Friday, December 22, 2017

Blues Lead Twice But Fail To Close Out Oilers

St. Louis Blues vs Edmonton Oilers - Game 37 Recap
Goals: Thompson (1) and Berglund (4)
Record 22-13-2

My thoughts on tonight's game

  • The Blues came out aggressive and had 4 or 5 scoring chances in the first couple of minutes of the game before things settled down some. The score could have been 2-0 early, but unlike the last time they faced Edmonton and goalie Cam Talbot, who was pulled after allowing 2 goals on the first three shots faced, this time Talbot kept the puck out of the net.
  • Edmonton had some scoring chances but couldn't manage to hit the twine in the period either. Allen made some nice saves, the defense was fairly solid and the pipes behind Allen did their job as the Oilers hit the crossbar once and the post on another shot. The score could have been 2-0 Edmonton just as well.
  • Scottie Upshall was called for a penalty when his high stick caught Darnell Nurse in the chops.  The infraction drew blood and looked to have knocked out part of a tooth resulting in a double minor. It's hard to tell with hockey players if a tooth was knocked out or not, I guess they have photos of the players smiling before each game to compare it to during the game in cases like this. :) 
  • The penalty came with about 5 minutes left in the first period but the Blues managed to kill it off without allowing a goal. In fact, they had a breakaway opportunity by Berglund during the penalty kill that Talbot managed to save as well.
  • After the penalty kill, Tage Thompson hit Paul Stastny who was charging in behind the Oilers' defense and had a tip in chance, but was denied by Talbot.  
  • I feel like Steen and Stastny have stepped up their games a notch or two with the youngster, Thompson on their line the past two games. These two guys are veterans and in tough stretches like the Blues are on now, those kinds of guys need to set an example, dig down deep and find something to pull their team out of a slump. Even though they haven't showed up on the score sheet, it looks like the effort is there to me.
  • Chris Thorburn, still looking for his first goal as a St. Louis Blue played a good game.  He had some shots on goal and really played with a lot of energy. 
  • Where is Vladimir Tarasenko? I noticed him early in the first period when he stole the puck behind the net and centered to Schenn I believe, for a good scoring chance and then I literally don't remember seeing him on the ice until late in the second period. He played 19:10 in the game, but in the first two periods he was nearly invisible. I like Vladi. Who doesn't? But he is definitely struggling to find his game. We desperately need him to find it soon.
  • Period two was evenly played with shots on goal 15-14 in favor of the Blues. The goalpost saved another goal for the Blues. It seemed that with the breaks we were getting it might be our night.
  • After nearly 50 minutes of scoreless hockey by both sides, the last 10 minutes was anything but. Tage Thompson started his NHL scoring with his first goal at the 9:30 mark. He was arguably the best offensive threat on the ice the night before and his first goal was only a matter of time. He drifted into the slot and took a pass from Colton Parayko and put a wicked wrist shot past Talbot to put the Blues up 1-0.
  • However, an old familiar song I call "We scored, now it's your turn" began to play when Edmonton scored :38 seconds later to knot the score at 1-1. 
  • Berglund answered 2 and 1/2 minutes later to put the Blues back on top when his one-timer on a pass from Schenn beat Talbot for a 2-1 lead. 
  • It only took three minutes for the Oilers to answer when Connor McDavid led a 2 on 1 rush with Draisaitl getting Allen out of position and sprawling across the crease as McDavid put the puck over Allen into the net.
  • The only time the Blues trailed in this game was on the Oilers' third goal with just :50 seconds left in the game. The game had gotten very loose with back and forth play in the final minutes. When Edmonton settled into the Blues zone with the puck behind the net, the Blues defense all got caught facing the net and didn't see Edmonton winger, Drake Caggiula sneaking in behind them into the slot. The centering pass was right on his stick, but he failed to make good contact on it causing the puck to jump and flop around like a dying quail.  It caught everyone by surprise and as it fell out of the air, it fell over Allen's shoulder into the net for the game-winner.
  • One more chance for a win before Christmas will be Saturday night in Vancouver. It's a late one with a 9 PM puck drop. Let's go Blues!
#AllTogetherNowStL #LGB

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