Despite mostly even play, the St. Louis Blues are in an early hole to open the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Their first appearance in three years has gotten off to a rocky start, losing two heavyweight bouts 5-3 and 2-1 at the hands of the President’s Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets.

The team that scored three or more goals in 22/26 games following the Four Nations break has mustered just a single even strength goal in six periods, scored by Oskar Sundqvist in the first period of the first game.

The team has scored three power play goals on seven opportunities, but have gone shorthanded six times as well. Three penalties, committed by Jake Neighbours, Zack Bolduc and Tyler Tucker, have come nowhere near the puck and halted any momentum the team may have generated.

Photo: St. Louis Blues

During the Blues’ 12-game winning streak, they shined in the third periods. This series, in the same period they regularly took over, the team has cratered.

The performance in the final 20 minutes has been a complete reversal of what got them into the playoffs to begin with. Whereas the team showed immense poise and composure late in games like against Colorado, the team has been sloppy and all over the place against the Jets, unable to clear the puck at time, missing passes and puck watching at others.

Especially in the opening game, the Blues committed a very common sin made by teams- playing not to lose as opposed to playing not to win.

The Blues have a combined seven shots on goal between the two third periods in this series. Even Monday, as they trailed for the final 18:17, they mustered just five.

This issue is two-fold. On one hand, the Blues are clearly missing Dylan Holloway’s speed right about now. The team has been unable to break into the zone late in games, and are forced to play a dump and chase style that hasn’t suited them.

On the other hand, the Jets defense has simply stepped up. Their defense, led by guys like Josh Morrissey, Dylan Demelo and Dylan Samberg, are simply not allowing the Blues much in the middle of the ice. Much of their offensive time has led to nothing more than cycling around the boards, unable to truly challenge Connor Helleybuck.

The Jets don’t need to sit back with a lead, but they’re able to play a shutdown game that the Blues simply do not have the pieces to replicate.

Photo: St. Louis Blues

The two defenders Jim Montgomery would trust the most in a late game situation are likely a combination of Colton Parayko, Philip Broberg and Cam Fowler. Parayko has had a rough start to the playoffs, as he doesn’t appear to be 100% after his knee scope. Add to it guys like Justin Faulk, Nick Leddy and Ryan Suter, former top pair defensemen who have lost a step, along with an extremely raw Tucker, and that is simply not a lot of depth in front of Jordan Binnington, who himself has done his best to keep the Blues in the first two games.

That needs to be Doug Armstrong’s top priority this offseason- creating a defense that has the youth, speed and reliability that teams like Florida, Colorado, Vegas and Tampa Bay built en route to their Stanley Cup wins.

The Blues can afford to use this playoff run as a litmus test. Several players are getting their first taste of the NHL playoffs, and they can see how they stack up in the moshpit that is the Central division.

Armstrong stated when introducing Montgomery that he would be making future roster decisions knowing that the right coach is in place. Time will tell what happens, but he has to be happy to be making those assessments on a playoff team.

This isn’t all to say that the Blues are done for. The Blues themselves have blown multiple 2-0 leads, and the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup after losing their first two playoff games. There are also some bright spots that have shown up, particularly Jimmy Snuggerud.

There is still a long way to go in this series, and the Blues have two days to figure out how to set the tone in front of what is sure to be a rocking Enterprise Center on Thursday night.