最新杏吧原创

With a 4-2 loss to the Wild on Tuesday night, the Blues lost for the sixth time in their last seven games. They dropped to 8-11-1, and are currently on pace for a 70-point season. It鈥檚 been two weeks since they won a game in regulation, and longer since they scored four goals in a game.

Tuesday鈥檚 loss to Minnesota felt familiar to the Blues because, well, it was.

Here the Blues were again, battling in a tight game that was relatively even. They generated enough offense to feel good about their chances, but so did Minnesota. For the fourth time in the last five games, the game was tied in the third period, this time courtesy of Jake Neighbours鈥� power-play goal about midway through the period.

But as they did in an overtime loss in Buffalo and a regulation loss in Carolina, the Blues failed to come away with two points, and on Tuesday, failed to even get one.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got to find ways to win hockey games when we鈥檙e in those positions,鈥� Blues coach Drew Bannister said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 2-2, we tie it up on the power play, and we鈥檝e got to take that momentum and push forward here. Right now, whether the bounces are going for us, we鈥檝e got to work for those bounces to go our way.鈥�

Jonas Brodin scored the game-winning goal for the Wild on a shot from the left circle that appeared to deflect off Blues forward Nathan Walker and past Jordan Binnington. Earlier in the third period, Kirill Kaprizov stuck his stick out to deflect a shot by Jake Middleton, one of the other bounces to go against the Blues on Tuesday.

鈥淵ou look at that Kaprizov goal, what are the odds of a guy tipping that?鈥� Neighbours said. 鈥淚f you really look at it, you know? So that鈥檚 a goal that puts them up 2-1, you鈥檙e chasing a little bit and the odds of that happening again are very low. Those are the kinds of bounces we鈥檙e getting right now, and just got to stick with it.鈥�

Neighbours scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season, while Scott Perunovich scored his second career NHL goal. Binnington (24 saves) allowed at least three goals for the fourth time in his past five starts.

Kaprizov added an empty-netter late in the third period, and Ryan Hartman scored in the first period to give the Wild an early lead.

鈥淲e generated a lot, goalie made some big saves and they just stuck with it, got a couple bounces and found a way to win it,鈥� Blues forward Robert Thomas said. 鈥淏ut I felt like we were right in that game. I felt like we had a lot of good chances to get the lead.鈥�

The Blues had the first five shots of the game, another torrid start after ripping off the first six shots of the evening on Sunday in Carolina. Overall, the Blues had similar outputs as far as shot attempts (led 63-61) and shots on goal (trailed 28-24), even if Minnesota appeared to have the edge in chance quality.

They won the special teams battle, going a perfect 2 for 2 on the penalty kill and striking with Neighbours鈥� backdoor tap-in.

鈥淲e鈥檙e certainly playing better hockey than we were a week ago,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淭he effort鈥檚 there from the group. Now, for us, we鈥檝e got to swing the tide in the right direction for us when we get those opportunities and we鈥檙e in these tight games. We鈥檝e got to feel more comfortable and we鈥檝e got to start winning these games.鈥�

Neighbours鈥� goal came on an adjustment made by Blues associate coach Steve Ott for the next 最新杏吧原创 power play. From the point, Thomas swung a pass to Pavel Buchnevich on the right flank and he found Neighbours on the edge of the crease as Jordan Kyrou drew attention in the slot.

鈥淚t鈥檚 nice when you come into a power play with a set plan and it works,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淪omething that Otter did a great job of pointing it out in the intermission for the next power play. Couldn鈥檛 have worked any better.鈥�

Neighbours: 鈥淪omething we looked at in intermission. Otter spotted it and drew up a play for it. They weren鈥檛 really respected the back door a little bit, kind of worried about Rou in the bumper and all the other options that Buchy鈥檚 got over there. Kind of left me alone and made a great play.鈥�

The Blues could have gotten another late power play chance when Brayden Schenn was whacked in the face by a high stick from Declan Chisholm, but officials did not see the infraction and did not call a penalty.

鈥淚n that situation, a double (minor) where he鈥檚 cut,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淭hey missed it, and those things happen. Got to push through it, can鈥檛 affect us at all.鈥�

The Blues suddenly find themselves five points back of a playoff spot about a quarter of the way through the season. They have four games before the traditional Thanksgiving checkpoint on the NHL calendar. Last year鈥檚 Blues were not five points out of a playoff spot until Jan. 13, when half the season was gone.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e on the other side of it, it鈥檚 tough,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淵ou feel like you鈥檙e right in the game, and just can鈥檛 seem to get a win. Those times don鈥檛 last forever and I think having a good mindset is so important during these times.鈥�

Neighbours: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just kind of the way it鈥檚 going right now. We just can鈥檛 seem to finish.鈥