No one would have expected the third period to wind up being how it was based on the first two, but that’s why hockey has three periods, not two. All it took was some frustration by each team to bring out the scoring touch, though the Blues’ luck in the shootout remained as it always has been – terrible.
The period began inauspiciously enough, but six minutes in Ryan Reaves hit Brad Stuart on the blindside, causing him to get whistled for a five minute boarding major and a game misconduct. It didn’t look like Reaves got the legs pumping enough for a charging call, though the angle of the hit was appropriate for the boarding. The Blues’ forward also had a game misconduct tacked onto it, which did seem excessive, though it’s next to impossible to have a boarding major and not have the ten minute game misconduct as well, regardless of the circumstances. As a major and a misconduct, expect the NHL to take a look at the hit, though who knows if supplemental discipline will come down.
On the ensuing five minute power play, a solid chance was converted on, but it wasn’t by Detroit. David Perron managed to fly in and backhand the puck high over Howard for an unexpected 1-0 lead. Three minutes later, Andy McDonald got the puck past Howard to give the Blues a 2-0 lead, but they couldn’t hold onto it.
Memo to the Blues: don’t make Johan Franzen mad. You don’t like the Mule when he’s angry, because the Mule does things like score two goals in 50 seconds to tie the game. The second goal came thanks to the fact that he was left undefended, and Pavel Datsyuk beelined a pass right to him that, of course, wound up in the back of the net.
The Blues managed to get through overtime, and through the first two and a half rounds of the shootout, but inexplicable shootout specialist Todd Bertuzzi did what he seems to do so often. The Blues’ pick up a point, but are now on a three game losing streak with just two to go. This isn’t the best way to pick up momentum heading into the playoffs.