Blues/Wild Playoff series discussion

[TheDizee]

Regular season records:

• Wild: 53-22-7, 113 points
• Blues: 49-22-11, 109 points

Leading scorers:

• Wild: LW Kirill Kaprizov, 108 points (47 G, 61 A)
• Blues: RW Vladimir Tarasenko, 82 points (34 G, 48 A)

Schedule:

Game 1 (at MIN): Mon., May 2, 9:30 ET (ESPN)
Game 2 (at MIN): Weds., May 4, 9:30 ET (ESPN)
Game 3 (at STL): Fri., May 6, 9:30 ET (TNT)
Game 4 (at STL): Sun., May 8, 4:30 ET (TBS)
Game 5 (at MIN): TBA
Game 6 (at STL): TBA
Game 7 (at MIN): TBA

Click to read more...

 

[DoubleK81]

How in the f*** are they scheduling Central Division games @ 930??????

It works for me on West coast time, but for local fans of either team this is screwed.

 

[sbet1998]

I think the Blues are the better team and are confident against MIN and starting on the road.

We'll see how things play out. Just need to get one of the first two and go from there.

 

[TheDizee]

How in the f*** are they scheduling Central Division games @ 930??????

It works for me on West coast time, but for local fans of either team this is screwed.

Always happens to the central teams. It sucks.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Blue took their foot off the gas these last 2 games. Goaltending was been lousy.

Better get it going.

 

[The Zombonis]

Thought the move to ESPN might help with game times... Nope!

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Please no work night OT with these late start times.

Hopefully we get the good version of Husso, but we won’t know what we have with a guy who hasn’t played in the postseason before. That game last night isn’t the look I want out of my guy going into the postseason.

I wonder if Minnesota is going to prove to be hungrier than St Louis.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Let’s win game one and go from there. Make the doubt in the Wild’s mind get bigger and bigger. Playoffs are mental warfare just as much as physical.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Minny, Colo, Calgary, TB, Market Street. That is path I see for us.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Rooting for no OT games between Boston and Carolina!

 

[BlueMed]

I take the Blues in 6 or less. This team is better top to bottom with much more playoff experience.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I think winning Game 1 decisively in Minnesota could be a pretty solid mental blow against the Wild. Not sure I really expect that, though. I'd like to see a convincing "good Husso" performance before I start predicting a Blues series win.

 

[BlueMed]

I think winning Game 1 decisively in Minnesota could be a pretty solid mental blow against the Wild. Not sure I really expect that, though. I'd like to see a convincing "good Husso" performance before I start predicting a Blues series win.

The same can be said for Talbot against the Blues.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

The same can be said for Talbot against the Blues.

The Wild should feel more comfortable going to Fleury than the Blues should feel about going to Binnington, at the moment. Husso has not been playing his best the past few weeks. I think he was getting a bit overworked in a year where he's carried a workload unlike anything he's ever seen before.

Hopefully he shows us his best stuff. I also haven't seen the Blues really play a lock-down post-season style of play with everyone on the train. They've had some moments like that, but then Kyrou or somebody gives it away at the blue line. They need to be able to shut down an opposing team and win a 2-1 game if they're going to make a run. I haven't really seen that yet, and have been taking it on faith.

I also respect the Wild. The Blues had 6 more regulation wins, though, and I think that's worth noting.

 

[BlueMed]

The Wild should feel more comfortable going to Fleury than the Blues should feel about going to Binnington, at the moment. Husso has not been playing his best the past few weeks. I think he was getting a bit overworked in a year where he's carried a workload unlike anything he's ever seen before.

Hopefully he shows us his best stuff. I also haven't seen the Blues really play a lock-down post-season style of play with everyone on the train. They've had some moments like that, but then Kyrou or somebody gives it away at the blue line. They need to be able to shut down an opposing team and win a 2-1 game if they're going to make a run. I haven't really seen that yet, and have been taking it on faith.

I also respect the Wild. The Blues had 6 more regulation wins, though, and I think that's worth noting.

That's just your speculation though. The reality is, the Blues have owned the Wild. There's no excuse not to win this series unless the Blues start developing lots of injuries. Marcus Foligno got injured against Colorado yesterday and may not even start game 1.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

How in the f*** are they scheduling Central Division games @ 930??????

It works for me on West coast time, but for local fans of either team this is screwed.

Yes! A 6:30 start! Perfect!

