St. Louis Blues Are Now So Close, Yet So Far Away After 4-3 Win

Just when you think it’s safe, that’s when Chicago rebounds. However, for now the St. Louis Blues are on the cusp of ending the series

The St. Louis Blues are now up three games to one on their rivals after, believe it or not, taking both games in Chicago. The Blues obviously won 3-2 in game 3 and now took game 4 by the final of 4-3.

St. Louis was weathering the storm in the early going as most people thought they would have to do. Chicago was pounding the net with shots and doing everything they could to score that initial goal. They came ever so close, but no cigar on this.

Elliott ended up swatting that off the line and then the referee blew the whistle, having lost the puck, before Chicago put in the rebound.

That nongoal proved to be pivotal since the Blues would strike. The red-hot Vladimir Tarasenko got the goal at 14:02 of the first period after a great setup from Jori Lehtera.

The Blues finished the period up 1-0 and the Blues had sucked a lot of life out of the United Center, but everyone knew that one goal was not going to hold up regardless of how well Brian Elliott has been playing.

The sceond period proved that to be true. Andrew Shaw, the ever present gnat in front of the net, scored on a deflected goal on Marian Hossa‘s shot to tie things up. Then the wheels fell off from an officiating standpoint.

Jonathan Toews bumped Robby Fabbri into Corey Crawford and while Fabbri tried to avoid contact, Crawford went nuts and attacked.

Instead of the Blues getting a powerplay or at least everything washing out, somehow Chicago ended up with a powerplay. What made the penalties harder to stomach was that Fabbri’s penalty ended up being goaltender interference and Alex Pietrangelo was the one who got the extra minor for roughing Andrew Ladd.

As per the script, Chicago scored on the ensuing powerplay. Blues killer Duncan Keith scored from the point to give the ‘Hawks a 2-1 lead in the game and seemingly putting a grasp on the momentum of the game.

However, not to be outdone the tank (sorry, he doesn’t like that nickname) Tarasenko fired one in on the powerplay.

Tarasenko’s second of the game and third of the playoffs tied the game up and stole back momentum just 2:29 before the break in periods. It was the boost the Blues needed after such an odd outcome from the scrum with Crawford and the ensuing goal.

The Blues used that momentum to perfection, drawing an early penalty in the third period. Keith went off for holding and St. Louis once again capitalized. Tarasenko was involved again, but this time it was on the assist.

Jaden Schwartz got the rebound goal and the Blues got a 3-2 lead. It seemed it would stay that way until the end of the game, but Alexander Steen made the Blackhawks rue a costly pass.

Despite the breathing room the Blues had given themselves, up 4-2, Chicago didn’t give up. Tarasenko got his third goal, though it was credited to Keith as Tarasenko deflected Keith’s shot up in the air and it landed behind Elliott to bring the game back to within one.

The Blues thought they had scored an empty netter when Steen finished off the shot, but somehow Paul Stastny had passed himself into an offside call upon review. There was no doubt about the replay, though it was close, but it was still frustrating to have another goal called back.

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The Blues failed to score again, but the defense held up in the final moments and earned a second consecutive road win. More importantly it gave them a 3-1 series lead with the chance to hammer the final nail in the coffin at home on Thursday.

Negatives

The Blues are still putting themselves in bad situations regarding officiating. The situation with the goaltender was another example of puzzling officiating, but everything else was either clear or a situation that while Blues fans might not agree, the players had put themselves in a position where the referees were forced to make a decision. It’s hard, but you have to avoid those. Don’t allow the refs to even ponder making a call.

Getting outshot again. Once again, St. Louis was outshot and quite badly. 42-20 was the final tally. While it does show the goaltending quality and the way that the Blues have defended to still win, it also shows they’re playing with a loaded gun.

Positives

The Blues weathered the storm. While getting outshot by more than double is not a sustainable trait, they’ve absorbed it all and spit it back out. The defense is making timely blocks and clearing out loose pucks, even if they don’t always leave the zone. There’s something to say for a team that can allow that many shots from an incredibly talented offensive team, but still hold their top scorers in check.

Brian Elliott. What more can be said about this guy? He hasn’t had to make the highlight reel save as much as he was called to do sometimes in the regular season, but he has answered the bell every single time. Nit-pickers might say he could’ve done more to get a better position on the Keith goal, but if that’s all we’re saying as a negative then he’s done his job and then some.

Vladimir Tarasenko is unbelievable.  He now has 13 career playoff goals in only 17 appearances and is learning how to score the big goals in big moments in the playoffs the way he’s figured out in the regular season.  Blues fans can’t mind that he’s also got seven postseason goals against Chicago as well.

The Blues are up 3-1. Being Blues fans, we’re going to be nervous until the very end. We’ll all have scenarios playing in our heads about what if we don’t finish them at home and then you have to try and win another game in Chicago etc. and so forth. However, nobody would’ve believed it if you had told us the Blues would win two in Chicago AND be up 3-1 in the series before it started.

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Looking Forward

Game 5 is in St. Louis on Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. CST. While it doesn’t seem fair that the Blues could have more late games at home than their opponent, nobody will be complaining if St. Louis can finish off the series.

The Blackhawks still have high winning percentages in games 5-7 in their history, but this Blues team honestly does have a different feel to it. They have the perfect chance to prove it, in front of their home crowd who will be lathered up and noisy, on Thursday night.