The St. Louis Blues waited to get started, but eventually delivered a signature performance in their first outdoor game at the 2017 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Busch Stadium. Right wing Vladimir Tarasenko scored two goals 1:53 apart in the third period, including the game-winner, to help the Blues to a 4-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Tarasenko's goals broke a 1-1 tie and helped send the 46,556 fans home happy. Patrik Berglund scored in the second period for the Blues (20-13-5) and Alexander Steen scored an empty-net goal with 1:14 remaining. Jake Allen made 22 saves.
"I don't know about [my teammates], but it's probably the coolest thing I've been a part of," Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo said.
The threat of rain delaying the game was omnipresent, but aside from a few sprinkles, precipitation never proved to be a problem. The game started on time and finished in two hours and 27 minutes. The rain that did fall couldn't dampen the party; fans roared from the anthem past the buzzer. The temperature at opening faceoff was 46.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
"All things considered, we lucked out with the weather," Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. "The ice was a little bumpy and it was a little slow. But really, for us, it was fine. That's something we just adjust to and we simplified our game and I think that's why we were so effective out there tonight. Especially after all the warnings and what we thought was coming, we were pretty lucky to be able to get that game in."
Tarasenko's first goal, the game-winner at 12:05 of the third period, was a pass attempt to Jori Lehtera that banked off Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson's skate and into the net. Michal Kempny scored for the Blackhawks (23-12-5). Corey Crawford made 31 saves. Chicago is 1-4-0 in its five outdoor games.
"I thought we came out pretty good today and [had] a decent second [period]," Hjalmarsson said. "We kind of got away from our game plan a little bit, and I scored a goal in our own net and they got up 2-1. I thought overall we played a good game, except for the last 10 minutes there."
* Tarasenko's second goal was a goal-scorer's goal. Lehtera hit Tarasenko with a pass, but it was a bit late and Tarasenko kicked it from his skate to his stick as he reached the faceoff circle. He then settled the puck down and beat Crawford with a wrist shot to the far side before sliding defenseman Brent Seabrook could block the shot. "The second one, my linemates just created a good chance for me and it's really important win for us," Tarasenko said. "It's not about my goals. We have a great team, we have a great captain and a great goalie and we really needed those two points, especially against Chicago."
* One of Allen's best saves came at 10:15 of the third period when he denied Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews from the left side of the net. Toews took a waist-high puck and tried to bat it in, but Allen chested it away. He then caught the rebound like a pop-up.
* Home teams were 2-6 in the first eight Winter Classic games. … Steen's assist on the tying goal by Berglund gave him 300 assists and 500 NHL points. … Kempny's goal at 1:02 into the first period was the second-fastest goal to start a Winter Classic; Colby Armstrong of the Pittsburgh Penguins scored 21 seconds into the 2008 Winter Classic against the Buffalo Sabres.
"He played great. I thought he handled the puck around the net well. There was a lot of unpredictability with the new boards and glass and different background. I thought he did great job around the net and handled the puck and moved it. And those things happen; he did what he had to did and we got a bounce, fortunate bounce in our first goal too, but things … he did everything he could to get us a point or two." -- Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville on goalie Corey Crawford
The threat of rain delaying the game was omnipresent, but aside from a few sprinkles, precipitation never proved to be a problem. The game started on time and finished in two hours and 27 minutes. The rain that did fall couldn't dampen the party; fans roared from the anthem past the buzzer. The temperature at opening faceoff was 46.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
"All things considered, we lucked out with the weather," Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. "The ice was a little bumpy and it was a little slow. But really, for us, it was fine. That's something we just adjust to and we simplified our game and I think that's why we were so effective out there tonight. Especially after all the warnings and what we thought was coming, we were pretty lucky to be able to get that game in."
Tarasenko's first goal, the game-winner at 12:05 of the third period, was a pass attempt to Jori Lehtera that banked off Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson's skate and into the net. Michal Kempny scored for the Blackhawks (23-12-5). Corey Crawford made 31 saves. Chicago is 1-4-0 in its five outdoor games.
"I thought we came out pretty good today and [had] a decent second [period]," Hjalmarsson said. "We kind of got away from our game plan a little bit, and I scored a goal in our own net and they got up 2-1. I thought overall we played a good game, except for the last 10 minutes there."
* Tarasenko's second goal was a goal-scorer's goal. Lehtera hit Tarasenko with a pass, but it was a bit late and Tarasenko kicked it from his skate to his stick as he reached the faceoff circle. He then settled the puck down and beat Crawford with a wrist shot to the far side before sliding defenseman Brent Seabrook could block the shot. "The second one, my linemates just created a good chance for me and it's really important win for us," Tarasenko said. "It's not about my goals. We have a great team, we have a great captain and a great goalie and we really needed those two points, especially against Chicago."
* Home teams were 2-6 in the first eight Winter Classic games. … Steen's assist on the tying goal by Berglund gave him 300 assists and 500 NHL points. … Kempny's goal at 1:02 into the first period was the second-fastest goal to start a Winter Classic; Colby Armstrong of the Pittsburgh Penguins scored 21 seconds into the 2008 Winter Classic against the Buffalo Sabres.
"He played great. I thought he handled the puck around the net well. There was a lot of unpredictability with the new boards and glass and different background. I thought he did great job around the net and handled the puck and moved it. And those things happen; he did what he had to did and we got a bounce, fortunate bounce in our first goal too, but things … he did everything he could to get us a point or two." -- Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville on goalie Corey Crawford
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