 

[Majorityof1]

That's just your speculation though. The reality is, the Blues have owned the Wild. There's no excuse not to win this series unless the Blues start developing lots of injuries. Marcus Foligno got injured against Colorado yesterday and may not even start game 1.

The Blues history with the Wild before this year does not matter. Those are different teams. You can throw out the Winter Classic as well, as that is hardly the conditions the playoffs will be played. That leaves 2 OT wins for the Blues. While that is better than 2 Ot losses, it is hardly domination. If we really owned the Wild, we would not have to go to OT. I really hope the Blues are not as dismissive of the Wild as their fans. If they are, they will be playing golf in a week.

 

[mk80]

I'm confident in the Blues winning a series against the Wild. I'm thinking Blues in 6 is the most likely scenario especially if we come out hard and heavy on Monday and take a game or both on the road. That will really put the doubt in the Wild. It sounds like they have Dumba back on the blueline who they've been missing the last few meetings against us which will be a boost on their blueline. But overall I like our chances with our roster top to bottom.

Also let's remember the last time an underdog Blues team met the Wild in the playoffs....

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

That's just your speculation though. The reality is, the Blues have owned the Wild. There's no excuse not to win this series unless the Blues start developing lots of injuries. Marcus Foligno got injured against Colorado yesterday and may not even start game 1.

My speculation? I watched every game. I saw him declining in his effectiveness. I didn't pull this notion out of a hat. He has been letting in some bad goals that he simply wasn't doing in the meat of the season. The Vegas game is a prime example.

Many here were surprised Berube went with Binnington vs Colorado. I wasn't. Binnington does not look like a great option as a back up if Husso is injured or ineffective. And Husso has not been as sharp lately as he was a couple months ago.

You like to point out that the Blues' defense NOW isn't the same as what it was earlier. The same argument can be made about Minnesota. Over-emphasizing results between teams that don't really exist the same on paper is not a strong argument. The Wild upgraded their team, too.

I like that the Wild look like favorites due to seeding, when I think the Blues are actually the better team. But if the goaltending falters I think things could get dicey fast.

 

[shpongle falls]

Not worried about Husso at all I think he’ll be fine. No way will the Blues take Minny lightly, I have faith Chief and the coaching staff will have the boys ready to go.

 

[ScratchCatFever]

That's just your speculation though. The reality is, the Blues have owned the Wild. There's no excuse not to win this series unless the Blues start developing lots of injuries. Marcus Foligno got injured against Colorado yesterday and may not even start game 1.

I don't think your giving enough respect to a quality opponent if you think injuries are the only thing that can derail us from winning this series.. Losing in 6 or 7 is entirely possible and shouldn't be a huge surprise if it happens.

Our record against Minnesota in the regular season means nothing unless they allow the thought to creep into their psyche. Blues fans have no business being this cocky.

 

[execwrite1]

Minnesota is the better team right now. Husso needs to play lights out for the Blues to win the series.

This is the real test for Ville. His future hinges on playoff success.

 

[TheDizee]

We should be confident, not cocky. The Blues are 13-1-2 vs Minny in their last 16 games they have played.

Out of all the first round opponents, the only other team I would prefer to play in round 1 is LA and MAYBE Edmonton. If we shutdown their top scorers, we will win this series and rather easily. If we don't or get crappy goaltending, we could lose it.

I like the Blues in 6.

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

Two thoughts:

1. I think this is the best closest first round matchup in the league.
2. I'm still not super hyped because I think the winner of series will be free food for Colorado*

*I've been saying all year that the Avs are overrated and 2nd round exit fodder, but unless Smashville really f***s the Avs up I see them being rested and healthy and waiting to pick off the corpse of whoever survives STL/MIN.

Still rooting for a STL/EDM Conference Final though. Let's Go Blues!!

 

[PocketNines]

There is nothing about Talbot's overall history or especially his wretched last 7 starts against the Blues to make anyone rational fear him. The Blues have 32 goals in those seven and only once did he hold them to as few as 3 goals. He has an .837 in those games and the Blues have abused him horribly. Fleury has also been pretty easy to defeat over his career and also recently this season. Maybe one of their goalies will suddenly be outstanding against the Blues out of the blue. This actually happened (in reverse) the last playoff series between the teams, so it's possible. In both previous playoff meetings the worse team won.

Husso has been average for awhile and I'm sure Minnesota will get their goals on him. Will they get enough to put the Blues away four times?

Blues have the edge down the middle, in faceoffs, and in both special teams. Blues just match up very well with Minnesota. It would be a real disappointment to lose to the Wild despite their point total.