Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
The last time the St. Louis Blues had a chance to eliminate the Chicago Blackhawks from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, our coach was a guy who’s now their coach and their coach had his number hanging from our rafters.
And if you remember that Brent Johnson was our star goalie, you’re pretty good at your hockey trivia. (And if you knew that he was Sid Abel’s grandson, give yourself extra points.)
Suffice it to say it's been awhile—14 years, to be precise—since Joel Quenneville guided the Blues to a Game 5 victory at the Scottrade Center to eliminate coach Brian Sutter’s Blackhawks 4–1 in the opening round. Now, Blues fans are hoping that history repeats itself, only this time to send Quenneville and his hated Hawks packing in the same arena where Sutter’s No. 11 proudly waves.
What makes this bit of history from 2002 seem more ancient is the fact that only one other time in the past 14 years have the Blues even been in a position to close out a series at home. That was four years ago, against the San Jose Sharks, when the Blues won Game 5 here to win the first-round series by the same 4–1 margin, with Brian Elliott in goal.
Some other benchmarks to show how long a mere 14 years can be in the world of sports:
• St. Louis was reeling about the St. Louis Rams—but because they'd just been shocked two months earlier in Super Bowl XXXVI (our second appearance in three years) by the New England Patriots.
• Rookie Robby Fabbri was 6 years old. Now he’s one of the Blues most promising young players, although still young and small enough to have received penalties for getting cross-checked in Game 2 and attacked by a goalie in Game 4.
• On a bittersweet note, the late, great Pavol Demitra led the Blues with three assists in the 2002 clinching victory over the Hawks. For my money, his No. 38 should be in the rafters, too.
• Andrew Shaw was 10 years old and probably sitting in a principal’s office.
