NHL
Game 4: St. Louis Blues Had Deja Vu Losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in Overtime 4-3
The last time these two met (10/6), it was a back and forth game that saw the St. Louis Blues losing in overtime. In that game, Chicago’s Jonathan Toews scored a hat trick while Blues right winger, Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals. Cam Ward took the OT win and Jake Allen was assessed the OT loss.
1st Period
The Blackhawks begin the second half of the first period on the powerplay. With five seconds left in the powerplay, Dominik Kahun picks the puck up at center ice and carries into the zone. Kahun leaves the puck for Brandon Saad. He takes a shot and Jake Allen kicks the puck away but right to a wide-open Artem Anisimov who sends it back into a wide open net just seconds after the power play ended.
CHI Goal: Artem Anisimov (1) Assisted By: Brandon Saad (2) and Dominik Kahun (3) 1-0 Blackhawks
The Blackhawks now have it the zone again two minutes later. A shot is saved by Allen and the puck is driven into the corner where it finds Joel Edmundson’s stick. Edmundson looks and sees the Referee next to him and fires the puck backhanded up the wing. The puck exits the surface of play over the glass for a delay of game penalty giving the Blackhawks another powerplay.
With a minute left on the powerplay, the Hawks have the Blues scrambling. Patrick Kane sends the puck to the far side for Alex DeBrincat. He takes a shot and the rebound is stuffed to Allen’s right pad by Toews. All four Blues penalty killers are now below the hash marks. Colton Parayko gets the puck out of the crease but right on the stick of Patrick Kane. Tyler Bozak dives to poke check the puck but Kane skates away. He looks at the net and sees Parayko and Ivan Barbashev tangled up with Jake Allen in the crease. Kane skates away even more and waits for room and fires a shot at an empty area of the net covered by no Blues players and scores on the powerplay.
CHI Goal: Patrick Kane (5) Unassisted 2-0 Blackhawks
Once again the Hawks are in the zone and shooting the puck. Jan Rutta takes a shot that is saved but Allen leaves a rebound. The rebound goes right to Alexandre Fortin who backhands it at the net but Allen slides over and extends his left leg for an amazing save to stop Fortin from scoring the third goal of the period. At the end of the first, the Chicago Blackhawks are out shooting St. Louis Blues 23-10.
2nd Period
Just past the halfway mark of the game, the Blackhawks send the puck in deep. Ryan O’Reilly is chasing after it and gets tripped by Nick Schmaltz drawing a penalty. The Blues get possession and head up ice. Vladimir Tarasenko gives the puck to Jordan Schmaltz, Nick’s brother. Jordan Schmaltz carries the puck in, cuts back and waits for the sixth man to hop over the boards. Schmaltz gives it to the sixth man, Brayden Schenn. With Ivan Barbashev screening the goalie, Schenn takes a shot that whizzes by Ward for a BLUUUEESSS GOAL and it cuts the score in half.
STL Goal: Brayden Schenn (1) Assisted By: Jordan Schmaltz (1) and Vladimir Tarasenko (1) 2-1 Blackhawks
3rd Period
The Blues ended the second period with a powerplay and began the third with it. There are seven seconds left on the powerplay as the Blues dump the puck in. Cam Ward stops it behind the net and takes a look. He turns and feeds it to Brandon Manning who misses the pass. The puck is picked up by David Perron who goes forehand, backhand and flips the puck over a diving Ward for a BLUUUEESSS POWERPLAY GOAL and Perron has his fourth goal in two games.
STL Goal: David Perron (4) Unassisted 2-2 Tie
St. Louis has the powerplay again with just over 15 minutes to play. Four skaters battle for the puck in the zone as Alexander Steen comes in and picks it up. He looks up and gives it to a wide open Brayden Schenn. Sammy Blais slides down the far side setting up a 2-on-1. Jonathan Toews poles his stick to eliminate the pass and Brayden Schenn takes a low shot that beats Cam Ward 5-hole for another BLUUUEESSS POWERPLAY GOAL.
STL Goal: Brayden Schenn (2) Assisted By: Alexander Steen (2) and Colton Parayko (1) 3-2 Blues
A little under seven to play in regulation and the Blues are trying to kill time. A stretch pass looking for O’Reilly’s stick was sent and picked off by Duncan Keith. He sends it to Toews on the left wing and now the Hawks have it in the zone. Toews fires it to DeBrincat who skates to the just above the hash marks and snipes a shot over Allen’s blocker for a goal. Once again the Blues give up a late goal to the Blackhawks.
CHI Goal: Alex DeBrincat (5) Assisted By: Jonathan Toews (4) and Duncan Keith (4) 3-3 Tie
Overtime
One minute into the fourth period, Brayden Schenn was fed a pass sending him in on a breakaway. He skates down and shoots but Cam Ward stones Schenn cold with the blocker.
The group the Blues had out on the ice were out for a while. There are ten seconds to go in the game and the Hawks have all momentum. Erik Gustafsson has the puck behind the net, he sends it to DeBrincat who takes a shot that is saved by Allen. The rebound finds Gustafsson who looks to shoot but fakes the shot and sends it DeBrincat again. This time, with Jake Allen on the opposite side of the goal, Alex DeBrincat tips the game winner into the net to seal the deal.
CHI Goal: Alex DeBrincat (6) Assisted By: Erik Gustafsson (3) and Artem Anisimov (1) 4-3 Blackhawks
Final in Overtime: Chicago 4 – St. Louis 3
The blame this game should go to the defense. There is no need for your goalie to face 50 shots in a game. Jake Allen played very good and stopped 46 of the 50 shots he faced. Joel Edmundson led the Blues with six blocked shots out of the 14 total. Alex Pietrangelo led the team in Time On Ice at 28:30.
Thoughts
- Block Shots
What’s Ahead?
The St. Louis Blues played Anaheim at home on Sunday (10/14) and lost, the Postgame Report for that one will be out shortly.
Other Blues News
- Jaden Schwartz did not play in this game and missed the game against the Ducks as well
- Chris Johnson was set to make his Blues debut on Sunday vs. the Ducks
Social Media
Follow Jared on Twitter @jared_pettus_00
Photo Credit
Photo Courtesy of Zimbio
