Blues beat Sharks 3-1 to win series
The St. Louis Blues were 6-7 when coach Ken Hitchcock came aboard. They've been among the NHL's best ever since.
Jamie Langenbrunner and David Perron scored in a 45-second span in the third period, and the Blues woke up in time to put away the San Jose Sharks 3-1 and wrap up their first-round series Saturday night.
''It was a frustrating two periods, obviously we wanted to come out and jump to the lead. We had to push them out of the game,'' Langenbrunner said. ''We just stuck with it.''
Joe Thornton scored in the final minute of the second period for San Jose, and the Sharks were seemingly in control before the flurry that ended their season.
''We competed hard, we just came up on the short end of the stick this time,'' Thornton said. ''Hats off to the Blues, they played great, but it's a terrible feeling right now.''
Brian Elliott made 26 saves, and Andy McDonald ended all doubt with an empty-net goal in the final minute. St. Louis, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, won a playoff series for the first time in a decade against a franchise that reached the conference finals the previous two years. Before this series, St. Louis hadn't won a playoff game in eight years.
''The fans have been waiting a long time and have been very patient,'' said defenseman Barret Jackman, the lone holdover from the last playoff team in 2004. ''It's nice to give them a little taste of what's to come.''
The Blues seemed a step slow most of the way in front of a sellout crowd waving white rally towels before tying it with their checking line, and getting the go-ahead goal from their top line. They were the first team to come from behind after two periods to win in the series.
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Jamie Langenbrunner and David Perron scored in a 45-second span in the third period, and the Blues woke up in time to put away the San Jose Sharks 3-1 and wrap up their first-round series Saturday night.
''It was a frustrating two periods, obviously we wanted to come out and jump to the lead. We had to push them out of the game,'' Langenbrunner said. ''We just stuck with it.''
Joe Thornton scored in the final minute of the second period for San Jose, and the Sharks were seemingly in control before the flurry that ended their season.
''We competed hard, we just came up on the short end of the stick this time,'' Thornton said. ''Hats off to the Blues, they played great, but it's a terrible feeling right now.''
Brian Elliott made 26 saves, and Andy McDonald ended all doubt with an empty-net goal in the final minute. St. Louis, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, won a playoff series for the first time in a decade against a franchise that reached the conference finals the previous two years. Before this series, St. Louis hadn't won a playoff game in eight years.
''The fans have been waiting a long time and have been very patient,'' said defenseman Barret Jackman, the lone holdover from the last playoff team in 2004. ''It's nice to give them a little taste of what's to come.''
The Blues seemed a step slow most of the way in front of a sellout crowd waving white rally towels before tying it with their checking line, and getting the go-ahead goal from their top line. They were the first team to come from behind after two periods to win in the series.
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