Despite All Efforts, Blues Fall 4-1 To Avalanche

Colorado Avalanche vs St. Louis Blues - Game 70 Recap
Goal: Joel Edmundson (7)
Record 37-28-5


Joel Auerbach/Getty Images                                                                            



My Thoughts on the Game

• The story of this game was the Colorado goaltender, Semyon Varlamov. He stopped 44 of the Blues'  45 shots on goal and made save after save on just about everything the Blues threw at him. 
• Despite an excellent effort in all facets of the game, the Blues just couldn't find a way to get the puck past Varlamov. 
• St. Louis outshot the Avalanche 45-23 in the game, including 22 shots on goal in the final period.
• In the first 3 to 3 1/2 minute of the opening period, the Blues top line was getting a lot of pressure in the offensive zone, but Varlamov stopped shots from Brayden Schenn, Jaden Schwartz, and Vladimir Tarasenko. 
• One attempt by Schenn was reviewed as it looked like the glove of the goalie could have been in the net when he stopped the shot, but upon review, it was clearly not a goal.
• It looked like it luck might have been on St. Louis' side when Colorado had an excellent scoring chance where the puck got behind Jake Allen in the goal crease, but rookie defenseman Vince Dunn swept the puck away to keep the game scoreless.
• The luck would change soon thereafter when Nathan MacKinnon scored at the 10:11 mark and then added another at the 13:03 mark to put the Avs up 2-0. 
• St. Louis responded about midway through the 2nd period with a goal from Joel Edmundson in his first game back since suffering a broken arm exactly 5 weeks ago against this same Colorado team. It was Edmundson's 7th of the season but it would be the only Blues goal in the game.
• Mikko Rantanen pushed the lead back to 2 goals when he scored later in the 2nd period.
• St. Louis pulled out all of the stops in the 3rd and had lots of chances including a wide open net that Vladimir Tarasenko missed that would have gotten it back to just a one-goal game.
• The Blues pulled Allen late in the game in favor of an extra attacker, but couldn't find the net.
• Rantanen added an empty-net goal for the 4-1 final. 
• The win for Colorado pushed them into the top wild-card spot and 5 points in front of the Blues. 
• There is still a possibility of a playoff spot with Dallas, Anaheim, and Calgary all in front of the Blues, but St. Louis also has a game in hand. 
• It's gonna be tough. Can they pull it off? Time will tell. If you're interested in the playoff race and didn't see my story about the teams competing for the final spots in the Western Conference, check it out HERE

#AllTogetherNowStL #LGB