NHL
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. St. Louis Blues
Game 7: The Toronto Maple Leafs vs. St. Louis Blues game was in Toronto for a Saturday Night Game on Hockey Night In Canada.
On Saturday night it is Hockey Night in Canada for the Toronto Maple Leafs vs St. Louis Blues. Coming into the game, the Blues sit at a record of 1-3-2. This game is a must win for Mike Yeo and the Blues defense and the team came out strong and played a really great game.
1st Period
There were no goals in the first period this game, which is the first time all season that the Blues have not allowed a first period goal. Jake Allen and Frederik Andersen battled and both made a few good saves. Andersen got help from the goal post a few times, but there was nothing spectacular. The Blues had the only power play in the period but could not put the puck in the net.
2nd Period
Robert Bortuzzo takes a shot that is saved and held by Frederik Andersen. At 15:24 the Blues have an offensive zone faceoff to the right of the goaltender. The Maple Leafs win the draw. Travis Dermott chases the puck to the corner where David Perron nudges him off the puck. Perron finds it and centers the puck but it hits John Tavares’s leg and finds Robert Bortuzzo. He smacked a one-time- a shot that is deflected by a stick in front and through Andersen for a BLUUUEESSS GOAL.
STL Goal: Robert Bortuzzo (1) Assisted By David Perron (2) 1-0 Blues
St. Louis dumps the puck in and chases it as Frederik Andersen stops it and throws it up. Alex Pietrangelo holds the puck in and kicks it back down low to David Perron. He looks to the slot where he sees Zach Sanford rushing. Perron slides it to Sanford who rips a wrist shot over Andersen’s glove for a second BLUUUEESSS GOAL.
STL Goal: Zach Sanford (1) Assisted By David Perron (3) and Alex Pietrangelo (1) 2-0 Blues
The Blues are on the powerplay now. The puck is behind the net. Morgan Rielly runs into Tarasenko who pokes the puck away. Dermott gets it and tries to clear it out but Patrick Maroon is there and blocks the attempt and pushes the puck to the boards. Marron kicks it to a wide open Tarasenko behind the net. He makes a firm pass on to the stick of Ryan O’Reilly who tips it in the net for his first career BLUUUEESSS GOAL. The powerplay had ended just seconds before the goal was scored.
STL Goal: Ryan O’Reilly (1) Assisted By Vladimir Tarasenko (4) and Patrick Maroon (4) 3-0 Blues
3rd Period
The Maple Leafs are applying pressure now. Tavares has the puck behind the net. He throws it to Jake Gardiner who fakes a shot and hands it to Mitch Marner who throws it across the ice to Morgan Rielly. He waits, changes the angle, and fires a wrist shot at the bundle of players in front of Allen. Somehow, the puck finds its way to Allen and through Allen’s elbow for a Maple Leaf goal.
TOR Goal: Morgan Rielly (4) Assisted By Mitch Marner (8) and Jake Gardiner (6) 3-1 Blues
Toronto is on the power play with just over 1:30 to play. Mitch Marner has it and throws it to the side of the net to John Tavares. He tries to slam it home but it is poled away. Ivan Barbashev gets to it and throws the puck down the ice for a shorthanded empty net BLUUUEESSS GOAL.
STL Goal: Ivan Barbashev (1) Assisted By Ryan O’Reilly (6) 4-1 Blues
Final: St. Louis 4 – Toronto 1
Game one of two in the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. St. Louis Blues series was really good. The Blues played a game full of strong forechecks and good backchecks. It is hard to pick out a single bad thing in the game. Jake Allen played really strong against the team with the best Powerplay Percentage coming into the game. The Blues PK stopped every Maple Leafs powerplay while the even strength units held John Tavares and Auston Matthews scoreless.
Thoughts
- The Blues played great and did not have a 3rd-period breakdown.
- Keep Bouwmeester scratched. Mike Yeo decided to scratch Jay Bouwmeester and the Blues defense played their best game in a whole calendar year.
What’s Ahead?
The St. Louis Blues find themselves in Winnipeg to end the three-game road trip on Monday to play the Winnipeg Jets. The Postgame Report for Monday’s game will be up later.
Other Blues News
- Robert Bortuzzo flew home to St. Louis after the game to get a second opinion on his lower body injury. Bortuzzo played 17:46 in the game.
- Nikita Soshnikov was assigned to the San Antonio Rampage on a rehab assignment
Social Media
Follow Jared on Twitter @jared_pettus_00
Photo Credit
Photo Courtesy of Mark Rogers
