Goaltender Colten Ellis looks to build off career year, carve out spot in AHL
The numbers dictate that goaltender Colten Ellis had a pretty good season a year ago.
In his third season of professional hockey, he set new career bests for both save percentage and goals against average. He ranked in the top five in save percentage — in both leagues he played in.
Ellis was the only goaltender in hockey to be in the top five in save percentage (minimum 10 starts) in both the ECHL and the AHL last season. It would be fine with him if he didn't repeat that accomplishment.
Ellis, 23, posted a sparkling .924 save percentage during his 16 AHL games with Springfield (Massachusetts) down the stretch in the spring. He was recalled to the AHL after the Blues traded Malcolm Subban to Columbus, clearing a spot for Ellis one level higher. It was a reward for his dazzling play (.923 in 21 games) with Orlando in the ECHL and gave the Blues a closer look at Ellis as he entered the summer set to be a restricted free agent.
"When I got up to Springfield, I was given an opportunity and tried to make the most of it," Ellis said. "Wasn't really thinking too far into the future, was just taking it day by day, and it worked out. It was nice to be able to stick there. Obviously, put a lot of work in to be able to stay up there the rest of the year."
This season, Ellis should have the inside track toward Springfield to form a tandem with Vadim Zherenko, though Will Cranley is in the mix as well down the Blues' goaltending ladder. Ellis began his preseason Saturday night against Dallas, making 14 saves on 16 shots during the final two periods against the Stars.
When he came in at the start of the second period, Ellis was forced to kill two penalties in the first six minutes of game action, which included a prime chance from Stars forward Logan Stankoven on the backhand.
"I think just getting right into it kind of helps a little bit," Ellis said. "You get a feel for the puck early on and just let the game come to you. You don't really have time to think or anything like that. Just kind of get in there and do your thing."
Ellis allowed Kyle Capobianco's goal late in the second period as the puck pinballed its way past him. Ellis would probably like to have back the game-winning goal, a prayer from the boards from Colin Blackwell that sifted through Ellis.
Blues coach Drew Bannister said he thought Ellis "played really well."
"That's a difficult circumstance when you come in and you're a little bit cold," Bannister said. "It is what it is. But overall, I thought his game was really solid."
If Ellis is a full-time fixture in the AHL, he can adjust to a more structured game than the one that exists in the ECHL, even if some plays are made quicker and traffic is heavier at the net.
"Just knowing where guys are supposed to be in position, particularly in the D-zone," Ellis said. "Being familiar with the structure we play and being able to anticipate where the D are going to jump guys or where a guy might have a little bit more time. It's executed a little better the higher league you go up. Even in the preseason in the NHL, the fine details of the game are really relied on for success."
First for everything
The Blues scored one of the more unique goals you'll see in the NHL preseason during Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Utah Hockey Club, as they scored during a delayed penalty (called on St. Louis) when Utah put the puck into their own net accidentally.
After Blues defenseman Anton Malmstrom was called for holding, Milos Kelemen passed the puck to the point for Dylan Guenther. But the puck hopped over his stick and slid toward the now-vacated Utah net. Guenther gave chase but could not catch up to the puck.
Malmstrom was credited with the goal as the last Blues player to possess the puck, and then he went to the penalty box to serve his minor after the stoppage for the goal.
The Blues social media team wasted little time in needling Utah (in their first year of existence), posting, "Congratulations to Utah on their first goal as a franchise," on both X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram.
Utah got the last laugh when Logan Cooley scored on a penalty shot with 1:17 left in the third period to break a 3-3 tie.
Dylan Holloway, Malmstrom and Simon Robertsson all scored for the Blues, who next play on Wednesday night in Columbus.
Instead, the Blues rolled out Dalibor Dvorsky (hit post), Mathias Laferriere (stopped), Robertsson (goal), Tanner Dickinson (goal), Aleksanteri Kaskimaki (missed wide), Juraj Pekarcik (stopped), Tomas Mrsic (stopped) and Philip Broberg (stopped).
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