Welcome back Blues! For the first time in the third round, the Blues played some of the hockey which made them so successful all season long. Passes were sharp. Defensive play was mostly sound. Forwards were pressuring the opposition. Special teams played a positive role. The Blues finally returned to their style of hockey and it worked extremely well. Meanwhile, the Sharks tried their best to injure with some dirty play.
Before diving into the Sharks and their goon antics, let’s talk about Kyle Brodziak. He’s been a solid member of the fourth line all season long, but his game was elevated to a new level in Game 4. His snipe while on the PK was a beauty. His block of a shot when he didn’t even have a stick was a perfect example of how he consistently turns in a big effort. The fourth line as a whole was outstanding.
That being said, it may be time to call on Ryan Reaves. Magnus Paajarvi didn’t make many waves in Games 3 or 4 and the Blues might be wise to have Reaves out there to police the Sharks.
Here’s a few examples why.
Joe Thornton punch from behind:
Joe Thornton just hit Alex Pietrangelo in the back of the head. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/OOx6lNFU4h
— Cristiano Simonetta (@CMS_74_) May 22, 2016
This hit on Fabbri:
https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/734171665907744768
This punch from Burns into Tarasenko:
https://twitter.com/BenJeezle/status/734177443829796865
https://twitter.com/BenJeezle/status/734178368812257280
The list could continue on and on with cheap shots from the Sharks. Things eventually culminated with Carl Gunnarsson dropping the mitts. That’s a spot where Reaves could shine and he at least could dish a little punishment back towards the Sharks.
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