GDT: St. Louis Blues @ Detroit Red Wings 6:30 CST

[PocketNines]

He wasn't THAT bad. I'd at least give him a C, but that's great all things considered (first start, he actually won, Elliott's recent play...etc). All we needed was "average" goaltending and he provided that.

I was being generous. He made a couple nice saves but it's a bad thing when I'm watching Datsyuk behind the net before he scored and assuming he's going to bank it in for the goal off Allen and he does. My main point is had the team played the same way they'd been playing, this is easily a 5 or 6 goals against kind of night, because I didn't have much faith in the kid. If we have to ride Allen we aren't making the playoffs, for example. He got the win though.

 

[Mike Liut]

I was being generous. He made a couple nice saves but it's a bad thing when I'm watching Datsyuk behind the net before he scored and assuming he's going to bank it in for the goal off Allen and he does. My main point is had the team played the same way they'd been playing, this is easily a 5 or 6 goals against kind of night, because I didn't have much faith in the kid. If we have to ride Allen we aren't making the playoffs, for example. He got the win though.

Just shows you the players have zero confidence in Elliot

 

[Use the Schwartz*]

I was being generous. He made a couple nice saves but it's a bad thing when I'm watching Datsyuk behind the net before he scored and assuming he's going to bank it in for the goal off Allen and he does. My main point is had the team played the same way they'd been playing, this is easily a 5 or 6 goals against kind of night, because I didn't have much faith in the kid. If we have to ride Allen we aren't making the playoffs, for example. He got the win though.

Generous with a D/D+? Harsh dude.

Allen was playing in his first NHL game(for the most part) and made some pretty nice saves. Did he let in a pretty weak goal? Yeah. But I watched him afterwards and noticed that he made sure he covered that post much tighter when they had the puck behind him. The main thing is he learned from his mistake.

Showed good puck handling skills, seemed to be solid positionally, quick movements. Is he going to lead us to the Stanley Cup this year? Doubtful. But hopefully it doesn't come the that.

 

[illninofan*]

I was being generous. He made a couple nice saves but it's a bad thing when I'm watching Datsyuk behind the net before he scored and assuming he's going to bank it in for the goal off Allen and he does. My main point is had the team played the same way they'd been playing, this is easily a 5 or 6 goals against kind of night, because I didn't have much faith in the kid. If we have to ride Allen we aren't making the playoffs, for example. He got the win though.

To be fair, we could have had Jaques Plante in goal and we'd still probably allow five or more if we played the way we had prior to tonight.

That said, the Datsyuk goal was a rookie mistake (it didn't help that you had all those guys standing around though). Considering that he's a rookie (and his first game, on top of that), he's bound have a few of them. Plus, it's Pavel Datsyuk...'nuff said there.

For all his faults, he had a few pluses too which helps balance things out and brings him up to at least "average" play. He was cool under pressure (and to be honest I think he fed off the better team play in front of him, and the team seemed more confident with him in net), he made a beauty of a pass on an outlet or two and looked good with the puck whenever he had it, and he made key saves when he needed to. His positioning wasn't dominant, nor did he strike me as "monster" in the net, but he didn't need to be tonight. Just better than what Elliott had been doing recently, and he did that. I couldn't ask more out of him considering the circumstances.

I agree, however, you can't ride him and hope to make it to the playoffs. He's good for what he is right now (an emergency stop gap while Halak heals and while Elliott, hopefully, gets it together).

I can only hope he develops into something more in the future, though.

 

[uncommonsense52]

Allen needs to play everyday in Peoria when Halak comes back

I disagree. I think a lot of the times I though Allen looked shakiest, it looked like it because the play was moving faster than he could anticipate.

Like I said during one of Detroit's third period Power Plays, Detroit was passing a lot because Allen was already in position when they'd get it. He was, in real time, adapting to the tempo of the NHL as the game went on. He can't get that in the AHL. There is no NHL-level tempo experience to be had in Peoria.

 

[BlueDream]

I was being generous. He made a couple nice saves but it's a bad thing when I'm watching Datsyuk behind the net before he scored and assuming he's going to bank it in for the goal off Allen and he does. My main point is had the team played the same way they'd been playing, this is easily a 5 or 6 goals against kind of night, because I didn't have much faith in the kid. If we have to ride Allen we aren't making the playoffs, for example. He got the win though.

Yeah I saw that goal coming before it happened. I wasn't shocked at all.

Allen wasn't great, but I'm happy we got the win and right now I'd still rather have him in there vs. Calgary than Elliott. Allen isn't NHL ready though realistically and nobody should expect him to be stellar. He was good ENOUGH tonight.

Other thoughts:

Jesus Christ was Stewart on tonight. Wow. He was flying and looked unbelievably good out there. If he always played like that he'd be almost unstoppable. But we know he doesn't. But still, great to see that performance. His season hasn't been perfect, but solid.

