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Observations From Blues' 4-2 Preseason Loss Vs. Blackhawks

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues remain winless in the preseason after falling in their home opener, 4-2 against the Chicago Blackhawks at Enterprise Center on Saturday.

The Blues (0-2-1) were cruising along, leading 2-0 after two periods before the Blackhawks (1-1-0), playing mostly a younger lineup with few NHL-experienced players, rallied to score four times in the third period, including three on backup goalie Will Cranley.

The Blues agreed to terms with defenseman Cam Fowler, who played 25:25 on Saturday and had an assist, to a three-year contract extension that will keep him in St. Louis through the 2028-29 season, but a number of veterans played their first game on Saturday.

Dalibor Dvorsky and Brayden Schenn scored the goals for St. Louis, whose new home uniforms are kick-a**.

Here are some observations of players’ performances (at least through two periods):

* Dalibor Dvorsky – I thought the 2023 first-round pick (No. 10 overall) may have been the best all-around Blues player of the night.

Not only did Dvorsky score a wicked, nasty goal using Blackhawks defenseman Louis Crevier as a screen and catching perhaps a surprised Spencer Knight off guard, but Dvorsky was also responsible defensively and off the puck. It’s something that he knows he has to work on to become a more complete player.

“Every single player is great on this level,” Dvorsky said. “I’ve just got to be ready all the time. I just have to learn to play the system pretty good. I’m just trying to do my best every single game.”

Associate coach Steve Ott liked what he saw.

“Talking about those first two periods, I thought his game was a lot stronger,” Ott said. “He’s continuing to grow through camp. He’s an exciting player. He had a lot of good puck possession, some strong plays and his growth continues to excel as this camp’s gone on.”

As far as his goal?

“First, ‘Peki’ (Juraj Pekarcik) gave me a great pass,” Dvorsky said, “which it was a hard pass. Happy it went through and then I had a one-on-one there with the ‘D’ and I just tried to shoot it between his legs, so the goalie can’t see the puck and I’m happy it went in.”

* Jordan Binnington – Let’s just cut to the chase how: No. 50 is ready for the season to begin.

He stopped all 16 shots he faced through two periods, some of them in tight.

It’s the second straight solid start for Binnington, who has allowed just one goal on 31 shots in four periods spanning two games of action.

We don’t need to get into any sort of lengthy soliloquy here; he’s ready.

* Juraj Pekarcik – It was the 2023 third-round pick’s first preseason game after missing a week of camp with a shoulder ailment.

Pekarcik played on a line with Dvorsky and 2025 first-round pick Justin Carbonneau and finished with 13:10 of ice time with three hits and two giveaways, one in which he will be shown the video of a dangerous no-look backhand flip that was turned over in the defensive zone.

He did have a nifty move to the net using a toe-drag and turnaround pass into the slot that was just off the mark and needed a stick on it. Not a bad performance for a skater likely bound for Springfield of the American Hockey League.

* Logan Mailloux – I didn’t have Mailloux on my bingo card for a fight, but the 22-year-old dropped the gloves with Colton Dach after delivering a clean check to Sam Lafferty in the defensive zone.

Another player that we know can perform offensively, Mailloux continues to hone in on his defensive game and had some nice breakups killing plays. He used his size and stick to his advantage once again, playing 18:59 with five shot attempts and three hits.

* Will Cranley – It was not a good night for Binnington’s backup on Saturday.

He came into the third period holding a 2-0 lead, a lead that lasted halfway through the final stanza before the brakes came off.

Cranley allowed three goals on nine shots, including the first and second goals 27 seconds apart, the second which tied the game 2-2 that Cranley misplayed a puck behind the net.

It’s safe to say he will be among the cuts on Sunday.

* Justin Carbonneau – The 2025 first-round pick wasn’t as noticeable as he was in the first three preseason games when he scored a goal and assisted on another.

He played 13:38 in the game and had a shot on goal and two shot attempts but also committed two penalties, one a holding minor 200 feet from his net and jumped onto the ice prematurely that resulted in a too many men on the ice.

