KANSAS CITY, Mo. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) – In a game that the Blues’ brain trust readily admitted was key in the team’s few remaining roster decisions, the Blues gave up a goal with 4.3 seconds left and lost to Minnesota 3-2 on Thursday night at the Sprint Center.
Vladimir Tarasenko scored a power-play goal in the first period that was his fourth in just three preseason games. Newcomer Oskar Sundqvist had the other, knocking in a loose puck in the crease that had been redirected there after a pass from Tage Thompson. But the Blues couldn’t build off the momentum of the second period and gave up two goals in the third period to fall to 3-4 in the preseason.
“I thought Vlady had a very good start, and like our team tailed off a little bit,” coach Mike Yeo said. “Obviously four goals in three games is a pretty solid preseason by anyone’s standards. Hopefully we can finish it off the right way next time.”
“I think it’s been going better and better,” Sundqvist said. “I think tonight was my best night in the offensive zone.”
Another battle is on the blueline, where Vince Dunn, appearing for the sixth time in seven preseason games, had the better game than Jake Walman.
“I thought Dunn played really well,” Yeo said. “(Walman) had moments but I thought that was Dunn’s best game.”
Jake Allen had his best game of the preseason, stopping 15 of 16 shots in 30:29 of ice time before giving way to Carter Hutton as the team planned to give each goalie half a game. Allen, often playing behind inexperienced defensemen in the preseason, came into the game with a 4.13 goals-against average.
Photo credit – Orlin Wagner / Associated Press / Kansas City, MO