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ST. PAUL, Minn. 鈥� In the minutes after his first appearance in the Blue Note on Friday night, Justin Carbonneau had some new scrapes to explain.

鈥淢y nose is from the hit,鈥� Carbonneau said. 鈥淢y mouth is from the punch.鈥�

And what about the goal? The game-winning one late in the third period that lifted the Blues to a 6-4 win over the Wild in the first game of the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase? It was sweet revenge for a hit behind the net seconds earlier by Stevie Leskovar that drew a delayed penalty call, one that knocked Carbonneau to the ice momentarily, and one that set him up to be wide open on the backdoor.

Carbonneau finished a quick, slick feed from Otto Stenberg with 1:22 left in the third, breaking a 4-4 tie and capping an impressive first game with 911爆料网 for the 2025 first-round pick.

鈥淲hat a pass by Stenberg,鈥� Carbonneau said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a hell of a play, he鈥檚 a great player, what a pass by him. Got a little cross-check, got a little mark. It鈥檚 part of hockey, right? You want to get into dirty areas, so you get paid after that.鈥�

In the three months since the Blues drafted Carbonneau with the 19th pick, he鈥檚 taken every opportunity to showcase what kind of player the organization is getting.

At development camp in July, Carbonneau provided a glimpse into his combination of stick-handling and play-making, physicality and competitiveness. In interviews with reporters, Carbonneau鈥檚 confidence and swagger oozes through his words. On Friday night in St. Paul, everyone at TRIA Rink (including most of the Blues鈥� management, scouting and development staffs) got a taste.

Carbonneau had the secondary assist on Dalibor Dvorsky鈥檚 first-period goal, dropping off a pass for Stenberg, whose rebound caromed directly to Dvorsky. Carbonneau played the role of pest at other times, joining scrums to wrestle and face wash and smile wryly at the Wild prospects. In the third period, Carbonneau got tangled up with Leskovar, dropping Leskovar to the ice with a two-armed tackle from his knees. Both players were given slashing and roughing minors.

鈥淏ut it鈥檚 my style of play,鈥� Carbonneau said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not scared of anyone. I鈥檓 not going to back off even if you鈥檙e 6-7 or 6-8 whatever it is. I鈥檒l just go through you. It happens. It鈥檚 not fun, but it鈥檚 part of the game.鈥�

Then came the game-winner. Carbonneau was crunched by the 6-3 Leskovar behind the net, drawing either a boarding or cross-checking call that would have put the Blues on their seventh power play of the night. Instead, Stenberg hopped on a loose puck in the slot, fed it cross-crease and gave Carbonneau a wide open net to hit.

鈥淗e has skill,鈥� said Steve Konowalchuk, the coach of AHL affiliate Springfield that it coaching Blues prospects this weekend. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got sneaky play-making ability. I love the grit he showed. I thought our team played with a lot of grit, whether it was initiating some hits but also grit on pucks. Carbo, he has a good skill level, but he gets inside the dirty areas, the traffic, good young player.鈥�

Carbonneau: 鈥淚t鈥檚 never fun to get cross-checked in the back, but you鈥檝e got to get up and play. Let the referee do their job. I got cross-checked, got back up and where鈥檚 the puck? Make a play. It happens. It hurts, but (be) next play ready. So I just jump back into the play and score a goal.鈥�

Carbonneau was part of a top line for the Blues that featured fellow first-rounders Dvorsky and Stenberg. The line combined for six points, unofficially, as Dvorsky and Carbonneau each had a goal and an assist while Stenberg picked up two primary assists.

鈥淭hose guys went out and did their job and led the way in their roles,鈥� Konowalchuk said.

Each of the three players brings their own element to the line. Stenberg brings pesky play-making. Dvorsky has his wicked shot and stubborn puck protection. Carbonneau is a between-the-dots power forward.

Carbonneau鈥檚 offensive numbers are easy to find 鈥� he was second in the QMJHL last year in both goals and points 鈥� but it鈥檚 the rest of the package that separates him from other goal-scorers. It鈥檚 something that could also lead to him getting a longer look when the Blues open training camp next week and play exhibition games shortly thereafter.

鈥淲hen I was younger, talent has always been there scoring goals, making plays,鈥� Carbonneau said. 鈥淏ut when I got older and older, that fire that I got in me, every single year, I showed it more. It鈥檚 part of my game. When (my) offensive game doesn鈥檛 work, this is where I can show up this game.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to play this (type of) game. I want to play the next level, and I know I might not be top-six to start, so I have to find ways to be helpful to my team. Tonight, I just tried to do my best every single shift. First game, it went pretty well.鈥