KERBSIDE - REACTION - Game 71 vs. SJS - Breakdown, Highlights, Reaction, a 2-1 OT WIN

0:00My name's Mackenzie and I started to go fund me for the adoptive mother of a nonverbal autistic child. The mother had lost her job because she wasn't able to find adequate care for this autistic child. So she really needed some help with living expenses, paying some back bills. So I launched a GoFundMe to help support them during this crisis. And we raised about $10,000 within just a couple of months. I think that the surprising thing was by telling a clear story and just like really being very clear about what we needed, we had some really generous donations from people who were really moved by the situation that this family was struggling with. GoFundMe is the world's number one fundraising platform, trusted by over 200 million people. Start your GoFundMe today at GoFundMe.com. GoFundMe.com. GoFundMe.com. This podcast is supported by GoFundMe.

1:00The Bleacher Report app is your destination for sports. Right now, the NBA is heating up, March Manus is here, and MLB is almost back. Every day there's a new headline, a new highlight, a new moment you've got to see for yourself. That's why I stayed locked in with the Bleacher Report app. For me, it's about staying connected to my sports. I could follow the teams I care about, get real-time scores, breaking news, and highlights all in one place. Download the Bleacher Report app today so you never miss a moment. Well, last night at Enterprise Center, in front of a sell-out crowd on a Thursday night, it was an exciting night as the St. Louis Blues skated to a 2-to-1 overtime victory over

2:02the San Jose Sharks sending to the Sharks to their sixth consecutive loss. And the St. Louis Blues get the victory, and with that win, have a chance to sweep the home stand on Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. What an exciting end to that game it proved to be. Hello, everybody, I'm Chris Kerber, and welcome into Curbside Reaction. Your next day post-game podcast featuring everything St. Louis Blues, we bring it to you after each and every St. Louis Blues game. It's uploaded all within an hour or so, maybe two hours after the game, but you can definitely count on a being there when you get up the next morning, and if you miss the game within about 20 minutes, we give you highlights, breakdown, analysis, opinion, reaction, and more. And it's all here on Curbside Reaction. Why are we able to do it for you? Well, we've got a great partner in Belman Automotive. They're located in Troy, and Belman Automotive has been in business since 1971. Folks, they've been supporters of hockey in St. Louis from all different levels for many,

3:05many years. When you support companies like that, they continue to have the ability to support hockey. And then we can get you caught up in Blues games, like we do here on Curbside Reaction. As a matter of fact, there's a personal experience from earlier today. I'm looking to buy a used car. I've got a third daughter that's moving into the driving range, and because of a car accident earlier that I was in when we were hit before the start of the season, we've had to adjust the car plan. I got on the phone with Dan and Kenny today. I talked to them, said, here's the plan. Here's what I'm thinking. Here's my budget. Here's what we're looking for, and they are on it, and they've already sent me a couple of options to look at for a new family car. So that is the kind of service that you can expect from Belman Automotive, whether you're in the market for a new car, a used car, or how about even just service, you can get that out there at Belman Automotive. They're in Troy. It's well worth the drive. It's not that long of a drive. I live in Manchester. It's 30 minutes away for me.

4:07No problem there. So you can get out there and you can also shop online at bellman.com, but again, a big thank you to them for helping us bring the podcast to you. All right. We had an exciting one. There wasn't a lot of goals. It was a 2-1 overtime finish, but there were great saves. We saw a shut-out streak of 167 minutes and 30 seconds in for Joel Hofer. Davorski put the blues on top. The game would be tied on a goal by Wienberg. It'd be one and over time by Holloway. Here are the highlights. Hey, you fan. Trying to clear. Sharks hold it in. That's God. He gets taken down. May you falls on top of him and then trying to jab it. May they want to go and drop in the gloves. Is a stop-jump game. No, no, no. Joyce man says fine. And here they go. Good. Right by me. They're trading rights. Holloway is going to get it into the offensive zone. He's got a low behind the net and the back end off his neck. Score.

