{"time":1773467263357,"blocks":[{"id":"4a0lVhYCrz","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\nST.\nLOUIS – And\nso it continues. Haven't we seen this movie script before?"}},{"id":"4z-FPndt9G","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nAs\na matter of fact, we saw it last year when the St. Louis Blues made a\npush to gain entry into the Stanley Cup playoffs."}},{"id":"fXg7feHUj1","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nIt’s\nstill premature to say things will play out the same way, but the\nBlues are giving a whole new meaning to ‘March Madness.’"}},{"id":"WzdLsbflB4","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThey\ncontinued their winning ways, this time rallying from a two-goal\ndeficit and earning their seventh win in nine games (7-1-1) since the\nOlympic break and running their point streak to seven games (6-0-1)\nwhen Robert Thomas found the net with nine seconds left in overtime\nof a 3-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers at Enterprise Center on\nFriday."}},{"id":"mmpwlqwt","type":"video","data":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/55d6e840-399d-484d-9ca2-58f361028032/mp4","caption":"","autoplay":false,"controls":true,"muted":false,"stretched":true,"width":0,"height":0,"image":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/55d6e840-399d-484d-9ca2-58f361028032/thumbnail"},"cdn":{"videoId":"55d6e840-399d-484d-9ca2-58f361028032","libraryId":"372172","collectionId":"30032062-eefd-4041-a355-12ad05bc987b","cdnBaseUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net","mp4Url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/55d6e840-399d-484d-9ca2-58f361028032/mp4","thumbnailUrl":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/55d6e840-399d-484d-9ca2-58f361028032/thumbnail","previewAnimationUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net/55d6e840-399d-484d-9ca2-58f361028032/preview.webp"}}},{"id":"L1yihbk3U1","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThe\nBlues (27-29-10) now sit five points out of a wild card in the\nWestern Conference with their second win in as many nights after\ndowning the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes, 3-1 on\nThursday in Raleigh, N.C."}},{"id":"TbhPpmhuFo","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nNot\nonly did the Blues, who got a goal and an assist from Cam Fowler and\na goal from Pius Suter, rally from down two goals, they did it in the\nthird period after Connor McDavid put the Oilers (32-26-9) ahead\nmidway through."}},{"id":"SGn6Yq7doT","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“It\nwas fun. It wasn’t exactly the way that we drew it up, but I’m\nproud of our guys,” Fowler\nsaid.\n“We continue to fight against a really good team that needed the\npoints and was desperate and we just hung in there, got a couple\ngoals and had a big shot by ‘Tommer’ there in overtime to seal\nthe deal. Just an overall good effort by everyone staying in the game\nand staying in the fight.”"}},{"id":"whcet_ZUDy","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nBlues\ncoach Jim Montgomery, whose Blues are 18-2-2 the past two seasons in\nthe month of March, noticed that it’s that time of year."}},{"id":"XrqetCaoM2","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“It's\nthe month of March,” he said. “Either we've got a bunch of Irish\nguys and they love the month of March, they love March Madness or\nspring break. I don't know.\n I\ndon't know what our combined winning percentage is combined the last\ntwo Marches but it's pretty phenomenal.”"}},{"id":"Q3qAJuli-M","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nJoel\nHofer contined his sorcery with another stellar outing with 35 saves."}},{"id":"RiQwxVPmMS","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nHere\nare Friday’s takeaways:"}},{"id":"O5cCy66F7w","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n*\nFirst period had some pace to it – Each team played on Thursday, so\none could understand if the teams would perhaps go through the\nmotions a little bit and feel each other out."}},{"id":"3KuaZcSr_B","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nBut\nthat’s not the case."}},{"id":"4jf5mG_OTo","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThere\nwas some pace to it, with each team having its share of odd-man\nrushes."}},{"id":"hunsTTZEO7","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nGoaltending\nwas up to the challenge despite the shot clock only being 7-6 in\nfavor of the Oilers."}},{"id":"PyF7FQZ8t7","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n*\nOilers owned the second – For one, the Blues never got into an\noffensive flow and going 19:46 without a shot on goal was evident\nwhy."