Oshie was also tremendous. His play on Berglund's goal was excellent. And his compete level was outstanding. He is probably the hardest working player on this team. Huge props to him. He was awesome tonight, and he's a player that always shows up. For some of the 'drama' he's gone through in his time in St. Louis, he's one damn reliable player who works his ass off. Good to see Hitch recognize him for that too.

Kris Russell was absolutely atrocious again. I really don't know what goes through his head on some of these defensive mishaps. He is not good.

Most of the forwards were good tonight. Berglund, Reaves, Steen, Tarasenko, also had pretty good games.

The Blues aren't completely back yet - they are still passive and look lost at times which I don't understand why they can't get back to their aggressive play - but tonight was a step and a win that was good for the team.

HOPEFULLY we can win Friday night against a beatable Flames team and turn this ship around.

Solid game to watch tonight.

 

[542365]

3 goals against in your NHL debut on the road in one of the toughest buildings in hockey deserves better than a D. That was at least a B- performance. He made quite a few timely saves. If that was a D, I'd love to see an A performance.

 

[PocketNines]

The goaltending will revert to the mean but the engine of this team are the skaters. It all starts with tremendous dedication in the defensive zone and I was really impressed with what I saw in the last half of the game from the Blues in that dept. First time I felt like I was seeing glimpses of last season. They do that and they'll win consistently.

There are some notions among fans I've seen out there that T.J. Oshie has been bad-to-average this season. I do not even begin to understand how these fans watch the game. He's been BY FAR the Blues' best forward all season.

Stewart and Berglund had tremendous "on" games. How much better would this team be if those players had it in them to do it with any regularity?

I still don't understand what Pietrangelo is doing out there. Really hard to take watching what you thought was a rare prodigy turn into someone so freaking average. His poorly-decided step ups seem to generate several odd-man rushes against per game.

 

[BlueDream]

Just read through the GDT. Got a huuuuuuge laugh from the people who turned the game off after it was 1-0. Seriously? That's pathetic.

Schwartz-Berglund-Stewart was a treat to watch tonight. It's so frustrating because you never really know what version of them will show up each night, but when they play like they did tonight, they are great. Awesome games by them. Might have been Stewart's best game as a Blue.

Agreed on Oshie being the Blues' best forward this season. Someone in the GDT made a good post: Oshie's leadership right now is ahead of Backes' (on the ice at least).

 

[Mike Liut]

The goaltending will revert to the mean but the engine of this team are the skaters. It all starts with tremendous dedication in the defensive zone and I was really impressed with what I saw in the last half of the game from the Blues in that dept. First time I felt like I was seeing glimpses of last season. They do that and they'll win consistently.

There are some notions among fans I've seen out there that T.J. Oshie has been bad-to-average this season. I do not even begin to understand how these fans watch the game. He's been BY FAR the Blues' best forward all season.

Stewart and Berglund had tremendous "on" games. How much better would this team be if those players had it in them to do it with any regularity?

I still don't understand what Pietrangelo is doing out there. Really hard to take watching what you thought was a rare prodigy turn into someone so freaking average. His poorly-decided step ups seem to generate several odd-man rushes against per game.

indeed

 

[CitizenSnips]

I would have to say the runners up for the best forward of the season could easily go to Sobotka, Stewart or Tarasenko.

Gotta love how Sobotka plays and how much of an improvement Stewart has been. Tarasenko is doing what I expected though, but I like watching him grow leaps and bounds with on ice awareness and his defensive play is looking better and better

 

[OCTA8ON*]

The goaltending will revert to the mean but the engine of this team are the skaters. It all starts with tremendous dedication in the defensive zone and I was really impressed with what I saw in the last half of the game from the Blues in that dept. First time I felt like I was seeing glimpses of last season. They do that and they'll win consistently.

There are some notions among fans I've seen out there that T.J. Oshie has been bad-to-average this season. I do not even begin to understand how these fans watch the game. He's been BY FAR the Blues' best forward all season.

Stewart and Berglund had tremendous "on" games. How much better would this team be if those players had it in them to do it with any regularity?

I still don't understand what Pietrangelo is doing out there. Really hard to take watching what you thought was a rare prodigy turn into someone so freaking average. His poorly-decided step ups seem to generate several odd-man rushes against per game.

Please tell me you're exaggerating. I know he hasn't been defensively great and isn't the same defensemen as last year, but please at least acknowledge his nice stretch pass to stewart to put the team into the lead as well as the fact that he is nearly point per game as a defensemen which is absolutely not average.

 

[Big Al 2]

I thought our 3rd period was unbelievably good. Detroit was ready roll coming out of the intermission. Yes they dominated the zone time but only 1 shot coming at the end of the period through what felt like an hour and a half of zone time for Detroit.

