The St. Louis Blues had a chance to take a swing at one of their biggest rivals and walk out with something to show for it. Instead, they left with a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks and a second period that unraveled fast enough to sink the night.
There was at least an early spark. Mason McTavish kept rolling with another strong start to his run, giving the Blues something positive to hang onto before everything went sideways.
After that, though, the game tilted hard in Chicago’s direction, and St. Louis never found a clean way back in.
The biggest concern right now is the first line. Robert Thomas, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Dylan Holloway have disappeared over the last six periods, and that’s a problem for a group that’s supposed to drive this team.
With Connor Bedard out, this looked like the kind of game where Thomas could have made a statement early in the 2026-27 season. He didn’t.
Snuggerud, who started well in Dallas, has cooled off too. Holloway at least brought some edge, finishing with five hits, but the overall production just isn’t there.
That line is supposed to be the Blues’ strength. Right now, it’s becoming the biggest letdown.
The power play isn’t helping either. It has looked disjointed and flat, and the talent on those units has not translated into much on the ice.
St. Louis finally got on the board late when Connor McMichael scored on a 6-on-4 in garbage time, a scramble of a goal with the Blues just firing anything they could at Spencer Knight.
That leaves the power play sitting at 1-for-8, and that kind of number is going to force Jim Montgomery to make some decisions. The Blues need a fix, and they need one quickly.
The one group giving St. Louis a real lift is the second line.
McTavish and McMichael have been strong additions, and Pavel Buchnevich has been steady even if the production still feels a little light. The “McDouble” has given the Blues some stability while the top line searches for its footing.
Without that line, the Blues wouldn’t just be 1-2-0 on this opening road trip - they’d be in even worse shape. For now, it’s the one part of the lineup that looks ready to carry more weight while the first line tries to wake up.
In Other News...
Blues Already Facing One Early Problem Fans Know Too Well
The Blues came home from their first road trip of the 2026-27 season with a 1-2-0 record, and the early snapshot already looks familiar in one key area. St. Louis has leaned on a wave of young offense to get through the opening stretch, with Mason McTavish, Dalibor Dvorsky and Connor McMichael giving the lineup much-needed spark, while Joel Hofer has been steady in net behind them.
Even with those positives, the second period has been the problem spot, the sort of issue that can undo a decent start before it really has time to breathe. The coaching staff now has a clear early priority before the home opener: tighten up the middle frames and keep the momentum from slipping away the way it did on the road. [Read more 🡒]
Pavel Buchnevich Is Playing For More Than A Hot Start
Pavel Buchnevich entered this season with some pressure attached, and not just because the St. Louis Blues want more offense from one of their established forwards. His point totals have dipped over the past four seasons, turning what once looked like a steady top-six presence into a player whose long-term fit is now worth watching closely as the year unfolds.
The first two games have only sharpened that conversation, because the Blues are trying to figure out whether Buchnevich can still be part of their core or whether his value is better leveraged elsewhere. A productive start would help quiet the noise around him and improve the teams options, while an uneven year could leave St. Louis with a harder decision and less to work with if it chooses to explore a move. [Read more 🡒]