}},{"id":"1BNuXDm1OY","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nWhen\nDylan Holloway put a shot on goal with 6:45 left in the opening\nperiod, the Blues were stuck on six shots until Jordan Kyrou’s slot\nshot with 6:59 to play."}},{"id":"Qcjw7PaW8u","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nEdmonton,\nwhich was embarrassed on Friday in Dallas, losing 7-2, had the puck\non a string and finally cracked Hofer when former Blue Kasperi\nKapanen broke the barrier when he converted from the slot a gorgeous\nLeon Draisaitl pass at 15:41:"}},{"id":"_VWgjJ7au1","type":"embed","data":{"service":"twitter","source":"https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers/status/2032631102633058460","embed":"https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?id=2032631102633058460","width":600,"height":300,"caption":"","meta":{"title":"Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) on X","site_name":"X (formerly Twitter)","description":"Kasperi ghosts 'em 👻 #LetsGoOilers","image":{"url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDVbB29aoAAWpC3.jpg:large"}}}},{"id":"YZV4Zt3cww","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThe\nBlues made a bit of a push there but the Oilers owned the period."}},{"id":"WB03Vwk2Gl","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“We\ndidn’t touch the puck the whole second period, it felt like,”\nThomas said. “Maybe start with that, but we came out in the first,\nthey had a couple rush chances early and then we felt like we started\nto get some good looks and some good time in the O-zone, so we just\nhad to get back to that. Even when they go up 2-0, that was our\nfocus, and that was the way we were able to climb back into it.”"}},{"id":"kJBzgTzGVJ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n*\nPenalty kill continues to be key – The Oilers are the last team,\nwith the likes of McDavid and Draisaitl, you want to put on the power\nplay; it’s the top-ranked PP at 32.1 percent. And with the Blues’\nPK ranked 29th at 75 percent, you’re asking for trouble."}},{"id":"JIh7IokE8d","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nBut\nthe Blues were 3-for-3 in kills, marking the fifth time in six games\nthey were spotless killing penalties and are 16-for-18 in those\ngames, with the only blip being the two goals the New York Islanders\nscored on Tuesday in the third period."}},{"id":"ykAt8YvflG","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThe\nkills kept the Blues in the game, and in fact, they had two\nshorthanded breakaway chances by Colton Parayko and Alexey\nToropchenko that they didn’t convert on – Parayko hit the cross\nbar behind Connor Ingram – that could have produced momentum."}},{"id":"f31-HdMYhB","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“Smart\nsticks, running straight lines,” Montgomery said. “Our PK\nforecheck up ice has been patient and steering people to the outside.\nWe’re never giving cross-ice passes or in the middle of the ice and\nour goaltenders have been really good.”"}},{"id":"W6TJRbmcmS","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n*\nTheo Lindstein helped fuel a spark, along with Jonatan Berggren –\nPlaying in his third NHL game, imagine being Theo Lindstein, looking\nup and seeing arguably the greatest player in the world (Connor\nMcDavid) coming at you like a freight train."}},{"id":"EeV7qsp_KC","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nWhat\nwas Lindstein going to do? I’d be shaking in my skates too, and\nMcDavid saw his prey and made Lindstein pay by backing him in, then\nsnapping off a shot from the high slot past Hofer at 9:56 of the\nthird period and making it 2-0:"}},{"id":"c-k_MA6w0r","type":"embed","data":{"service":"twitter","source":"https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers/status/2032643213107016108","embed":"https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?id=2032643213107016108","width":600,"height":300,"caption":"","meta":{"title":"Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) on X","site_name":"X (formerly Twitter)","description":"Show Me State 🤩 #LetsGoOilers","image":{"url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDVmBKWbAAAf2o5.jpg:large"}}}},{"id":"fSUHLb2hYv","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThe\nBlues had a semblance of a push, but with the way things transpired\nin the second period, that almost felt like a dagger goal."