Bleedin' Blue
Fansided

St. Louis Blues Morning Links: Time To Play Like It’s 1999

By Todd Panula

May 2, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; St. Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen (34) after a save during the first period against the Nashville Predators in game four of the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
May 2, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; St. Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen (34) after a save during the first period against the Nashville Predators in game four of the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Good morning Blues fans! Today is the day the team begins to make history. We could see the start of something not seen in almost 20 years.

The St. Louis Blues have a chance to do something special over the next few days. It has to begin tonight.

Using a title that spins the Prince song is very fitting. The Blues can party when it is over, but for now they need to play like it is 1999.

If not, then as the song says, it’s party over because the team is out of time. In case you are wondering the significance, wonder no longer.

1999 was the last time the St. Louis Blues returned from a 3-1 series deficit. The other coincidental aspect of the comparison was the team it was against.

The Blues were playing a very talented Phoenix Coyotes team – yes, they were called Phoenix not Arizona. Now, once again, St. Louis can come back and knock off a non-traditional hockey market with stars on their team.

Back then, there were several All-Stars and potential Hall of Famers on the Coyotes. Jeremy Roenick, Keith Tkachuk, Dallas Drake, Nikolai Khabibulin and more.

Not too different from all the talent the Predators have. Nashville might be a bit younger, but they are no less talented and perhaps even more top to bottom (that’s an argument for another day).

The bottom line is the Blues have their backs against the wall. They have nothing left to lose really.

If you lose, as everyone expects you to now, then you go home. It’s time for golf and to prepare for another season.

It is also time to say goodbyes as you almost never have the same locker room again. Last year’s Western Conference Finals trip showed us that.

Or, the Blues can take a page out of Lou Brown’s book and say **** it, let’s just win the whole thing.

It is not as hard as it seems, though the task is indeed daunting. It is extremely cliche, but there is no way to win three games at once.

You have to win tonight and see how things pan out. To borrow another movie reference, you have to take this chance, move on to the next and on and on until the day is won or the chances are spent – gold stars to those that know what film that’s from.

The Blues can do it. Even as poorly as they have played in this series, they have been in every single game.

More from Bleedin' Blue

As well as Nashville has played, it has taken a few lucky breaks here or there to take down the Blues.

The Blues just need to finally put together a solid 60 minute performance. Maybe that will never happen since we have been asking for it since the series began.

However, if it does happen, there is no reason to think the Blues won’t win. When the game has been five-on-five and St. Louis has not concerned themselves with the nonsense Nashville draws them into, they have done well.

It is all that other stuff that brings the Blues down and takes them out of the moment. It is unfair to expect the Blues to play like a Buddhist monk and not let any outside events affect them.

They do have to take things to a different level though. They don’t need the game of their lives, but they have to put every aspect together.

Perhaps nobody on this team has done it, but fans like to point to Blues history for why they’ll never win it all. History says the Blues can at least win this series. They’ve done it before.

Here are your St. Louis Blues morning links to get your day started off right.

While nothing official has been released, it is easy to see more lineup changes are on the horizon based on the Blues practice. Expect a slightly different top line and a more familiar fourth one. (NBC Sports)

Media members tend to be especially grim when it comes to any team’s outlook, especially in these situations. It creates more reads when there is something negative to say, sad enough as it is. However, some do learn from their own mistakes and are now joining in the positivity. (STLToday)

Speaking of learning from the past, the Predators are hoping they have done the same. With a series lead against the Blackhawks, Nashville saw it all slip away. They are hoping the same thing does not happen this year with the Blues. (Tenneseean)

As much as the teams and their fans have grown to hate each other over these last four games, differences can be put aside when it matters most. That is what is going on now as Nashville fans and their team volunteered to help with relief for what is going on in St. Louis. (KSDK)

The Las Vegas Golden Knights have their second player in the franchise. They looked to the far east for their second player, one who is more likely to help them immediately than the first. (NHL)

Have a great day Blues fans!

Home/St Louis Blues News