The Blues will look to even the series 2-2 tonight in San Jose at 6:15pm CST after getting blanked by the Sharks 3-0 in Game 3. You can find a video recap
here.
The Blues started the game strong and aggressive, getting the first 4 shots on goal and holding the Sharks without a shot in the first 8 minutes and 37 seconds of the period. David Backes came close to scoring twice in the first 12 and a half minutes, hitting the post on a shot and the cross bar on a deflection. Unfortunately for Blues fans, the Blues could not capitalize on their improved play.
With a little over 4 minutes left in the 1st period, Colton Parayko makes a poor attempt at an outlet pass, giving the puck away to Joe Thornton. Parayko compounds his mistake by deciding to pressure Joe Pavelski who is already being covered by Kevin Shattenkirk. As a result of Parayko’s bad decision, Pavelski is easily able to slide a pass over to a wide open Thomas Hertl who beats Brian Elliott high glove with a slap shot from the left circle.
Alex Pietrangelo is given a weak charging call near the end of the 1st period. The Blues do a good job killing the penalty to open the second period and in the first five minutes of the 2nd period, both teams can only record one shot each.
About seven and a half minutes in to the 2nd period, the Blues get their first strong scoring chance of the period but Kyle Brodziak shoots the puck right into Martin Jones’ chest on a rebound just outside the crease.
About four minutes later, Robbi Fabbri makes a very poor puck management decision, making a high risk, low probability, low reward pass attempt to Paul Stastny in the offensive zone. Joonas Donskoi breaks up the pass, creating a 3 on 2 the other way. Donskoi ends up with the puck between the circles and lets a shot go. Elliott’s ability to pick up the shot release is prevented by a last minute diving attempt as a blocked shot by Robert Bortuzzo. As a goalie, in this type of scenario, I would not want Bortuzzo to make that dive as it has a very low probability in blocking the shot but very high probability in negatively impacting my ability to make the save. You respect and admire the hustle but regret the decision.
Through the first two periods, the Blues are down 2-0 with both goals a result of plays started by the mistakes of rookies and the inability of veterans to finish a few high quality chances.
The Blues again start the 3rd period strong, getting the first four shots on goal and holding the Sharks without a shot for almost 6 minutes. Unfortunately, the first shot on goal is another goal from Hertl. Everyone has been talking about the wonderful pass by Joe Thornton to Hertl behind the net which allowed Hertl to walk clean out front and score. It was a very good pass but that pass was only possible because of the very poor defense and positioning of Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz had Hertl tied up behind the net and lets him go, losing track of where he is. Not only is he in the wrong position but his stick position and body angle are also not in a position to be able to defend anything. Hertl has released behind him and Schwartz is facing the boards with his stick in the air when the pass is made. Elliott is not patient enough in this bad situation and Hertl scores through the five hole.
After the goal, the Blues brought Jake Allen in relief of Elliott. Allen only has to stop 2 shots in the remaining 8:33 of the game. In what has been representative of the last two games, Brouwer misses a wide open net later in the third, ringing his shot off the outside of the post.
For as down as everyone is about the Blues, a win today evens the series and puts it right where a lot of people expected it might be.
Game 3 Notes
- Alexander Steen was a paltry 17% in the face off dot while Jori Lehtera was 71%
- Jaskin, Brodziak and Paajarvi were the only Blues forwards not minus for the game
- Pietrangelo had 5 blocked shots and only played 26 minutes
- No Sharks forward played 20 minutes
- Brent Burns only played 23 minutes
Recent quotes of interest
- Hitchcock – “The series is 2-1. You’ve got to win 4 games. This is nothing.” - I like the confidence but I don’t know that the trends in this series are nothing.
- Pietrangelo – “We started the way we wanted to. For some reason, we took our foot off the gas the second half of the first.” – You might want to figure out why and work on that.
- Pietrangelo commented that the Blues have another level in them. We’ve been hearing that but someone needs to remind him that St. Louis is in the show-me state. The Blues need to show it.
- Steen – “They made some adjustments after Game 1, and positionally we were very good last game, and I felt like we were forcing pucks. We weren’t as composed as we had been in prior series and in Game 1 and kind of almost fueled their game plan as opposed to helping ourselves.”
- Steen – “We’re used to having a bit more time and space. Right now our focus is on adjusting our game.”
- Hitchcock – “We’re paying for the few mistakes we make. That’s what teams who are so dialed in do. The few mistakes we’re making, we are paying for right now. We made them pay in Game 1. They’re making us pay in [Games] 2 and 3.
- Hitchcock – “The feeling I have is, if we clean up the transition stuff and stop giving up these odd-man rushes like we did…like we gave up five odd-man rushes in the first half of the game all based on us having the puck, not them having the puck, and if we clean that stuff up, then I think we’re really going to give it a go.” - I couldn’t agree more regarding Game 3 on the defensive side of things but the offensive zone side of things needs help too.
Game 4 Notes
Coach Ken Hitchcock has tabbed Jake Allen as the Game 4 starter. He is likely trying to shake up the team and give Brian Elliott some much needed rest in starting Jake Allen today. The amount the Blues had been relying on Elliott to bail them out in games isn’t and wasn’t sustainable. I would have pulled Elliott after the second goal on Thursday as the team needed some sort of jolt and nothing they have been trying so far has worked. I don’t see the goalie switch as much on Elliott as it is on the team and coaching staff.
I would expect the 4th line of Kyle Brodziak, Dmitri Jaskin and Magnus Paajarvi to remain for Game 4. Your guess is as good as mine as to whether we will see Robert Bortuzzo or Joel Edmundson.
NHL Champions for Charity
In what I hope becomes a Hockeybuzz tradition, Hockeybuzz Sharks blogger
Steve Palumbo and I placed a wager on the series. If the Blues win, Steve has agreed to make a donation to
Covenant House Missouri (@covenanthousemo on twitter) whose mission is to empower youth who are disconnected to design their own path from homelessness to opportunity. Thanks to my twitter typo, if the Blues win, I'll be donating to Safe Connections (@SafeConnections on twitter). If the Sharks win, I will donate to the
Hydrocephalus Association (@HydroAssoc on twitter) whose mission is to connect individuals to larger communities that can provide support and understanding, to educate national and state policymakers, the medical community, and the general population, and to advance treatment and eventually find a cure for Hydrocephalus.
I hope that our wagers will inspire players and fans to pledge donations for each win their team makes in the NHL playoffs. For the players, it would be great if they would agree to donate a small percentage of their playoff bonuses to charity while fans could donate an amount per win, perhaps both upping it if their team won the Stanley Cup. As a simple example, a player could pledge 0.25% per win with a bonus 1% if they win the Cup, bringing their total to 5%.
So far this playoff season, the Blues victory over the Stars has meant that
Bill Meltzer is donating to
Safe Connections (@SafeConnections on twitter).
It’s a great day for hockey.
St Louis Blues Blogger • 
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