Games
St. Louis Blues 1 - Dallas Stars 2
It didn't take long for penalties to happen in this series, starting off with Brian Elliott being called for delay of game. Just a minute later, Jamie Benn would sit down for cross-checking. 4-on-4 wouldn't result in much, and St. Louis started to take control when their powerplay happened. Even when the game went back to 5-on-5, the Blues could not break the tie. Dallas took over in the second half, peppering Elliott with shots. Elliott stood tall though, stopping everything that came his way. A late powerplay wasn't much help to Dallas, as both teams remained tied 0-0 after 20 minutes. The Stars started the second on the attack, but it wasn't the midway mark when they broke the deadlock. A rush lead to Radek Faksa getting a good chance from the slot, but he was stopped. The rebound would be whacked home by Antoine Roussel, putting Dallas in the lead. The Stars kept it up for the rest of the period, but failed to extend their lead. The second period ended with Dallas up by one. Both teams went at it in the third, but it was a while until one of them struck. After scrambling in front of the Stars net, the Blues moved the puck back to the point. Colton Parayko passed to Kevin Shattenkirk, who one-timed the puck past Kari Lehtonen. The goal gave St. Louis some momentum, as they controlled play for a bit after scoring. Dallas managed to weather that storm, and would find their way back into the lead. Just under five minutes remaining, Ales Hemsky received the puck and cut across the top of the crease. His attempt was stopped, but Faksa was there to bury the rebound. St Louis could not muster up much, as Dallas went on to win the opening game 2-1.
St. Louis Blues 4 - Dallas Stars 3 (OT)
Scoring came early and often in this game. Alex Goligoski pinched in the one-timed the puck over Elliott, putting the Stars on the board first. St. Louis responded 35 seconds later, as Patrik Berglund blasted one past Lehtonen to tie the game. Minutes later, Troy Brouwer connected with Joel Edmundson to put the Blues in the lead. The Stars pressed for a tying goal, but were unsuccessful. A powerplay late in the period resulted in Brouwer scoring. Despite only getting five shots in the period, St. Louis was up 3-1 after the first. A goalie change was needed, as Antti Niemi went in to relieve Lehtonen. Niemi solidified the Stars in net, stopping whatever chances the Blues got. Elliott was just as solid at the other end, as the second period was scoreless. The game remined 3-1 for the Blues after 40 minutes. The Stars started clawing back, starting with Mattias Janmark skated in on a breakaway and beat Elliott. St. Louis had a few chances later in the period, but the last six minutes was all Dallas. The pressure the Stars put on the Blues eventually paid off, with Jamie Benn getting a loose puck in front of the net and beating a downed Elliott, tying the game. The remaining two-plus minute went by, as regulation ended with both teams tied 3-3. An extra frame was needed to decide a winner. The Blues got a break early with a powerplay, but could not convert on the opportunity. The Stars would take over at even strength, but could not find the back of the net. Just under 11 minutes into overtime, Dallas would get another penalty, as Roussel was called for interference. This time, St. Louis made good on the man advantage. Alexander Steen's shot was stopped, but Berglund was right there to tuck home the rebound. The 4-3 overtime win helped St. Louis tie the series 1-1.
Dallas Stars 1 - St. Louis Blues 6
Niemi played so well last game that he got the start for the Stars in this one. It took a few minutes, but eventually both teams started going at it. Just under five minutes in, Dallas would strike. Jason Spezza had his first shot blocked, but he managed to get the puck back and beat Elliott. A minute after that, Steen found the back of the net to tie the game. Chances were exchanged, but the next goal didn't come until late in the period. A powerplay for the Blues resulted in David Backes tipping Shattenkirk's shot past Niemi and into the net. Dallas thought they scored late in the period to tie the game, but review showed that Jason Demers' shot it the crossbar. St. Louis ended the first period up 2-1. It didn't take long for the Blues to extend their lead in the second. Brouwer skated around the Dallas defense and tucked the puck over Niemi. That was it for Niemi, as Lehtonen went into the net for the Stars. He did not have a good start. A turnover in the Stars zone resulted in Vladimir Tarasenko's pass hitting a Stars defender and beating Lehtonen (who was in the net for just over a minute). Dallas had a few shots after that, but St. Louis would take over later in the period. A powerplay late in the period gave the Blues the chance to add to their lead. Lehtonen got most of Steen's shot, but not all of it, as the puck managed to trickle by and into the net. It was 5-1 for the Blues after 40 minutes, as the game looked to be slipping away for the Stars. Play would be relatively even in the third. It got rough late though, as Stephen John's boarding penalty led to Curtis McKenzie and Ryan Reeves dropping the gloves. A penalty by Brouwer dropped play to 4-on-4. It ended up favouring the Blues, as Backes managed to skate in alone and wrist it past Lehtonen. The end result was a 6-1 blowout by St. Louis, meaning that they now led the series 2-1.
Dallas Stars 3 - St. Louis Blues 2 (OT)
St. Louis had a rush of shots early on, but Dallas soon took over thanks to a powerplay. The Stars failed to convert on the man advantage, as the game remained 0-0. Midway through the period, Tarasenko would find himself alone in on a breakaway. He made good on the attempt, beating Lehtonen five-hole to open the scoring. The Blues picked up their play from there, getting a couple premium chances in the process. Tarasenko's goal would be the only one of the period though, as St. Louis headed into the intermission up 1-0. Edmundson gave a gift to the Stars early in the second, as his breakout pass went right to Faksa. The Czech center would turn that turnover into a goal, beating Elliott to tie the game. Just seconds later, Backes took a penalty, putting Dallas on the powerplay. They made good this time around, as Patrick Sharp buried a rebound. The Stars would hold the lead for a bit, while the Blues pushed to tie the game. A 4-on-3 helped St. Louis tie the game midway through the second. Paul Stastny tipped Tarasenko's shot past Lehtonen, making it 2-2. Shots were exchanged, but the score stayed the same, as both teams ended the second tied. Steen had a great chances early in the third, toe-dragging around a Stars defender, but could not get a lot on his shot. While both teams exchanged chances for the rest of the period, neither found the back of the net. The score remained 2-2 after the third, meaning overtime was needed. This one ended relatively early, as Cody Eakin's shot went over Elliott's shoulder and into the net. The 3-2 overtime win helped Dallas tie the series 2-2.
