Game Recap – Blues @ Blackhawks
Back-to-back games giving up 2-0 leads in the third period. The Blues now sit with a 2-1-2 record. You would think that they would be happy with getting points in four of five games. Except for the fact they should be sitting with a 4-1-0 record.
The Blues held a 2-0 lead in Dallas before giving up two goals to let the Stars tie the game. But to make matters worse, they couldn’t finish the Stars off in OT and they lost in a shootout.
Going into the game last night against the Blackhawks, the Blues wanted to get out to a strong start but also fight through all 60 minutes of the game.
David Perron lead the Blues with two goals in last nights game.
David Backes dropped the mitts with Chicago forward Bryan Bickell less than three minutes into the first period. Both player threw some wild punches, but it was Backes cutting Bickell twice on the forehead and once on the cheek. Decision goes to Backes for drawing blood on a fairly even fight.
The action was back and forth throughout the game and both goaltenders stopped some pretty big shots, but it was Turco who gave up the first goal.
David Perron broke down the far side boards and faked going around the net, Turco was cheating and it allowed Perron to sneak the puck back in front and tuck it under his pad to open the scoring, mid way through the second period. The intensity picked up and Halak made some key saves to keep the game even going into the third period.
Starting in the third, the Blues wanted to keep the pressure up, and it was Perron scoring again midway through the third period. This time it was Perron making a slick move around two Blackhawks and broke in on a 3-on-1 with TJ Oshie and David Backes.
Oshie held the puck, drew the defender to him and then gave a nice saucer pass across to Perron who sniped it past the glove hand of Turco to give the Blues a 2-0 lead.
The Blues had control of the game. Pushing the action, until one of the Blackhawk forward got his stick lodged in the webbing of Jaroslav Halak’s glove. The refs called Halak for interference, and the game turned around.
On the ensuing powerplay, Marian Hossa scored a goal on the doorstep to give the Hawks a fighting chance. Thats exactly what the needed. A fighting chance.
Late in the game, it would be a crowd in front of Jaroslav Halak that allowed Marian Hossa to bury the puck past Halak and Oshie to tie the game. What went unnoticed was Jonathan Toews holding the stick of Blues defensemen Barret Jackman. The puck past right past Jackman’s stick would be and it would be tapped in by Hossa to tie the game.
Though it would be a very demoralizing thing to tie the game, the Blues fought hard the rest of the game. Yet throughout all their efforts, the Blues could not score again and the game was headed to overtime.
Controlling most of overtime, the Blues had most of the scoring chances, but like they say, it only takes one. A miss play by Barret Jackman, a floating TJ Oshie allowed Patrick Kane the chance to feed the puck through the slot right on the tape of Patrick Sharp, who made no mistake putting the 6 ounce of vulcanized rubber past Halak.
Very disappointing for Blues fans everywhere and I could imagine what Davis Payne said in the locker room. The Blues have lost back to back games after leading 2-0 in both games. The Blues should have two more wins yet they sit with two losses past regulation and have no one to blame but themselves.
The Blues are off until Friday when the Blackhawks come to St. Louis. It’ll be some pay back time for the Blues and with their time, I could expect that coach Payne will be working them hard in practice.
Some positives from the game, David Perron. He scored his first and second goal of the season.
Alex Pietrangelo is continuing to impress me. His great passes and strong defensive play, he is making some plays that veterans cannot. Another strong game for the youngster.
Erik Johnson had a great outlet pass and his great pass to David Perron just seconds after he scored in the second period almost gave the Blues a 2-0 lead. The only thing I wanna see Johnson do more is shoot. He needs to start teeing that shot up on the powerplay.
The Blues need to learn to figure out how to close these games out, other wise, like last year, we could be sitting out coming June.
