Blues Lineup:
Forwards - Jaden Schwartz/Jori Lehtera/Vladimir Tarasenko...Robby Fabbri/Paul Stastny/Troy Brouwer...Patrik Berglund/Alexander Steen/David Backes...Scottie Upshall/Kyle Brodziak/Dmitrij Jaskin
Defensemen - Jay Bouwmeester/Alex Pietrangelo...Kevin Shattenkirk/Robert Bortuzzo...Carl Gunnarsson/Colton Parayko
Goalie - Brian Elliott
Game Highlights:
The Blues took to the ice at Scottrade with the chance to close out the Stars. Minus the first period, they probably would have done it, but two goals in TWENTY SECONDS probably didn't help that cause. To the highlights now, as we go just five minutes in to the game. Mattias Janmark would get the Stars on the board first as he would be Elliott (and everyone else on the ice) after a long stretch pass from Valeri Nichushki. 1-0 bad guys.
Then of course as mentioned above, Vernon Fiddler would score twenty seconds later turning Scottrade into a morgue. Apparently it was his birthday too which...Couldn't he have just settled for a cake or a stripper?
It didn't get any better for the Blues as the period went on. With a little over 3 minutes left in the period, Jason Spezza would score a powerplay goal and put the Stars up 3-0. That also prompted a goalie change as Brian Elliott was chased from the net. Jake Allen would come in and finish the game. You cannot blame Elliott for goals one and three. Two, yeah probably. Goal three was partly because one of the four guys the Blues had on the ice fell on his ass.
Moving forward to the second period where the Blues would finally take advantage of the juicy rebounds that Kari Lehtonen had been giving up to that point. Bortuzzo would shoot the puck at Lehtonen and Steen was there for the rebound and the 3-1 score.
The good news for the Blues is that their horrid second period didn't get them. In fact, as the game went on the Blues were getting better. Here's a stat for you...The Blues allowed seven shots on goal in the first period. They would only allow SEVEN shots on goal the rest of the game. The flip side of that? The Blues would only record 9 shots in the first. After that? 14 shots in the second and third periods. That's not even including blocked shots and chances that they missed the net completely. (Looking at you Kevin on that breakaway). One of the 5 shots they had in the second was a great chance out front, but Allen would be there to make the huge pad save keeping it a two goal game.
With the Blues seemingly back in the game, they would make it more interesting in the third. Kari Lehtonen would pull an Elliott and turn the puck over. Backes would pass it in to Lehtera who would then pass it through his legs to Berglund who would stuff it in the back of the net. 3-2 bad guys still but the Blues would push and keep pushing. Unfortunately, they just ran out of time and lose 3-2. The Blues are playing yet another game 7. This time it'll be on the road. Who starts in net? Brian Elliott. Hopefully, Joel Edmundson and Ryan Reaves make the lineup sheet too.
From The Twitter Machine:
It wasn't for lack of trying...
Blues outshoot Dallas 37-14. They directed 74 shots on net, compared to 25 for the Stars.
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) May 10, 2016
Berglund postgame:
Berglund on Game 7: "We have a little bit of experience now in that area." #STLBlueshttps://t.co/fw8lDbFUc0
— FOX Sports Midwest (@FSMidwest) May 10, 2016
Shatty seems confident, and honestly, he has a point:
Shattenkirk on #stlblues confidence: When we play our best hockey game they can't play with us. We saw that tonight in the 2nd and 3rd (1/3)
— Elizabeth Eisele (@ElizabethEisele) May 10, 2016
And finally, don't be this person. At least let them play it out first:
Updated playoff bracket....... #stlblues pic.twitter.com/yKXOMpP2ZZ
— TWO & THROUGH (@tdagostinoinstl) May 10, 2016
Three Stars:
Third - Colton Sceviour (2 assists. K.)
Second - Alexander Steen (1 goal. Sniffing at a chance to play in the conference final *token Steen big nose joke)
First - Kari Lehtonen. (35 saves. Welp.)