“There’s something going on special right now, and it’s great to be a part of it,” said Blues coach Jim Montgomery after his team beat the Colorado Avalanche 2-1. It’s easy to see why he would reach such a conclusion. His team has amassed a mind-blowing nine-game win streak. That’s the longest streak in the NHL, and at this rate, they’ll surpass the Minnesota Wild to move into fourth place in the Central Division.

In fact, the Blues coach couldn’t emphasize their red-hot form enough. “It’s very impressive. It’s the end of 10 in 17 (days). We went 9-1,” he told the press. Yet, despite this late surge in the regular season, not everyone thinks that skill is the only factor at play in helping the Blues win nine straight games. And those after tonight’s third period against the Avs, fans calling out the officiating.

“Make sure to put the * (asterisk) after the word STRAIGHT. Officials handed this game to the Blues,” commented one fan after the St. Louis Blues edged out Colorado in the third period. Yet, why would the fan say such a thing? Well, it all had to do with the calls the NHL referees made and didn’t make. For starters, the Blues only broke through the Avs’ defense between power plays.

Many disliked the fact the the official called multiple penalties against the Avs but didn’t seem to show similar strictness toward the Blues. And the fans aren’t the only ones saying this. Even head coach Head coach Jared Bednar questioned some of the calls that went against his team. Bednar explained one particular incident involving Nathan MacKinnon.

While the referee counted it as Nathan MacKinnon tripping a Blues player, Bednar saw it differently. “I thought it was stick on stick,” the 53-year-old told reporters after the game. Meanwhile, NHL fans also didn’t see eye to eye and expressed divided opinions about the result in the comments.

The clash divided NHL fans

A section of the fans in the comments were convinced the officiating lapses helped the Blues edge out the Avs in regulation time. “Refs handed them that dub, hold them accountable,” demanded one fan. These demands found footing because Jared Bednar didn’t call out the refs with a single example. The head coach gave another example of where he thought the ref went wrong.

“I would have loved a penalty called on the Lindgren hit. Roughing,” said Bednar. He indicated they may have scored an equalizer after stopping all three of the Blues’ power plays, had they earned that penalty. “I like our chances, especially after killing three in a row, but we didn’t get the call,” lamented the coach. Yet, other NHL fans didn’t seem so convinced.

“Avs consistently choke as the last leg of my parlay. Hope Stars bounce em in round 1,” one frustrated Colorado Avalanche commented as the team lost their four-game win streak. Surprisingly, he wasn’t the only one who shared at least part of this sentiment. Besides, indicating the referees may have gotten some calls wrong, Bednar accepted that the Avs made some sloppy plays.

The NHL head coach highlighted mistakes made by Ross Colton and Sam Malinski in the third period. If not anything else, these mistakes definitely helped swing the momentum in the St. Louis Blues’ favor. Meanwhile, others simply thought the Blues have looked almost unbeatable since the NHL games resumed after the 4 Nations Face-Off.

“Blues are officially the best team in the league. No one wants what they bring to the table. Looks similar to the 2019 Stanley Cup Blues,” commented one hockey fan. The fan did have a point. In their 9-game win streak, the Blues have defeated some top-tier competition, including the Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks, and not the Avalanche.

While this may not be enough to win them the Stanley Cup, it’s certainly an impressive run that nine teams have tried to stop but failed. Naturally, the Blues fans have also started expressing their confidence. “Gotta admit… these guys are cooking right now,” commented. Their hot streak has also put the Blues in a very favorable position in the NHL’s Central Division.

The St. Louis Blues are now tied with the Minnesota Wild with 87 points, significantly improving their chances of making the playoffs. However, their epic win streak will still need to hold for at least a few more games. The NHL team is still six points behind their division’s third-place team, the Colorado Avalanche. Will the St. Louis Blues win their next game against the Red Wings too? Tell us what you think in the comments.