You think Backes is giving up? No. Neither should you.
The St. Louis Blues played well enough to win Game One but lost, then turned in their worst performance at the worst possible time in Game Two. Both games were at home, and the combination results in a 2-0 series deficit in this best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinals series with the Los Angeles Kings. If you’re a Blues fan who saw this coming and readily admitted as much before the series, you’re probably in the minority. It is natural for a fan to look at this turn of events and act like all is lost, when in reality things could be just beginning. It is also natural for a grave deal of concern going into Game Three of this series late tomorrow night at Staples Center.
But if you’re throwing in the towel right now, please walk gently toward the door and get the hell out of my team’s fan base. Now.
We can give excuses as to why the Blues played so horrendously in Game Two until we’re blue in the face. We can give all sorts of reasons why the Blues are in the predicament they are in . . . essentially the League favorite in Vegas, needing four wins in five possible games to advance. But if you’re going to tell me that you’re not going to watch the rest of this series because “Oh, I know what’s going to happen, the Blues are going to ass this up completely” or something similar to that mold, I don’t want you anywhere near this team. Why? Two reasons . . . 1) Positives (AND YES, THERE WERE SOME) that can be taken from the first two games, and 2) Past history, and RECENT past history at that.
On the first point . . . the Blues were able to play two solid periods after getting shelled in the first on Monday, and they were able to match – if not surpass – the physicality displayed by the Kings in those 40 minutes. For all intents and purposes, the first 20 to 30 minutes of Game One were won by the Blues, and there is a solid chance Alex Pietrangelo returns for Game Three to steady the defensive corps, as he played most of those minutes. On the second point . . . we only have to look to the Boston Bruins, last year’s Stanley Cup Champions, for reference. In their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series with the Montreal Canadiens, they dropped the first two games at home. What happened after that? The Bruins did what they had to do . . . they stole two games in front of a hostile crowd in Montreal and held serve at home to advance to the next round. Anything is possible, folks.
In the past week, I’ve been called everything from a sore loser to a dumbass for my dedication to this team, and yet I still believe in this team. I refuse to let two games change my dedication to this squad. I’m all in.
I won’t even ask a question this week . . . I’m going to channel my inner Jim Fassel . . . and shove my chips to the center of the table and go all in on this crazy game of poker. If you’re in, you’re in. If you’re out, you’re out.
Why not the St. Louis Blues.