from Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,

It now is 51 years and counting, but the Blues still haven’t won a game in the Stanley Cup Final.

They were swept in four games in their three previous Cup Final appearances — in 1968 and 1969 against the Montreal Canadiens and in 1970 against the Boston Bruins.

On Monday night it was same story, different century.

The Blues looked good early, jumping to a 2-0 lead early in the second period. But with towel-waving Robert Kraft, owner of football’s New England Patriots in the house, Boston stormed back for a 4-2 victory at TD Garden in Game 1 of the best-of-seven series.

It was the Bruins’ eighth straight victory in these playoffs — they have outscored their opponents 32-11 in that stretch. And it ran their postseason record to 9-0 against the Blues, including a 4-0 sweep in the 1970 Stanley Cup Final, they last time the Blues were in the title round.

“We’ve been real disciplined most of the playoffs pretty much,” coach Craig Berube said. “We weren’t tonight obviously with five penalties. We gotta be better there.”

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Watch the game highlights below.