Rd 2 Gm 4 vs Avalanche | 8:30 pm CT | TNT, 101 ESPN

[theohall]

Looking over things, the issue is the Blues cannot account for the Avs defenseman when they jump up in the offensive zone. Look at 3 of the first 4 goals - where did the primary assist or the goal come from? Defenseman.

In Game 2, the Blues consistently dumped pucks and forced the Avs defensemen to work from below their own dots all the way up ice. Game 4, the Blues, in the first period, kept trying to carry the puck into the zone. The one time they didn't, Perron scores. Then they kept trying to do the carry the puck thing some more until late in the 2nd period and got 2 power plays. And went back in the 3rd period to not even attempting to put the puck deep again. Yes, some of this is the Avs speed, but some instances, it's Blues players - Buchnevich and Kyrou in particular - who flat out seem to refuse to give up possession on a dump and chase type play, but seem to thank passing through the massively skilled Avs team is the better option. The result is, as Berube said after Game 1, Avs defensemen being allowed to play a 3/4 game where they never have to play below the dots in their own zone.

Byram, last night, was alone 4 times I counted, at the offensive goal line in the corner completely alone. Twice he made passes from there that directly led to goals. Erik Johnson kept skating into the zone unmarked. Makar was the only guy it seemed like they had someone assigned to defend and he still beat that several times, because he's ridiculously good and the likely Norris winner this season. Unless the Blues figure out some way to handle Avs d-men not named Makar jumping up in the play, beyond the goaltending issues, this series is over. They showed the way to handle it in Game 2 by making them play defense, but seemed to forget that's what is necessary as soon as Binnington got hurt.

[theohall]

Looking over things, the issue is the Blues cannot account for the Avs defenseman when they jump up in the offensive zone. Look at 3 of the first 4 goals - where did the primary assist or the goal come from? Defenseman.

In Game 2, the Blues consistently dumped pucks and forced the Avs defensemen to work from below their own dots all the way up ice. Game 4, the Blues, in the first period, kept trying to carry the puck into the zone. The one time they didn't, Perron scores. Then they kept trying to do the carry the puck thing some more until late in the 2nd period and got 2 power plays. And went back in the 3rd period to not even attempting to put the puck deep again. Yes, some of this is the Avs speed, but some instances, it's Blues players - Buchnevich and Kyrou in particular - who flat out seem to refuse to give up possession on a dump and chase type play, but seem to thank passing through the massively skilled Avs team is the better option. The result is, as Berube said after Game 1, Avs defensemen being allowed to play a 3/4 game where they never have to play below the dots in their own zone.

Byram, last night, was alone 4 times I counted, at the offensive goal line in the corner completely alone. Twice he made passes from there that directly led to goals. Erik Johnson kept skating into the zone unmarked. Makar was the only guy it seemed like they had someone assigned to defend and he still beat that several times, because he's ridiculously good and the likely Norris winner this season. Unless the Blues figure out some way to handle Avs d-men not named Makar jumping up in the play, beyond the goaltending issues, this series is over. They showed the way to handle it in Game 2 by making them play defense, but seemed to forget that's what is necessary as soon as Binnington got hurt.