St. Louis Blues vs Colorado Avalanche - Game 8 Recap

Blues Hang on For Victory in Colorado
Goals: Stastny (3), Schwartz (6), Dunn (2) and Bortuzzo (1)
Record 6-2-0

My thoughts on tonight's game:

• Hutton once again backing up Jake Allen on the 2nd night of a back-to-back game played like a #1 goalie.  The Avalanche only scored once while he was in the net.  We just gotta keep him in the net. LOL (See following points for explanation)
• Stastny scores his 600th point of his career on a nice goal in the 2nd period to tie the game. He later assisted and notched point #601.
• Schwartz continues to score, this time while falling down.
• Dunn's goal was a rocket off the pipe for his 2nd career goal.  John Kelly's comment "Dunn gets it done!" was cool.
• Bortuzzo continues his physical play.  Tonight he even tackled his own goalie. (See point #1)
• On a funky carom off the boards, Hutton finds himself out of position and allowed a goal when he couldn't get back in net. (See point #1)
• The line of Brodziak, Jaskin and Upshall is looking better the last couple of games.
• Sobotka's shifty move and no-look pass to Bortuzzo on his goal was outstanding.
• It seems like we don't always do a good job of getting a body on guys in front of the net, especially when we are on the penalty kill. 
• We have to find a way to play 60 minutes.  We're being outscored in the 3rd period 13-8 thus far this season. Late penalties and lapses in concentration will cost us points.
• Tarasenko may not have scored tonight but he does so many things right.

#AllTogetherNowStL #LGB

Chicago Blackhawks vs St. Louis Blues - Game 7 Recap

Schwartz Gets Hat Trick in Win Over Blackhawks
Goals: Schwartz (3,4,5), Taraskenko (5) and Brodziak (1)
Record 5-2-0

My thoughts on the game

• Blues defense was OUTSTANDING - only allowed 4 shots on goal in each of the first 2 periods.
• As I said earlier this year, and Mike Yeo said in an interview today, Jaden Schwartz never gives up.  After a head-on crash into the boards late in the first period he comes back and scores two more goals for the hat trick. 
• Forechecking was much better tonight through 2 periods.  Looked like we got a little gassed by the 3rd period, but it was a very physical game.
• Bortuzzo was hitting everybody. 
• We had much better traffic in front of the net tonight, something that's been lacking in the past few games.
• Fortunate to escape this game with no major injuries.  Pietrangelo and Schwartz both went hard into the boards.
• Penalty kill was very solid.  Up until late in the 3rd Chicago was 0 for 4 on power play with only 2 shots on goal.
• NBCSN commentators bragged on Dunn.  He's looking better all the time.
• Paajarvi had a good game.
• Jake Allen with the assist on the 2nd Schwartz goal!
• Blues had a harder time scoring when Chicago pulled their goalie than we did when Crawford was in net. LOL
• Nice gesture by the Blues to acknowledge broadcaster Eddie Olczyk, who is battling colon cancer.  This and the nice "welcome back" to Hitchcock in the season opener reminds me that St. Louis fans are always classy.  
• I like Schenn.

#AllTogetherNowStL #LGB

St. Louis Blues vs Tampa Bay Lightning - Game 6 Recap

Blues Drop 2nd in a Row - Fall to 2-2 on Road trip

Goals: Tarasenko (4)

Record 4-2-0

My thoughts on tonight's game

• If Tarasenko's shot in 1st period goes in instead of hitting the crossbar, it could have been a different game.
• Seems like everything we shot went high. If scouting reports on Tampa goalie were "shoot high" surely we could have adjusted and shot lower at some point in the game. 
• We didn't seem to get many shots in front of the net.  It seemed to me like we had a lot of sharp angle shots from the edges. Other teams seem to get more shots in the slot and in front of the net than we are right now. 
• Penalty kill was good until we allowed one late in the 3rd. 
• Ref missed a call on delay of game in 3rd period which would have given us a power play for a minute or so.
• Blais had a knack of being in a good spot several times and had some legit chances for a goal or two in his first NHL game. I think he will be good.
• We've got so many good, young prospects.  It's an exciting time to be a Blues fan.
• Tampa did a good job of keeping us on the edges and out of the middle for the most part of the game.
• Looked like we turned the puck over a lot in the neutral zone. Jake Allen made reference to that in his post game interview as well.
• Dunn is looking better with every game.

#AllTogetherNowStL #LGB

St. Louis Blues vs Florida Panthers - Game 5 Recap

Blues notch first loss of the season falling to Florida 5-2
Goals by: Stastny (2) and Dunn (1)
Record 4-1-0

My thoughts on tonight's game. 

• We looked like a different team tonight. A step or two slow all night, sloppy defense, sloppy passing. 
• However, I try to keep things positive so here goes...
• Schwartz looks like he never gives up. 
• Although Dunn wasn't perfect he looks like he's gaining confidence and his first NHL goal was a beauty. 
• Looks like anyone could have walked right up at game time and bought a seat anywhere they wanted. There were entire sections that were nearly empty. (see photos below) 

• The refs in this one were a little too much. How many times did you yell "just drop the puck, will ya!"? 
• On to Tampa Bay. Let's close this trip out with a win. 
• PS. I wasn't there. I listened on the radio to 1st and 2nd period, then went home and watched from the beginning on FSMW.

#AllTogetherNowStL #LGB

St. Louis Blues vs Pittsburgh Penguins - Game 1 Recap

Blues spoil Penguins Stanley Cup Banner Hanging Event with 5-4 OT win
Goals: Schenn (1), Parayko (1), Pietrangelo (1,2), Stastny (1)
Record 1-0-0

My thoughts on tonight's win against the defending Stanley Cup Champs: 

• Who needs frontline scoring when you get 3 goals from defensemen? 
• Thompson's got some moves. 
• Dunn looked solid for his first NHL game. 
• Pietrangelo played a great game. 
• Schenn makes a difference. 
• First 2 goals allowed Allen didn't have a chance. 
• Late goals from Pittsburgh were due to poorly timed penalties. 
• Clean up a couple of things and we look pretty good for a team picked to finish in bottom half of our division.

#AllTogetherNowStL  #LGB