St. Louis Blues: Play Gloria!
By David Crum
Gloria, performed by Laura Branigan, is not just a 1980s hit song for St. Louis Blues fans.
It’s a song that united a team struggling to find an identity. The anthem brought an entire arena and fanbase together for one purpose: to win the Cup.
Superstitions have always played a significant role in hockey, and the 2018-19 season was no exception.
The Championship St. Louis Blues team viewed Gloria as more than a song
It all began in Philadelphia. The St. Louis Blues were in town set to play the Philadelphia Flyers.
A group of Blues teammates went to a local bar to watch an NFL playoff game.
At the time, the Blues record was 16-19-4, and the players were in a bit of a gloomy state. Finding its rhythm was challenging for the team after Coach Mike Yeo’s firing, and Craig Berube took over as interim.
The story continues with Alexander Steen, Joel Edmundson, Robert Bortuzzo, Jaden Schwartz, and Robby Fabbri going to a Philadelphia bar, Jacks NYB. Someone at the club repeatedly shouted, “Play Gloria!” And every time the song played, the bar went electric.
The next night, goaltender Jordan Binnington played an incredible game. He started his first NHL game with a shutout win against the Philadelphia Flyers. Binnington’s star performance resulted in defending 25 shot attempts and assisted the Blues in a win of 3-0.
The song had a catchy tune, and a few Blues players liked it so much that they recommended playing it after every victory.
“Gloria” may have fostered unity and trust in the struggling locker room, seeking its identity. It became a hit, and the Blues found themselves winning more and more and sharing their catchy song with their fanbase.
A night in the town with friends, who were in a bit of a funk themselves, led to the discovery of Gloria.
The magical 2018-19 season was linked to the popular song Gloria, bringing the fanbase and team together for their first Cup win.
The team ended the season with a 45-28-9 record and won the Cup in a dominant Game 7 performance by Binnington against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals, on the road.
Before Gloria:
After Gloria:
Can the Blues find their new Gloria? Time will tell.
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