Carbonneau was saying goodbye to what will one day be his future Blues teammates one day and will head to the QMJHL on Sunday. This was a great experience for the 18-year-old but it’s evident another year in junior may be best for his long-term growth.

* Adam Jiricek – I didn't think the 2024 first-round pick had as strong of a game as he did against the Columbus Blue Jackets last week.

Jiricek, who played 17:13, had just one shot attempt in the game after he was focused on funneling and shooting pucks from the blue line in his preseason debut, had a few turnovers in the D-zone that could have resulted in dangerous situations.

It just didn't seem like a clean game for him.

* Hear what Blues players and Ott had to say postgame, including Fowler on his three-year contract extension:

(UPDATED): St. Louis Blues, Cam Fowler Agree To Terms On Three-Year Extension(UPDATED): St. Louis Blues, Cam Fowler Agree To Terms On Three-Year Extension ST. LOUIS – Cam Fowler is staying put. Toropchenko, Blues Feel There's More Offense To Big Russian's gameToropchenko, Blues Feel There's More Offense To Big Russian's gameMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Alexey Toropchenko returned to St. Louis this summer feeling like a new man.
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Penguins Oust Blue Jackets On 'Fleury Night' In Pittsburgh

Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News

What a game, what a night, and what a player.

There was a lot of anticipation heading into the Pittsburgh Penguins' pre-season game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, and - honestly - it all lived up to the hype. 

On Marc-Andre Fleury night, the Penguins put their best effort on the ice and bested the Blue Jackets, 4-1. Rickard Rakell scored twice for the Penguins, and Sidney Crosby and Ville Koivunen also added tallies. Sergei Murashov - likely the future at the Penguins' goaltending position - started the game and stopped 12 of 13 shots through two periods, and Fleury - the legacy of the position - stopped all eight shots on goal that he faced in the third period. 

Of course, getting the win was nice. The game itself was a well-played one by the Penguins. But, if everyone is being real with themselves, none of that was the story on Saturday. It was all about 'Flower,' and a sold-out crowd cheering every time he touched the puck and chanting "one more year" at fever pitch told you everything you need to know about what transpired at PPG Paints Arena during what was had to be one of the most-attended NHL pre-season games in history.

"It was the coolest pre-season game ever," forward Bryan Rust said. "Flower is a person who is so revered in this organization and in the city, and I don't think he necessarily wants the attention, but I know he appreciates it. We appreciate him. I only played with him for a couple years, and I know how special he is."

The energy consumed the building from warm-ups to the aftermath of the pre-planned "shootout" at the end of the game, where Fleury took one final lap around the ice and shook hands with players on both teams. There wasn't a dull moment on Fifth Avenue Saturday, and even head coach Dan Muse - new to town - was able to get a feel for how much Fleury means to his teammates, to the fans, and to the city.

Marc-Andre Fleury Steals Show For Penguins On Saturday Marc-Andre Fleury Steals Show For Penguins On Saturday It was Marc-Andre Fleury's night in Pittsburgh on Saturday as the Pittsburgh Penguins picked up their second preseason win. They beat the Columbus Blue Jackets by three, 4-1, thanks to two goals from Rickard Rakell, one from Sidney Crosby, and one from Ville Koivunen. 

He and the coaching staff even had a moment to turn to each other and marvel at the atmosphere that they found themselves in. 

"I mean, the crowd was incredible," Muse said. "Just the passion of the fans and then, obviously, to see a tribute like that... it's so obvious to me, somebody who's new to the organization, seeing not just tonight, but over the last couple of days, how much Marc-Andre Fleury means to the fans here and to the organization, to the city, to his former teammates, the admiration from players that never played with him before but were now sitting with him in the locker room these last couple of days... yeah, it's incredible.

"I think I speak for the entire coaching staff and for everybody that was a part of that, it was a really special experience throughout... To get the win, it was important there just to cap off a really special couple of days and a really special night for Marc-Andre Fleury and this entire organization."

