Arch Authority
Fansided

Wild Finish as St. Louis Blues Outlast the Minnesota Wild

By Richard Bradley

May 17, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz (17) against the San Jose Sharks in game two of the Western Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoff at Scottrade Center. The Sharks won 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
May 17, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz (17) against the San Jose Sharks in game two of the Western Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoff at Scottrade Center. The Sharks won 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
twitterfacebookreddit

The St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild went down to the wire, with the Blues edging out the Wild in a shootout.

"“It was a heck of a hockey game. Two really good really hockey teams going at it. They’re deep and we’re deep also, so it’s good. Any time you get points in the division, it’s like gold right now. We’ve got to keep this going.”- Ken Hitchcock, Blues Head Coach"

It was a heck of a hockey game! However, with the Blues trailing 2-1 at the end of the second period, it looked as though the Minnesota Wild would leave the Scottrade Center victorious. That changed early in the third period when Jaden Schwartz scored two goals, putting the Blues up 3-2.

Then in what has become a pattern this season, the Blues let up, allowing their opponents to get back into the game. True to form, late in the third period they were called for icing, which gave the Wild one last opportunity to score. Taking the face-off with 1:08 left in regulation, the Wild’s Charlie Coyle took a rebound, slapped it in, and knotted the game up at three a piece.

The last-minute goal forced the game into overtime. Fortunately, Jake Allen made his most important save of the night when he caught a quick shot fired off by the Wild’s Jason Zucker.

St. Louis Blues Jake Allen
Dec 31, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen (34) makes a save against the Minnesota Wild during the first period at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

With that stop, the finish came down to a shootout, where in the fourth round, David Perron fired a shot between the Wild’s Devan Dubnyk‘s legs, ending the game.

When asked about the game-winning shot, Perron replied: “Actually on the way down, I was thinking backhand like I like to do and then I don’t know … I tried something different and it went in.”

This game had an all-too-familiar feel to it–the Blues jump out to a lead, play well, and then at a crucial time commit an error, a penalty, or an ill-advised line shift.

Mental errors have been a hallmark of this season. Luckily, the team seems to be “gelling” at the right time, most notably Schwartz and Perron.

Next: Most Outstanding Players in Blues History: 40-31

The Blues have until Monday to prepare for their next opponent, the Dallas Stars.

Home/St. Louis Blues