ST. LOUIS – It took just 40 seconds for Blues coach Ken Hitchcock to say everything he had to say about Friday's frustrating 4-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes at Scottrade Center.
Likely repeating the message he conveyed to his players a few moments earlier, the veteran coach wasted little time dissecting the Central Division champs' fourth-straight loss
"This is going to be quick guys but you'll get lots of quotes anyways," Hitchcock started. "This is what happens when you play with skill ahead of work. This is what happens when you don't want to put your work boots on and the other team doesn't want to have anything to do with it.
"They pushed us out of the game competitively wise and made us play and act as individuals. They started with the puck off faceoffs. They defended well, they blocked shots, they did all the things we do as a team and they did them very well.
"Their level of defense and checking commitment confused and frustrated our players. We wanted the game to be easier and it wasn't and we lost 4-1 because of it. Ok? Thanks."
With that, Hitchcock returned to his office to quickly try and figure out what's gone wrong . The Blues are just 3-4-4 in their last 11 games after previously winning nine of ten to hold the NHL's best record.
The Blues claim they aren't ready to panic just yet, but with one game remaining before the playoffs begin they'd surely like to be playing better. The Blues have lost four games in a row, including three at home –where they have been nearly unbeatable.
And Friday wasn't just a loss. It was a beating in every way possible. The Coyotes beat the Blues to pucks. They had more odd-man rushes. They pushed the pace and had the Blues back on their heals for most of the night.
For a team who could have clinched the top seed in the West with wins Friday and Saturday, the Blues instead looked like a team undeserving of such honor.
"We need to re-establish our dominance and that's not the way we needed tonight in a game that could have given us a lot for a regular season championship," said forward David Backes. "But now it's forget about all those bigger things and get our game in order so we can hit the ground running.
"We need that urgency. I don't think we panic but we need to turn the tide and commit as a group of 20 guys and not wait for anyone else to do it because that's how we got where we are right now and how we get further in the playoffs if that's what we want to do."
The Blues complete the regular season Saturday night in Dallas needing a win and a Vancouver regulation loss to clinch the top spot in the Western Conference. Should any other combination occur, the Blues will open the playoffs next week as the No. 2 seed in the west.
Saying this week they wanted to finish strong to get a better feeling as they role into the playoffs, the Blues instead suffered their first four-game losing streak of the season.
Given a two-man advantage for nearly two minutes in the second period trailing 3-1, the Blues couldn't convert and missed on a golden opportunity to get back in the game. The Blues were 0-for-7 on the power play and have scored on just 2 of their past 25 chances with the man advantage.
Goalie Brian Elliott allowed four goals in a game for the first time since Feb. 22, adding extra intrigue to the unwanted finish down the stretch.
"We know were not playing our best hockey but we won the Central Division," said defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. "We know how to play good hockey, we just have to find a way to get back to it.
"There's no chemistry issues on our team. We work for each other, we just have to get back to our game. We're just getting away from what we do best."
The Blues are ironically winless in three games since returning to full health. Whether they've coasted since clinching the division title, struggled to find chemistry with the new group or just hitting a rough patch at the wrong time, the Blues have one game left to get things back together.
Looking for their first playoff win since 2004, the Blues hope a win Saturday will give them the momentum boost they need. With a chance to do some serious damage come playoff time, the Blues are searching for anything they need to get back on track.
"I think the bottom line is other teams have come in and just outworked us," said forward Alex Steen. "We've just been a step behind and it's shown in the scorebook.
"We're a very good hockey club. You work harder, play better. You go back to the basics and work your (tails) off. It would be nice to finish the season on a high note."
