Tyler Tucker: 'I Haven’t Even Watched It; I Was A Little Pissed Off Last Night'

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Tyler Tucker was rightfully upset on Tuesday night.

The St. Louis Blues defenseman hasn’t re-watched the final minutes of a 4-3 loss against the Dallas Stars. Mostly feeling responsibility for how the game-winning goal by Thomas Harley unfolded with 1:07 remaining in regulation after the Blues (19-25-9) fought back from a three-goal, third-period deficit.

“I haven’t even watched it,” Tucker said after practice on Wednesday. “I was a little pissed off last night.”

Here’s what unfolded, if you’re still out of the loop. The Blues, down two forwards due to injuries to Jake Neighbours (lower body) and Jordan Kyrou (upper body) made a valiant comeback to erase a 3-0 deficit and tied the game. Momentum was clearly on their side.

Tucker took a reverse pass from Logan Mailloux on the lefthand side of the ice in his own zone. He looked up and went off the boards with the puck to Alexey Toropchenko. With the naked eye, it looked like an errant pass, but not to be. The puck took a weird bounce off the boards and bounded up, Toropchenko couldn’t get a stick on it. Icing.

Wyatt Johnston won the face-off from Nick Bjugstad back to Harley, whose shot from near the blue line caromed off Mathieu Joseph past Jordan Binnington, and the Stars would eventually go on to win the game, squashing the Blues’ rally hopes.

A similar scenario happened in the Blues’ 3-2 loss to the Stars. An icing created a defensive zone draw, they lose it, Jason Robertson scored with 1:00 remaining and the Blues would lose.

Tucker knew it right away.

We broke down what happened, what options he could have used and the lesson learned in an unfortunate situation:

What were you seeing on the play?

’Maisy’ made a good play on the reverse. I felt like I probably had a bit more time, I could have skated more. I think I took a few strides and then just the time of game and how we were playing, I think, just trying to get it in to Torps to get in on the forecheck last minute. I think I might have had a guy in the middle of the ice. I don’t know, I just thought the safe play was to go up the wall. Indirect and let them get in on the forecheck.

When you let it go, did you know?

As soon as I passed it, I could see the snow. It was right by the forward door by our bench. It didn’t bounce. It went indirect and just (expletive) blew up. I knew right away.

Hindsight is easy, but do you second-guess the decision you made?

I probably could have skated more. Something might have opened up. But at that point in the game, just moving it up walls in a 3-3 game, a minute left, whatever it was, I think that’s my … maybe I go direct instead of using the wall. Honestly I’m not really thinking that bounce is even going to happen. The boards are usually shoveled every time.

I haven’t re-watched it, but I think it was flat when I passed it and then it just (expletive) took off. It was a (crap) bounce.

Were there other options?

I think I was pretty low when I passed it. I think I was under the goal line and took a few strides, saw Torps, and went to pass it. Yeah like I said, probably maybe hold onto it for a second longer and see if something opens up. I knew I’ll always have him there.

Could you go tape to tape to Toropchenko in that situation?

When you’re moving pucks like that from the D-zone and the neutral zone too, the direct passes are easier for a D-man to jump the forwards. Even for us as D-men, it’s easier us … you give them an option I feel like if you indirect it because they can chip it to the middle or chip it … when you go direct, I feel like you often dictate where they have to go.

Do you have to stay in your conviction and feel you did the right thing with the wrong result?

It’s unfortunate. I would probably make the same play again. I have all the confidence in the world in ‘Torps’ to get a stick on it and get in on the forecheck. I think I would make that same play again. It sucks it turned out the way it did.

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