The St. Louis Blues finished their little two-game mini-playoff against the Calgary Flames. It was a hot start that reminded us just how poorly the start of the season went.
As well as the Blues played in the first period, it was a reminder of how good they can be and how inconsistent and sometimes bad they were before the coaching change. No sense in looking at the past though.
One thing that has been consistent of late is that, if the Blues are going to have their best shot to win, they score first and score early. They did just that in this game.
St. Louis got on the board in the first five minutes with a goal from the captain. The Blues won some battles below the goal line, fed it to Brayden Schenn out front and he snapped it home for the 1-0 lead.
It was about nine minutes before the next goal, but the Blues would get that one too. This time Colton Parayko was left wide open on the right point, took a couple strides toward goal, and unleashed a shot that was an eyelash under 100mph along the ice and it was 2-0.
Less than two minutes later, the Blues added a third. Jordan Kyrou took the pass on the right hashmark in the slot and fired a wrister past the glove to make it 3-0 and it stayed that way going into the intermission.
As well as the first went, the second was more of a mixed bag. The Blues weren't bad but felt like they downshifted a gear. The passes weren't quite as accurate, the shots were blocked more than not and the Blues weren't quite as much on their toes as the Flames came with some heavy push.
Things started going downhill with a silly Philip Broberg penalty around six minutes in. The Blues killed it off, but you could sense the Flames coming.
Eventually, they would get on the board. The Blues got a rush in the offensive end, but the cross-ice pass was telegraphed and easily deflected away. Calgary went the other way, won the puck in the corner, and found a man on the right circle. A quick move towards the slot let to a shot through three outstretched defenders and past the blocker to make it 3-1.
Fortunately, the Blues didn't fall asleep at the wheel. They came in on a two-on-one and earned a power play after forcing a good save to keep them off the board.
On the ensuing power play, the Blues made it 4-1. After a Calgary clear, Jake Neighbours came up the left wing, and flung a pass to the front for a Schenn deflection for his second of the night.
The opening of the third period was a little odd. Through the first five minutes, the Flames had more shots, but the Blues weren't really getting out-chanced. St. Louis just kept missing the net or getting blocked.
The teams traded chances throughout the third, overall. One of the Blues best looks came from a one-knee shot from Pavel Buchnevich from in close, but he hit the goaltender and it stayed a three-goal game at that point.
The Blues kept up with the Flames in just about every aspect. Even little Nathan Walker took on a guy about three or four inches taller and bested him in a fight with about two minutes left.
In an amusing end, the Blues forced Schenn to play almost the entire final two minutes in an attempt to get a hat trick. He did have a couple of cracks at it, but the Blues could not score and won by a final of 4-1.
Pro: Powerplay-ish?
Statistically, the Blues went 1-3 on the power play, which is acceptable, but not the best night ever. However, they were still impactful with penalties called.
While Schenn's second goal did come on an official power play, the Blues got two other goals on delayed calls. Two of the first three goals of the game came with the official's arm in the air, but the team just scored anyway.
In the case of Kyrou's goal, the Blues didn't have the chance to pull the goalie fully, but just in the overall sense, it felt good to take advantage of a team that had shifted to a defensive mindset, even if only for seconds.
Con: Second period
Although the final tally during the second period was just 1-1, the Blues allowed the Flames too much ground. You knew they were going to come with a push, but St. Louis was just a step off.
What happened in the third period was much more acceptable. The Flames had their looks early, but the Blues kept pace and kept the shot totals low so Calgary couldn't generate any momentum.
The opposite was true in the second. The Blues allowed 17 shots in one period alone and the game started to feel like if Calgary got one more, it could have completely swung the other way.
Pro: Schenn
For whatever reason, it's been a bit of a struggle for the captain this season. Perhaps he's taken too much blame for the team's struggles and tried to step up in every facet. That has led to an underproduction in most of those facets, much like a hitter who's trying to do too much at the plate to end a slump.
In this game, we saw the version of Schenn the Blues need. It's great to get those wrister goals we've seen him snap from the left circle to end the game in overtime, but he's much better at the gritty goals.
The deflection for the power play was a thing of beauty. Just set up shop in front of the net and have your stick in the right spot.
His first goal was a great shot, but it was all about the work. Schenn outdueled two Calgary players below the goal line to keep the puck and then went out front to receive the pass. Just hard work and a just result.
Pro: Parayko goal
I fully understand we all need to let go of any comparisons between Parayko and Al MacInnis. He's just not going to focus on shooting enough to fulfill that potential.
However, it's hard not to make the comparison when Parayko unleashes a bomb like he did in this game. As Jamie Rivers said, the goalie had a complete view of it with no traffic in front at all. For 90% of the shots you'll see, that's a save, but when you're just ripping it past the goalie before he can even react, it's a goal.
Overview:
This game was important for several reasons. First, and foremost, you just needed a win to keep the momentum going.
Secondly, you're playing a team you are directly competing with for a playoff spot. Entering the game, the Flames owned the final playoff spot and were three points ahead of St. Louis.
Now, with a win, the Blues are within one point of the Flames. You've got that proverbial four-point swing and the Blues are really in a spot to contend.
Last, but not least, St. Louis has swept the season series with the Flames. At this moment in time, it seems inconsequential, but if it does come down to the Flames and Blues for that final spot, the Blues now hold the tiebreaker between the two.
Of course, plenty has to happen before that's even an issue, but it's nice to have in your back pocket. At least the Blues played a winning brand of hockey.
As we've said for weeks, the key is sustaining that. You have yourself back in a spot to contend for that final spot, but one or two slip-ups and it becomes a mountain instead of a hill.
The problem is that games like this and the other win over Calgary prove the Blues can be a playoff team. It makes you more aggravated that it took so long for them to hit anything resembling a stride though.
Where was the feistiness? Where was the defending? Why is the scoring so up and down?
I'm more than happy with the win and this was a fun individual game. Even just a modicum more consistency earlier in the season and the Blues would be in that final spot, if not closer to Colorado in the standings.
Still, we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth so to speak. Take it while we have it.