Amanda: Three goals against. Two of them on the power play. And a final score that says St. Louis lost 3-2 in Chicago. If you predicted a win, I am not even going to look at your calendar right now.
Paul: I think we might want to avoid looking at calendars for a bit, Amanda. But hey, welcome back to the Beatline Podcast Network. I’m Paul.
Amanda: And I’m Amanda! This is the daily show where we break down every shift, every line change, and every heartbreak for the St. Louis Blues. It’s September 27th, 2026, and we are reacting to last night’s brutal loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Paul: Right. A 3-2 defeat on the road. The Blues are now sitting at 1-3-0 overall and have dropped into seventh place in the Central Division. That is a rough start to say the least.
Amanda: So here is what we are tackling today. First, we are breaking down the offensive struggles, or lack thereof, when Colton Parayko was the only one scoring. Second, we are talking about defensive breakdowns and special teams failures. And third, we look at what this means for the road ahead with injuries mounting.
Paul: Let’s get into it. Because last night was a masterclass in how not to close out a game when you have chances.
Amanda: Okay, let’s start with the box score because it hurts to look at. The final score: Chicago 3, St. Louis 2. We went into this game knowing the Blues needed to find some life offensively after those low-scoring affairs earlier in the week. Did they?
Paul: Not really. They got two goals, which is technically more than zero, but the distribution was incredibly narrow. Colton Parayko led the team in goals with one, and he also had an assist. So basically, half our offense came from the blue line.
Amanda: That is concerning, Paul. We talked yesterday about Robert Thomas leading in face-off wins, and sure enough, he had the assist on Parayko’s goal. But where were the other forwards? We have a whole lineup of centers like Dylan Holloway, Pavel Buchnevich, Jonatan Berggren...
Paul: Exactly. Robert Thomas had the single assist, but outside of that top-line connection, there was silence. Anton Frondell scored for Chicago, and Tyler Bertuzzi had two points, one goal and one assist. Bertuzzi was everywhere. He controlled the neutral zone.
Amanda: Bertuzzi was a menace. But let’s talk about the Blues’ top unit. You mentioned the power play earlier. Did they capitalize when they had opportunities?
Paul: This is where it gets frustrating. We know the power play needs to be better. Last night, despite having man advantages, the execution was sloppy. Parayko got his goal, but it wasn’t a clean set-play. It was a scramble. That doesn’t sustain a season.
Amanda: Scrambles don’t win Cup runs. We need structure. I felt like the entry zone plays were hesitant. Every time we tried to carry the puck in, Chicago’s defense collapsed the lane. Did you see that hesitation?
Paul: I did. It’s the same issue we’ve seen all preseason and early regular season. The neutral-zone transition is slow. By the time the Blues get the puck across the blue line, the Blackhawks’ forecheck is already waiting. Bertuzzi and Frondell exploited that gap repeatedly.
Amanda: It’s ironic because we predicted a win. Remember? We said 3-2 for St. Louis on Tuesday, then 3-1 on Wednesday, then 2-1 on Thursday. Each time we thought the adjustment would come. But last night, the adjustments didn't stick.
Paul: We were optimistic, Amanda. But optimism doesn’t stop a backcheck. The Blues simply couldn’t sustain pressure. Once Parayko scored, the energy dipped. Instead of piling on, we settled for perimeter shots. That’s how you lose 3-2.
Amanda: Alright, let’s pivot to the other side of the ice. Defense and goaltending. Chicago scored three goals. Two of them were high-danger chances. Who was responsible for those breakdowns?
Paul: The defensive zone coverage was porous. Specifically, the slot area. Chicago’s players were finding soft spots behind the net and flipping pucks to the front. It’s basic hockey, but we missed assignments. Philip Broberg looked out of position on two of the goals.
Amanda: Broberg is young, so maybe give him a pass? But we also have injuries. Tyler Tucker is out. Jordan Greenway is out. The depth is being tested hard. How did the remaining defenders handle the physicality?
Paul: They handled it physically, but not tactically. Without Tucker and Greenway, the Blues lost some grit in their own end. Chicago bullied us along the boards. When you lose board battles, you lose puck possession. When you lose possession, you lose games.
Amanda: What about the goalie? Calle Rosen was supposed to be the stabilizer. We predicted he’d score the winning goal, which obviously didn’t happen, but did he make the saves he needed to?
Paul: Rosen made some good stops, but he was beat on the ones he should have stopped. The first goal was a rebound situation. The second was a stretch pass that slipped through traffic. The third was a wrap-around. Those are mental errors, not just skill issues.
Amanda: Mental errors compound quickly. Especially when you’re playing on the road against a rival like Chicago. The atmosphere must have been electric. Did the Blues seem rattled by the crowd?
Paul: Absolutely. You could hear the Blackhawks fans cheering every time we turned the puck over. It disrupted our communication. We weren’t calling for passes clearly. It’s a classic rookie mistake in a hostile environment.
Amanda: And let’s not forget the special teams. The penalty kill was supposed to be a strength. Did it hold up?
Paul: It was mediocre. Chicago killed penalties effectively, but we failed to clear the zone consistently. Every time we got a penalty, it felt like we were walking into a trap. The neutral-zone trap worked perfectly for Chicago.
Amanda: So, 1-3-0. Seventh in the Central. What is the path forward? The next game isn’t listed yet, but we need to regroup fast. What do you want to see in the next matchup?
Paul: I want to see disciplined neutral-zone play. Stop giving Chicago easy entries. Force them to dump and chase. If we can control the pace, we can create chances for Thomas and Parayko without relying on scrambles.
Amanda: Agreed. And we need to address the injuries. With Tucker and Greenway out, who steps up? Maybe someone like Dylan Holloway or Pavel Buchnevich needs to take more responsibility.
Paul: Holloway has the speed. Buchnevich has the shot. They need to be more aggressive in the offensive zone. Stop waiting for the perfect pass. Create chaos.
Amanda: Before we send you off, I have a quick request. We put out a fresh, detailed show like this every single day, covering every shift and every stat. It takes a huge amount of work to keep the Beatline running free for all of you. If you love hockey and you love these deep dives, please consider supporting us. Just check the link in the episode description. Your contribution keeps the lights on and the analysis coming. Thank you.
Paul: Thanks for listening, everyone. We’ll be back tomorrow with another recap.
Amanda: Remember to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. Go Blues!