The St. Louis Blues lost. Again. The Blues hung with the Los Angeles Kings through two periods and 17 minutes of the third before ultimately allowing a third goal which sealed the result. It wasn't until the Kings scored on an empty net that the Blues finally woke up and seemed to care about the result, a typical display that fans have become all too familiar with.
The Blues move to 17-14-2 on the year and to 8-7-1 at home.
Is it time to make a change? The Blues were held for quite a while after their loss to Edmonton and there was a private meeting with the leaders of the team. The term "buy-in" was brandished about. Well, another game, another loss. When is it time to realize the message is falling on deaf ears?
The Blues are now just +1 in goal differential, scoring 94 while allowing 93.
Andy McDonald was a (-4) on the night.
The Blues are now 6-7-1 against teams from the Pacific. Three of those losses were to the Kings.
Vladimir Tarasenko finally found the back of the net. The entire St. Louis offense has had a tough time finding twine, but Tarasenko has been robbed on four or five chances in his last four games. We're talking high quality opportunities that were robbed by an outstanding save. Nice to see him get one. He was due.
Tarasenko's second goal showed his immense hockey intelligence, lifting Rob Scuderi's stick before sliding the puck into the empty net. Very smart play.
Chris Stewart was a (-3) on the night.
Alexander Steen and Tarasenko each fired four shots. That's not counting the numerous Steen shots which flew wide.
Numerous times Bernie Federko referred to bad plays by the Blues as "an unfortunate break." Were there some? Yes, but good teams overcome the luck factor. The Blues had numerous errors that were self-inflicted that shouldn't be glossed over.
What's it going to take for David Perron to cut the offensive penalties out of his game?
LA's second goal was a perfect summary of what the Blues do wrong. Trevor Lewis beats the defenseman, Wade Redden, and wins a puck that should have been easily cleared aside. Lewis bats at it and the puck sneaks past Jaroslav Halak and his post. Momentum zapped. Was it a tricky bounce? Maybe, but the D has to do better on pucks like that. Halak has to do a better job of sealing his post. The Blues can't allow goals when it's 2-on-3 and a bad angle.
Blues played dangerously in the first period. They allowed one clean breakaway and one partial breakaway. All in all, they were lucky enter the dressing room level after 20 minutes.
@frozennotes seem like the only player that bought in is the one who speaks the least English
— Michael Mitchell (@Mike_Mitchell72) March 29, 2013
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I saw numerous Tweets from Blues fans that were upset the team didn't go out and get Jarome Iginla. There's just so many things wrong with that thought that I don't even know where to start. The most obvious might have been Iginla named four teams he'd go to and St. Louis wasn't one of them.
Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk both assisted on Tarasenko's second goal. It was Pietrangelo's first point in six games and Shattenkirk's first point in nine games.
Patrik Berglund was demoted to the fourth line for an extended spell tonight. Puzzling move as other players seemed more deserving of a demotion (Perron).
Nelly attended tonight's game. Not sure if that means much to you, but there it is.
At the start of the year the Blues were widely praised for their ability to easily enter the opponent's zone. Now it seems as if the Blues have difficulty even crossing the red line, let alone crossing into the enemy's zone. It seems as if other teams have figured out the St. Louis strategy and are preventing it before it develops.
When was the last time T.J. Oshie "Oshied" someone? I know Rick Nash plays in the East now, but c'mon!
Speaking of Oshie, he's one of many St. Louis players that continually struggles to clear his own zone. Skip the flashy move or tricky pass, just get the puck out. It doesn't have to be pretty.
LA's third goal should be an example for the Blues. LA's intensity and determination led to a goal. That's what the Blues need to mimic and copy in order to produce a goal when they need one.
Work hard, never quit. That was the motto of the 2011-12 Blues. The 2013 motto? Work hard sometimes, quit often. That might be a bit wordy, but it's factual.
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