创 dropped to 7-9-1.

For the second straight game, the Blues couldn鈥檛 hold on to a third-period lead. After blowing a two-goal lead against Boston on Tuesday night in a 3-2 loss, the Blues could not protect a 3-2 third-period lead in Buffalo.

Alex Tuch tied the game at 3 with 7:03 remaining in the third period to send the game to overtime, and Dahlin capitalized on Oskar Sundqvist鈥檚 goaltender interference penalty late in regulation to lift the Sabres.

鈥淚 think any point right now is a good point,鈥� Saad said. 鈥淥bviously, we want to close out games and be able to hold to a lead. Like I said, it鈥檚 nice to get anything when you鈥檙e on a skid there. We鈥檒l take it.鈥�

The Blues carried a 3-2 lead into the third period thanks to Buchnevich鈥檚 tying goal and Saad鈥檚 go-ahead one. It was Buchnevich鈥檚 first 5 on 5 goal since Oct. 11 in Vegas. For Saad, meanwhile, it was his second two-goal game of the season, having done it on Oct. 22 against Winnipeg.

How can the Blues be better at holding on to leads?

鈥淒on鈥檛 sit back, just try to play how we played the first two periods,鈥� Buchnevich said. 鈥淚n the second period, we鈥檙e on our toes all the time, making plays. Don鈥檛 scared to make mistakes, just play as a unit of five. Don鈥檛 back off. It鈥檚 easy when somebody go, you follow him. It鈥檚 five guys as a unit on the toes, it鈥檚 easy to play like that. When you hesitate, you see what happened the last two games. We give up too many goals in the third period.鈥�

The Blues have been outscored 11-1 in the third period during their four-game losing streak.

On Thursday night, the Blues had more shot attempts (18-17) and shots on goal (8-6) than the Sabres.

鈥淚 thought we had good opportunities,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淚f we score on those opportunities, we widen it. I think that鈥檚 how we hold the lead, we open the lead. I thought our guys defended well. They did a great job. Guys were playing on the right side, tried to keep things simple, didn鈥檛 get ourselves in a ton of trouble.鈥�

Jordan Kyrou rang the post with about 4 1/2 minutes left that would have been the go-ahead goal for the Blues. He did not see the ice after that, replaced by Oskar Sundqvist in his spot with Buchnevich and Jake Neighbours, including two offensive-zone draws.

Kyrou also did not play late in a tied game against Boston following critical late-game turnovers that led to losses to Philadelphia and Utah.

鈥淚'm putting players out there right now that-- We want to make sure that we get at least a point,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淚t has nothing with Jordan. I thought Jordan played great. I thought the team played great. I wanted to make sure that we made sure we got the first point, and then hopefully get it to overtime. Obviously, Jordan鈥檚 great in overtime. But overall, I thought all the guys played extremely well.鈥�

With Kyrou on the bench, Sundqvist was on the ice with about a minute left, and he crashed into Sabres goaltender Devon Levi to earn a goaltender interference minor penalty. Buffalo played keepaway as the third period washed away, ensuring that they would have all two minutes of a 4 on 3 power play in overtime.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a penalty,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淭he refs are going to make those calls. Whether it鈥檚 awareness or just making sure that you don鈥檛 go into the blue paint at that time. Sunny鈥檚 working, just like everybody else is out there. Mistakes happen. Just got to push through it.鈥�

Bannister took a Sabres goal off the board with a successful challenge for goaltender interference. Dylan Cozens appeared to score about five minutes into the third period on a rebound at the net-front, but officials ruled that Zach Benson interfered with Binnington.

Benson entered the crease on his own before he was pushed into Binnington.

鈥淗e immediately went to the blue paint without any pushing, so it鈥檚 automatically (interference),鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淗e was standing in the blue paint. He obviously made contact, too, with Jordan. Once he goes in and if he stays there, regardless of if he makes contact, it鈥檚 goalie interference.鈥�

It was the first challenge of the season for the Blues. If Bannister was wrong, the game would have been tied at 3 and the Blues would have been trying to kill a delay of game penalty.

鈥淛ust knowing the rules,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淭here didn鈥檛 have to be goalie interference. The player went into the blue paint and stayed in the blue paint. Because he did make contact, it was a pretty easy call for us.鈥�

鈥� Blues defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph exited the game in the second period due to a lower-body injury and did not return. Bannister said Joseph would be re-evaluated on Friday.

