Back in Blue

"Whatever it Takes." That's the motto of the St. Louis Blues. Owner John Davidson has done just that to get Blues fans back. And it has worked. Hockey is big in St. Louis again, and that is quite a feat. The Lou is a/the baseball town. There have been few times in my lifetime that the Cardinals have not been the main focus on the STL sports page. The Blues' effort on and off the ice made fans watch. Especially after the last piece of the puzzle was put in place--a playoff team. The end of the Blues season actually overshadowed Cardinals opening day. What led to this unimaginable accomplishment? For the first time since the NHL lockout, the Blues had what it took. Thanks to a wave of youth, the Blues were one of the (if not the) hottest team in the NHL in the second half of the season. T.J. Oshie quickly became a fan favorite with his big hits, highlight reel goals and two-night thrashing of Rick Nash. David Backes' astonishing four-goal effort led to a W in a crucial game against the Red Wings. Even without Erik Johnson, Paul Kariya and Eric Brewer, the Blues were able to cook up a playoff appearance with the help of the youngsters Oshie, Backes, Patrik Berglund and David Perron mixed with some stellar goaltending by Chris Mason. Yes, they got swept by the Canucks in the first round of playoffs, but the club has a bright future. It has solid goaltending, a suberb young cast and, once again, an enthusiastic fanbase. This could be what it takes to earn the first Stanley Cup for the Blue Note.