St. Louis Blues Shootout Warriors

The St. Louis Blues came home after a very disheartening game against the Columbus Blue Jackets two days ago and last night they found Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres at their door. Eichel, the second round draft pick behind Connor McDavid in this offseason’s NHL Entry Draft, has been a breath of life in the Sabres squad. Last season, they only won 23 games and this season the Sabres have shown they are a much more dangerous team.

The 1st period saw the St. Louis Blues power play show signs of life. Off a rather dangerous check from Sabres forward Tyler Ennis On Alex Pietrangelo, the St. Louis Blues capitalized once on the five minute major boarding penalty. St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk took a beautiful pass from Alex Steen and ripped a slap shot to the top corner for the goal. This was to be the only goal for the first period and the second straight game that Shattenkirk had scored.

The 2nd period saw three more goals scored, two for the Buffalo Sabres and one more power play goal for the St. Louis Blues. The first goal of the 2nd period was scored by Buffalo Sabres, Sam Rienhart, with a knuckle puck slap shot just over Jake Allen’s body. Several minutes later into the period and Jori Lehtera pulled a penalty from Buffalo and the Blues went back on the power play. Like a jolt of lightning hitting a kite the Blues power play again came alive and scored to give the Blues a 2-1 lead.

Vladimir Tarasenko, found open ice in the slot and taking a beautiful tape to tape pass from Steen, fired a wrist shot over the right side of the goalie.  The Blues would later give up the lead by leaving Sabres’ Ryan O’Rielly wide open in front of Jake Allen. The Blues gave Buffalo one 5-on-3 chance that did not pan out for the Sabres. During this 5-on-3 Jake Allen made one save.

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The 3rd period rolled in with both sides not giving an inch as well as Jake Allen making one of the most desperate saves I have seen in a few years. The Blues again gave up one last 5-on-3 power play to the Buffalo Sabres, but Jake Allen stood tall against the Sabres offense. Facing 6 consecutive shots, Allen kept them all out of the net and allowed the Blues to stay in the game tied for the remainder of the period.

The period came and went to make way for a rather heart aching 3-on-3 over time with many chances traded between the Sabres and Blues. Finally after several attempts the over time period came to an end and the shoot out loomed ahead. The first two skaters for both teams failed to get the puck into the net. Steen answered the call as the St. Louis Blues third shooter and scored on a very unique goal just knocking the puck past the goalie’s skate and across the line. Jake Allen would go on to stop the Buffalo Sabres’ third shooter and put the nail in the coffin and win the game for the Blues.

Next: Matt Duchene To St. Louis Blues Makes Sense

Honorable mentions for the game go to Dmitrji Jaskin and Magnus Pajaarvi. Both players were hungry for the puck and certainly could have had a goal or two if not for the puck just rolling off their stick blades. Also as many Blues fans have seen, Jake Allen is becoming more and more the #1 goal tender St. Louis has been missing since Curtis Joesph.  To end this I shall see you Blues fans this Saturday as the St. Louis Blues look to take on the Wings of Motor City, The Detroit Red Wings, but for now let’s enjoy this win like Steen enjoying his goal.

All Gif links created by r/stlouisblues Supreme Commander Of GIFs, r/Berix