The Latest Breaking News from Ivan Barbashev

ST. LOUIS — For openers, it was too close for comfort. Columbus limped into town 0-2-0, minus the injured Patrik Laine, and having played at home (and lost) on Friday night.

Biggest game of the series, biggest game of the year, biggest game since 2019, and this mighty Blues offense disappeared in plain sight.

ST. LOUIS — The New York Islanders came out trying to play rough.

ST. LOUIS — Sometimes all you have to do is what’s expected of you.

EDMONTON, Alberta — After the Blues’ second win in three days over the Vancouver Canucks, veteran David Perron consciously pumped the breaks. The Blues needed to put together four or five consecutive wins, Perron cautioned, before they could start to feel like they had something going.

OK, now do it again.

ST. LOUIS — There are a lot of ways for a team to get a win in the face of a prolonged series of losses and subpar play, and the simplest is the road the Blues took on Monday: Have a goalie play a great game.

ST. LOUIS — When the Blues lost to the Penguins in January, they let a two-goal lead disappear, got outscored in the third period 3-0 and got thoroughly outplayed for most of the game.

PHILADELPHIA — It was a night for sweet nostalgia. Brayden Schenn returning to the place where he established himself in the NHL.