Sep 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) acknowledges the crowd after playing in his final NHL game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Fleury was, obviously, the story of the night, but there were other items to discuss from this one. Here are some other thoughts and observations from the win.

- In other news, let's talk prospects. In particular, let's talk about Ben Kindel. Again.

I know I brought up Kindel after the Penguins' 4-1 loss to the Jackets on Wednesday. But he has been very, very good for the Penguins. He finished with six shot attempts and was helping drive offense all night. He's absolutely flying, and I simply do not see what draft experts held against his skating: his edgework is great, and he looks like one of the fastest players out there, at least, per the eye test. And - above all - he's such a smart player, and his reads are already at NHL speed. 

My sentiment from Wednesday hasn't changed much. I still don't think he makes this opening night roster, even for a nine-game trial. But, man, Penguins' fans need to keep an eye on this kid, regardless of where he ends up playing this season. I really, really like his game, and I think he could be something special for the Penguins down the line.

Benjamin Kindel Finding His Footing In First Penguins Training CampBenjamin Kindel Finding His Footing In First Penguins Training CampIt's been almost three months since the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Benjamin Kindel with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. 

- Another player I want to talk about? Rakell.

No, he isn't a prospect at the ripe age of 32. However, I've been intrigued by some of the decisions Muse and the Penguins have made with him so far in terms of deployment this pre-season.

He started as the game's third-line center between Koivunen and Kindel, and he's been iced at the center position pretty much all throughout camp. He was also deployed on the penalty kill, which is something that - in my opinion - should have been done a long time ago, as Rakell is one of the Penguins' best defensive forwards. 

And, of course, he knows how to score goals, which is the best part of his game. He had a garbage goal on the power play and an empty-netter at the end. 

Both his positional and situational versatility are being tested in training camp, and - while I like that the Penguins are giving him some runway with those things - I'm curious to see what happens as rosters are gradually more and more reduced. Rakell scored 35 goals alongside Crosby last season, so it's hard to imagine that he won't be iced in the top-six as a winger, where he can play to his biggest strengths. 

But that versatility is something that Muse and the rest of the staff like about Rakell, and they're leaning into that. 

"He's a player - and he's shown this from an offensive standpoint, even as a wing - who's really good attacking the middle of the ice," Muse said. "He's really good at finding space in the middle of the ice. You know, you look at his game in the offensive zone and on the power play, and he's just got some great instincts there in terms of how he positions himself to be a scoring threat but also just how he positions himself in the middle of the ice to be available.

"We also view him as a responsible player, a player that can be trusted on the defensive side. You get a player like him, too, which today, he got a little bit of time there on the penalty kill... it was good to see. Sometimes, players like him that have spent a lot of time on the power play, they think like power play players. So, they're able to anticipate plays really well. You combine that with his defensive awareness, really good stick... it's something that we want to see. So, we're going to continue to look at that, and we're going to continue to look at other options. But, now is the time to see things like that."

I also wonder - to an extent - if the Penguins are trying to up Rakell's trade value by showcasing these things. It certainly wouldn't be a surprise. But, that said, I would be surprised if any movement happens prior to puck drop on Oct. 7.

In any case, this is something to keep an eye on as camp progresses.

Sep 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) takes a face-off against Columbus Blue Jackets center Luca Del Bel Belluz (65) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

- Two other players worth touching on are defensemen Caleb Jones and Parker Wotherspoon. 

Jones played a decent game. He was caught being too aggressive on Del Bel Belluz's goal in the first, leaving Letang out to dry a bit on the two-on-one. But, aside from that play, I thought he was solid the rest of the game. He generally has a good feel for when to activate and when to stay back. He's been paired with Letang for a few practices in camp, too, so we'll see where that goes.

As for Wotherspoon? I like how... uninteresting he is. He's rarely out of position, he's calm, and he just does his job. He plays the game so simplistically that you hardly notice him out there, but that's far from a bad thing. In order to be effective with Erik Karlsson, a defensive partner needs to have his head on a swivel, but they also need to just simplify and give him space to do his thing. 