}},{"id":"VLGPiJXghR","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nBut\nLindstein came right back, made a strong read by pinching in on a\nchipped puck into the corner, got a stick on it that Berggren could\nrecover, get below the goal line and find Suter in the low slot to\nget the Blues back within one at 2-1 at 12:22:"}},{"id":"uDMO8z-Up3","type":"embed","data":{"service":"twitter","source":"https://twitter.com/StLouisBlues/status/2032641960251457988","embed":"https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?id=2032641960251457988","width":600,"height":300,"caption":"","meta":{"title":"St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) on X","site_name":"X (formerly Twitter)","description":"This highlight sutes us just fine. #stlblues","image":{"url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDVlCNDXAAAYu4J.jpg:large"}}}},{"id":"WY7McIX5-4","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“What\na play by Berggren on the Suter goal,” Montgomery said. ‘I think\nthat really gave us the momentum that we could (win)."}},{"id":"kVUNSyGG-N","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“(Lindstein’s)\ncome up and he’s played with a lot of purpose, and he’s been\naggressive. It’s been nice to see him play to his strengths and\nwe’re seeing the kind of player he can become. I know it’s just\nthree games in, but it’s been a good three games.”"}},{"id":"vRrC-TzdzP","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n*\nFace-off win leads to tying goal – With Robert Thomas still not\nable to take draws after taking a puck off his right pinkie finger\nTuesday, face-offs were a challenge against the Oilers, although you\nwouldn’t have known it by seeing McDavid going 0-for-7."}},{"id":"nPzpNCPb-g","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nBut\nit was late in the game and Montgomery needed to try something\ndifferent, so he had Oskar Sundqvist, who took only four draws\n(2-for-4) for the game, won a big one from the right circle back to\nFowler, who grabbed it, and snapped a shot off the near post and past\nIngram’s left shoulder at 16:14 to tie the game 2-2:"}},{"id":"QP_FpbYTo0","type":"embed","data":{"service":"twitter","source":"https://twitter.com/StLouisBlues/status/2032644285154099329","embed":"https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?id=2032644285154099329","width":600,"height":300,"caption":"","meta":{"title":"St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) on X","site_name":"X (formerly Twitter)","description":"Nothing Fowl about this","image":{"url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDVnJqeXMAACa-V.jpg:large"}}}},{"id":"Ntc4OhL9c4","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“I\nput ‘Sunny’ out for maybe a second face-off all night and he wins\nit clean and we’ve got it tied up because we were struggling to win\n(face-offs), so I just tried a different center to win face-offs,”\nMontgomery said."}},{"id":"zHetjybFfC","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n*\nBlues needed their skating legs – Look, let’s face it, Thursday\nwas a hard game for the Blues, winning in Carolina."}},{"id":"5mcVK-_1jb","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nAnd\nplaying their third game in four nights, with travel sandwiched in\nbetween home games, was not an easy task."}},{"id":"Xn_tsMNzkV","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThe\nBlues looked lifeless in the second period, and the Oilers were\nskating them to death. Something had to change, and it did."}},{"id":"VEOL4kQ_Xu","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“The\nsecond period wasn’t really good at all,” Fowler\nsaid.\n“They kind of dictated the pace of the play there and spent most of\nthe period in our own end, so we came in here just wanted to regroup\na little bit, just wanted to get back to what had given us some\nsuccess in previous games. It still took a little while in the third\nand sometimes when you play desperate and you’re down a couple, you\nplay a little bit more aggressively and you’re able to gain some\nmore chances and I think that was the case tonight.”"}},{"id":"KzXaHZfjSV","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n*\nBlues\ngoaltending leading the way – It’s been by committee, as Thomas\nstated afterwards, but what the Blues are getting from Hofer and\nJordan Binnington, who was the No. 1 star against the Hurricanes, is\nleading the way."}},{"id":"aBE5uunhE8","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThe\ngoaltending has been so good, the Blues are either winning games by\nlocking them down when they gain the lead, or they’re able to come\nback like the last two nights when the goalies are giving them the\nchance."}},{"id":"88P8j3uUN6","type":"embed","data":{"service":"twitter","source":"https://twitter.com/lkorac10/status/2032671721455595719","embed":"https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?id=2032671721455595719","width":600,"height":300,"caption":"","meta":{"title":"Lou Korac (@lkorac10) on X","site_name":"X (formerly Twitter)","description":"Joel Hofer:\n\n5-0-1\n1.64 GAA\n.948 SV%\n192 shots-182 saves\n\nJordan Binnington:\n\n2-1-0\n1.69 GAA\n.944 SV%\n89 shots-84 saves\n\n#stlblues","image":{"url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1752217501314727936/DBDsiYG0_200x200.jpg","type":"jpg"}}}},{"id":"XIIKr8cxzQ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“They\ngive us a chance night in, night out, both of them to win hockey\ngames,” Fowler\nsaid.