Blues bash Maple Leafs once more to spoil double homecoming

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The St. Louis Blues are a time zone away and toil within the different convention, however in lower than 10 days gave the Maple Leafs extra suits than Boston, Florida or Tampa Bay.

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Toronto will likely be glad to see the again finish of the Bluenote after Saturday’s 4-2 empty-net purpose loss on the Enterprise Heart. Coupled with final week’s residence thrashing, the injury-plagued Blues received the collection by a mixed 9-3 rating. And for the second time, the Leafs couldn’t win one for both their coach, former Blues headmaster Craig Berube, or their Missouri-born goalie, Joseph Woll.

A minimum of the primary interval was ultimate for the Leafs, an early strike when Conor Timmins’ level shot on web pinballed on to Mitch Marner’s stick to finish his eight-game purpose hunch. A number of different high quality appears offered themselves as Marner, Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, Morgan Rielly and John Tavares, the drivers of the offence of late, buzzed the Blues.

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As anticipated, Berube obtained an prolonged standing ovation in an early timeout throughout a video tribute for his 4 years that included the 2019 Stanley Cup championship. However Jordan Binnington made 11 saves within the first interval and has stopped 76 of 79 the previous two video games.

Woll, with household and pals driving 40 minutes in from Dardenne Prairie for his first native begin, was the sufferer of a drained quintet at 3:29 of the second interval, a wacky deflection 5 minutes later after which a partial display screen as St. Louis jumped forward.

Because the Leafs tried to make a line change throughout prolonged strain Colton Parayko bought his 6-foot-6, 228- pound body behind a heavy shot. Jordan Kyrou, foiled earlier in shut on Woll, had his subsequent shot strike Jake McCabe and alter route within the web earlier than Chris Tanev briefly blocked his goalie’s view on one other Parayko drive within the excessive 90 miles-per-hour vary.

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The Blues, already lacking Torey Krug and Robert Thomas, misplaced Philip Broberg with a leg harm simply earlier than their purpose rush.

There was one other spate of penalties for Berube to grouse about his group taking, two by the normally clear Marner, together with one which nullified an influence play and one by Matthews in defence of Marner getting flattened. Talking of which, in its first full probability on the finish of the center interval, second unit winger Max Domi couldn’t get a puck over Binnington’s blocker.

The Leafs’ three power-play objectives by way of 39 tries consists of none on the street, as Berube even went again to the acquainted Toronto first unit, Matthews, Marner, Tavares, William Nylander and Rielly on the final attempt.

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After that ultimate fling at ending the extra-man hunch, Steven Lorentz ended some fourth line strain with a purpose to make it tight, however Pavel Buchnevich added one with Woll on the bench.

There have been a few fights, Jake McCabe taking exception to successful and scrapping with Brayden Schenn and a impossible battle, Pontus Holmberg towards the a lot taller Buchnevich after a collection of heavy hits by each golf equipment.

Anthony Stolarz is the anticipated starter Sunday in Minnesota because the Leafs document dropped to 6-5-1.

Lhornby@postmedia.com

X: @sunhornby

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