Blues rout Stars in Game 7, advance to Western Conference Final
A three-goal first period powered the St. Louis Blues to a 6-1 win in Game 7 over the Dallas Stars to send them to the Western Conference Final for the first time since 2001.
It was a quick start for St. Louis after Robby Fabbri’s second goal of the series gave the Blues a 1-0 lead 5:23 into the game. It appeared the Stars had caught a break late in the first when a Vladimir Tarasenko goal was called back following a review that showed St. Louis had entered the zone offside.
The delighted crowd at American Airlines Center was quickly quieted, however, a minute later when Paul Stastny squeaked one by Kari Lehtonen at 18:22 to double the lead. The two-goal deficit would quickly turn into three for the Stars after Patrik Berglund’s long-range wrister deflected off a body and sailed into the Stars net with 3.5 seconds to go in the period.
That was enough for Lehtonen as Lindy Ruff went to Antti Niemi for the remainder of the game.
Dallas nearly got back into the game early in the second period, but Brian Elliott, who made 31 saves, stretched out his pad to deny Colton Sceviour.
The goalie change didn’t matter to the Blues as David Backes extended the lead to 4-0 3:50 into the middle frame.
St. Louis continued to pile on as the line of Fabbri, Stastny and Troy Brouwer continued to terrorize the Stars. Some tic-tac-toe passing in the second period ended with a 5-0 lead.
That Blues trio combined for nine points in the game. (Brouwer, by the way, was playing in a Game 7 for the eighth consecutive series.)
The Blues now await the winner of Thursday’s Game 7 between the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks.
– – – – – – –
Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy
MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY:
