Christmas is a magical time of year for all ages. With December here, many are preparing for the annual holiday. Decorations are going up. Religious traditions are being observed. As the song goes, Santa Claus is making a list and checking it twice.
If Santa were to bring each hockey fanbase something special, what would it be? Santa may bring the ability to relive big moments in franchise history. For St. Louis Blues fans, what moments would Santa place under the Christmas tree? What if he could give the gift of reliving five of the greatest moments in Blues’ history? I have my guesses.
Hull-Hull-Hull! Merry Christmas, St. Louis!
No scorer in Blues’ history lit up the ice the way Brett Hull did at his peak. What is the star atop his scoring tree? Well, scoring 50 goals in 50 games, of course! Furthermore, this was a feat Hull accomplished twice.
The “Golden Brett” first did it during the 1990-91 season. Playing in the team’s 49th game, Hull scored two goals against the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 25, 1991. Hull set a team record that season for most goals, scoring 86 of them.
The following season, Hull scored his 50th goal during the team’s 50th game of the season. He ended that season with 70 goals in 73 games played.
If Santa could place that moment under the tree, it would be one of the most nostalgic gifts imaginable for Blues fans who remember the early ’90s.
You’re the Great One, Mr. Wayne!
Few events electrified St. Louis quite like Wayne Gretzky’s arrival in 1996. Even though his time with the Blues was short, the moment he scored his first goal wearing the Blue Note made fans light up as if they were 25,000 Italian twinkle lights.
Fans remember the buzz in the building, the elegant pass-and-shoot slide on the ice, and the excitement of seeing him on the ice alongside Hull. The duo, despite being together for a short time, produced a stretch of hockey that Blues fans still talk about. Go to a game at the Enterprise Center, and you will see fans wearing Hull and Gretzky jerseys.
Reliving the moment Gretzky scored his first goal as a Blue would feel like unwrapping that coveted toy on Christmas morning.
Up in the Savvis Center, the West Champs Fall
Santa acknowledges that this moment may not be one Blues fans think of right away. Yet, it would be a moment of reliving pure, satisfying dominance over a division rival. No, he is not talking about the 2016 defeat of the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He is talking about the dismantling of the Dallas Stars during the 2001 Western Conference Semifinals.
To understand why this moment is included, context is needed. The Stars were a Western Conference powerhouse. They won the Stanley Cup in 1999 and returned to the Final in 2000. In both postseasons, the Blues heartbreakingly lost to the Stars. To add insult to injury, the “Golden Brett” himself was a member of the team.
The teams met again in 2001, but this time, things were different. The Blues did not just beat the Stars. They did not just sweep them. They dismantled them. The Blues outscored the Stars 16-5 in the series. Keith Tkachuk and Pavol Demitra led the way offensively. Between the pipes, Roman Turek was outstanding, recording two shutouts. The series win sent the Blues to the Western Conference Final for the first time in 15 seasons.
Imagine opening that gift under the tree and immediately reliving the Blues dismantling the back-to-back Western Conference champions.
Miracle on Oakland Avenue
No list of unforgettable Blues moments is complete without the Monday Night Miracle. On May 12, 1986, in Game 6 of the Campbell Conference Finals, the Blues faced elimination against the Calgary Flames. Down 5-2 late in the third period, the odds did not look good.
Instead of throwing in the towel, the Blues pulled off one of the most dramatic comebacks in NHL history. First, Greg Paslawski scored two goals to pull the Blues within one. Then, with just over a minute left, Brian Sutter scored to send the game to overtime. Then, in overtime, Doug Wickenheiser scored the game-winning goal, completing the comeback and sending the St. Louis Arena into an unexpected celebration.
It was chaos, belief, and magic all at once. Hopefully, Santa has a box big enough.
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Most of us are familiar with the Christian hymn. However, in this article, we are referring to the song “Gloria” by Laura Branigan. The song became famous in the Blues community in 2019 after it was played repeatedly at a Philadelphia restaurant. It became the rallying cry for the remainder of the season as the Blues rallied from last in the NHL to reach the playoffs.
Related: How the World Looked When the Blues Won Their Stanley Cup
That magical run concluded grandly on June 12, 2019. Playing the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Blues won to capture their first Stanley Cup. Jordan Binnington was the star in the net, stopping 38 of 39 shots. Alex Pietrangelo scored what became the Cup-winning goal with 7.9 seconds left in the first period. After years of heartbreak and failed expectations, the Blues were, at long last, Stanley Cup champions.
If Santa could only send one moment to relive, it would be this one.
A Legacy Worth Reliving
From a long-awaited championship to historic comebacks, from legendary stars to dethroning a powerhouse, the Blues have given fans countless reasons to cheer. If Santa Claus truly wanted to deliver holiday magic to St. Louis, he would not need toys and video games. He would let fans relive these moments one more time.
To those who celebrate, Merry Christmas. To those who celebrate different holidays during this festive time, Happy Holidays. For all of us, let’s go Blues!
