The St. Louis Blues couldn’t quite get past the Minnesota Wild on Friday, losing their 4-3 lead with a minute to go in regulation and falling 5-4 in a shootout. Jaraslov Halak struggled, making 23 saves in the loss; David Backes picked up two goals in the defeat; he already has three more than he managed in a disappointing 2009-10 season. Patrik Berglund and Andy McDonald also scored in the loss.
St. Louis Game Time had some choice words about the loss, suggesting that Erik Johnson’s shootout attempt was “like some fan won an Ultimate Experience contest and got to take it for [him].” On a positive note, they suggest that Alex Pietrangelo is, for better or worse, already the best player on the team at 21.
With the defeat the Blues fall to 24-20-9, further than ever from a return to playoff contention. The Wild, at 29-21-5, pick up their second in a row and move within one point of the Calgary Flames for second place in the Western Conference’s Northwest division.