Solid period for the Blues until the dying moments of the period. The Blues easily could have ended this one already up 3-0, but still, two goals on a rusty Mike Smith are still two goals.
The first came from someone who Darren Pang predicted would have a big night thanks to his placement on David Backes’ line: Chris Stewart.
Barret Jackman made that whole play possible with his puck-battles. For whatever reason, Jackman has become the whipping boy for some Blues fans since the departure of former captain Eric Brewer, and plays like that make it obvious how unwarranted that is. David Perron fires it in, Backes gets the rebound to Stewart, and then Stewie scores on the rebound. Perfect, gritty goal – the kind of goal that the Blues pay Stewart to score.
The Blues’ second goal came from Jamie Langenbrunner on the redirection of a Barret Jackman slapshot:
Finally, the Coyotes’ Radim Vbrata scores to cut the lead by one. It came right after David Backes had a perfect short-handed breakaway attempt which was stoned by Smith. Instead of going into the second period up 3-0, the Blues allowed a powerplay goal to Phoenix and go in up just one.
Shots are 11-9 in St. Louis’ favor so far, while the Coyotes have had two power plays to the Blues’ one.