So many things went right for the Blues that haven’t gone well recently. It’s only been one game, so it’s impossible to pin this all on Ken Hitchcock, but he did something no coach since Mike Keenan’s done: he won in his debut. Puck possession? Check. Goal support for their goaltender? Check. Limiting quality scoring chances? Bingo. Heck, even the power play netted one, and the penalty kill was perfect.
Things’re looking up, and you could tell from the players’ body language and how tough they played on the ice that they feel it. T.J. Oshie, a player who has been the object of much speculation regarding how he’ll play under Hitchcock, scored the game’s final goal. He wristed the puck past Corey Crawford’s outstretched glove hand. Perhaps Crawford’s view was obstructed, perhaps he misjudged the shot – no matter, it went in, and Oshie had his second point of the night, as did Kevin Shattenkirk and Barret Jackman.
Halak wound up with his 17th career shut out, Chris Stewart scored, and three players had two-point nights. Factor in the special teams, and the Hitchcock Era seems to be off to a good start. Fans get to see if that continues on Thursday night when the currently slumping Toronto Maple Leafs are in town.