5:09Davorski right there. Ripped in pass. The Nell Convention of Lose. Break the tie. Emily unable to get the rebound shot and the Sharks clear it up. Edwin going the other way. Wienberg again and he scores. Celebrity to good draw. And that's long shot at the buzzer wide. Second straight meeting with these two teams going into overtime. 10 seconds to go up to Holloway to the front of the net. Five remaining. He scores. Bring out the save voting. Holloway. Two to one, St. Louis over the Sharks in overtime tonight. What a game. What a finish. Those are your highlights with reaction from the game. Let's check in with a locker room report. Curbs much appreciated.

6:10Let's start with none other than Dylan Holloway. He's been on a tear as of late. Obviously scored the game winner. Let's go to 81. Honestly, when when Celebrini had the puck, I thought there was two seconds left. So I abandoned my guide. You got a good crack in the slot. And then that would have been my bad. But I looked up right after that. So there's about five seconds. And then I just stretched and just kind of prayed that I could get it on net in time. I mean, like coming in that angle, I knew I was going back in. And then I was just trying to react. I mean, it's so happened so fast, but I just click reaction to see if he was going to go far aside. And then honestly, it's bad ice, too. So I just try to get it up and it was fortunate enough for it to go on. Kind of our mindset, I think, going into that OT is we want to be more aggressive. Take a few more chances. I think that's how you win an OT. It was a little back and forth. But I thought, hope did a great job. Boys dug in. Yeah, I thought we deserved that one. Definitely playing hard. I felt like there was not a lot of room out there, especially in the first period. And as the game kind of went on, you got a little bit used to the pace and the pace of transition. But wore them down. They made a nice play in the third period to tie it up.

7:11And yeah, it was a grind at the end, but it's nice to get those two points. No, I didn't do it on purpose, I always said it. But yeah, it was fortunate. Yeah, boys are playing well. I think we're all digging in for each other. Just having fun, too. I think that's a big thing. I think it's more fun you have the better the product, more the team gels. Yeah, everyone starts playing for each other. So we're just trying to relish that and push as hard as we can. And this is a big period of growth for our team. And we're going to treat every game like we need it. Which we do. So you don't kind of take it game by game. And you don't play the way we can. I think we believe we're a good team in here. We've got a lot of room to grow. And that's just the goal here in these last 9-10 games. Dylan Halloway certainly not the only young forward with that opportunity to impress in the Blues triumph over the shark's Dalibor Divorsky elevated to first-line duties and boy, did he ever come through as well? Obviously, I was happy that I got the trust from the coaches. And I mean, I just tried to do my best and helped the team win.

8:12Every shift I'm out there. And I'm happy we won again today. Yeah, well, they're both great players, obviously. So it's easy to play with them. And yeah, but I mean, anyone I play on the team, I like to play with. But I mean, obviously, you know, Snuggie and Holly are both great players. So it's like I said, it's pretty easy to play with them. Gives confidence, obviously. But I mean, we're just, you know, got to know. And when he's out there, like he's a top player in this league. So yeah, got to know when he's out there. But we also have to focus it our own game. And I think we did well today. I think we played a really good team game overall. And yeah, Hope was great again. So he's him and Winner are both helping us at this time a lot. Rice plays right time. I mean, good job by Snuggie, Roman and Beck. And I don't know if it rolled off his take. I thought it was a pass, but no, a great job by Holly. And I just shot it. And I'm happy to win in. So good job by the whole line. I feel like mostly we're playing for each other. We're winning a lot of Peck Puck battles.

9:14And I mean, yeah, we're just playing for each other. The goalies are awesome too. So it was really fun to play here since the break. Because we're winning a lot, obviously. So we're just, I believe that we're going to keep doing it and keep winning games. I mean, you know, I just bergied past me really good past. And I saw Otto on the far post. And I just gave it to him. So yeah, it was a good play. Happy that it went in. And that gives confidence. But I'm just like I said, where I'm just trying to do my best to help the team win all the time. I mean, it's a little different. I mean, we just got to, when we don't have the part, we just, we all have to pick our player and stay with him until we get the puck. But it was something different. And yeah, we got pretty good chances out there. But I mean, great job by Holly at the end to win again for us. Yeah, I mean, I like that the clock. And it was like five seconds left. So I'm really thinking about the shootouts.