\n“’Binner’, he was unbelievable last night in Carolina and ‘Hof’\nwas amazing tonight. We need to take a look at things and make life\neasier on them, but they’re a huge part of this and they’re\nas big a part of the team as anybody else. When they’re playing\nlike that, it’s really difficult for other teams to gain momentum.\nWe have tremendous confidence in both of those guys any time that\nthey suit up for us.”"}},{"id":"7DmY3mGwGM","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThe\nnumbers since the break speak for themselves:"}},{"id":"7Z7ARm86W2","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"* Fresh legs helped fuel the fire – Montgomery made three changes to\nthe lineup anticipating that some fresher legs would be needed,\nespecially having to play an overtime game on Tuesday and a tough\norder on Thursday."}},{"id":"L7mIzuWfJq","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nHe\ninserted Berggren, Sundqvist and defenseman Justin Holl in for\nDalibor Dvorsky, Nathan Walker and Tyler Tucker."}},{"id":"a40n1YwUQ6","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nIt’s\npart of the dynamic depth that’s on display at the moment."}},{"id":"G8Nh64mr2z","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nHoll\nplayed 16:33, Berggren was at 12:36 with the assist, and Sundqvist\nwas at 13:11, also with an assist."}},{"id":"iWWxAkZL5l","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“It’s\nnice to have (depth), because we threw three bodies in because we\nknew we were going to be tired and that they could give us juice,”\nMontgomery said. ‘Berggren gave us juice, Sunny gave us juice. So\ndid Holl. Holl played a good game. He was smart back there, he was\nskating, defended well. I’m really happy that we could roll in\nthree fresh bodies.”"}},{"id":"T0YySL2sse","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n*\nThomas calls game – The Oilers are no fun to go against 3-on-3, not\nwhen they can throw McDavid, Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard on the ice\nat any given moment."}},{"id":"HOVzh0qB1C","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nAnd\nit was Draisaitl that nearly ended it when McDavid fed him for a shot\noff the post, and Holloway swatting the puck out of danger from the\ncrease, but gaining that extra point has been tough sledding for the\nBlues most of the season."}},{"id":"EC6Q2tcvIk","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nBut\nwith the clock winding down and possession, Kyrou takes the puck to\nthe net and gets his shot stopped for Thomas, who fed Fowler, and he\ngave the puck back to Thomas curling back to the inner edge of the\nleft circle before beating Ingram with McDavid defending:"}},{"id":"-K3oONQic-","type":"embed","data":{"service":"twitter","source":"https://twitter.com/StLouisBlues/status/2032647744934887789","embed":"https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?id=2032647744934887789","width":600,"height":300,"caption":"","meta":{"title":"St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) on X","site_name":"X (formerly Twitter)","description":"HOW 'BOUT THAT?????","image":{"url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDVqSMSWIAA85i3.jpg:large"}}}},{"id":"atNEGJUlFF","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“We’re\nobviously feeling good,” Thomas said. “We’re playing confident\nand we’re really using our strengths. Our ‘D’ are really\nskating, they’re joining the rush, they’re creating a lot.\nThey’re beating the first forechecker in and that’s opening up\nall of us forwards. We’re just clicking right now and really\nconfident and coming in and winning every game."}},{"id":"MyUAsC78m0","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“I\nthink the biggest thing is we’re playing to our strengths. That’s\nwhat made us a good team, that’s what’s making us a good team\nnow. When we get that puck and we’re skating, our ‘D’ are\nactive, we’re a tough team to beat and to get the puck from. I feel\nlike we’re doing a good job of that.”"}},{"id":"9VQKN5WXJV","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nAnd\nwith the playoffs now in the line of vision, Thomas said, “We’re\nright there.”"}},{"id":"j5NVbVYU6v","type":"image","data":{"caption":"","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"THN.com/FREE ","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/0bfeddbe-7745-4a6d-b613-b74ca8c8f49d.jpeg","width":1920,"height":1080}}},{"id":"B1-09G0Yp5","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum."}}],"version":"2.31.0"}

Jim Montgomery: "I’m a big Pep Guardiola fan"