Blues Blog: St. Louis Gametime
Sometimes you watch a scoreless game and it's like watching paint dry: dull, boring and lifeless as the teams just keep going end to end and play "safe" hockey. Thankfully, with the exception of the first period, this game was nothing like that, as both the Pens and Blues were presented with tremendous opportunities throughout the night. 54 of the game's 55 shots were kept out of the mesh, as both Brent Johnson and Jaroslav Halak marveled between the pipes. Unfortunately the only shot to light the lamp slipped past Johnson in overtime, giving the Blues the extra point, hailing Erik Johnson as the hero in St. Louis and bringing the Pens' road record to 3-0-1.
More on the game after the jump...
Heartbreaking as it was to watch the Pens battle the entire game before losing 50 seconds into overtime, it's still nice to see them at least salvage a point on the road. Halak was impressive in his first shutout as a member of the Blues but Johnson answered the call as well for the Pens. Toward the end of regulation it looked like the line combo of Mike Comrie, Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz would strike gold, but it was not to be. Halak literally stopped four shots in the span of about five seconds. What is it about him that the Pens can't crack?Can't look over the fact that it was a pretty physical game as well, BJ Crombeen and Craig Adams' fight not withstanding. Both teams were hitting in the corners and taking runs at each other throughout the game. For two teams that don't play one another that often, this game definitely had the makings of a rivalry.
Until Crosby and/or Malkin crack Halak, it's going to remain at the top of their to-do list, taped to the refrigerator right under the picture Marc-Andre Fleury drew in crayons. Granted Halak is on a different team than he was in the playoffs, but it was a chance for some sort of redemption. Guess it will have to wait until the Finals (if it is to be) or, sadly, next year.
Comment of the night comes from BobPurkey34 and his crystal ball:
I think this is just going to be one of those 1-0 games you have to win
Sad, but true.