St. Louis Blues 4 - Dallas Stars 1
While shots were exchanged early on, it ended up being a pass that found the back of a net. Robby Fabbri's pass through the slot would hit the skate of a Stars player and slide past Lehtonen, putting the Blues in the lead. Dallas would respond minutes later, as Goligoski beat Elliott high glove. The rest of the period was mainly Dallas, as St. Louis failed to register a shot in the last six minutes. The first period ended with both teams tied 1-1. It wasn't until halfway through the second when St. Louis broke the deadlock. Dmitrij Jaskin's first shot was stopped, but scored on the rebound, tucking it between Lehtonen and the post. The Stars had a bit of a push after that, but St. Louis would control most of the later half of the second. It resulted in another goal for St. Louis. Lehtonen managed to slide over to stop Stastny's shot, but Brouwer was right in home to put the rebound home. The Blues ended the second period up 3-1. The Stars were in control in the third, looking to get back into it. Despite a couple of early chances and a few powerplay opportunities, Dallas did not have an answer for Elliott. The Blues netminder stood tall in the period, stopping 12 shots. Stastny would seal the game for the Blues with an empty netter. St. Louis took the game 4-1, giving them a 3-2 series lead.
Dallas Stars 3 - St. Louis Blues 2
Facing elimination, Dallas wasn't playing like they wanted to survive. Despite that, they managed to get the first goal of the game. Janmark would beat Elliott high glove five minutes into the game, putting the Stars up 1-0. That score only lasted 20 seconds, as Vernon Fiddler redirected Colton Sceviour's pass over Elliott and just enough into the net, making it 2-0. The Blues would get back on track and control play in the later half of the first. Again though, it was the Stars who found the back of the net. A powerplay late in the period resulted in Spezza skating in, toe-dragging a defender, and snapping it past Elliott. That spelled the end of Elliott's night, as Jake Allen came on in relieve. The shots in the first were only 9-7 in favour of the Blues, but the scoreboard favoured the Stars 3-0 after the first. It was much of the same in the second, with St. Louis controlling the puck. It took over seven minutes into the period, but the Blues efforts finally had a positive result. Lehtonen stopped Roberto Bertuzzo's shot, but kicked the rebound right to Steen. The Blues forward made no mistake, putting the puck into the net to get St. Louis' first goal of the game. That was all they got in the second, as the period ended with Dallas still up 3-1. Another period, another Blues-controlled one. An early powerplay didn't help them though, as Lehtonen did all he could to keep the Stars in the lead. St. Louis would break through near the midway point of the period. Some nifty passing in the Stars zone resulted in Berglund burying a goal from in close, pulling the Blues to within a goal. St. Louis kept pressing, looking to tie the game. Lehtonen was not having it though, and ended up stopping 35 of 37 shots in the game. Dallas hung on to win 3-2, pushing the series to a Game Seven.
St. Louis Blues 6 - Dallas Stars 1
It took just over five minutes for the scoring to start in this one thanks to a powerplay. Fabbri would jam home the puck on the man advantage, putting the Blues up 1-0. The Stars would push back and take over the middle part of the period, but were unsuccessful in their efforts to tie the game. Tarasenko looked to have extended the Blues lead later in the period, but it was challenged for offside. A review determined that Tarasenko lifted his skate just before the puck entered the zone, resulting in the goal getting nullified. It didn't take long for the Blues to make up for it though, as Stastny beat Lehtonen from a sharp angle to officially make it 2-0 for St. Louis. Berglund added one more in the dying seconds of the period. The Blues ended the first period up 3-0. The second period started with a change for the Stars, as Niemi once again took over goaltending duties for Lehtonen. Dallas pressed early, looking to get on the board. Sceviour had the best chance, getting a shot at an open net. Unfortunately for him, Elliott recovered and made a toe save, keeping the puck out of the net. A minute later, St. Louis took the puck up ice. Backes would skate in and beat Niemi from the faceoff dot, extending the Blues lead. The Stars kept at it though, but Elliott kept them off the scoreboard. Brouwer would add one more for the Blues later in the period. Heading into the second intermission, St .Louis led Dallas by a score of 5-0. The Stars finally got on the board five minutes into the third. Goligoski's shot banked off a Blues defender and right to Patrick Eaves at the side of the net. Eaves had no problem in putting the puck into the net. The Stars kept on pressing, and would pull Niemi for an extra attacker with about six minutes left in the third. That didn't help, as Tarasenko scored on the empty net. St. Louis blew out Dallas 6-1, taking the series 4-3.
Three Thoughts on the Series
- This goalie carousel Dallas has is good for the regular season, not so much for the playoffs.
- If Seguin was healthy, then the Stars might have squeezed this one out and advanced.
- Hey look, the Blues actually stuck with Elliott and managed to get past the second round. Guess it takes years of bypassing him to realize that.
The new star of the Blues: Tony X.
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| (Picture via St. Louis Blues twitter) |
Highlight of the Series
Just look how open Tarasenko was on this goal. He wasn't even getting out of the penalty box.
(Video via NHL26)
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