St. Louis Blues Pros And Cons From Game 64 Vs. Chicago

The St. Louis Blues have never swept the Chicago Blackhawks in the regular season. They were trying to avoid their first loss against their rival in game number three.

The St. Louis Blues were looking to exert some dominance against their rival the Chicago Blackhawks. Normally these games end up being close, nail biters but given the disparity in the standings, St. Louis was hoping for a cushy win.

They definitely got off to a good start in that endeavor. The Blues drew a penalty just 11 seconds into the game.

22 seconds after that, the Blues struck. Just 33 seconds into the game, Brayden Schenn scored the first goal of the game on a the power play.

However, the game was incredibly loose on both sides and strangely became a special teams battle in the early going. The Blues had a second power play in the first four minutes, but they came up empty on that attempt.

When Chicago picked up their first power play, they struck even faster than the Blues. Right off the faceoff, St. Louis stood their ground and that allowed Duncan Keith to step up and step into a shot to tie the game.

The wheels kept loosening up for the Blues after that. Chicago scored a screened goal with another shot from the point to gain a 2-1 lead somewhat late in the first period.

The Blues continued to play with their head in the clouds for whatever reason. They took a silly penalty very late in the period, giving Chicago a power play with fresh ice in the second.

That cost them since there was nothing slowing the Chicago passing. The Blues had plenty of chances to clear the puck and could not. Then, the Blues failed to clear another screen and Blues killer Patrick Kane scored on another long shot to make it 3-1.

The Blues seemed to wake up a little bit after that. They challenged the net more often, though there was not as much traffic as Chicago had and Corey Crawford was, admittedly, on his game.

However, the Blues would not be outdone. After coming up empty on a decently long shift, the Blues caught Chicago exiting the zone too early and found Robert Thomas alone on the left circle for a roof goal to make it 3-2.

St. Louis came to play, at least initially, in the third period. They scored two quick goals to take a 4-3 lead.

However, the Blues decided not to defend on this night. Chicago tied it up shortly after to make it 4-4 and then re-took the lead with another power play goal.

The game continued to have optional defense as the Blues tied it with their own shot from the point. Justin Faulk blasted one in to tie it 5-5.

The game continued to be out of control on both sides. St. Louis just did not have the jump defensively, but they did offensively.

Zach Sanford scored his second of the game to make it 6-5.

Despite a push from Chicago and another fake penalty called toward the end of the game, the Blues held on. It was not pretty at all, but you can’t say there were not people entertained.

Pros: Striking early

I would be remiss if I did not point out the fact that I did not have faith in the Blues power play at the start of this game. I tweeted that a power play that early in the game was a bad thing because Chicago would gain momentum after the inevitable kill of the Blues power play.

The team sure showed me. Right as I hit send on that smart alec tweet, Brayden Schenn hit the back of the net on a cross-ice play.

Just when you thought their power play passing was becoming stagnant, the Blues went tic-tac-toe. David Perron set things up behind the net, fed to Jaden Schwartz in front and he had great vision to find Schenn for an almost open net chance.

That goal was Schenn’s second in as many games, so he might be heating up. It was his 22nd overall goal and 10th on the power play.

Those are the kinds of numbers the Blues look for from Schenn and he’s picking it up at the right time.

Cons: Getting away from what works

Once the Blues scored, they did not completely take their foot off the gas but they definitely put it in cruise control. They were basically going the speed limit or just under and the Blackhawks hit the gas.

Cons: Penalty kill

To quote the Rock from his wrestling days, what in the blue hell was that? The only good thing you can say about the Blues penalty kill was the fact they killed off the most important one, which was the last one of the game with a one goal lead and the Hawks with their net empty.

Even then, it was not great. The Blues did snuff out the chances more, but they continue to buckle under the pressure of having their opponent’s net empty. Alex Pietrangelo had a good look at the goal and lifted the puck 15 feet in the air instead of driving it toward the net.

Prior to that, the PK was a *bleep* show. All they did was stand around in their defensive box.

There was no pressure to the puck. There was nobody willing to put a body on the person in front of the net.

