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Shorthanded Blues Win Big Over Capitals |
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The Blues entered today's game without Jori Lehtera, Patrik Berglund, or Chris Porter, all of which were sidelined with injuries. It didn't take long before they were playing shorthanded again.
The Blues lost Kevin Shattenkirk early in the first period to a lower body injury, and then David Backes was ejected from the game after boarding Capitals defensemen, Karl Alzner. The Blues played most the game shorthanded, yet still found a way to outwork the Capitals and find a way to win the game.
Kevin Shattenkirk only played 2:26 in this game, while Backes played just over 10 minutes before being ejected. With these losses, it really upped the ice time for the remaining players. Alex Pietrangelo finished the game with 32:15 of ice time, with over five minutes of ice time on the penalty kill, and over three minutes on the power play.
The fourth line continues to get ice time, as they continue to make a difference in the game. Ryan Reaves played 12:17, recording 10 hits in the game, a career high. Steve Ott played over 15 minutes, racking up seven hits of his own, and making his presence felt all over the ice. Marcel Goc finished with over 15 minutes as well, including nearly three minutes on the penalty kill.
Joakim Lindstrom finished with lowest amount of ice time of everyone who played the entire game. He registered just six minutes of ice time, two less than rookie Ty Rattie. Speaking of Rattie, he registered over two minutes on the power play, and was credited with one hit in the game.
The Blues never trailed in this afternoon game. Alexander Steen scored first, on the power play, just two and a half minutes in to the game.
Alex Ovechkin tied it with a power play goal of his own, beating Elliott just inside the post.
Steen and Ovechkin would trade goals again, in the second period, keeping the game tied at two. That was before Dmitrij Jaskin would break tie, as he tapped in a Jaden Schwartz rebound to make it 3-2.
Vladimir Tarasenko would score the eventual game winning goal off a one-timer, beating Justin Peters between the arm and the body. It would be his first goal in the last seven games, breaking his longest goalless drought of the season.
Now moving onto the hot topic of this game, did Backes deserve a penalty on his hit on Karl Alzner, much less an ejection. The answer is simple, yes.
Backes certainly deserved to be penalized on the play, as it was clearly a boarding penalty. Was it vicious enough to be a five minute major? I personally do not think so, but Alzner was cut on the play, and according to rule 41.5, that alone is enough to call an five minute major.
Now the next question is will Backes be suspended for the hit? It's possible. Should he be suspended? No.
Yes, it was a boarding penalty. No, it wasn't and isn't worth a suspension. I believe the five minute major will suffice for Backes. He is not a repeat offender. The only other time he was given a five minute major, it was immediately rescinded by the league as it was a clean shoulder to the chest hit on former teammate, Kent Huskins.
Only time will tell if Backes will be suspended, but I'd be surprised if he did.
Ken Hitchcock did not give an update on Shattenkirk after the game. He said that all the injured players will be re-evaluated tomorrow, so we should expect an update tomorrow.
St Louis Blues Blogger • 
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