I’m not using hyperbole here when I say that the Edmontol Oilers spent half of the period on the power play. Don’t believe me? Here, look at the boxscore. I dare you.
The Oilers got the jump on the Blues around five minutes in, with two goals just fifteen seconds apart. This first one, by Taylor Hall, was a snipe that Halak had little chance on, especially thanks to the screen:
This one, though, was a flukey one from Ben Eager who had just gotten done serving a two minute minor for an elbow to the face of Barret Jackman.
This can be called the point where the period (though hopfully not the game) went to hell for the Blues. The Oilers outshot the Blues 21-9 that period because of the free-for all they were allowed to spend on a five minute major and game misconduct earned by Roman Polak for a high-stick. It was unintentional, it was one-handed, but Polak still needs to be in control of the stick. A five minute major and a game misconduct seemed a bit much seeing as how it wasn’t a two-hander, but Polak doesn’t need to put himself in that situation.
The Blues killed off the five minute major, but did not kill off the too many men on the ice penalty that came with just fifteen seconds of the previous one left. Jordan Eberle, after a very commendable save by Jackman, flicked the puck past Alex Pietrangelo and Halak after the five minute ended. The upshot there could be, I suppose, that at least it ended the other penalty kill.
The Blues got another call against them when David Perron got whistled for a high stick caused by he himself getting high sticked. God willing this period’ll be more responsible if not to keep the Blues from letting themselves get into a situation where a penalty could remotely be considered.