Blues coach Jim Montgomery keeps the faith after Red Wings debacle: 'I know it's coming'

St. Louis's defensive woes and repeated third-period meltdowns suggest punters should favor totals and opponent goal lines — back the Over in Blues games and consider avoiding their moneyline until puck management and injuries stabilize. Coach Montgomery still backs his team, but 33 goals allowed in eight games points to more high-scoring outcomes for bettors.

Blues’ season marred by late-game collapses and porous defense

The St. Louis Blues entered the season expecting growing pains, but recent results have accelerated concerns. The club has dropped games after leading late, surrendering 33 goals in eight contests — a 4.13 goals-against average — leaving the team second-worst in the league in goals allowed. Head coach Jim Montgomery acknowledged the unexpected magnitude of the struggles while insisting the team is close to righting the ship.

Third-period breakdown: puck management and icings

A recurring issue has been poor third-period decision-making. Against Detroit, the Blues squandered a 4-3 lead after a sequence of neutral-zone miscues and multiple icings that disrupted their momentum and created transition chances for the opposition. Montgomery flagged puck management as the primary culprit — “You don’t go east-west when you’re winning 4-3 and you’re in the third period,” he said — urging players to make cleaner plays and support one another through the rush.

High event count but defensive lapses remain

Offensively, the Blues showed encouraging signs: 29 shots and 10 high-danger chances in Detroit, and a power play that converted twice. Yet those positives were swallowed by a defense that allowed several odd-man rushes and paid dearly to elite finishers. The team has given up 23 five-on-five goals against — 3.53 per 60 minutes — the most in the league, signaling systemic issues beyond isolated mistakes.

Goaltending inconsistencies magnify problems

Goaltending has been shaky across the board. Joel Hofer, expected to return, has been pulled in consecutive starts, leaving his goals-against average ballooned to 6.22 in limited action. Jordan Binnington’s numbers are steadier at a 3.12 GAA, but the team’s combined save percentage sits at a league-worst .850. Montgomery is rolling with Hofer in the busy upcoming schedule, citing trust in the young netminder despite recent struggles.

Injury cloud leaves lineup in flux

Injury concerns complicate the Blues’ path forward. Key forward Robert Thomas exited with an upper-body issue after one shift in the third period and awaits an update. Jake Neighbours left in the second period after blocking a shot and appearing to injure his knee. With limited healthy forwards available, the club may resort to calling up reinforcements or dressing an 11-forward/7-defenseman mix, potentially disrupting recent line chemistry.

Coach’s assessment and short-term outlook

Montgomery remains optimistic about the team’s trajectory, citing strong two-period stretches and glimpses of the structure that performed well last season. He emphasized that execution — not schematic design — is the core issue and promised tighter in-game management going forward. The Blues face a congested slate of games, which will test depth, goaltending resilience, and the ability to close out leads.

Betting implications and what to watch

Given the Blues’ defensive instability, bettors should expect higher-scoring contests and target totals or opponent goal lines in the short term. Monitor injury updates for Thomas and Neighbours and any changes to the goalie rotation; those will materially affect lines and moneylines. Improvements in puck management and fewer icings would be the key indicators that the market should re-evaluate the Blues’ risk profile.

The Blues, who surrendered a 4-0 lead in a 6-4 loss to Detroit Saturday, have lost four of their last five games.

Theathleticuk