SAN JOSE, CA – Despite escaping Game One with a victory, the St. Louis Blues progressively allowed San Jose to dominate the next two games. A radical change was needed to tie the series and generate a higher compete level. The Blues did just that as they started a different goalie in the game and dominated at every phase of the game, leaving the Sharks and their fans stunned.
The Blues benefitted from two goals each from Kyle Brodziak and Troy Brouwer and stellar goaltending from Jake Allen who stopped 31 of 34 shots in his first start since April 7th.
St. Louis started out of the gate quick with aggressive, punishing pressure against San Jose. And their efforts paid off early.
Just more than six minutes into the game, Troy Brouwer, after hitting several post in the series, finally hit twine with an early strike. With Brent Burns off for tripping Jaden Schwartz, the first-year Blues power forward accepted a pass from Robby Fabbri who was below the goal line. Brouwer fired a one-timer by San Jose goalie Martin Jones. It was St. Louis’ first goal in 156:59 and just what they needed to get back into the game and the series.
The Blues were not done. Nearly four minutes later and with continued pressure in the San Jose zone, St. Louis David Backes barreled into Brent Burns, jarring the puck loose. Robby Fabbri corralled the puck along the boards and sent a drive on net. It was blocked in front, but Jori Lehtera got the rebound, passed to Fabbri who shot and was denied by Jones in a brilliant save. Fabbri then sent the puck back in front where it was kicked out by Burns, but right onto the stick of Jori Lehtera. He snapped it home to give the Blues a 2-0 lead.
With under a minute to play, St. Louis nearly extended their lead late in the period on a two-on-one play. Jones made the first save and in the midst of a collision, Burns sprawled in front of the goal to save a sure goal. The play resulted in a late power play due to Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s slash on Robby Fabbri.
The period ended with St. Louis controlling everything, including scoring chances 9-6, shots 13-10 and the all-important score, 2-0.
After a series of penalties to both teams, St. Louis extended their lead while shorthanded. With Kevin Shattenkirk in the box for interference on Melker Karlsson, the Blues took advantage of a missed pass by San Jose in the St. Louis zone Jaden Schwartz picked the puck up down the left boards and skated all the way into the zone before passing off to his right where Kyle Brodziak deposited the puck above Jones’ blocker for the 3-0 lead.
Just more than four minutes later, Brodziak showed he wasn’t done. Magnus Paajarvi whirled around while in the San Jose zone and advanced the puck toward the net. Dmitrij Jaskon swatted at it and Jones made the save He picked up his own rebound ad carried the puck around the net, sending a backhand pass to a waiting Brodziak. He one-timed a drive bar down that Jones barely reacted to and the Blues had a 4-0 lead.
Precision passing and relentless fore-checking continued to pay dividends for the visiting Blues and it sent Martin Jones to the bench in favor of goaltender James Reimer. Jones stopped 15 of 19 shots before exiting. This goaltender change ensured each of the remaining four playoff teams used both goaltenders through four games in their respective series.
Burns sent a drive from the left circle which was deflected on net by Joe Thornton. Allen extended his left pad and got the left toe on the drive. He then smothered the rebound to end the threat. It was San Jose’s best chance of the night to that point.
After two periods, St. Louis led in shots 22-18 in getting better quality chances than the Sharks were getting. San Jose woke up enough to increase their physical play in the second period, but despite outhitting St. Louis 28-21 after two periods, they still trailed 4-0.
San Jose jumped out quick in the third period when Joe Pavelski scored his league-leading 10th of the playoffs off a cross-ice pass from Joe Thornton. The home team’s first goal reignited the crowd.
But St. Louis answered just a few minutes later with Joe Ward off on a delay-of-game penalty. Paul Stastny won the draw cleanly to the right of Reimer. After some passing in the zone, Stastny received the puck and sent it to the right point where Alex Steen laid into a drive. Troy Brouwer deflected it on the way in, past Reimer, to give St. Louis a 5-1 lead.
San Jose bounced back when during a flurry of shots, Chris Tierney banked a shot of Allen’s leg to draw the Sharks closer at 5-2.
St. Louis continued to be backed into their own zone as San Jose pressed for more goals. Each time, Jake Allen was sharp, keeping the Sharks from advancing their goal total.
With a little more than four minutes left, Alex Pietrangelo netted St. Louis’ sixth goal into an empty net, but a minute later, San Jose was credited with their third goal when Blues’ defenseman Joel Edmundson swatted a puck past his own goalie.
Despite the late San Jose flurry, the Blues secured the victory. San Jose missed a golden opportunity to bury St Louis. For the Sharks, Thornton, Burns and Joe Pavelski combined for a goal, an assist and a -9 rating.
The game represented the Blues 100th of the season, a franchise record. This is the first time in 30 years St. Louis won two games in the third round of the playoffs and now have momentum heading home to continue the series.
Game Five is set for St. Louis Monday, May 23rd (8:00 PM ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports) before the series returns to the SAP Center in San Jose for Game Six on Wednesday, May 25th (9:00 PM ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).
If Game Seven is needed, it will be in St. Louis on Friday, May 27th (8:00 PM ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).
Follow me on Twitter at DMMORRELL and you can contact me at dennis.morrell@prohockeynews
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