St. Louis Blues By The Numbers: Coincidence Or Destiny?

The St. Louis Blues have made the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 49 years. While it took skill and determination to get there, we are seeing signs that make you wonder if something else is at work.

Each time the St. Louis Blues got closer and closer to reaching the Stanley Cup Final, there seemed to be something amazing to happen that made you wonder if it was more than just the skill of the players at work. Even for those that don’t believe in such things, it is almost hard to believe these things are pure coincidence.

Logical people do not believe in fate or destiny. Then, there are the rest of us that either fully buy into that kind of thing or are at least willing to leave the door open to the possibility.

With each passing day and game, we are left to consider whether some of the things going on with the Blues this playoff run are coincidence or a sign of something else.

Of course, like anything having to do with numbers, you will have anomalies that you can chalk up to coincidence. One such example would be the Blues winning 3-2 in Game 5 against Winnipeg.

Nothing overly special about five goals being scored in the fifth game. Although, with a score of 6-3 in Game 3 of the series, it makes you go “hmmm…” Six minus three is three or six plus three is nine, which divided by the number of games is three. Ok, that’s a stretch.

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But, things get even more “coincidental”. The Blues lost 4-2 in Game 2 against Dallas. Do the math there.

St. Louis won Game 5 against the Stars 4-1. Not completely eerie yet, but getting to the slightly odd category.

It was Game 7 against Dallas that really started making people wonder what was going on. Game 7 was played on May 7 and started at 7 pm local time. It might not have had seven goals or a score that adds to seven, but do you remember who won that game in overtime? That’s right, number 7, Pat Maroon.

Maroon, the St. Louis kid, who had not worn the number 7 since playing for the St. Louis Bandits ended up wearing it for Game 7 against Dallas on May 7, starting at 7 in the evening. The only way that would have been more perfect is if it happened in the seventh period, but players might be in hospital beds had that happened.

It was even more fitting that it was Maroon. We had all jumped off the guy’s bandwagon in some form or fashion. There were rumors he wanted out of town and his performance was showing it. Instead, he became one of the leaders of the team and finished off one of the Blues’ toughest tests this postseason.

Oh, by the way, the goal was assisted by Tyler Bozak and Robert Thomas, who wear 21 and 18. 21-18=3 and it was Maroon’s third goal of the playoffs. That game was also Pat Maroon #7 rally towel night too.  Just sayin’.

Continuing the weird journey with the team, things continue in this fashion. Oddly enough, Game 2 against San Jose was another two goal game with a score of 4-2.

St. Louis won Game 5, 5-0. The Blues took Game 6, 5-1. I’m no math major, but that’s six goals.

Last, but definitely not least, we have this gem of a stat released by Jeremy Rutherford.

That is about as close to impossible as it gets, but there it is. It exists and we are merely left to believe it.

Two teams, now vying for the title of the best in the NHL, have entered the final with the exact same amount of goals scored. That would be hard enough to believe, but to literally score the exact same amount of goals in each and every period defies logic.

Also defying logic is the oddity that is the Eastern Conference. Every team that swept got beaten the following round, so it is hard to make heads or tails of things.

The Columbus Blue Jackets managed to defeat everyone’s Cup favorite, Tampa Bay, in four games. The New York Islanders swept defending champion Pittsburgh and then proceeded to get swept by Carolina. The Hurricanes turned around and got swept by Boston. Only Columbus won any games after sweeping their prior opponent.

It is all very coincidental, but it makes you wonder if it is all leading to a greater story for those of us cheering for the Blues.

In the end, it is up to the players to write that final chapter. Maybe it will all just end up being interesting trivia years from now. Or, it could be the buildup to something half a century in the making.

Oh, by the way, 49 years after playing Boston, the Blues see the Bruins again.  The Blues also have someone wearing the rather odd number of 49 this year.  The mind boggles.