The first goal, Chicago wins a faceoff and the Blues immediately stand up straight instead of driving out toward the shooter. Keith scored due to a screen, but he had ages to shoot even though the shot came quickly.

The Kane goal was another example. Again, there was another uncontested screen in front. At least Alex Steen tried to get over and cover, but it’s hard when you let Kane get a head of steam and shoot from the circle.

The third power play goal, nobody decided to converge on the guy sitting in the slot. All the blame will, of course, go to Justin Faulk, but I guarantee that any Blues player in that same spot would have done the same because they were all on their heels the entire night.

I get you have games like this, but giving up three power play goals to the worst power play in the entire NHL is not acceptable for a team that prides itself on defense.

Pros: Blues offense

Thank heavens the offense came to play. It might have been sporadic, but the Blues got goals at just the right times.

You had Thomas with the snipe. The kid has been trying that roof shot forever and finally hit the sweet spot.

Ryan O’Reilly has been ice cold offensively at home, but he got his mojo working. He could easily have had two goals if he could have connected on a wrap around attempt, but at least he got one.

Justin Faulk scored with a blast from the point, just moments after social media was ready to tar and feather him for the Blackhawks go-ahead goal too.

Things were just working offensively. Of course, it helps to be playing against the team that has given up the most goals in the division, but still.

Cons: Perron

David Perron has been one of the Blues best players over the course of the season. However, we saw too much of the old Perron in this game.

While on the power play, guarding the point, he refused to move his feet. He constantly lost the puck because he was trying to stick handle before he started skating.

There were a couple times when it looked like he tripped over his own feet.

Statistically, Perron was not terrible. He had two assists and only one statistical giveaway in almost 17 minutes on the ice.

It was in the small moments that many don’t notice that he just did not look right. His pass choices were not good despite the helpers and he just made bad decisions several times in this game.

Pros: Sanford

I’ll fully admit to being a strong detractor of Zach Sanford earlier in the season. The problem with him, clearly as we see now, is not a lack of talent but having not learned consistency yet.

Some players can rely on talent alone, but Sanford is not one of those. He has to put in the effort every single night and there are some nights where he just disappears.

This was not one of them. Sanford came to play and he basically dragged his team over the finish line for a win.

Sanford did not shrink from the moment on the first goal. Just moments after the game-tying goal from Ryan O’Reilly – they were still announcing that goal in fact – Sanford collected a nice tap pass after a turnover, made a little juke around the defender and wristed home a snipe.

He came up big again, scoring on the power play to get what would prove to be the game winner.

What was great about that goal was the fact he followed up the play. Some shooters would be dejected after Crawford made the save on the slap shot and he would stand still.

Instead, Sanford drove to the net looking to mix it up. The puck popped back out to him eventually and he slipped it past a sliding goaltender.

That’s what the Blues need from a guy like Sanford. He isn’t going to make the highlight reels too often, but he can score those “dirty” goals and be physical.

Sanford was physical, with two hits on the night. He was also gritty, coming up with two big shot blocks, one of which came late in the game with the Hawks pressing.

This was the player we saw during the playoffs. This is the player Sanford needs to be.

Overview

I might be in the minority, but I just can’t feel great about this game. It doesn’t help that it’s against Chicago, but it is more than that.

It was great television, but 6-5 games are not my cup of tea. I’m not one for 1-0 nail biters either, but I’d like there to be some semblance of defensive play out there.

This was hockey’s equivalent of the last team with the ball wins in football.

67 total shots on goal. Five total power play goals, three of them by the opposing team, on eight power play chances. That’s just not good hockey.

The Blues won and we should all be happy/thankful for that. They need points and with several teams behind them winning on this night, they could not afford to drop this game.

You love the battle in this team. They never feel like they are out of it.

They just worry me at times. This was another example of the Blues playing to the level of their opponent instead of looking like a first place team playing the team in the basement.

Anyway, on to the next one. The New York Islanders come to town next and that won’t be easy.

The Isles are only a few points safe in a playoff spot and still battling for their third divisional spot, so they have plenty to play for.