St. Louis Blues-Chicago Blackhawks Game 6: The Tension Convention
What is it about Game 6 that makes our stomach turn, our fingernails disappear and our nerves frayed?
Game 6. The name itself is enough to make fans remember the good times or the bad. There is not enough column space, time, or interest to list all of the epic Game 6s that have happened in sports history. Our town has had its moments with Game 6. In fact, you could argue that the Cardinals and Blues’ top moments in franchise history have happened in a Game 6.
May 12th, 1986-The Monday Night Miracle
I was five when the Monday Night Miracle took place. I don’t remember it, but it’s been so ingrained into the hockey fabric of this town that it’s hard to find any die-hard Blues fan over the age of 20 that hasn’t heard of it.
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In 1986 the Blues were what they have mostly been throughout their history: an underdog, hard-working team. Having advanced to then Campbell Conference Finals, the Blues found themselves down 3-2 in the series, and down 5-2 with 12 minutes remaining in the game. Most of us know the story, but for those that don’t, the Blues made a frenzied comeback, scoring three goals in 12 minutes to force and eventually win in overtime. The names Paslawski, who scored the last two goals to tie the game, and Wickenheiser, who scored the game winner, will go down in St. Louis Blues history. It would be hard to argue against this being the single greatest game in Blues history. A Game 6.
October 27th, 2011
This game doesn’t have a nickname. In St. Louis, and I reckon even in Arlington, Texas, this game is simply known as Game 6. This game is so fresh in our town’s sports history that a synopsis is not even necessary. David Freese and Lance Berkman (don’t forget Lance tied the game in the 10th). This game is what Game 6 is all about. Gut wrenching, to jubilation, to gut wrenching, back to jubilation, and ending somewhere between euphoria and pandemonium. That’s a Game 6.
April 23rd, 2016
Here we are.
This isn’t your older brother’s Blues team.
We await another Game 6 in our town. The Blues find themselves up in the series 3-2 over the hated Chicago Blackhawks and yet, if you ask around, they have their backs against the wall. Only in this great hockey city would the team up 3-2 be perceived as being in trouble, but as I said…here we are. For as much as we can say the Blues have been “different” this year, we can also say that we expected the loss in Game 5, because this team hasn’t shown a killer instinct in years. Scar tissue for fans of this franchise runs deep. The Blues are not in trouble, they aren’t the underdogs anymore. Other than the 2nd period in Game 5, the Blues have outplayed, out-goaltended, and out-hit the Blackhawks. This series lead isn’t a fluke, and Game 5 wasn’t a must win. The only team to play a must-win game in this series has been the Hawks. Games 4 and 5 were must-win games, and Game 6 is a must-win game.
Yeah, they’re at home, and yeah, they seem to have this zombie-like persona…oh and yeah, they’re the defending champs. But this isn’t your older brother’s Blues team! This is a team that has come from behind twice in the United Center, where visiting teams go to die. This is a team that erased a two-goal deficit in Game 5. Yeah, they lost, but a 3rd period two-goal lead for the Hawks should be a lock. The Blues can take a punch. This series was always going to be a long series.
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So sit on the edge of your seat, bite those fingernails, let your stomach knot up, pace like you’ve never paced before. Let the “tension convention” begin. For tonight we endure the greatest test sports fans can endure…a Game 6!
LET’S! GO! BLUES!