Sharks Flip the Shot Story in St. Louis
Nedeljkovic outduels Hofer as Toffoli and Graf score while the Blues find iron
The Blues carried more of the play yet fell 3-2 — they owned the better looks but didn’t finish them. By expected goals — a measure of how dangerous chances were — St. Louis 3.19 to San Jose’s 2.34 favored the home side, and the Blues also led the shot attempts. The difference was finishing and goaltending: the Sharks converted enough, and Alex Nedeljkovic slammed the door.
Nedeljkovic stopped 24 of 26 and added 1.19 goals saved above expected. Across from him, Joel Hofer made 24 on 27, but San Jose finished its chances.
For San Jose, Tyler Toffoli (one goal, one assist) and Collin Graf (one goal) scored the key goals, with Darnell Nurse adding a tally and helpers from Alexander Wennberg, Ivar Stenberg, Jacob Trouba, and Sam Dickinson supplying the under-the-radar value. St. Louis’s push had teeth — Mason McTavish drove chances, and both Jimmy Snuggerud and Robert Thomas hit iron.
What the score hides: the Blues controlled the chance quality but need the final touch; the Sharks got the bounces and the saves.
