The St. Louis Blues came into a mile-high matchup with Colorado needing something special to pick up an interdivisional win. They finally got it.
The St. Louis Blues needed a big bounce back after a disappointing loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Unfortunately, that did not seem to be in the cards since they were playing the Colorado Avalanche.
The Blues struggled with the Avalanche, at times, in 2018-19. They also struggle with Semyon Varlamov, who had also won his last five decisions. None of these things were setting up in the Blues favor.
However, similarly to how they came out against Nashville just a week or so prior, the Blues came out and took the game to Colorado. St. Louis showed a lot of physicality and it put the Avalanche back on their heels.
Vladimir Tarasenko scoring the game’s first goal definitely helped the Blues’ cause too. St. Louis played well with the lead, forechecking Colorado with a relentless passion we rarely see these days.
Sadly, despite a late goal in the first, the Blues only ended the second period up by a goal. Varlamov had shut them down in the middle frame despite seeing 18 shots in that one period alone.
It was a good way to go for the Blues, but leaving everything until the third period has been problematic for this team.
As worried, things did kind of fall apart for the Blues in that third. Fortunately, they finally managed to get something positive out of an overtime game with a 3-2 win.
Pros: Vladimir Tarasenko
We have entered into the hot streak of Vlad the Impaler, er I mean Vladimir Tarasenko. Tarasenko is notoriously streaky, even for a goal scorer but he’s got himself a bona fide hot streak going.
Tarasenko now has points in his last four and goals in his last three games. Even better, these are key goals.
One of the knocks against Tarasenko in the past has been that some of his goals come in garbage time when the team already has the decision in hand. That has always been a slightly unfair bit of analysis but it is what it is.
Now, Tarasenko is getting them when the team really needs them. In fact, for the last two games he has scored the team’s first or second goals and in the case against Colorado he gave the Blues the lead.
Additionally, this was another solid all-around game for Tarasenko. Detractors get on his case all the time, but Tarasenko has become a much better all around player and showed that against the Avalanche.
He’s not going to blow anyone up, but he was throwing hits and mixing it up like a hockey player should.
No, it’s not going to be an every game thing. After having five hits against Winnipeg, there was only one against Detroit, but he scored against Detroit. So, yes, there is some trade off. Against Colorado, it was a little bit of both.
Cons: Third Period
The St. Louis Blues played really well in the first period. Their second period was good, but not great. They were unfortunate to get scored on, but that’s what giveaways do.
Then came the third period. The Blues just do not seem able to put together a solid 60 minutes when the opposition is on their game. The Blues did not have a terrible third period like we have seen in the past, but they seemed to attempt sitting on the lead.
Against a high-octane, fast team with a butt load of offense, you simply cannot do that. The Blues were made to pay in this game because they did just that against the Avalanche.
The Blues are minus-11 in the third period, which is a top example of why this team is struggling so much right now. They are consistently one of the worst third period teams and that is the period when you need to be your best.
On top of the overall stats, the Blues were just not good offensively in the third frame. With only two minutes to go, St. Louis had only three shots in the third period.
While they were overwhelming Varlamov in the second, they did very little to test him in the third. You did get the win, ultimately, but the third period was not how you win a game.
St. Louis did turn on the jets a little toward the end, but it could have easily been too little, too late.
The Blues also allowed the Avalanche back in it by taking too many penalties. I understand the call against Joel Edmundson was weak, but you cannot continually give the top power play in the league chances. It ended up hurting them.
Pros: Overtime
The Blues had not won an overtime game, nor had they won a game decided by one goal in 2018-19. So, that gave us little confidence they would come out with a victory once regulation ended against Colorado.
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But, the Blues seemed tired of that moniker and came out right from the puck drop and wanted to win this game. They played like a team with their talent should play in overtime.
Even after a win, I will never be behind this three-on-three nonsense. I just do not think it is hockey and find it a joke that the sport changes itself so much unlike any other. However, the Blues finally utilized it to their advantage.
They were smart about everything. They left Ryan O’Reilly out there to win several key faceoffs, but if there had been a stoppage, they put two defenders out. Then, when the Blues won the draw, they could insert a second forward. That is smart coaching, not forcing your top offensive players to play defense in the eventual likelihood that a faceoff is lost.
The Blues never really even let Colorado have the puck the entire time. I believe Colorado only got it into the Blues zone once in the overtime period and it did not generate much offense.
Then, the game winning goal was something to behold. It was not a breakaway with skill and finesse, but a drive toward the net with physicality and tenacity.
Colton Parayko showed why we though of him so highly just a season or two ago. He used his size to bully the other defender off the puck. Then, he used his strength and reach to just shovel the puck past the goaltender. It was the kind of performance we wish we saw so much more often from 55.
It was an important win, an important play and a big boost to finally get a couple monkeys off the team’s back.
Cons: Injuries
Just when you thought it was safe to go back on the rink. The Blues seemed poised to have their full lineup at their disposal in a few short days with players returning from injured reserve with regularity.
Now, after one game, we might have to wait longer for that kind of reality. There is no telling how long any of them might be out, but the Blues lost two more players to injury in this game.
Alex Steen had only just come back onto the roster after missing a few games. He only got to play a period and a half before he took a high hit from former teammate Erik Johnson. Steen did not seem too shaken up at the time, but he never returned and was ruled out after the second intermission.
Then, near the end of the game Alex Pietrangelo went out with an injury. Once over at the bench, he seemed to be favoring his wrist or hand, but he also skated to the bench very gingerly, so who knows what the problem is.
Pietranglo never came onto the ice for overtime. While that is not a huge indicator that he is injured, it seems to point that direction.
At this point, as individuals, some fans will shrug at the loss of either one. However, St. Louis does not have ready made replacements. Robert Thomas would come back into the lineup for the forwards, but the options for a top line defender are much more questionable.
Hopefully those players will be alright or others are ready to return as well. This injury bug problem is getting really old.
Overview
By now, we have learned our lesson to think any more of this game than what it is – one game and one win.
There are no more corners to turn or pages to flip. If the Blues use this as a spark and go on a run, so be it. We can look back at this game and say maybe that was it.
There is no reason to believe that will happen though. That is not being negative, it is being realistic. When you literally cannot tell which Blues team will come out period to period, let alone game to game, you cannot forecast anything for this squad.
If we analyze this game alone, it was a fine all around performance. Jake Allen came up huge on several occasions and gave his team every opportunity to win. That’s what you ask of your goalie and he provided it.
You had your best scorer keep up his momentum and provide scoring and spark throughout the game. You got an overtime win, which was seeming like a Bigfoot to the Blues – something you’ve heard of, but never seen.
The team played well defensively, threw the body when necessary and looked like they gave a damn for the entire game. The end product was not fantastic for all 60 minutes, but at least they were engaged.
Colorado does not have that history or passion in the rivalry, but I’ll take any win over the Avs I can get.
Also, kudos to the fans in the building. We might not sell out every home game, but there was a large and vocal section of the Pepsi Center that was wearing Blues gear and cheering loudly. Great to see.