St. Louis Blues Score Four Unanswered Goals for the Win

It was starting to look like the Chicago Blackhawks game all over again for the St. Louis Blues, except that the Blues were down 2-0 to the Edmonton Oilers after two goals in the span of just 23 seconds. But then something awoke in the home team and they changed the tone of the game altogether, scoring twice in the second and twice in the third period to build up a 4-2 win.

Jaden Schwartz, a first-round pick from the 2010 draft class (you know, the one where Edmonton’s Taylor Hall was taken first overall), scored his second goal of the season early in the second period to get St. Louis on the board. Schwartz found himself playing on the top line–when he usually finds himself a little further down the depth chart–and had a multi-point night, also assisting on David Backes‘ goal later in the game.

Captain Backes had words of praise for the young guy after the fact.

“From a 21-year-old kid that is just getting his feet in the League, that’s a lot of character shown and some great leadership, too, that’s leading the charge in those areas,” he said about Schwartz’s desire to go into the hard areas and try to get stuff done despite his somewhat diminutive height.

In fact, Schwartz, Backes and TJ Oshie‘s line combined for six points. Coach Ken Hitchcock swapped David Perron out for Schwartz in a move that worked out pretty well, to say the least.

Kevin Shattenkirk tied it up on the power play halfway through the second period and, as is often said when the tone of a game changes rapidly, now we had a hockey game.

Vladimir Sobotka‘s goal early in the third period ended up being the game-winner, though Backes just put the cherry on top for the final score later. The two teams played a penalty-free third period and four Blues, three of whom composed the top line, came away with two-point nights.

Next, the Blues will face the Dallas Stars in a 2 p.m. Central matinee on March 3. The Stars actually played the Oilers most recently and took a 5-1 loss.

 

Emma Harger is a Boston Bruins and NHL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on Twitter, like her on Facebook and add her to your network on Google.