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Preds Vs. Blues Round 2, Game 1 Recap: Fiddler Sticks!

Despite a two goal third period, the Blues can't overcome...themselves.

By Justin42
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Blues Lineup:

Forwards - Jaden Schwartz/Paul Stastny/Vladimir Tarasenko

Alexander Steen/Patrik Berglund/David Perron

Vladimir Sobotka/Jori Lehtera/Magnus Paajarvi

Scottie Upshall/Kyle Brodziak/Ryan Reaves

Defensemen - Jay Bouwmeester/Alex Pietrangelo

Joel Edmundson/Colton Parayko

Carl Gunnarsson/Robert Bortuzzo

Goaltender - Jake Allen

Game Highlights:

With the series starting in St. Louis, the Blues looked to take advantage of home ice. The Predators had other ideas though as they were coming off their sweep of the Blackhawks. (You know in case you hadn't heard). Predators received a powerplay when David Perron skated by Pekka Rinne and the breeze knocked him over. On the ensuing power play Colin Wilson scores on a deflection. P.K. Subban wound up and fired a shot that Wilson ended up getting a stick on. 1-0 Not Blues.

Just moments into the second period, Kevin Fiala crashed awkwardly into the boards. There was nothing that Robert Bortuzzo could do on the play. It was just one of those things that happens during a hard played hockey game. Granted it is Robert Bortuzzo, but give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.

After Fiala was stretchered off of the ice, there was a short delay. They needed to make sure that there was an ambulance in place before they could resume. Once one showed up, action resumed, and moments later P.K. Subban hits the scoresheet again. Subban's first goal of the playoffs comes from a long shot past the circle. It seems he is going to be a thorn in the side of the Blues for this series.

Subban isn't the only defensemen that can create offense. Still in the second period the Blues climbed back to within one thanks to Colton Parayko. On the play, Parayko looked like a natural goal scorer showing patience, and then going five hole on Rinne. Shoutout to the Preds for leaving 55 wide open and letting him get all the way to the net to do this in the first place. Still 2-1 Preds though.

Just when you think the Blues were back in this, the Preds come back and score a powerplay goal. The Blues had just finished killing off a 5 on 3 when the Preds scored on another deflection. (BTW: Everytime a stick breaks it doesn't mean it's a slash, it was just a shitty stick). Subban this time deflected a shot off of Frankenstein's Filip Forsberg's fat foot to make it 3-1.

In the third period, the Blues finally stopped shooting themselves in the foot and started playing hockey. Jaden Schwartz pulled the Blues within one on a great set-up from Paul Stastny. Schwartz just didn't quit on the shift and his hard work paid off. 3-2 Preds.

Vladimir Sobotka tied the game at three on a shot that looked like it could have came from that other Vladimir on the team. After getting outshot at one point 25-12, the Blues managed to tie the game. The Preds definitely backed off in the third, and they definitely paid for it.

Jake Allen has been great for the Blues in the postseason. There's no denying that. Unfortunately, we all make mistakes. Maybe not as big as giving up a goal late in a playoff game big...Allen went to poke the puck away. Swing and a miss and just like that the Preds are ahead 4-3 again. Bouwmeester, also failed to clear the puck generating the chance for Austin Watson to put it towards the net.

The Preds scored a late empty net goal, but it was waived off for being offsides. The Preds win this one 4-3. It wasn't all doom and gloom though. The Blues were able to score as many goals on Rinne as the Hawks did the entire first round. (Seriously, Rinne's GAA was only 0.70 coming into tonight). The Blues dominated 5 on 5 play. The downsides, other than only playing 35 minutes again? Faceoffs have got to get better. Stastny coming back hasn't seemed to help. The powerplay went 0-1 again tonight. Blues take the ice again Friday at 7.

From The Twitter Machine:

Breaking News from the "No Shit" department -

Yeost Game -

Fans were loud. That was fun.

Yep.

Hey, you can check out the Wolves coverage right here on the site, but ICYMI...

Player of the Game:

The NHL for not making us sit through another 8:30 start. *Looks at Tuesday* Shit!