ST. LOUIS, MO – After two grueling, seven-game series, the St. Louis Blues were happy to get four days of rest and a start at home for their match-up with San Jose in the Western Conference Finals. In the post season St. Louis held a subpar home record of 3-4. That would change in Game One.
St. Louis dominated most of their opening game with the San Jose and defeated the Sharks 2-1 for their first Conference Final victory since May 16, 2001. That is when the Blues defeated Colorado 4-3 in OT to win Game Three of their series to narrow their series to 2-1. St. Louis went on to lose the next two games in overtime to fall to the eventual Stanley Cup Final champion.
For St. Louis, it took just under five minutes after the opening draw for first blood to be drawn.
With Logan Couture off for tripping, the Blues power play went to work. Jaden Schwartz handled the puck high in the slot before sending it back to defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk at the right point. The All-Star defenseman sent a drive to the Sharks which deflected off David Backes and past goaltender Martin Jones. The St. Louis captain opened the scoring with his 7th goal of the post season.
It did not take long for San Jose to answer. Just 34 seconds after the Blues took the lead, the Sharks began to apply pressure in the St. Louis zone. Brent Burns laid into a drive from the right point and on the way to the Blues’ net, deflected off Joe Pavelski before glancing off Tomas Hertl’s skate and past Blues goaltender Brian Elliott for the equalizing goal.
Despite intense pressure from San Jose throughout the middle frame, St. Louis came away with the only significant marker.
.Just more than nine minutes into the second period, Jori Lehtera barreled down the left side and fired a heavy shot through a hole between Jones’ left arm and body. It was one the Sharks’ goaltender would want back.
Late in the period, Elliott attempted to smother a loose puck gliding toward the St. Louis goal when it squirted through his glove and to the side before crossing the goal line. Thankfully for the Blues, the whistle blew and the play was dead, thus negating the tying goal for San Jose.
San Jose edged St. Louis in shots 16-5, but the Blues held the 2-1 lead.
The Sharks best chance of the final period came with Paul Stastny off for hooking Joe Pavelski with just more than 11 minutes to play. Elliott made several saves on odd-man breaks, but shut the door each time. The Blues had several short-handed chances during the same sequence, but Jones held St. Louis at bay.
With just under three minutes left, San Jose nearly tied it when Marc-Edouard Vlasic sent a drive toward the Blues’ goal from the left point. The puck struck the left post, bounced out and hit Elliott in the shoulder before trickling to the open side. Several San Jose sticks swatted at it, but could not get it to go in.
More pressure developed in front of Elliott just under two minutes to play. With the net empty for an extra attack, Joe Pavelski sent a drive toward the Blues’ goal, but Elliott answered with a left toe save.
The Sharks continued to circle, but could not put one past Elliott. The St. Louis goaltender ended the night saving 32 of 33 shots. Martin Jones finished with stopping 21 of 23 St. Louis shots
Logan Couture, the NH’s leading postseason scorer with 17 points was neutralized by St. Louis, only having 2 shots on goal and having no bearing on the outcome.
Game Two in St. Louis will be Tuesday, May 17th (8:00 PM ET, NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports) before the series shifts to the HP Pavilion in San Jose for Games Three and Four on Thursday, May 19th and Saturday, May 21st.
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