Blues nearly shut out in 3-1 loss to Rangers

Matthew DeFranks, St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Nov 3, 2026

Published in Hockey

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There goes another chance at a three-game win streak.

In a 3-1 loss to the Rangers on Tuesday night, the Blues squandered their third chance this season for three straight wins, and fell back to a 7-7-1 record.

Adam Fox, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eeli Tolvanen (empty-net) scored for the Rangers. Pius Suter was the only Blue able to crack Dylan Garand, who made 32 saves for New York, as Suter scored in the final minute of the third period.

It could have been the third time this season the Blues would have been shut out.

The Blues continue their road trip on Thursday night in New Jersey.

No comeback

One game after erasing a two-goal, third-period lead on Saturday in Detroit, the Blues were unable to come from behind again in New York on Tuesday. The Rangers took a 1-0 lead into the second intermission thanks to Fox's goal.

Fox scored less than two minutes into the second period on the rush, taking advantage of Dalibor Dvorsky's decision to change as Fox jumped into the open ice.

About nine minutes into the third period, Bjorkstrand capitalized on Mason McTavish's defensive-zone turnover leaving the St. Louis end, hitting an open net on a 3 on 2 down low.

The Rangers appeared to take a 3-0 lead on Gabe Perreault's goal at 13:10, but a video review ruled that Perreault kicked the puck into the Blues goal.

Tolvanen's empty-net goal gave the Rangers a 3-0 lead with 2:01 remaining, giving New York plenty of cushion to withstand Suter's goal in the last minute that spoiled Garand's shutout.

Power outage

The Blues went 0 for 6 on the power play on Tuesday night, mustering eight shots on goal in their 10:22 of time on the man-advantage. The six power plays were a season-high for the Blues, and the most without scoring a power play goal since going 0 for 6 against Anaheim last December.

St. Louis had five full power plays, and an abbreviated one at the end of the game when Alberts Smits was called for delay of game with 22 seconds remaining.

The Blues power play had been better in recent weeks, going 8 for 27 in the nine games entering Tuesday, enough to pull them into the top 10 in the NHL.

Philip Broberg had three shots on goal on the power play.

The good news for the Blues is that the Rangers power play was scoreless as well, going 0 for 3.

Getting healthier?

Forward Ross Johnston returned to the Blues lineup after missing seven games with a lower-body injury, as the team activated him from injured reserve before Tuesday's game. Aleksanteri Kaskimaki came out of the lineup, the first time this season that he has served as a healthy scratch.

Johnston played on the fourth line with Suter and Alexey Toropchenko, logging a team-low 7:21 of ice time with one shot on goal. He was on the ice for Suter's goal in the final minute of the third period.

While Johnston was back in the lineup, defenseman Colton Parayko missed his second straight game due to an upper-body injury. Parayko first suffered the injury on Thursday against Boston, missed Blues practice on Friday and did not play on Saturday in Detroit.

Without Parayko available, Theo Lindstein played his second straight game on the third pairing with Justin Barron. Lindstein logged just 12:55 of ice time, the lowest among St. Louis defensemen.

Defenseman Logan Mailloux also appears to have made strides as he attempts to return from a right hand injury that has kept him out of any regular-season games so far. On Monday, the Blues sent Mailloux on a conditioning loan to AHL affiliate Springfield, allowing him to practice and play (the Thunderbirds don't play until Friday) in the AHL for up to two weeks.

When Parayko and Mailloux are healthy and ready to play, it would give the Blues eight defensemen on the roster, leaving coach Jim Montgomery with decisions on who remains in the lineup.