The Blues only have themselves to blame for excuses of fatigue

After the Blues followed up a miserable Game 2 with a dreadful Game 3, lots of explanations and excuses poured out from both fans and analysts. One of those which kept appearing was the issue of fatigue. There’s some merit to the argument as visually the Blues look significantly slower than the Sharks, but the excuse is just that – an excuse – and if the team really is fatigued they only have themselves to blame.

In the first round, the Blues needed seven games to beat the Blackhawks. Despite a 3-1 series lead, the Blues had to go the distance to kick out Chicago. Meanwhile, the Sharks were able to eliminate the LA Kings in just five games. There’s certainly a difference in talent when discussing the Blackhawks and Kings, but the fact remains that the Blues needed three opportunities to eliminate Chicago and those grueling playoff games tend to add up physically as the playoffs roll on.

In the second round, the Blues again needed seven games to defeat their opponent. This time, the Blues had a 3-2 lead over the Dallas Stars and needed two opportunities to advance. By comparison, the Sharks also needed seven games against the Nashville Predators.

Using some simple math, the Blues played 14 games prior to the third round while the Sharks skated in 12. Are two extra games the reason why the Blues look so overwhelmed?

The Blues could have ended both series earlier and been more rested for the third round. The Blackhawks and Stars were tough tests and it was imperative to end those rounds as quickly as possible in order to have any fight left in the Conference Final. Blues fans who were furious that the team kept missing out on elimination opportunities were fearful of this very outcome.

Now, there’s still a lot of hockey left in the third round. The Blues could jump out and shock everyone with some strong efforts. But, should they fall, get ready for the round of excuses which will likely be headlined by the topic of fatigue. If that’s the case, remember that the Blues only have themselves to blame.