Where to go about summing up Game 3? Is it the old cliché of the Blues starting late, key playoff injuries knocking their chances (Fuhr, Pronger, etc), the Blues failing to step on their opponent’s throat and finish them, the Blues curse or simply the Sharks getting a little help from their friends in stripes? At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is they now trail in the series 2-1.
In looking at my keys to the series, the Blues didn’t score 1st and didn’t keep it close in the 1st period. They lost the goaltending battle, especially when they could have put the game out of reach in the 3rd period and they didn’t win the 3rd period. It’s no surprise then that they lost, even if they lost on an overtime goal that shouldn’t have counted.
The first item of note from the 1st period was the serious injury to Vince Dunn who took a puck to the face, around the mouth area. Dunn was bleeding a decent amount before even making it off the ice and appeared to be in real distress, almost in medical shock, acting very erratically and eventually falling through the players’ bench door and having to be carried back to the dressing room. Dunn did not return the game and I don’t expect you will see him again in this series. This was a big loss for the Blues early in the game.
The Sharks opened the scoring about two thirds of the way in the 1st period. Terrible puck support on a Sharks dump in leads to the 1st goal. Joel Edmundson is retrieving the puck and gets a signal from Jordan Binnington to do what I refer to as a reverse rim around. Unfortunately, Pat Maroon gets too deep, falls and misses the puck, allowing for the turnover to Erik Karlsson. The two Sharks aggressive forecheckers come out from behind the net and Karlsson puts a screened shot past Binnington.
The Sharks would double their lead less than four minutes later when Joe Thornton would score after Robert Bortuzzo takes himself out of the play, trying to block the shot from the point.
The Blues came out flying the 2nd period, scoring just a little over a minute into the period. Karlsson stars the Blues scoring play by badly missing a shot from the right point and then making a supremely lazy play, getting beat back down the ice by Ivan Barbarshev. Barbashev makes a great play to maintain his advantage and fend off Karlsson before passing the puck to Alexander Steen for the goal.
The Blues celebration would be short lived with Thornton getting his 2nd goal and the two goal lead back just 18 seconds later. Watch on the play how Jaden Schwartz makes a terrible decision to leave Thornton and Binnington is way too slow and methodical to move into position.
The Blues would answer again, less than three minutes later on this vintage type Vladimir Tarasenko goal.
The Blues would benefit as the officials would miss what appeared to be a delay of game penalty on David Perron. Perron would take advantage scoring two goals in less than three minutes. The 1st goal is a beautiful snipe from the face-off circle.
His second goal would come on the power play and appear to be a harmless shot until it deflects off the shin pads of the Sharks’ defender.
And just like that, the Blues are up 4-3 after two periods.
The Blues would have a number of glorious changes in prime, low slot scoring areas but Martin Jones would deny them all. Then in what would turn out to be a back-breaking scenario, Schwartz would miss an empty net chance, putting the puck off the post. Shortly thereafter, the Sharks would score to the tie the game.
After multiple icings by Alex Pietrangelo, Tyler Bozak would win the faceoff to the side wall but Jay Bouwmeester is outworked along the wall (perhaps because of extra minutes due to Dunn’s injury?). Alex Pietrangelo chases to the wall and then up the wall the exact wrong play, leaving Ryan O’Reilly to be the lone Blues player in front of the net, defending two Sharks players. Craig Berube alluded to this error without calling it directly out in his post-game interview when he stated that you can’t let two of the Sharks forwards get behind the defense on that play.
As the puck gets to Binnington, O’Reilly isn’t used this type of defensive role and misplays the situation. He tries to bat the puck to the corner but only interferes with Binnington’s ability to control or cover the puck. The right play, one that a defenseman likely makes, is to tie up Couture and his stick so that he can’t get to the puck and to leave the puck for Binnington. As a result, Couture easily slides the puck into the net and ties the game.
I’m not even going to get into the overtime goal that shouldn’t have counted as you all should have seen and read about that by now. If you want a good summary of why I have been commenting on the instruction and work needed in officiating (instead of more review), read Kerry Fraser’s comments
here as we are like minded.
In looking at some game notes, Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko combined for over 61 minutes. Bouwmeester and Joel Edmundson combined for over 51 minutes. Parayko had three assists, blocks and shots. Bouwmeester had six blocks even though he was -2. Sammy Blais had a great game, sans his poor line and potentially high hit on Justin Braun. Blais hit the post with a shot, had five shots and seven hits with a takeaway. The fourth line had a strong game.
Unfortunately, Schwartz again appeared to have lost his shot with 6 shots and no goals and a poor defensive play. Robert Thomas was poor except for a few non-descript plays in the third period. Tyler Bozak didn’t contribute much outside of the face-off circle.
Without Thornton and an illegal pass, the Sharks had very little going in the game but unfortunately for the Blues that was enough.
Even with six defensemen, Karlsson and Burns combined for almost 58 minutes. Vlassic and Braun combined for almost 48.
Expect Carl Gunnarsson to replace Vince Dunn and Marcus Sorensen to be back in the lineup for the Sharks.
NHL Champions for Charity Playoff Edition
In what I hope becomes a Hockeybuzz tradition, Hockeybuzz Sharks blogger
Steve Palumbo and I placed a wager on the series. If the Blues win, Steve has agreed to make a donation to the
Gateway Area Multiple Sclerosis Society (@mssociety on twitter) whose mission is help each person affected by MS in St. Louis address the challenges of living with MS. They help by raising funds for cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education and providing programs and services that empower people with MS and their families to move their lives forward. If the Sharks win, I will donate to the
Hydrocephalus Association (@HydroAssoc on twitter) whose mission is to connect individuals to larger communities that can provide support and understanding, to educate national and state policymakers, the medical community, and the general population, and to advance treatment and eventually find a cure for Hydrocephalus.
I hope that our wagers will inspire players and fans to pledge donations for each win their team makes in the NHL playoffs.
Side note - Please do NOT throw items onto the ice regardless of what happens (sans hats of course). If you consider nothing else, remember that your home town players were the only ones going to have skate through all of the debris. How would you feel is they lost their footing on the debris and were injured?
NHL Champions for Charity Regular Season
Given that the Predators pulled out the division title, all be it not without some controversial officiating in the last couple of games, Best Buddies Tennessee
https://www.bestbuddies.org/tennessee/ is the beneficiary. Best Buddies Tennessee is dedicated to establishing a volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development and inclusive living opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a side note, I recently got to experience a Best Buddies even in the St. Louis area that was led by the Eureka high school football team. It was a lot of fun and brought a lot of joy to those involved.
It’s a great day for hockey.
St Louis Blues Blogger • 
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