GDT: Game #10: St. Louis Blues vs. Detroit Redwings

[TerminatorBlue]

I don't even want to go to the game this Saturday

Well at least they can only play better, I can't imagine they would play an worse than tonight.

 

[Mike Liut]

Andy Mac has just been atrocious lately.

So have Backes and Steen

 

[izzy]

Somebody needs to remind the Blues they aren't a skilled team, they are a grinding bunch of muckers who relentlessly outwork their opponent and win with a defensive first system.

 

[Oberyn]

Honestly think we need to make a trade for a real game breaker. Tarasenko isn't experienced enough to carry the load just yet. Hell, make a deal for ROR, at least he'll improve our atrocious PK.

 

[Tryblot]

I missed the first, second and some of the third but what I've seen is what I remember from the playoffs last year. St. Louis outplaying the other team and gaining momentum only for the other team to skate down the ice and score on one shot. I missed some of the Nashville game as well but it seemed like the same type of thing in that game. At some point, you need to look at the goal tending and it's not like Halak was much better when he was in the net.

 

[542365]

It's 5-1. Nichol or Sobotka should spear Datsyuk or Zetterberg to send a message

No, they shouldn't. There's no point to be made. If you want to make a point, beat them and show that you're the better hockey team. That's the only point that needs to be made.

 

[sbet1998]

I hope this is the worst they look all year. I think it will be. Every single mistake is ending up in their net. Its unreal. They have no luck to go with some sloppy play.

Can anyone put their finger on the issues right now? Id love to hear any theory.

 

[Mike Liut]

already established it was a joke

 

[OCTA8ON*]

if it makes anyone feel any better, the Kings have been sucking lately too. they lost 3-0 to nashville tonight

 

[Celtic Note]

It's 5-1. Nichol or Sobotka should spear Datsyuk or Zetterberg to send a message

 

[brendan]

at least its only the 10th game?

 

[PocketNines]

Considering Petro is 100% of our offense and 50% of our defense right now, I'll give him a pass

I won't. If I had a ballot for Norris I wouldn't put him anywhere on it at all for this season. Petro's play is a clear difference from last year when he was defensively stellar and then rounded into PPG for the second half of the season on top of it. He's been out of position so many times already this season, I don't even know what I'm watching. Sure, he's talented, but he chose to play defense, not offense. The problem with the team is crippling scoring chances against being allowed and many of those chances are the direct result of Pietrangelo trying to do too much.

 

[542365]

I missed the first, second and some of the third but what I've seen is what I remember from the playoffs last year. St. Louis outplaying the other team and gaining momentum only for the other team to skate down the ice and score on one shot. I missed some of the Nashville game as well but it seemed like the same type of thing in that game. At some point, you need to look at the goal tending and it's not like Halak was much better when he was in the net.

You must be watching the bright spots. They haven't outplayed either team for more than 2 or 3 minutes.

 

[GrandPapillon*]

No, they shouldn't. There's no point to be made. If you want to make a point, beat them and show that you're the better hockey team. That's the only point that needs to be made.

The point is that the Blues won't tolerate cheap shots at one of the few players on the team doing their job. That was ridiculous.

 

[izzy]

already established it was a joke

On my phone, tough to keep up with the posts

 

[542365]

The point is that the Blues won't tolerate cheap shots at one of the few players on the team doing their job. That was ridiculous.

It was ridiculous, stupid, and 100% uncalled for. I don't think anyone is arguing that. If you want to send a physical message, Backes should have dropped the gloves with him. Settle it like men. Don't be cheap.

 

[Fred Murtz]

Johan Franzen match penalty spear on David Perron

 

[Celtic Note]

I won't. If I had a ballot for Norris I wouldn't put him anywhere on it at all for this season. Petro's play is a clear difference from last year when he was defensively stellar and then rounded into PPG for the second half of the season on top of it. He's been out of position so many times already this season, I don't even know what I'm watching. Sure, he's talented, but he chose to play defense, not offense. The problem with the team is crippling scoring chances against being allowed and many of those chances are the direct result of Pietrangelo trying to do too much.

I have been harping on him a lot lately. I just don't understand why he would go and completely neglect his defensive positioning. The guy is unbelievably smart and can make tons happen even while being defense first oriented. Maybe his eyes got to big? Maybe he feels he needs to be the go to player on the team for everything?

 

[SirPaste]

Putrid and pathetic effort tonight, I'm leaving the game embarrassed

 

[542365]

Putrid and pathetic effort tonight, I'm leaving the game embarrassed

Sorry to hear you wasted money on that performance. I think we all expected better.

 

[GrandPapillon*]

It was ridiculous, stupid, and 100% uncalled for. I don't think anyone is arguing that. If you want to send a physical message, Backes should have dropped the gloves with him. Settle it like men. Don't be cheap.

Franzen would have turtled, but I actually agree. Something should have been done then and there. Sad it wasn't

Since it wasn't, I would have settled for the eye for an eye, you spear one of our best, we do the same. Of course Shanahan would have suspended our guy for the season and made the ref apologize to Franzen.

 

[sbet1998]

Blues are a mess. -9 in the last two home games.

 

[EastonBlues22]

The structure for this team is awful right now. Spacing, assignments, gap control, everything. Compound that with how slow they've been to the puck, Elliott's abysmal rebound control, and some sloppy puck management and you get a team that's really easy to play against.

Tonight Detroit's consistently out-manned them at the point of attack and on the puck in all three zones. They're simpy moving much better as a unit than the Blues, which is puzzling since that was arguably the biggest strength of the Blues last year.

 

[Alklha]

I hope this is the worst they look all year. I think it will be. Every single mistake is ending up in their net. Its unreal. They have no luck to go with some sloppy play.

Can anyone put their finger on the issues right now? Id love to hear any theory.

They aren't doing the basics. It is that simple. Let's not kid ourselves that this is limited to the last few games, because the half-assed effort has been there most of the season but we've managed to overcome it.

Hitchcock needs to stop ****ing with the lines, pick what he thinks is best and stick with it. Get back to defense first and keep things simple.

Get Redden the hell out of this line up as well. Now. I don't care if his overall performances haven't been bad, but we lost 2 even strength goals when Cole was on the ice in his 4 games... 8 goals now in Redden's 6 games. He isn't solely to blame, but something is going on, maybe Petro thinking he can focus more on offense with Redden out there.

 

[Blanick]

I hope this is the worst they look all year. I think it will be. Every single mistake is ending up in their net. Its unreal. They have no luck to go with some sloppy play.

Can anyone put their finger on the issues right now? Id love to hear any theory.

The line about trying to win with talent alone.



About sums it up IMO. Trying to be too cute and win with pretty plays instead of being the puck hounding, heavy pressure team from last year. Weak Effort