10:15And then I look and he scored. So yeah, great job by him. And Brobi, great past you. There's your tandem of top six studs Thursday evening. My name is Bradford bronze with your locker room report. Curbs back to you. Here's the head coach of your St. Louis Blues, Jim Montgomery. Yeah, it was a difficult game. There wasn't much rhythm to it. And, you know, I don't know why, but I don't think there was two consecutive passes all night long by either team. You know, it was just, but you know what? I love the way our team's maturing. That game tonight, we win because we stuck with our defensive principles. We struggled for a while to manage the puck, but then we found it. And we're doing things showing signs of becoming a good game management team, which is going to give you a lot of wins. When especially nights like tonight, where you don't think you have your A game,

11:16why it took this long or, you know, why we're doing it well now. We didn't do well in October and November. You know, sometimes it's just the attitude, you know. I think we started this year thinking we were going to be good. And when it didn't happen, we stopped working like all of us. And I include myself and everybody in it. We got frustrated instead of finding solutions. We're finding solutions now. He did a great job. He was great on face-offs tonight. I thought he was really good defensively. And you know what? He owned the Middle East. And when you're a centerman, you've got owned the Middle East. He scored in the Middle East. He made some good defensive plays with a stick below the goal line in the Middle East. So he did a lot of really good things. And I thought the three on three was really confident. Well, with Brobering and Holloway on the ice, yes. Well, that was a great play by Brobering to know there wasn't a lot of time. You indirect it off the boards, too. So there's no chance of it getting intercepted.

12:18And Holloway makes a skilled play just to touch it. So it's not an icing. And then he, you know, speed catches up. That's a beautiful touch goal. Devo can win the puck on his backhand right through Rusey. And Rusey's first step, he can attack in. And we might have a two on one at the net. And forwards typically make more plays. That's why you have four forwards on power plays in one demand, you know, in those situations. So, and I was like, what do we have to lose? Let's go for it, you know. All right, that's the Blues head coach, Jim Montgomery. Well, after the game, I slid up to the radio booth, sat down with Alex Ferrario. And we broke this one down. Anywhere from Jordan Kyra, to Jack Finley, to Dallabor, to Vorski. And how the St. Louis Blues shut down Maclin, Celebreeding, who for the 19th time this season went without a point in the game. Here's your breakdown. What a finish to this one. That was entertaining from the third period to the final buzzer. This was a game that we expected

13:18between these two teams in terms of a tight one. I mean, they're neck and neck in the standings. The Blues actually jump over San Jose and the standings there and move to within six points of Nashville and that final, I mean, six points. That's the three games, right? So, and you have a game, I believe, against Nashville. And you do have a game against Nashville. Just shows you how important games are throughout the season. But when that long pass came from Philip Broberg, as it looks up, as a broadcast, you look up and you look at the clock and you see 5.3 is the number that I saw. And then it bounces just out of his head and as he's able to get to that at the corner, you're like, he's got time. And you see in your peripheral vision, the sharks stopped. I think they thought that this thing was just gonna end that way. I think the Delcovitch did. And when he, well, the Delcovitch was still right there, but maybe he thought the same thing. That's just an unbelievable shot. I mean, we see, we saw Ryan O'Reilly for five years. Lift shots like that in practice.

14:20That is such a fantastic goal from Dylan Holloway. Two points again for him. With Davorsky on that top line, that line got you. Both goals in the hockey game, a sellout crowd. Dude, the atmosphere was just awesome. I mean, that's what over time in the NHL should look like. And it was just fantastic. Well, and you set it on the call prior to that goal curves, blues fans take a look at the future. It was Holloway snuggarooed in Broberg on the ice and I don't think that's what the one that led to the goal. But still, that's the core that we talk so much about that are impacting games right now. Yeah, and you know what, and I've definitely got to say this because there's been a lot of times over the course of the last year, last couple of years where, you know, we at times have from a critical ice standpoint right, have broken down Jordan Cairo's game. Yeah. And not necessarily not in a positive way. That over time shift he had before the shift that led

