The St. Louis Blues had an absent and lapsed third period in game one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round matchup against the Winnipeg Jets.
They gave up three third-period goals, resulting in a 5-3 come-from-behind victory for the Presidents’ Trophy winners.
It was a valiant effort, but reality sank in very fast. From having a solid chance to take game one on the road, to losing a ton of momentum going into game two, things could not have gone worse for the Blues.
There are three main storylines established with the events of game one. Here they are.
Blues can keep it close, but might not be enough
As it has been all season between these two teams, the Blues can keep up with the Jets. But, as close as they get to being on their level, they simply don’t have enough to overtake them.
That was evident in game one with the third-period collapse. The Blues did jump to that 3-2 lead, but then they started to play a different game. Instead of trying to put another goal in, they focused on preserving the lead. That lack of aggression proved their ability to not be able to get ahead of the Jets. No matter how many tries the Blues get, they may not be able to win this series, simply because they are against a much better team.
Rivalry runs deep
This matchup consists of two Central Division teams, each with hatred and resentment for the other. This rivalry runs deep, and both teams proved that in game one.
Over 60 minutes of play time, the Blues laid 53 hits on Winnipeg, and the Jets responded with 33 hits. It seemed like a lot more than that.
This game featured that intensity after whistles, a constant battle between two guys fighting for the same thing. This series is going to be a bloodbath for both teams.
Blues offense has to keep up with Jets firepower
The biggest difference in this game was the offensive play. Each team was on their A-game, but one outfielder the other. That happened in the third.
Once the Jets settled into the game and the pressure started to mount, the Blues’ defense could not contain their opponent. That cannot happen for the rest of this series. It was evident that Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington was superior to Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck, but Hellebuyck got the last laugh due to his superb offense.
