Are The Blues In Denial?

This season isn't lost, obviously, but the Blues' recent play lost them half of November, all of December, and January thus far. There are problems.

Fans and the team seem to be at different stages of the Kubler-Ross model. A refresher:

Fans, I would say, are at anger. Probably resignation. The Blues? Denial. Why do I say that? After blowing a two goal lead and losing for the fifth time in ten games, these are the post-game quotes we get:

Hitchcock: "Both teams poured their hearts out and played as well as they can play. We ran out of bodies." #stlblues

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 9, 2016

Hitchcock: "This was a playoff game. A sudden death single elimination playoff game. Both teams put forth a hell of an effort." #stlblues

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 9, 2016

Hitchcock: "This was one of the grittiest efforts by our team all year. It’s not the same (as the last games." #stlblues

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 9, 2016

Hitchcock: "This point feels so much different than the others. The others were heartbreaking... But this one feels good." #stlblues

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 9, 2016

What the fuck. Hitchcock called last night's game a "great point."

No, it's not. When you manage two shots on goal during the last period of a game, and you take constant penalties to start said period, it's not a great point. You snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. That is what you did. Yes, losing three key players contributed to the loss, but it did not contribute to just two SOG, and it didn't contribute to boneheaded penalties.

If the Blues are trying to justify their losses at this point, if they're really trying to polish a turd that hard, then maybe it's time to find a new turd polisher.