15:23to the game winning goal. He's one of the guys, him and Holloway, you're two fastest skaters on this team. He's one of the guys from a speed standpoint that could stay with Celebrini. And when Celebrini got the puck in the neutral zone almost on the near dot, Jordan Cairo stayed on him like the number 71 on the back of Celebrini all the way through to the far wall. He delayed Celebrini enough that allowed Pavo Butch Navich to come in, jam the puck loose from Celebrini right in front of the San Jose bench. Then the puck went to the blues half of the red line and Cairo stayed on the puck, took a hit, kept in the battle while being knocked down to one knee, won the puck battle, which is the biggest part of it. And eventually it was Dvoriski getting possession. He brought it back to Butch Navich and the blues ended up circling back to regroup. And I walk you through that play because if it's if that kind of effort doesn't happen right there,

16:25you may not have had a chance to win this game in overtime. Yeah. Those are the plays that you will never see on a score sheet that the hard working difference making players make to help your team win because you've got to do that because the top skilled guys are getting those key minutes and those key times. So that was that was a spectacular shift I thought for Jordan Cairo and and one of the reasons that led to the St. Louis Blues being able to to do what they did. And that curves is now the 10th game since the Olympic break that the blues have played in a one goal outcome. Now taking into consideration the empty net goals that have extended it. But 10 out of I believe 13 since the Olympic break have been one goal games for the blues. They're playing and it is in. Well, it's the tight games number one. But then I also believe is it 11 out of the last 14 where they've held the opposition to two or fewer? Correct, yes. So you know, man, if if some butts were beer and nuts,

17:25we'd have a hell of a party. But well, then you get to the overtime conversation as well in the early portion and that's what I'm saying. The early portion of the season and it's going to go back Alex and we can talk on the on the post game show on you know, a little bit more about this. But I mean, to me, to me, if there is any one focus of this hockey team, like almost from now on. But from from the moment this season ends, when it ends, wherever it ends, wherever they end up finishing, every bit of focus has to be on game one of next year. And the start of the season, the trend of the last few years and the poor starts to the year have put this team in such a bind where they've got to chase things. And yes, you know, is Vinco Scully said during the Kurt Gibson home run, you know, on the, you know, what was it in the night of the improbable, the impossible has happened, you know, and such a poetic call. And for the St. Louis Blues, in a lot of ways, that was the 19 cup run.

18:26Yeah. And then they had a great year at the next year, but every year they're chasing it early. So, you know, look at where you're at. You've got 11 games to go in your six points out of a playoff spot. And I'll bet you, if we pulled 10 different fans, if we pulled 18,000 different fans, we're going to get, oh, I don't know, how many different combinations of what three games on this year they felt could have gone and should have gone the other way that make a difference. And it shows you how important that is. I did want to ask you one more. And then we could get more into the nitty gritty ones we get into our extended post game coverage. But you did not see, no, Celebrini had his opportunities, but he was held off the score sheet and pretty silent for the most part through this hockey game. That's a testament to the matchups that Jim Montgomery was looking for, which I believe a majority of this game was that Jack Finley line. You know, I thought I'd look, yes, it was. And you saw Jack Finley with that really important face off. You know, in a game where your top centerman by far Robert Thomas is out of the lineup. For a guy like Celebrini who had 170% of the draws

19:27in the offensive zone in like 53 or 55% of his face offs over the course of the game, I think the blues were just under 60% overall on face offs. That was important. And the Jack Finley aspect of it is an interesting one because ever since they got him, that like we've seen the wingers get chained, well, the one winger, Torapchenko there, they're saying, okay, we've got to see what we have with Jack Finley. And the extended Torapchenko, as it would look right now, it would look like that is your centerman and left winger on your fourth line, going into next season. And Jack Finley has shown that he can win some draws. I mean, when they put him out, they're almost like they did Nick Buchstead so many times. You win the draw, they can get over here fast, right? And, but it's good. Now, how much more can Jack Finley impact the game? That remains to be seen. Good solid play. But this is a game against a young and a young girl

