Blues make bad decision by going with Jake Allen in Game 4

The Blues needed to make changes for Game 4 but they made an unwise one by going with Jake Allen as their goaltender.

Going into Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, the St. Louis Blues needed to make changes after being shutout in two consecutive games against the San Jose Sharks. Changes were expected, but the Blues will be making an extremely unwise change by switching goaltenders. Brian Elliott has been brilliant in the playoffs for the Blues, but he will be benched in favor of backup goaltender Jake Allen.

Elliott might have had a rough game in Game 3, but he’s not at fault. You can’t win hockey games if your team can’t score. Changing goaltenders isn’t going to change much of anything, especially not when Elliott has been playing so well. That’s not a slight on Jake Allen – he’s one of the league’s better backup goaltenders and he’s a capable starter. He’s proven that.

However, Elliott is the guy who has gotten the Blues to the Western Conference Finals. Sitting Elliott for Allen when there are far more troubling things about your team than Elliott allowing a soft goal or two seems like a rushed decision.

Going with Allen is like blaming the starting pitcher for giving up one run in nine innings in a 1-0 loss when the lineup that is supposed to support such great pitching performances doesn’t give the pitcher any run support. Allen is not a better goalie than Elliott and unless there are more changes to the Blues lineup, it likely won’t tilt the series in favor of the Blues.

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