Observations From Blues' 3-0 Win Vs. Capitals

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ST. LOUIS – Say what you will about the St. Louis Blues, who continue to hang on by a thread in the Stanley Cup playoff race in the Western Conference, and regardless of whether they get in or not, and the chances continue to grow slimmer and slimmer, the stretch of hockey they’re putting together lately could go a long way towards prolonged success.

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That’s because their future stars are gaining valuable lessons and experience, and their growth continues to gain positive results.

Tuesday was no different when the Blues cooled off the tough and physical Washington Capitals, 3-0, to improve to 8-1-2 in their past 11 games, and 9-2-2 since the Olympic schedule resumed.

Joel Hofer earned his sixth shutout of the season to pull within one of the league lead with a 21-save gem, and Jimmy Snuggerud, Otto Stenberg and Jordan Kyrou scored for St. Louis (29-30-11), which opened a three-game homestand but is eight points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card in the West.

“We’re obviously battling hard,” said Hofer, who trails Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders for the most shutouts in the league with seven. “We’re sticking up for one another, we’re staying together.

“There’s obviously no quit in here. Obviously don’t know how many points out we are, but we still believe in here. I still think we have a chance. We can play with all the best teams.”

What impressed Blues coach Jim Montgomery?

“How smart we were,” he said. ‘I thought we managed the puck really well. I didn’t think by any means we were dynamic, but we were really smart and were always above pucks. I don’t think we gave up many odd-man rushes, if at all. I thought the desperation in our game defensively, we took away time and space really well.”

Let’s look at Tuesday’s game observations:

* Hofer didn’t have to steal game but stood tall – It was another game in which the goalie didn’t have to stand on his head for the Blues to have success, but when Hofer, who is 6-0-2 with a 1.34 goals-against average and .959 save percentage with two shutouts since Feb. 26, was called upon, he stood up to the challenge.

And of course deflected credit.

“It means that guys are playing hard in front of me,” Hofer said. “It’s a testament to them. They didn’t give up much tonight, keeping them to the outside. They do a great job for sure.

“I don’t really look into (shutouts) too much. I’d say it’s more of a team stat more than anything. It’s very rare where you get very out-chanced or out-shot and you get a shutout. I’d say it’s more of a team thing.”

When the Capitals (35-28-9) pushed, Hofer was there, getting in front of deflections, making the necessary save on Tom Wilson seconds into the second period that knocked his helmet loose and off, and being a rock in front of a stout defense of late.

His GAA, save percentage and shutouts are tops in the NHL since the Olympic break, and his six wins trail only Linus Ullmark (seven) of the Ottawa Senators in that time.

“Just the consistency,” Montgomery said. “He’s relishing the added starts, he’s relishing … it seems like he’s competing even more and he’s even more at ease and calm in the nets.”

“He’s just so big, he covers so much of the net,” Snuggerud said of Hofer. “It’s crazy. He’s quick and agile. His feet move fast and he sees the puck really well. It’s hard to score on him in practice.”

* Defensive structure continues to flourish – Remember when things looked really bad for the Blues defensively, and from a goaltending standpoint earlier in the season?

Sure, the two went hand-in-hand, but since the Olympic break, the Blues have allowed a league-low 21 goals 13 games, a league-best 1.62 goals-against and the penalty kill, after going 2-for-2 tonight, is 33-for-38, good for 86.8 percent (third in the league).

Tonight was the second shutout since the break, also tied for most in the league.

“I would say it’s the five men working together,” Montgomery said. ‘I think we’ve been a lot harder taking away time and space, we’re closing a lot better, I think our D-men have really with their ability to skate (and) take away their time and space has really allowed us to spend less time in our D-zone, and that’s a really good O-zone team.”

And it’s not just relying on veteran players to get the job done. It’s the Stenbergs, the Snuggeruds, the Theo Lindsteins, the Logan Maillouxs who played 20-plus minutes (20:51 Tuesday) for the 12th straight game, all making impacts at that end of the ice.

“I think everybody’s ready when we come down to D-zone and try to read a play and move our feet and help each other if something happens and stick together,” Stenberg said.

And for guys like Snuggerud, who broke the scoreless duel in the second period at 2:39 when he took this terrific seam pass from Mailloux to the left circle and whipped a one-timer past Logan Thompson, defense is fueling his offense:

“Defense creates offense,” said Snuggerud, who has 12 points (six goals, six assists) the past nine games. “Trying to get as many turnovers you can in the D-zone creates offense, especially when you’re playing with guys like ‘Tommer’ and ‘Holly,’ you know you can make plays.

