Saturday, December 2, 2017

LA Kings vs St. Louis Blues - Game 26 Recap

Blues Flat Again, Lose 4-1 to Kings at Home
Goal: Berglund (1)
Record 17-8-1
My Thoughts on Tonight's Game

  • The bandwagon may have a few empty seats after the Blues did something they hadn't done all year, lose their second straight game at home. When a team starts off as hot as the Blues did this season, everyone wants to climb aboard. They start talking about a cup and how this might be the year. But after they post a losing record in their longest home stand of the season, going 2-3-0 the fair weather fans will start looking for their next "favorite" team.
  • The Kings, on the other hand are riding a bit of a hot streak on the road.  They had just won in Detroit on Tuesday and at Washington on Thursday. But even though they were on the second game of a back-to-back, they seemed like the team with all of the energy. It's becoming an all too familiar story line with the Blues.
  • On three of the Kings' goals the Blues just seemed to be left behind and skated past. They gave up several odd-man rushes and the Kings were flying by us. We've been giving a lot of open ice to our opponents and not finding much open ice for ourselves.
  • The return of Bouwmeester and Berglund may have thrown off a little of the timing and familiarity, but you can't blame two guys for either of these losses.  The Kings just outplayed the Blues tonight. In fact, Berglund scored the only goal for St. Louis on a nice tip in off the pass from Colton Parayko.
  • St. Louis dominated in Shots on Goal (40-28) and Faceoff Percentage (57%-43%). We also had a perfect penalty kill and scored on a power play. However, the Kings led the main stat line and that was goals, which is all that matters in the end. 
  • LA had backup goalie, Darcy Kuemper in net. He stopped 39 of 40 shots and moved to 4-0-2 on the season. Meanwhile, Blues backup Carter Hutton was pulled after the 2nd period and having given up 3 goals. 
  • LA's 3rd goal was a true snipe goal. Left-winger, Adrian Kempe skated up the right side after a St. Louis turnover.  With Joel Edmundson defending, Kempe let a wrist shot go that went between the legs of Edmundson and, as if the puck had eyes it flew past Carter Hutton into the upper left corner of the goal. 
  • I'm not sure, but it seems to me like the rest of the league has worked hard at figuring out ways to beat the Blues. We beat nearly everyone the first time around and surprised the hockey world with the fast start.  Now the other teams have made adjustments and the Blues will have to counter with adjustments of their own and I believe they will.  This team, staff and entire organization will work together and get it done.
  • It was night to celebrate those who have fought and are fighting cancer. Ari Duggan's family dropped the ceremonial puck. Unfortunately, the Blues team and fans didn't also get to celebrate a win. Another chance awaits tonight, as the puck drops at 5 PM in Minnesota vs the Wild.
#AllTogetherNowStL #LGB #SpreadArisLight

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