After making the St. Louis Blues opening night lineup, then having to watch most other teams play their first couple of games to start the season, Jake Neighbors of Airdrie was itching to get the Blues’ season underway last night (October 15) at home facing former Calgary Flame Johnny Gaudreau and the Columbus Blue Jackets. St. Louis was the last club to start the NHL season.
Neighbors’ long wait was all worth it as he scored his second career NHL goal in the third period to help the Blues to a 5 – 2 win over the Blue Jackets.
Neighbors goal came 20 seconds after Ivan Barbashev had restored St. Louis’ lead and was sandwiched between Barbashev’s goal and the third Blues goal of the period, the second of the night for Vladimir Tarasenko. Pavel Buchnevich also scored for St. Louis. The Columbus goals came 18 seconds apart in the second period, and erased a 2 – 0 Blues advantage. The Blue Jackets’ loss was their third straight to start the season and they’ve been outscored 14 – 5 in those losses. Gaudreau had one assist in last night’s game and has one goal and one assist this season.
Speaking to reporters following the game, Neighbors said he and the rest of the team were excited to get the season underway.
“From a team standpoint, sitting and watching the league starting to play the last couple days and us not having a game was a little bit weird. We were excited – and anxious.”
After the St. Louis training camp and exhibition schedule, Neighbors was assigned to the Blues American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds but was then called back up by the big club. Last year, Neighbors played nine games at the start of the season for the Blues and recorded his first NHL goal and assist. He was returned to Edmonton and spent the remainder of the year with the WHL’s Oil Kings.
The Blues are back in action on Wednesday night when they face the Kraken in Seattle.
In the opening edition of the 2022-2023 Battle of Alberta last night, the Calgary Flames came flying out of the gate, scoring four first-period goals, then holding on to beat the Edmonton Oilers 4 – 3.
Defenseman Michael Stone was in on the first three Calgary goals, scoring one and adding two assists. Newcomer Nazem Kadri scored his first goal for the Flames and added an assist. Former U15 Airdrie Xtreme, Dillon Dube from Cochrane picked up an assist to go along with his first goal scored Thursday in Calgary’s 5 – 3 opening night win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche.
It’s the first time the Flames have opened the season 2-0 since the 2009-2010 campaign.
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