from Jeremy P. Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,

Say goodbye to the Blues, to some of them perhaps for good.

Another 100-plus point season ended Sunday with a third consecutive first-round playoff exit, and this one could lead to the most drastic changes fans have seen in some time.

Minnesota topped the Blues 4-1 in Game 6 at Xcel Energy Center, claiming the best-of-seven series four games to two. The Wild advanced to face Chicago in the second round.

“We do what we need to do in the regular season and once the postseason hits, we’re not able to get over that hump,” Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. “It’s just a very frustrating thing to deal with year after year.”

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from Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Disptach,

The Blues added another first-round playoff flop to their sad history. They entered the postseason with great expectations and departed amid, again, much exasperation.

This was the last time this collection of players and coaches will work together. Disaster brings consequences. Change is inevitable, perhaps significant change.

“It’s terrible right now,” Allen said. “To get a chance to win a Stanley Cup, it doesn’t happen too often in your career. Especially with a team like this.”

So Allen earned his spot on the Pantheon of Blues Goaltending Failures, joining the likes of Ryan Miller, Chris Osgood, Roman Turek, Jon Casey, Curtis Joseph (Keenan Era only) and, of course, Jaroslav Halak’s balky groin muscles — famously fragile body parts that have their own special place in franchise lore.

This crushing series defeat is not entirely Allen’s fault, of course, but three bad goals in two games sped this team’s downfall.

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