Blues, Avs combine for 120 misconduct PIMs in third period
For all intents and purposes, Saturday's game between the Colorado Avalanche and the St. Louis Blues didn't have any major playoff implications.
Both teams have clinched playoff spots. The Blues are on a run for the division title, President's Trophy, and top seed in the west. Colorado can put more space between themselves and Chicago, but it looks like they're destined to meet in the first round anyway. Nothing huge.
Except no one mentioned that to the players.
The first two periods of the game were physical. Once the third rolled around, the Blues, already pissed off being down 3-0 to the Avalanche in their own building, got downright nasty and the Avs obliged.
It all started with an incident between Kevin Shattenkirk and Patrick Bordeleau that left Shattenkirk with a bloody face.
Shattenkirk got his own stick up, but the high contact by Bordeleau pushed the stick into Shattenkirk's face. The Blues player would be fine and continue on. HE'S A HOCKEY PLAYER!
Things really escalated minutes later when Brenden Morrow landed a dangerous and unnecessary cross-check to John Mitchell.
Morrow was assessed a five-minute major penalty for cross-checking, and 10-minute misconduct for intent-to-injure. He was summarily dismissed from the game. Supplemental discipline is TBD.
Following the incident, Blues captain David Backes did what any good captain does when their team is down, pummel the opponents wunderkind forward. If he even had a chance to get a swing in, Nathan MacKinnon was in for a helluva fight against Backes.
Future Lady Byng recipient, Ryan O'Reilly added salt to St. Louis's wounds by scoring a fourth goal for Colorado making the score, 4-0.
It wouldn't be too much longer before a line brawl breaks loose. (My favorite part of the video is at the 14-second mark; watch the linesman scoot on his bum.)
The game ended without further incident. Colorado is looking more and more like a dark-horse each game.
One more thing, can we make sure these two teams somehow meet in the the playoffs? Just sayin'.
[s/t to Fred Murtz for the video. Give our best to Ethel.]