So far, Wotherspoon has shown he can handle that. I'm not saying he's a high-grade option in terms of top-pairing defensemen - he isn't that - but as long as he's serviceable and is able to handle the tall task of playing alongside Karlsson, he'll be effective in his role. 

We'll see if one - or both - of these pairings stick throughout the rest of camp. If they do, it will be interesting to see what happens with the rest of the defensive corps. 

Pre-season Offers Sneak Peek At Potential Future Defensive PairingPre-season Offers Sneak Peek At Potential Future Defensive PairingWhen in the early stages of NHL training camp, it's not often wise to read into too much.

- Speaking of... I've said it a few times, and I'll say it again:

Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke should be the third pairing on this team. And it's becoming less and less of a debate at this point.

If you remove contractual obligations to veteran players from the equation, they are, easily, two of the best-six defensemen in this camp. And what has impressed me most is the detail in each of their games. Brunicke's stick detail is outstanding. Pickering is rarely caught out of position and reads off of Brunicke's tendency to activate really well. Both defend odd-man rushes well. 

There are going to be mistakes from them as young players, but honestly? They don't do a whole lot wrong. They both have great instincts. 

They need to be on this team. I've seen enough at this point.

- Last but certainly not least, how fitting was it that Crosby registered three points in this game?

As much as this night was about Fleury, it was also about Fleury, Crosby, Malkin, and Letang all having their reunion on the ice together. Crosby has been in visibly good spirits since Fleury's arrival at camp on Friday, and there is just a different kind of energy with him when Fleury shares the room.

After the media was done talking to Fleury - and Fleury shook hands with everyone - Crosby was sitting in the locker room, just waiting for Fleury. Waiting for the noise to die down and for the room to clear so he could enjoy some time with his best friend. 

This night was beautiful for a lot of reasons. But what was most beaufitul was seeing all these guys get to have this experience together and give their longtime teammate and good friend the sendoff he deserved.

'I'm Happy It All Worked Out': Fleury, Teammates Relish Chance To Share Ice One Last Time'I'm Happy It All Worked Out': Fleury, Teammates Relish Chance To Share Ice One Last TimeNormally, NHL training camp is an all-business kind of affair, and that's exactly how it's been at Pittsburgh Penguins' camp this year.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!     

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Dodgers beat Mariners, but which players will make the wild-card roster?

Kiké Hernández hits a two-run double in the ninth inning to help lift the Dodgers to a 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Kiké Hernández hits a two-run double in the ninth inning to help lift the Dodgers to a 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night. (Stephen Brashear / Getty Images)

The Dodgers’ biggest questions in the final days of the regular season remain health related.

In a 5-3 win against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night, Max Muncy missed a third-straight game while battling leg problems, though the Dodgers are still optimistic he’ll be ready for Tuesday’s postseason opener.

Utilityman Tommy Edman did return to the lineup, but only as designated hitter as he continues to nurse his long bothersome ankle injury.

And in the batting cage pregame, Will Smith resumed taking swings, but only off softer foam balls, continuing to leave his status for next week in doubt as he tries to return from a right hand fracture.

Read more:Dodgers find out Brock Stewart won't return this season before win over Mariners

“I guess I’m still in the hope stage right now with his availability on Tuesday,” manager Dave Roberts said.

Beyond that, however, the Dodgers have other roster decisions to make before they open their best-of-three wild-card series. Entering the final day of the regular season, it’s still unclear exactly what their initial postseason roster will look like.

The biggest uncertainties revolve around the pitching staff, and a bullpen in particular that has been better in recent days, including nine straight strikeouts to end Saturday's game.

While the Dodgers’ roster discussions remain fluid, Roberts sure made it sound on Friday night like embattled closer Tanner Scott and rookie phenom Roki Sasaki will be on the playoff roster. He also confirmed that Emmet Sheehan will shift to the bullpen, as expected. Veterans Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia are also undoubtedly locks, even considering Treinen’s struggles (he looked sharp in a scoreless inning Saturday, working around a leadoff single in the seventh with three strikeouts).