20:28than the blue San Jose team, where you do give those guys some real great opportunities. And Jack Finley's line, I thought, was really, really good here tonight when they came through with that. And if I go back, I go back to some of the early times that Sydney Crosby played against the Blues. You remember when Sydney Crosby came into the league? The league had adjusted the schedule. So you didn't, you only played the Eastern Conference teams once, you might go, you know, a year and a half. And then there was one division in each team. You didn't play, right? So the first couple of years, we didn't see a lot of them. And we can Hitchcock took over. There was a stretch in there where the Blues just absolutely shut down. And David Back is shut down, Sydney Crosby. I think it was his first three seasons. He didn't score a point. Exactly. And then, and then believe it or not, even some of the early days with with counter-McDavid, somewhat similar. You know, the Blues have gone in and done a good job of shutting some guys like that down. Now, over time, they've made up for it,

21:30water finds its level, it does. But tonight's game the way this team kind of really for the first time, this I think was the first game against Maclin, Celabrine, the Blues really kind of shut him down. Yeah. That it reminded me of some of those games, you know, with Kent Hitchcock coaching against Sydney Crosby and Craig Baroube coaching against the counter-McDavid, that this game felt like that. It was reminiscent of that. Yeah, I want to get more into that, a little bit more with your curves. All right, Alex, thank you very much. Well, you know, from a standing standpoint, that game actually meant a lot. The Nashville Predators ended up losing to the Devils in regulation. And puts the Blues within six points of a playoff spot. Yeah, that is still quite a mountain with only 11 games to go. But from a development standpoint, it keeps a young team playing important games. Coming to the rink feeling, we have a chance. Coming to the rink with a purpose. Coming to the rink, playing for something.

22:31And that when it comes to the development of young players is critically important, even when you've made trades and moved out better in players like Shen and Justin Faulk. That's where guys like Colton, Perrico, and Pavel Butch, Nabuch and Jordan Vinnington and Cam Fowler, other veterans on this team continue to push the needle forward. Now, what did it as it also mean in the standings? Well, the San Jose Sharks were just one point ahead of the Blues. Now, the Sharks do have a game in hand on St. Louis, but the Blues jumped over the Sharks. So if the season were to end, the Blues went from the fifth pick to the sixth pick with Bivertue of that win. And no matter what camp you're in, win as many in series falls as one camp, the other camp is, get as high a pick as you can. No matter how you have to do it, that's another camp. The one thing that you do expect as a Blues fan, you pay money to come see the game, you tune in on the TV, you tune in on the radio, you absorb the content, you want, you want to see your team compete. You want to see the young guys compete. Well, when you've gone through a couple of years of a rebound like they have, and you're starting to see your draftics,

23:32the three first rounders from 2023, in Divorsky, Winston, Stenberg, come in and play. You're seeing Jimmy Snuggler drafted the year before that, 23rd overall, and he comes in, and he's playing, right? You look at those scenarios, you want to see these guys move. You look at the Offersheets signing. How big are those Offersheets of Proberg and Holloway, the two guys that combined for the game winning goal? Can you imagine if those Offersheets did not go through where the Blues would be right now without those two players? So when you come to the rink and you expect a full effort, you expect a St. Louis Blue quality effort? These young guys are delivering it, and there is reason to be excited. Jimmy Snuggler, 38 points on the season. He's approaching a 40 point rookie season in the National Hockey League. And man, you know there is a pile more points to come from Jimmy Snuggler. It's all a lot of excitement to keep this in mind, no matter where the Blues first pick in that third in the first round is, in the draft is June. They've got three first round picks, the wheel and deal or to pick with.

24:33And even if they keep them all and pick them, if they have the same kind of picks that if they appear to have had with the Vorsky in Stenberg, and Lynstein, and they repeat that kind of performance this time around, holy smokes will the Blues have. A farm system ready to roll. It helps support this team. So a lot of excitement and one more game to go on the homestand, but Toronto Maple Leafs come in to town on Saturday night. Craig Barubi, of course, their head coach, and that's a 615 puck drop on Hockey Night in Canada. Thanks to Bradford Bruns for helping put this podcast together along with Alex Ferrario and Jordan Deacon on Chris Kerver, the St. Louis Blues over the San Jose Sharks 2-1 and over time have a great rest of your week a spectacular start to the weekend. You got it. We'll see you at the ring. Thanks for listening to the Curbside Podcast, presented by Bellman Automotive for the best price on a new P.U.H.G.M.C. Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram or a used vehicle, shop Bellman and Troy online at Bellman.com.

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