With 3-2 loss to Jets, Blues fade further toward offseason

Matthew DeFranks, St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Apr 9, 2026

Published in Hockey

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ST. LOUIS — An April matchup between the Blues and Jets a year ago meant an entirely different thing.

Now, both teams entered Thursday's game clinging to faint playoff hopes in the Western Conference, one year after engaging in a seven-game first-round series. Thursday's 3-2 by the Jets kept their dreams alive, while all but extinguishing St. Louis' chances of securing a wild-card spot.

The Blues entered the day six points out of a playoff spot with five games to go, and every other wild-card contender was in action on Thursday with a chance to separate themselves further from the Blues.

Dylan Holloway (power play) and Colton Parayko scored for the Blues, while Jordan Binnington made 31 saves. Alex Iafallo, Josh Morrissey and Jonathan Toews scored for Winnipeg.

Parayko's goal with seven minutes left in the third period cut the Jets lead to 3-2.

The Blues have four more games remaining in the regular season: at Chicago, vs. Minnesota, vs. Pittsburgh, at Utah.

Clip it for the highlights

The Blues top line continued their wizardry on Thursday night, even if their goal in the first period came on the power play. Holloway's goal at 4:56 of the first period gave the Blues a 1-0 lead and allowed Robert Thomas to ascend up the franchise record book.

After Thomas whiffed on an attempted pass, he collected it along the boards and snuck a backhand, between-the-legs pass to Holloway in the circle. From there, Holloway handled the rest, beating Connor Hellebuyck on the short side for his 20th goal of the season.

Thomas' assist was his 325th in a Blues uniform, tying him with Al MacInnis for fifth-most in franchise history. Thomas still trails Bernie Federko (721), Brett Hull (409), Alex Pietrangelo (341) and Brian Sutter (333).

The assist extended Thomas' point streak to seven games, and gave him 25 points in 18 games since returning from injury in March.

Thomas survived a momentary injury scare in the second period when he was high-sticked in the face by Dylan DeMelo.

Holloway, meanwhile, has scored 12 of his 20 goals since returning from a high-ankle sprain after the Olympics.

Holloway nearly scored his second of the game with about six minutes remaining in the first period, dragging the puck around Mark Scheifele, undressing Hellebuyck, but was robbed on the goalline by Josh Morrissey.

Jimmy Snuggerud also almost got in on the fun in the final minute of the first period, taking the puck to the net but his attempt to pull the puck through Hellebuyck's crease was foiled by the right pad.

Flying by

Despite allowing the game's first goal, the Jets built a 3-1 lead going into the third period. Iafallo answered Holloway's goal about midway through the first period when he found soft ice in front of the net and finished Scheifele's pass out front.

Morrissey found the back of the net at 14:11 of the second period, finishing a rebound on the back post. Jacob Bryson lofted a seemingly harmless shot from the outside that Binnington parried directly to Morrissey.

Logan Mailloux was also on the ice for 2:15 before the goal was scored, and Morrissey eluded coverage from Jack Finley to find the loose puck.

Toews, the former Blackhawks captain, scored just 1:40 later to give the Jets a two-goal lead.

It didn't help that Tyler Tucker broke his stick blocking a shot from Neal Pionk earlier on that shift. Tucker was in the middle of receiving a stick from Holloway when Morrissey scored.