From there, though, there are several relief candidates for the Dodgers to evaluate — especially as they consider potential matchup preferences for the wild-card round.

At the moment, the club has a potential overabundance of left-handed relievers. In addition to Vesia and Scott, rookies Jack Dreyer and Justin Wrobleski, plus resurgent veteran Anthony Banda, are also populating the bullpen currently. Clayton Kershaw, who will make his final career regular-season start Sunday, could be a candidate to pitch in relief in October, as well.

From the right side, the club has just three active relievers in addition to Sheehan: Treinen, Sasaki, and hard-throwing rookie Edgardo Henriquez (who earned his first save of the season Saturday by striking out the side in the ninth).

There are a couple ways the Dodgers could balance out their right-handed depth, if they feel the need.

One would be using Tyler Glasnow out of the bullpen in the wild-card round — an option the Dodgers preserved Saturday by removing him from his final regular-season start after just three innings.

Another name Roberts threw into the mix: Rookie Ben Casparius, who was demoted to the minors three weeks ago but remains a “viable candidate” to pitch in the postseason as a weapon against right-handed hitters. He is scheduled to join the team for a workout Monday back in Los Angeles.

Even if Casparius isn’t included on the wild-card roster, Roberts also said that he will remain in consideration if the Dodgers are to advance.

"Ben went to triple A and did exactly what we asked him to do: Dominate right-handed hitters,” Roberts said. “Give a lot of credit to Ben."

Read more:World Series hangover? Dodgers feel battle-tested for October by repeat challenges

The Dodgers’ rotation order is also a lingering unknown, with Roberts saying the team will play things “close to the vest” before publicly announcing their Game 1 starter.

Shohei Ohtani is an option to open the series, having last pitched on Tuesday (exactly one week before Game 1 will occur). He threw a bullpen session Saturday before getting the night off at T-Mobile Park.

Ohtani finished the regular season giving up just one run over his final four starts as a pitcher, and was stretched out to six innings last week in what was his longest outing since returning from a second career Tommy John surgery.

However, there are two-way dynamics for the Dodgers to consider. They could, for instance, elect to save Ohtani for a potential Game 3, and allow him to focus solely on hitting in the series’ first two games. But then, they would also risk getting eliminated before he ever pitches.

Among the position player group, there could be yet more decisions if the Dodgers elect to carry a maximum allotment of 13 pitchers.

To little surprise, Roberts said he envisions a postseason role for longtime October hero Kiké Hernández, who had been hitting just .191 this season before collecting six hits over the last three days (including a double on Thursday, a home run Friday and two more doubles Saturday, the latter of which plated two runs to break a ninth-inning tie).

Disappointing offseason signing Michael Conforto has also recently helped his case, hitting .273 over his last 16 games after recording a single and a walk Saturday.

If the Dodgers do have to trim a hitter, bench players such as Alex Call or Hyeseong Kim could be on the roster fringes; though they provide value with their contact ability, defense and speed.

Over the next 72 hours, these are all questions the Dodgers must answer. For now — publicly at least — they are kicking the can down the road as long as they can.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Despite Mets' rotation uncertainties, faith in Clay Holmes' future is warranted

Clay Holmes saved the Mets' season with a performance on Saturday afternoon that officially stamped his conversion from relieving to starting as a success. 

But will it matter?

The Reds beat the Brewers on Saturday night, which means the Mets enter Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Marlins hanging onto their postseason hopes by their collective fingernails, needing to win in Miami while praying the Reds lose their Game 162.

It has to be an ominous feeling for the Mets, knowing the Brewers have nothing to play for. But they have only themselves to blame for it, having played losing baseball for more than three months, some of it downright ugly with defensive misplays and mental errors as well.

However, there will be plenty of time to hand out blame if, indeed, the Mets are sent packing.

For the moment, they’re still alive and it’s only right to salute Holmes, as well as Pete Alonso, for Saturday’s 5-0 win that made everything right for at least one more day.