 

[Thallis]

Please tell me you're exaggerating. I know he hasn't been defensively great and isn't the same defensemen as last year, but please at least acknowledge his nice stretch pass to stewart to put the team into the lead as well as the fact that he is nearly a point per game as a defensemen which is absolutely not average.

That doesn't make up for six games of mediocre play. He looked like the second coming last season and now he's not even close to that level. He really really needs to start playing with defensive confidence again.

 

[OCTA8ON*]

That doesn't make up for six games of mediocre play. He looked like the second coming last season and now he's not even close to that level. He really really needs to start playing with defensive confidence again.

So 6 games gets extrapolated to 13 games? That's not how it works…

I admitted he's not on the same level as last year, but he isn't AVERAGE. That is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[BadgersandBlues]

Please tell me you're exaggerating. I know he hasn't been defensively great and isn't the same defensemen as last year, but please at least acknowledge his nice stretch pass to stewart to put the team into the lead as well as the fact that he is nearly point per game as a defensemen which is absolutely not average.

I'm siding with P9s on this one. AP was the direct cause of the first goal against. He was out of position reaching for the puck and not strong on his stick, and Drew Miller just poked it right by him. He also almost lost us the game by allowing some chump 4th liner (I think it was Tatar) to get around him in the corner with like 1:30 left in the third period, but thankfully Allen made the stop on both the original and the rebound before we cleared the zone.

The points are nice, there is no doubt. But that's not what made him so special last year. There are plenty of defensemen who put up points, but play crap D. But do you remember the game in the regular season last year against the Sharks where he didn't put up any points but was -by far- the most dominant player on the ice? Completely controlling the game, not allowing the Sharks anything at all, time/space etc, breaking the puck out of our zone calmly, efficiently, and quickly? He's not even close to the same player this year, even if he is jumping up into every play to pad his point totals.

Right now I think Shattenkirk is playing miles ahead of AP, which would be great if it wasn't for the fact that Shattenkirk became marginally better from last year, but AP fell off a cliff.

 

[ExJbeck]

Glad to see a win. Chris Stewart was a beast tonight, its unfortunate we wont see that again for a while. When was last time we saw him set up a pass like the one to Tarasenko on the PP? Shattenkirk is playing at such a high level. I want to see more slapshots out of Petro and better reads coming out of the offensive zone. When he pinches to play the puck it is such a great read, but when he steps up to hit he looks terrible. I really hope we don't take a step back against the Flames.

 

[JustOneB4IDie]

Seemed better than Elliott has been lately, at least.

What's more, he got a win in Detroit. That's just spectacular in so many ways.

I look forward to replaying the game and see how Allen did, I know the save % wasn't all good .833 3 GA on just 18 shots but the bottom line is we won the game!

 

[Fred Murtz]

Missed the game, had to get some sleep after long night with the Dorner manhunt here.

Tomas Tatar goal



Drew Miller goal



Patrik Berglund SHG



1st period intermission report



Vladimir Tarasenko goal



Chris Stewart goal



Pavel Datsyuk goal



2nd period intermission report



OT & post game report. Jake Allen interview.

 

[bleedblue1223]

AP was at times too conservative last season, so far this season he is a bit too aggressive. He just needs to find that balance. Finding a consistent partner will help, but our defensemen pinching when they shouldn't has been a major problem this season. If Petro wants to pinch more this season, then his partner, and a forward need to provide cover for him.

 

[BlueSinceBirth]

I really liked Schwartz's game last night. That is the most confident I've seen him with the puck all year.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

3 goals against in your NHL debut on the road in one of the toughest buildings in hockey deserves better than a D. That was at least a B- performance. He made quite a few timely saves. If that was a D, I'd love to see an A performance.

It deserves a C. At least one, possibly two softies is not worthy of a B.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Jake Allen would get a C+ from me last night, which is acceptable considering it was his first start and it was at Joe Louis Arena.

After that second goal, he was really pretty good. He made a couple of huge saves, including one about 20 seconds prior to Alex Steen winning the game in OT.

 

[BluesBrother]

What are your feelings about AndyMacs game so far? ok, He has 10 pts/13 games, and it's too early but I kind of expected Him to be more of a leader in scoring. Of course it's very nice to see Bergie, Stewie and Frank putting pucks to the net, but Andy is not getting scoring chances like old times.

But, nice win, good battle, hopefully THE SHIP IS TURNING!

 

[moolah3i4]

3 goals against in your NHL debut on the road in one of the toughest buildings in hockey deserves better than a D. That was at least a B- performance. He made quite a few timely saves. If that was a D, I'd love to see an A performance.

I couldnt agree with you more.