/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/29718287/477312041.0.jpg)
This was just a game of a heart attack waiting to happen. It was fun, gritty, and all around intense. It was a playoff best of seven like atmosphere. Damn would it be cool if these two budding rivals met in the playoffs sometime soon!? The Blues were on their game today. Call it the fresh mountain air or all of the Mary Jane floating around in the smog covering Denver, something woke this team up and put them in focus mode.
First Period
The first period was uneventful where scoring was concerned. Both Ryan Miller and Semyon Varlamov were excellent for their respective teams somehow making a save or two when they really should not have. Some hilarity happened early on with Brenden Morrow and Derek Roy colliding with one face first with the puck sandwiched between them. But the highlights of the period were strongly with Miller and Varlamov, each keeping the score at 0-0 heading into the locker room for the first intermission.
Second Period
The second period proved to be a pivotal point in the St. Louis Blues gameplay. They came out hard and fast against the Avs and held up the majority of the pressure for the second interval of 20 minutes. Miller seemed to be able to sit back, crack open a beer and watch from atop the net as his new teammates assaulted the Colorado defense. The Blues would take a penalty a 4:46 with Barret Jackman heading to the box after being called for interfering with John Mitchell. The Blues penalty kill unit would hold the Avs to just one goal in their two minute power play. Seventeen seconds after the Jaxx penalty expired, at 7:03, everyone showed off their best "O" Face when T.J. Oshie would send a beautiful feed to captain David Backes, putting the Blues up 1-0. The Blues would continue the assault on the Avalanche for the rest of the period and would take the lead into the locker room to prep for the final round of the game.
Third Period
The third period would be All blue and yellow, with even the Denver crowd chanting for the away team. After taking a bad delay of game (puck over the glass) call half way through the second period Patrik Berglund would come out like a bandit in the third. At 3:53 of the period Bergie would teach us all how to drop it like it's hot with a beautiful blind shot goal. Berglund utilized an Avs defenseman as a human shield on Varlamov and taking the shot through his legs to blindly score the game winner. Although the period would be All St. Louis Blues all the time the Aves would later capitalize on a juicy rebound shot halfway through the period.
Bluenotes From Twitter
Good Idea: A goalie making a save on a guy all alone 6" in front of him. Bad Idea: Allowing that guy to be all alone 6" in front of goal.
— Jason McAdams (@JMill1120) March 8, 2014
Yes. The Miller pregame in a Blues sweater...Looks so good. #stlblues
— Justin Williams (@justin03) March 8, 2014
#stlblues have the most wins when scoring 1st (34); Colorado is 2nd (31). They are 2 of the 3 teams with only 1 reg loss when scoring first.
— STL Blues History (@STLBlueshistory) March 8, 2014
Miller's just so calm. Love him with #stlblues so far.
— Marcus E Pettersson (@erderuft) March 8, 2014
1-0!!!!
— lauren cosgrove (@laurencosgrove3) March 8, 2014
David Backes keeps climbing the St Louis Blues all time list. Now tied 12th all time in Points (345) with Wayne Babych. #stlblues
— STL Blues History (@STLBlueshistory) March 8, 2014
That David Oshie Backes, cuz it's like they're one person. #stlblues
— Samuel McKinney (@Samuelkent) March 8, 2014
Jax, I am enjoying your sass today.
— TruBlueGirls (@TruBlueGirls) March 8, 2014
That's an impressive snipe from Patrik Berglund, to corral the puck and shoot all in one motion. Four goals in four games for Berglund.
— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) March 8, 2014
Big save by Varlamov, keeping Steen from giving the Blues a 3-1 lead with 8:24 left. #STLBlues
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) March 8, 2014
— Jason McAdams (@JMill1120) March 8, 2014
#JAX; he gives no pucks... #stlblues
— Hitch's Hat (@HitchsHat) March 8, 2014
With Varlamov pulled, the Avs had a big flurry in front of Miller, but he stood his ground. #STLBlues
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) March 8, 2014
Your captain needs to be your horse in these games. David Backes was: 1 goal, +1, 20:14 TOI, 2 hits, 2 blocks, won 11-15 faceoffs. #STLBlues
— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) March 8, 2014
Tweet of the Game
"Let's Go Blues" chant in Denver. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
— Tyler Atwood (@KingDonutI) March 8, 2014