There are times where getting into a fight when you’re up 1-0 is a bad idea. When it gives Detroit a powerplay, it’s a bad idea. While Chris Stewart’s two-minute instigator penalty was ticking down, Pavel Datsyuk took the opportunity to score this backhander on Jaroslav Halak:
Needless to say, with a shot an aim like that, Halak didn’t stand a chance. That early goal discombobulated the Blues more than Stewart’s fight woke them up. The rest of the period was sloppy and all over the place, with very little coordination taking place. Detroit outshot St. Louis ten to seven, with Datsyuk and Johan Franzen the two scorers. Here on Franzen’s goal, he leveled Alex Pietrangelo before flipping a shot up and into the net past Halak:
Needless to say, the Blues need to get on the same page ASAP if they want to at the very least get a point here. Their first period effort was excellent, but their second period effort is how you lose hockey games.