Blues Unable To Respond Over Final Forty Minutes, Drop Two Points To Detroit

That whole "Get the two points" mantra took a hit tonight. After starting out with the momentum for the first 20 minutes where they outskated the Red Wings and took advantage of a shitty line change by the home team by notching the first goal, the Blues were unable to respond when the Red Wings came out and were almost immediately able to take control of the game's momentum for the remainder.

Somebody's got to bury this, so let's double tap this game with some bullets to make sure it's dead:

• Pregame on KMOX noted a few things that needed to happen for the Blues to win: Blues have to outskate Detroit to the tough areas, the loose pucks, and generally get to the areas where they need to be before Detroit suggests otherwise. First twenty? Great. Second and third twenty minute sets? Shitty.
• Don't get into a special teams battle with Detroit. Sure fucked that one up. The Stewart penalty was warranted and I'm glad he took it. Stewart wasn't analyzing a damn thing about Brad Stuart's hit with regards to legality. All he saw was Alex Pietrangelo get leveled and instantly Stewie was out to distribute a message that Petro will be protected by his teammates. The Langenbrunner and Colaiacovo penalties were both products of the Blues being either frustrated or one step behind.
• Blues can not live with only one line producing. I can't say the fourth line didn't pull their weight, being they took advantage of the bad change and converted. Unfortunately, the fourth line was the only one to pot anything for the Blues. Jimmy Howard answered the call on good chances in tight by Perron and Stewart to keep things tilted towards Jaro.
• Jaroslav Halak: Sometimes you don't have to do much and you notch a shutout (Example: Game against Edmonton). Sometimes you play outstanding and still let in 3 (Example: Tonight). All the outstanding netminding in the world wouldn't have won that one for the Blues.
• Patrik Berglund: He gets his name on my chalkboard AND two checkmarks. You don't want to know what happens after three checkmarks. Jimmy Howard (I'll get to him in a minute) actually bothers to respond to a crease scrum and Bergie responds by pairing up with a goalie. Helluva dance partner to pick there, Bergie. Fuck.
• Jimmy Howard: Oh, you say you won't be tolerant of such extracurricular activity in your crease, eh? If you're actually going to throw a few rights and lefts, at least bother to ditch the trapper/blocker paraphernalia and lose the mask. If you won't be bothered to fight without something protecting you, I've got a pair of Sock 'em Boppers in storage somewhere from when I was 7 or so. If I recall correctly, they were more fun than a pillow fight.
• Datsyuk: As is usual, fuck that guy and his extraordinary bachhand action.
• Additional bullet point after some thinking: Mike Babcock: You, sir, may be the coach of a team that I hate, but anyone that tells Pierre McGuire to end this fucking interview and go away is alright in my book in that regard.
  

Let's shovel some dirt on this game in the comments and hope the Blues make it out of this wretched hive of scum and villainy and make it back home. They've got Geno and the Pens to contend with soon.