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Blues Lineup:
Forwards: Jaden Schwartz/Paul Stastny/Nail Yakupov, Robby Fabbri/Jori Lehtera/Vladimir Tarasenko, Alexander Steen/Patrik Berglund/David Perron, Scottie Upshall/Kyle Brodziak/Ryan Reaves
Defensemen: Joel Edmundson/Alex Pietrangelo, Carl Gunnarsson/Kevin Shattenkirk, Colton Parayko/Jay Bouwmeester
Goaltender: Carter Hutton
First Period:
The Blues took on the Edmonton McDavid's tonight in a match up between him and Vladimir Tarasenko. Neither of them were involved in the first goal of the game though. Less than five minutes in, Brodziak scores to make it 1-0 Blues.
The fourth line almost struck again just a few moments later. Reaves was able to get the puck in on Edmonton Starter Cam Talbot. If only Talbot had been a bit slower, the Blues could have had a 2-0 lead.
The Oilers weren't about to go down 2-0 though. Tyler Pitlick ties the game at one after Leon Draisaitl wins the faceoff. Who says winning faceoffs aren't important huh?
Tarasenko is second in the league in points right now for a reason. Shots from sharp angles finding their way into the back of the net is one of them. Tarasenko scores just thirty three seconds after the Oilers tie the game. The goal was set up by Fabbri getting the initial shot on Talbot. Tarasenko was there for the rebound chance and flung it past Talbot. Talbot may have also been losing his balance as Tarasenko was shooting...The Blues would take it though and go right back up 2-1.
Second Period:
The second period was far worse from the Blues. If Hutton hadn't been making some key saves in the period, it could have easily been tied in the second. The Blues were outshot in the second period 15-6. But as mentioned Hutton kept the Blues in the game, even if the Blues themselves weren't going to.
Third Period:
Because if you didn't this coming from a mile away...welp. Patrick Maroon finally gets one past Hutton to tie the game at two.
Hutton kept the game close with another pad save with about 8 minutes left in the game.
At the end of regulation, Hutton almost erased all of his hard work for the night. He turned the puck over while out of his crease. Luckily he turned the puck over to Milan Lucic, who can't hit the broad side of a barn. The Blues end up with at least the participation point. It's one of those things that they probably should have had the win.
Overtime:
Tarasenko tried to make his bid for leading the NHL in points. Unfortunately, Talbot was up to the task and robs Tarasenko of the game winning goal.
Like that Linkin Park song says, "in the end it doesn't even matter". The Oilers win it on a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal. Oh, and getting an assist on the play was Connor McDavid, because of course he did.
The Blues, or us as fans for that matter, don't have to wait long for the next game. The Blues are in Dallas tomorrow night to take on the Stars.
From The Twitter Machine:
Patrick Maroon, goal scorer and softy apparently. Oh did you know he was from St. Louis?!?!?!?!?!?
#Oilers Patrick Maroon chokes up while seeing his son celebrate his goal in his hometown of St. Louis tonight pic.twitter.com/6HFc88Mm6T
— Marina Molnar (@mkmolnar) December 20, 2016
In case anyone wants to hear Hitch...and maybe translate.
Ken Hitchcock: "If you're going to beat a team like Edmonton, you're going to have to have everybody on board, and we didn't." #stlblues pic.twitter.com/yxnV4xc4Jm
— FOX Sports Midwest (@FSMidwest) December 20, 2016
Reaves post game.
Ryan Reaves after #stlblues' loss: "Obviously giving up a lead again is tough, but we're building. We've just got to learn to bury teams." pic.twitter.com/yhE4ODxmvH
— FOX Sports Midwest (@FSMidwest) December 20, 2016
And finally, from the No Shit Department (These guys have been busy this year)
Brodziak: "We didn't have the killer instinct like we would've liked." #stlblues
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) December 20, 2016
Player of the Game:
Carter Hutton. It's his birthday. Woo.