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Photos: Blues travel to Buffalo to face the Sabres

鈥淎 horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!鈥� cries King Richard III in Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淩ichard III,鈥� before he fights to his death on the battlefield after losing his four-legged ride.

Dramatic, sure, but I鈥檓 starting to feel a similar way about healthy ankles as our local teams try to stay afloat despite crucial players suffering from different variations of the same injured joints.

If I asked you entering this part of the sports calendar to name the most critical member of each active team, chances are you would have picked the following three players:

One is 最新杏吧原创 Blues forward Robert Thomas.

One is Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook.

One is 最新杏吧原创 University Billikens basketball big man Robbie Avila.

All three are in various stages of recovery from ankle injuries, which can rival a Shakespearean villain in their abilities to both sabotage and stick around longer than the good guys would prefer.

Ankle injuries are fickle foes. They can be minor enough to walk off. They can be major enough to require surgery. They can be worse than broken bones 鈥� or include them.

For Thomas, it was a fracture. For Cook, a high ankle sprain. For Avila, it sounds like more of a routine sprain but one that already has been reaggravated once. The teams for which these players play all find themselves in similar places: They are trying to hold their ground as best as possible until their stars return.

It鈥檚 asking a lot.

Look, I get that it鈥檚 supposed to be next-man-up mentality for all of these teams. Easier said than done, though. There simply are not spare players like Thomas, Cook and Avila just hanging around on the depth charts. To not heavily factor their absences into analysis of what we are watching feels a bit disingenuous.

Sometimes bad luck really does strike. In this case, three times.

It鈥檚 popular to pile on the Blues at the moment. They look like future sellers. But what, exactly, were people expecting after Thomas went down? We all agreed he was the most important player on this team entering this season, and we all agreed that this season was one where lots of things had to go right for the Blues to depart the rebuild phase and reenter playoff contention.

Thomas getting hurt was the single biggest thing that could have gone wrong.

He touches so many aspects of the Blues鈥� game. The initial burst from the Blues following his injury was admirable, but it was hard to believe it could be sustained 鈥� and it hasn鈥檛. Just seeing him back on the practice ice this week was great news.

If the Blues can be within spitting distance of a chance to crack the playoffs when he’s finally cleared, I’d count that as a win. The way-too-early postseason projections at has them at 5.3%. That’s fifth-lowest in the league. Gulp.

Despite Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz鈥檚 understandable attempts to campaign, his team finds itself on the outside of the College Football Playoff discussion as it prepares for what could become either its most impressive win or case-closing loss. Facing a South Carolina defense that is among the SEC鈥檚 best in creating havoc for opposing quarterbacks, the Tigers have to decide if Cook, who also has a banged-up hand/wrist in addition to his ankle issue, could be mobile enough to defend himself or if backup Drew Pyne and the strides he made late in the win against Oklahoma are the better option.

If Cook hadn鈥檛 gotten knocked from the lopsided Alabama loss, and if that game turned out to be closer than the blowout it became, maybe then Mizzou would be looked at more favorably by the CFP committee. But the Tigers still have plenty to play for, with a 10- or even 11-win season there for the taking, but every week has become a guessing game about Cook鈥檚 status and what this season could have looked like if his wheels weren鈥檛 damaged even before the Auburn injury sent him from the field to the hospital.

Cook returned to that game and spearheaded a heroic comeback win. Does he have another comeback left in him? It鈥檚 pretty hard to imagine Mizzou beating South Carolina without him.

Fears of a highly anticipated season scrambled before it got going stirred when Avila went down with his ankle scare during a SLU scrimmage. His return in time for the second exhibition dulled that reaction 鈥� but not for long.

SLU got something worse than a loss when it dropped its season opener to Santa Clara. Avila went down again, same right ankle. He watched the home opener in a walking boot and wasn鈥檛 expected to play Saturday.

So much of Josh Schertz鈥檚 offense flows through Avila, who is so much more skilled than most players his size. Getting him back and then getting him back to his full strength and mobility has become the biggest X-factor at SLU this season. A third setback would signal trouble up ahead.

Three teams. Three highly anticipated seasons. Three dang ankle injuries to the most versatile and important players and leaders on the roster.

One would be bad. Two would be brutal. Three?

It鈥檚 a tragedy.

So I鈥檒l judge accordingly for now. I don鈥檛 see teams anywhere close to full strength. I see teams trying to hold the line with key pieces missing, hoping they can buy enough time to become whole again before it鈥檚 too late.

Forget four hooves. My kingdom for three ankles healed.

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