More than that, it was a reminder of the good old days, back in April and May when Holmes was fresh and strong, going six innings deep on many a night while the Mets were pitching their way to the top of the NL East standings.

Unfortunately for them, that feels like practically another lifetime at the moment. Which is why, in their 161st game of the season, they were potentially one loss from elimination and forever lamenting a second-half collapse that happened primarily because their pitching has been so shoddy for months.

So for Holmes to dig down deep -- after seemingly hitting a wall weeks ago in this first year of his transition from the bullpen -- stamped him as a clutch performer as he delivered a gem when the Mets needed it most.

Alonso took care of the offense, giving the Mets an early lead with an RBI double and a solo home run. He's finishing his show-me-the-money season in style, leading the majors in doubles and running his total of extra-base hits to 80.

It all made for a day when the Mets could heave a sigh of relief.

But, now what?

First, the Mets need to win Sunday. And they may be catching Edward Cabrera, the Marlins’ talented right-hander, when he’s less than at his best. He missed three weeks in September with an elbow strain before making his return last Tuesday, throwing 67 pitches while going four innings and giving up three runs, including two homers.

They also may have a favorable matchup in Milwaukee, where Brewers ace Freddy Peralta and his 2.67 ERA is scheduled to pitch. Because it’s a tune-up for his NLDS start next Friday, however, it remains to be seen how long he goes against the Reds.

For any of it to matter, meanwhile, the Mets need another well-pitched game. And for that, they’re giving the ball to Sean Manaea over David Peterson.

I think it’s the right call. Neither of them has pitched well lately, but Manaea has shown flashes of his 2024 form. Peterson just looks worn down by his career-high total of 168 innings. The home-grown lefty has a 9.72 ERA in his last four starts, giving up a whopping total of 18 runs in 16.2 innings.

Manaea’s numbers aren’t much better -- he has a 7.29 ERA between August and September, and he gave up a home run in his one inning of relief against the Cubs on Wednesday.

But he's also had games where he pitches with dominance for a few innings at a time, usually early when his fastball has life and he’s elevating it for swings and misses -- the way he did so successfully last season after adopting that Chris Sale-like sidearm delivery.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza should be able to tell early if Manaea has the good fastball, and if not, he needs to have relievers warming up so that he can get him out at the first sign of trouble.

In truth, it’s hard for Mendoza -- not to mention, Mets’ fans -- to feel good about any of the choices for the final game. This team has plenty of other flaws, but their long, hard fall from 21 games over .500 is due mostly to their problems in the starting rotation.

During Saturday’s game, SNY had a revealing stat that showed, since June 13 -- the by now-infamous date when they started the day at 45-24 -- their starting rotation had accounted for 421 innings going into Game 161, the fewest in the majors.

As it is, it took three rookie starters -- Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Jonah Tong -- to keep the Mets in contention. And surely there is a case to be made that McLean should have been called up sooner, especially when the Mets were giving starts to career minor leaguers and/or Blade Tidwell.

One way or another, injuries and underperformance left the Mets with barely a semblance of the rotation they had early in the year, when Kodai Senga was pitching to a sub-2.00 ERA before the hamstring injury in June and Griffin Canning was looking like the surprise of the season.

As it turned out, Holmes proved to be the steadiest of all the Mets’ starters, pitching to a 3.53 ERA, which is in the top 10 in the NL, and throwing 165 innings, or nearly 100 more than his previous high in the big leagues, when he threw 70 as a reliever in 2021.

Holmes had some rocky moments along the way, when he was having trouble getting through five innings. But to finish the way he did on Saturday, as Mendoza put it, “says a lot about the work he put in to prepare to be a starter.”

For a team that’s going to have all sorts of questions about pitching going forward, Holmes has established himself as someone the Mets likely can count on for the remainder of his three-year contract.

Or maybe even in the postseason next week. He would line up on regular rest to pitch a do-or-die Game 3 against Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Right now, that sounds more like a hope and a prayer for the Mets. But at least Holmes kept them in it for at least one more day.