It’s difficult to re-cap a game that you listened to on the radio. Mainly, what you can take away from this game via the radio broadcast and the scoresheet is threefold:
1. Brian Elliot seems to want the back-up job – he stopped 21 of 22 shots for a .955 SV%.
2. Silly penalties at inappropriate times are back! The Blues took seven non-fighting penalties, including a four minute double minor for high-sticking to Brett Ponich in the 2nd period. Pre-season or no, you don’t take those penalties.
3. Evgeny Grachev wants to make the NHL. Two goals (one an EN) with Jamie Langenbrunner and David Backes assisting on each seems to give credence to the fact that tonight’s top line worked. Let’s see if in future preseason games Davis Payne keeps them together or mixes them up. Sure, this wasn’t a powerhouse performance from Grachev, but two goals isn’t being a slouch, either. Well done!
Tomorrow night the Blues travel to Orlando to take on the Bolts yet again. Puck drop’s at 6, and believe me – I think that Roman Polak and Carlo Colaiacovo’ll be taking the night off. With 18:52 and 15:29 of ice time tonight respectively, I think they’ve earned it.