Recap: Captain Hat Trick

Blues Lines:

Patrick Maroon - Ryan O’Reilly - Vladimir Tarasenko

Jaden Schwartz - Brayden Schenn - Jordan Kyrou

Alexander Steen - Tyler Bozak - David Perron

Ivan Barbashev - Robert Thomas - Sammy Blais

Jay Bouwmeester - Alex Pietrangelo

Chris Butler - Colton Parayko

Vince Dunn - Robert Bortuzzo

Jake Allen in net.

Game Highlights:

The Blues took a 1-0 lead on an absolute bomb by Colton Parayko.

That was Parayko’s first goal of the year, with Pat Maroon and Ryan O’Reilly getting the assists. Moments later, the Blues took a 2-0 lead. Vladimir Tarasenko found his own rebound and banked the puck off of Blackhawks starter Cam Ward and across the goal line. This came after Pat Maroon nearly murdered Brent Seabrook. First of the year for Tarasenko with O’Reilly getting another assist. If my math was right he was on pace for 169 (nice) assists by years end.

But here comes Jonathan Toews to shit all over the fun that everyone was having. Bouncing puck off of the boards basically right to Toews and Alex Pietrangelo kind of just stood there and watched. 2-1 Blues after one.

A minute and a half into the second the Hawks tied the game at two. Patrick Kane found some open ice and sniped a shot past Jake Allen.

The Blackhawks took the lead about midway through the second. Patrick Kane fired the initial shot on Allen. Allen unfortunately gave up a rebound right to Marcus Kruger who tapped it back into the wide open net.

The Blues rolled with some new lines at the end of the second/beginning of the third. Those were: Maroon-O’Reilly-Kyrou, Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko, Steen-Bozak-Blais, and Barbashev-Thomas-Perron. The Blues then proceeded to tie the game back up at 3 after Tarasenko netted his second of the night (and the season). At first it looked as if Cam Ward had made an excellent save. The horn of doom sounded and the play was up for review. Upon said review it was determined that the puck did in fact cross the goal line.

Not even thirty seconds later, the Blues score again. An unlikely goal from * checks notes * one Chris Butler gave the Blues the 4-3 lead.

Because Jonathan Toews hates fun, he tied the game right back up at four with 13 minutes to go in the hockey game.

So the Blues play to the Gary Bettman memorial participation point and head into overtime hoping to get the second. Which of course since three on three is a fun thing Captain Jackass, er, Serious had to end that too. On a breakaway.

Hawks win, but Blues get a point. Too much standing around tonight. At least the offense pulled their heads out of asses. At one point in the third they spent an entire power play in the offensive zone. I wasn’t sure that was even allowed until tonight. The Blues don’t play again until Thursday so this one has sometime to marinate. Ugh.

Twitter and stuff.

See? Tarasenko isn’t panicked yet. We shouldn’t be either...right? RIGHT?!?!

I feel like he said shitty hockey at the beginning of this thing. He wouldn’t be wrong.

Player of the Game:

St. Louis’ own Patty Maroon for nearly killing a Blackhawk.