Forward Zack Bolduc is back in the lineup replacing Alexandre Texier on the third line. Nathan Walker is back in as well on the third line. Joel Hofer will get the start in net tonight…6-1-1 in his last 8 games, against rookie Dustin Wolf for Calgary whose 7-1-1 in his last 9 games
Blues come out hard and fast…
Five minutes in and the Blues have the edge in play with seven shots on goal to 1 for the Flames. And Brayden Schenn buries a shot from one knee to the top corner…where Mama hides the cookies…Dylan Holloway with the only assist with a great pass from behind the net. Schenn at 4:55 with his ninth. It’s 1-0 early!
Colton Parayko with a 99+ mile per hour slapshot from the point beats the goalie 5-hole…his 10th… matching his career high. Cam Fowler and Robert Thomas with assists and the Blues lead 2-0 on their 12th shot at 13:53. Parayko with goals in three straight games.
With 4:20 left in the period, the Blues continue to put the pressure on, and Jordan Kyrou fires one for his 20th of the season...no hesitation by Kyrou on his shot. Holloway and Tyler Tucker with the assists. 3 to 0 Blues!! Kyrou has three seasons in a row with 20+ goals.
At the end of 1…Blues are in command 3-0 and leading in shots 14 to 7. This is the fourth time this season with three or more goals in a period.
Blues keep the 3-goal lead in the 2nd period…
Hofer makes a great save on a breakaway less than 2 minutes into the period as the Flames make the expected offensive push to get back in the game.
Five minutes in, Calgary has eight shots to the Blues 3 and gets a powerplay with 13:37 left in the period. The Flames have only one shot on the PP.
The Flames get on the board on their 20th shot shooting through three Blues players and beating Hofer to the blocker side. At 11:14 it’s 3-1…Flames with six scoring chances in the period…one for the Blues.
Blues get their first powerplay (Blues scored two goals earlier on delayed penalties) with 2:49 left in the period. And Schenn gets his second of the night and 10th of the season on a tip-in on the backhand off a pass from Jake Neighbours, Justin Faulk with the second assist. 4-1 and that’s how the 2nd period ends…total shots are even at 24 for both teams. Hatty Watch For the Captain!!
Hofer holds serve in the 3rd period…
Blues get their second powerplay of the game with 13:49 left in the period…Bolduc is drawing the interference penalty. The Blues get two shots on the PP…. The score remains 4-1…, and shots are dead even at
5 Minutes!! Hofer has been strong all game…on his game…2:11 left, and Nathan Walker takes on Brayden Pachal with some fisticuffs and takes him down. Blues get a powerplay out of the skirmish, and the team tries desperately to get the hat trick for Schenn with several point-blank chances…4 to 1 is the final…pull within 1 point of the Flames as they sweep the two games. Hofer stops 29 of 30 shots…
Notes: Blues have scored 4+ goals in eight of their last 11 games…23 goals from defensemen ties their total from last year…seven players with at least 10 goals on the season.