St. Louis Blues Bury Colorado: Game Recap

While those watching at home definitely missed Darren Pang and John Kelly, our FOX Sports Midwest announcers, we were all treated to a dynamic game.

The Blues played a strong, physical game with equal-opportunity scoring for all, ending in a 3-1 game, Blues.

The game was a little slow to start, with St. Louis and Colorado feeling each other out. At 16:30 Oshie was sent off for hooking, putting the Avs on the power play and the Blues on their heels. However, that didn’t last long.

Once St. Louis was back at even strength the Avalanche controlled the general movement of the puck but the Backes-Steen-Oshie line proved capable of changing momentum and really put the screws to Colorado.

Jan 19, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues right wing T.J. Oshie (74) celebrates with St. Louis Blues left wing Alexander Steen (20) after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

This is when the game got really good — fast, physical, and the puck was constantly deep in either zone.

We didn’t get a goal until the 9th minute of the first period, when Blues defenseman Carl Gunnarsson blasted the puck from the blue line. The play started with Schwartz pushing the puck around the boards, all the way up from the neutral zone and saucering it around the outside of the offensive zone. Once Gunnarsson got his stick on it, the Avalanche’s fate was written on the wall.

With that goal, the Blues took the lead against Colorado. Jeremy Roenick reminded the crowd at home that the Blues were at 25-1 when scoring the first goal.

More from Editorials

• St. Louis Blues Need Kasperi Kapanen To Be On Best Behavior
• Hayes’ Debut And Other Bold Predictions for the St. Louis Blues
• St. Louis Blues Captaincy Is Suddenly A Huge Problem For 2023-24
• St. Louis Blues National Games Cause More Problems Than They’re Worth
• St. Louis Blues Brayden Schenn Has To Be An Impact Player In 2023-24

This goal galvanized the Avs, who put the pressure on even further, creating multiple chances in front of the Blues’ net. Elliott held them back, however, doing everything but standing on his head.

The teams continued to play a very strong hockey game, full of quick, interesting plays and both team giving a strong showing.

Matt Duchene quickly scored one for Colorado on a turnover from Shattenkirk right in front of the net, evening up the score.

With 30 seconds left in the first the Blues went on a power play off a penalty on Landeskog. Hitchcock called Brian Elliott to the bench to give the Blues one more attacker, but with only 2.3 seconds left in the period Varlomov easily covered Tarasenko’s shot on goal, and the whistle sounded.

The second period was even more dynamic than the first, astonishingly. The Blues and Avalanche played a fast, back-and-forth game, spending most of their time in both offensive and defensive ends, sprinting through the neutral zone. St. Louis comported themselves incredibly well throughout a huge second period, starting with a power play goal by Jaden Schwartz.

“We like spending time in the offensive zone,” said Schwartz.

In a great, aggressive play, calling back to the last few years when the Blues would shoot on goal within 10 seconds of starting on the PP, Jaden Schwartz led a charge into Colorado’s defensive end within thirty seconds of puck drop.

Schwartz launched the puck past Varlamov, cleanly beating him and putting the Blues up one.

Jan 19, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz (center) celebrates with Vladimir Tarasenko (91) and Jori Lehtera (12) after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Then, at 9:20 Oshie (who didn’t skate Monday morning due to a foot injury) scored off a shot from Steen, bringing the Blues 3-1. Must have been eating his Oshie O’s!

The third period started with a strong push by Colorado, registering 3 shots on goal between the 2nd and 3rd minute of the period and raising their level of physicality, closing in on the Blues to keep them from even completing a pass to each other.

Play got more physical, and the Blues took a couple of foolish penalties, one by Jori Lehtera at 16:43 for high-sticking Nathan McKinnon.

Colorado was able to pull their goaltender while on the power play, but even then, they were unable to keep St. Louis off their backs, or to register any real threats with their shots on goal.

There were a number of close calls for Colorado, but with strong offensive power they were able to hold the Blues to a 2-goal lead

The game ended 3-1, Blues, and Jaden Schwartz summed it up nicely in an interview with NBCSN’s Pierre McGuire after the game.

“We like spending time in the offensive zone,” Schwartz said. “You get a lot of chances that way. They’ve got a skilled offense so we wanted to keep them out of our zone as much as possible. Our defense did a hell of a job, and put in great play as well.”

He was quick to give praise to the second line, comprised of Oshie, Steen, and Backes, as well, which was the top-scoring forward line Monday night.

“They’re leading the way for our hockey club and are playing the right way. They’re playing against a lot of other teams’ top lines and shutting them down.”

Best Play Of The Night

With only 11 seconds left in the third, Oshie and Backes worked together in a brilliant defensive play to clear the puck from in front of the crease. Oshie dove across the crease to his left, preventing another shot on goal, while Backes swatted the puck out of the air and cleared almost all the way to the blue line. It was a gorgeous defensive play, unlikely to happen again.