“I saw the seam was kind of there, and I saw [Mailloux’s] eyes kind of catch a piece of me. Just tried to find that seam and call for it, and it was an unbelievable play by him.”

* Young guns making an impact – In a 1-0 game that’s been locked down by a playoff-like feel with little space, physicality, chippiness and some nastiness to it, it was three of the young guns that helped fuel some separation.

First, when Jonatan Berggren came off the right wall with the puck, his eyes found Dalibor Dvorsky in the low slot left of the goal, and Dvorsky was able to cross-crease a pass to the back post to Stenberg to slam home for a 2-0 lead at 14:52 of the third period:

“It was really nice to see that sequence by them because they didn't have a lot of ice time because of the unorthodox type of penalties that were happening and the odd times, but they came through,” Montgomery said. “That was a huge play.

“Berggren, last three games, he's (had) three assists and he's a plus-4. He's doing a really good job for us.”

The baby boomers are getting into important situations, the coaching staff is implementing them there and they’re thriving in situations that will go a long way.

“The young guys, we like to bring energy as much as we possibly can, but the old guys, they’re right there with us too just leading the way, showing us what to do and how to do and how to do it and I think we’re just kind of following them around and learn from them as much as possibly can,” Snuggerud said. “Guys stepping up for sure, young guys learning, old guys teaching. It just kind of all came together since the Olympic break and we’re winning games and we’re having fun. I think that’s one of the most important things you can have in a locker room is enjoying the guys, having fun and winning together. That’s what it’s been like.”

Stenberg added, “First of all, it’s just fun to be here and try to learn every day and get better. Take it all in and listen to the older guys on the team and try to grow and get better together.”

* Sticking together through tough moments – When Stenberg drove his shoulder under the chin of Washington forward Ryan Leonard, who took exception, he accepted the challenge for his first NHL fight.

When Snuggerud turned and saw who he was cross-checking, he said it was, “Not my brightest idea.” But there were teammates in there, including Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway, guys you’d rather not see getting into skirmishes but when necessary, you do what you have to do. Those are the moments that help a group grow.

And when Thomas was body-slammed by Pierre-Luc Dubois at 8:25 of the third period that resulted in an interference minor on Thomas and a match penalty on Dubois, injuring Thomas – who Montgomery said afterwards was healthy – it’s moments like those where players take one for the team galvanize a group.

“I love the way we stuck together,” Montgomery said. ‘I love the fact that Stenberg stood up to Leonard, Love the way we all got in there in the second period. I think they’re a very heavy team and they play a heavy game, and that one line, I think they average 240. That skirmish with Snuggerud and the way Holloway went in and Thomas went in and our two D-men, it was awesome. It was a Bobby Plager Night for the Blues.”

Plager, who passed away on this date five years ago, would have been proud, even if Snuggerud came to the realization that it was Tom Wilson, who checked Snuggerud into the boards initially, he was trying to stir the pot with.

“After I cross-checked him for sure,” Snuggerud said with a grin. “I didn’t really recognize right away.”

As for the Dubois play, which carries an automatic review that comes with a match penalty that Capitals coach Spencer Carbery didn’t agree with, Montgomery said, “I think we had a great offensive zone shift. I thought Thomas had his back to him and was occupying space that he was entitled to. He doesn’t have to skate out of that space, and I just think they were tired and it was a way to get out of it, right? I don’t think that Thomas could have done anything to brace himself. That’s not the type of play that … you always want a guy to get his arms out and break his fall, but he wasn’t allowed to do it the way that it happened. I’m not going to judge anyone’s intent, but it’s just not a good-looking play.”

* Shutting Ovi down – Alex Ovechkin, the greatest goal scorer in NHL history, even at 40 is still a threat to score. And he’s had his success against the Blues with 22 goals and 17 assists in 29 career games coming in, so to not only shut the Caps down and keep Ovechkin grounded, Hofer didn’t want to become the 189th different goalie in league history that the ‘Great 8’ has scored off of in his career.

“That goes with all the great players,” Hofer said. “He’s obviously the best goal scorer. It’s obviously fun playing against him for sure. … I hope (he’s) not (done). He’s obviously very special for the league and it’s been mostly fun to watch growing up and not playing against him. I hope he’s still got more games to come.”

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