3 Takeaways From Blues’ 6-1 Loss to the Avalanche

After an outstanding win to open the season on Friday, the St. Louis Blues hoped for a repeat performance against the Colorado Avalanche. Unfortunately, the team got a taste of reality, losing 6-1 to their rivals.

Here are a few takeaways from a rough night in Ball Arena.

Takeaway #1: Binnington Was Better Than the Score Sheet Shows

Jordan Binnington got his first start of the season as he seeks a bounce back after a rough 2025-26. Six goals against suggests a rough performance, but Binnington played much better than the score sheet shows.

After a late night in Dallas, the Blues looked a little sluggish in the first period. The Avalanche, who last played Wednesday, took advantage. They skated strong, made good passes, and got into the open ice. The Blues failed to see Cale Makar sneaking down the right side of the ice for the game’s first goal, leading to an easy backdoor tap-in. The Avs created similar scoring chances throughout the game.

It may have been 6-0 after the second period, but without Binnington, it would have been 6-0 after the first. Binnington stood firm in the crease and weathered a first-period storm. While the game did get away in the second period (two Binnington giveaways led to goals), he looked better between the pipes than the scoreboard suggests.

Furthermore, the 2019 Stanley Cup champion deserves credit for “wearing it,” so to speak. Since it was the team’s second game in as many nights, Binnington had little chance of being pulled. He hung in there, even when things started getting away from the team.

Takeaway #2: No Second Chances

Mason McTavish’s opening goal on Friday came from a second chance in front of the net. It was a great start for a team needing to create more second-chance opportunities this season. Unfortunately, those opportunities weren’t there on Saturday. Anytime the Blues got a scoring chance, the rebound was either cleared out of the zone or Mackenzie Blackwood held on for a whistle.

Blackwood does deserve a lot of credit for that. He looked like he was covered in VELCRO. He made the plays his team needed to win. However, the Blues also need to find ways to create second chances. To beat any team in the NHL, one needs to create second chances and sometimes get a dirty goal.

As the team prepares for its next game, it will likely work on generating more chances. This is a talented roster that can be dangerous in the offensive zone. That was showcased on Friday. The task now is to sustain Friday’s success and avoid Saturday’s lack thereof.

Takeaway #3: The Penalty Kill Is Locked In

The Avalanche scored four power-play goals in their season-opening win on Wednesday. Despite scoring another six goals on Saturday, the Blues found a way to neutralize their power play.

The Avalanche went 0-for-4 on the power play. The Blues’ penalty kill won faceoffs and cleared the puck. While it was a rough night overall for the Blues, their penalty kill was certainly a bright spot.

The Blues are now 8-for-8 on the penalty kill in two games to open the season. After posting a 25th-ranked unit in 2025-26, it’s a promising start to the new season.

Stick Taps

I am going to give a stick tap to Jonatan Berggren. He was a minus-2 on the night, but he also tied for the team lead in shots with three.

Berggren had a play in the second period where he crashed the net to create a scoring chance. The play resulted in him colliding with Blackwood and knocking the net off its moorings. A similar play happened in Dallas on Friday.

However, it was nice to see a Blue crashing the net to make a play. The Swede was such a standout player last season, so it is nice to see him continue to showcase intensity in the offensive zone.

Next Game

The Blues have one more stop before their home opener. This final stop, however, takes them to the United Center on Tuesday to face the Chicago Blackhawks in what will be the Hawks’ home opener. The two teams had a physical game in the preseason. It will be interesting to see what happens.

As always, check with The Hockey Writers for Blues and league-wide coverage.