Preview: Game 2 at San Jose

GAME 2 AT SHARKS

The St. Louis Blues played an uncharacteristic game for much of the opening contest in the Western Conference Final on Saturday, falling 6-3 in Game 1 against the San Jose Sharks. It wasn't until the third period that the Blues finally got to their game.
"I thought that third period, we got to our game, we were aggressive, we were on the forecheck, controlled the puck in the offensive zone," Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson said. "Overall, they were just a better team. We'll be ready for Monday."
"It wasn't our best game," Ryan O'Reilly added. "We didn't take care of the puck well enough. They outplayed us tonight… It's disappointing, but we have to respond. It's a long series, and we know we have to be better next game."
Logan Couture and Timo Meier each had two goals and an assist for the Sharks. Edmundson, O'Reilly and Tyler Bozak scored for St. Louis, who fell behind to begin a series for the first time this postseason.

THEY SAID IT

Pat Maroon
On what went wrong in Game 1
"We gave them everything I thought. We didn't play our game. They capitalized on our turnovers and their chances and they buried them. Those are easy fixes and you just have to get back to work. I thought in the third period, we got back to our game and you can see what we did to them…(Game 1) is over, just throw it out. Nothing you can do about it. This is a team that bounces back and we find ways to fix our game and elevate our game."
Robert Thomas
On falling behind in Game 1
"We're not worried. We've had our backs against the wall the entire second half of the year. We know we'll respond. I was happy with our third period, but it was a little too late. We'll bring that into Game 2."
David Perron
One day after Game 1
"There were some good things, just not enough of it. They were the better team and it's Game 1. We have to make a few adjustments and I think it's on each individual to bring it and just be a little bit better."

BLUE NOTES

Edmundson recorded his first goal of the postseason in Game 1. It was his fifth career postseason goal… O'Reilly has six points in his last seven games (one goal, five assists)… San Jose's Joe Thornton (1,566) and the Blues' Jay Bouwmeester (1,184) rank second and third in regular-season games played among active players that have yet to win a Stanley Cup… Seven of the Blues' eight playoff victories this season have come by one goal, which is the most one-goal victories in a single postseason in franchise history.