St. Louis Blues fell to the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Tuesday night during the NHL's first installment of Frozen Frenzy. It was a tight battle between two Central Division teams, but in the end, strong defense and scoring won out to improve the Jets' record to 6-0-0.
Summary of the game
The first half was dominated by the Blues, outscoring the Jets 11-6. Despite a few offensive changes, the St. Louis dominated possession and produced many quality scoring opportunities. The game's opening goal came at the hands of Brandon Saad at 10:11 of the first period when Robert Thomas fired past Connor Hellebucyk before the 31-year-old scored to put the Blues up 1-0. This was Saad's first goal of the 2024–25 season and 500th career NHL point. The first half remained scoreless after that, but the Blues almost extended their lead on the power play after Josh Morrissey took a penalty in the final minute of the opening frame.
After Brayden Schenn was handed a two-minute deficit with 6:39 left in the second half, the Jets tied the game when Nino Niederreiter deflected Neal Pionk's shot from the point. Cole Perfetti also had an assist in goal. Both teams traded chances over the next few minutes, and Colin Miller used Perfetti's pass on a timed one-timer past Jordan Binington, giving the Jets a 2-1 lead with just over six minutes left in the frame.
Miller on the MOON 🌙 🚀 pic.twitter.com/KeKOVqcrw2
– Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) October 23, 2024
In the final minutes of the second half, Jets star Kyle Connor shot Binnington from the hash marks, making it 3-1. It was the 27-year-old's fifth goal of the season and fourth game in a row. Also, Perfetti recorded his third assist of the night and fifth of the season.
The Blues started the third period strong, and Brandon Saad blocked Jordan Kyrou's shot for his second of the game, making it 3-2. Despite generating chances in the final minutes of regulation, the Blues couldn't get past Connor Hellebuyck and fell 3-2.
Outstanding Game
Despite the loss, Saad had a promising game. Alongside Thomas and Kyrou, the line was on the ice with 12 shot attempts and five shots on goal, the highest in each category among the team's line combinations. And, they let up just three shots on goal in more than 10 minutes of solid ice together, a statistic head coach Drew Bannister can be proud of.
The Jets' Perfetti was the obvious star given his three-point night. The 22-year-old is headed for a breakout season in the NHL and now has seven points (two goals, five assists) in just six games, all in nearly 14 minutes per game. As the season progresses, expect him to play a major role on a deep Jets team.
Hellebuyck continued his impressive performance, stopping 27 of the 29 shots he faced. He finished the night with a .931 save percentage and a 1.44 goals-save margin above expectations, according to MoneyPuck. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner (2019-20, 2023-24) has allowed two goals or less in four of his five starts this season, improving his record to 5-0-0.
Looking to extend their unbeaten start to seven games, the Jets will take on the Seattle Kraken on Thursday (Oct. 24) at Climate Pledge Arena. While the Jets enter as favorites, Seattle's small base and deep defense could present a challenge.
Meanwhile, the Blues, after their loss, will face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday at the Scotiabank Arena. It will be a tough game against one of the top teams in the Atlantic Division, but the Blues' solid defense gives them a chance to shut down Toronto's stars.
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