Blues Riding Momentum Into Clash With Kraken, Leaning on Physical Play

The St. Louis Blues are embracing a tougher, more relentless style of hockey, and it’s already paying off. Fresh from a weekend where they grabbed three out of four possible points against two of the Western Conference’s top teams, they now set their sights on the Seattle Kraken in the final game of their homestand Tuesday night.

With a renewed focus on physical play and a no-nonsense approach to both ends of the ice, the Blues are looking to build on their recent success and keep climbing the standings.

A Strong Response After the Break

Coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break, Blues coach Jim Montgomery pushed his squad through an intense minicamp designed to sharpen their work ethic and attention to detail. The result? A hard-fought 4-3 shootout loss to Winnipeg on Saturday, followed by a statement 3-1 victory over Colorado on Sunday.

Goaltender Jordan Binnington was quick to praise his team’s effort.

“Three big points on the weekend. Our team played phenomenal. It’s a great start for us coming out of the break.”

Before the break, St. Louis had been struggling with a 2-5-1 record in their previous eight games. But against the Jets and Avalanche, Montgomery saw noticeable progress—especially in their physicality and defensive pressure.

“We were relentless in our checking,” Montgomery said. “I thought our sticks were really good defensively. We were physical, separating people from the puck. And our second man was beating their second man to the puck, allowing us to advance lines and gain zones.”

Montgomery also liked what he saw on the offensive side, noting that the Blues were getting to the net, taking smarter shots, and playing with more confidence in the slot.

Blues vs. Kraken: A Rematch With Familiar Faces

The last time these two teams met was opening night, when the Blues edged out a 3-2 win in Seattle. Jordan Kyrou led the way for St. Louis with two goals, while Binnington made 30 saves to secure the victory. On the other side, the Kraken got goals from Eeli Tolvanen and former Blues defenseman Vince Dunn.

Now, the Blues look to sweep the season series—but the Kraken won’t make it easy.

Kraken Struggling to Find Consistency

Seattle has had an up-and-down season, and their recent road trip hasn’t helped. After an impressive 2-1 win against Florida, they stumbled in a 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay the following night.

Kraken coach Dan Bylsma saw some positives in the loss but admitted that a shorthanded goal allowed during a power play in the second period changed the momentum.

“The power play gets an opportunity, they score a short-handed goal, and that’s a big turning point in the match,” Bylsma said. “That put us behind, but I still thought we had a chance to come back.”

One bright spot for Seattle has been Shane Wright, who has been heating up with five goals and seven assists in his last 10 games. If the Kraken are going to pull off a win in St. Louis, they’ll need more from Wright and their top scorers.

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Goaltending Matchup: Binnington vs. Daccord

St. Louis:

• Jordan Binnington continues to be a rock in goal, making key saves against elite offenses in Winnipeg and Colorado. His confidence is high, and when Binnington is locked in, the Blues are a tough team to beat.

Seattle:

• The Kraken gave Ales Stezka his NHL debut in the Tampa loss, but expect Joey Daccord to be back between the pipes against the Blues. Daccord has been solid in his last two starts, stopping 53 of 56 shots and picking up two wins.

Final Thoughts: Can St. Louis Keep Rolling?

The Blues have rediscovered their identity as a physical, hardworking team, and they’ll look to keep that edge against the Kraken. With momentum on their side and home ice in their favor, they have a great chance to close out their homestand with another win.

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For Seattle, it’s about finding more offense and capitalizing on power-play opportunities—something they failed to do against Tampa Bay. Can they solve Binnington and steal a road win, or will the Blues continue their resurgence?