The Blues' home-ice advantage has done nothing for the club in Round 2. The road-warrior Los Angeles Kings won their fourth straight game in enemy territory Monday, 5-2, and now lead the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals 2-0.
"If we play like we did (Monday) with not enough guys going, it's going to be tough to win wherever we are," Blues captain David Backes said. "If we're playing on the moon, we're not going to win.
"We've got some looking in the mirror to do, some regrouping... we need to make some changes so that we're better. I think X's and O's and film, we've done that to death. It's about intestinal fortitude and coming together as a group."
The Blues surrendered their second shorthanded goal in two games -- L.A.'s fourth of the postseason -- to go down 2-0. Blues defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo tried to clear a puck from the defensive zone and Dustin Brown knocked it down, before setting up Anze Kopitar for the first of his two goals in the game.
"Shorthanded goals... take away a lot of momentum," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We've had two shorthanded goals in two games. Careless play by us."
The Kings led 4-0 after the first period, the most goals in a playoff period for the franchise since 1993.
"It's embarrassing the way we came out in the first period," Blues defenseman Barret Jackman said.
The Blues' Andy McDonald scored 18 seconds into the second period for a 4-1 deficit, but L.A. answered 1:08 later for a 5-1 advantage. Matt D'Agostini closed out the scoring for the Blues, but despite holding the Kings to a combined five shots on goal in the last two periods, the club didn't come close to climbing back into the game.
"Even it takes five overtimes... we've got to stick with it mentally and physically," Blues forward T.J. Oshie said.
The Blues will need to work overtime to get back into this series. Game 3 is Thursday at Staples Center.
NOTES, QUOTES
Pietrangelo out on Monday
--The Blues played Monday without defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who is nursing a lower-body injury, according to the team. Pietrangelo skated Monday morning but was ruled out in a game-time decision. Minus their top defender, the Blues need more out of Barret Jackman and Kevin Shattenkirk, but they didn't receive any help from those two in Game 2. Jackman was a minus-3 and while Shattenkirk was even, he was on the ice for two of L.A.'s goals. It's a no-brainer, we need to step our game up, we need to be ready to take on some big minutes and some big players on their team," Shattenkirk said. "I think we're ready for the challenge. We're both not happy with we've been going so far. We both know that we have another gear that we're ready to reach."
--Blues coach Ken Hitchcock was named Monday as one of three finalists for the Jack Adams award as the NHL's coach of the year. Hitchcock, who will be up against the Rangers' John Totorella and Ottawa's Paul MacLean, has been nominated four times in his career, but never won. "You know, when you make a decision to coach as a living, there's times when you really need your family and friends," Hitchcock said. "The last year and a half, I really needed family and friends. First to keep me sane and keep me occupied, keep me interested in doing this wonderful job that we (have)."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "The playoffs, it's one loss and you move on. There's some obvious things that we have to address. But full marks to (the Kings)." -- Blues coach Ken Hitchcock, after his team's 5-2 loss to the Kings in Game 2 Monday.
ROSTER REPORT
PLAYER NOTES:
--LW Andy McDonald netted his fifth goal of the playoffs in Monday's 5-2 loss to the Kings. McDonald scored an even-strength goal 18 seconds into the second period, but the Blues' were out of reach at that point, trailing 4-1. He now had five goals and four assists in seven playoff games.
--G Brian Elliott allowed five goals on 21 shots in Monday's loss to the Kings. Elliott didn't have much help defensively, but he will have to regroup because there is no help in sight. The club officially ruled out Jaroslav Halak for the rest of the conference semifinals with a foot injury.
--RW Matt D'Agostini was back in the lineup Monday, and he responded with one of the team's two goals. D'Agostini, who had nine goals in the regular season, pulled the Blues to within 5-2 in the third period. D'Agostini replaced Chris Stewart in the lineup and could remain there for Game 3.
