Half-Assed GDT: There's a game today against the Hawks
- Thread starter Linkens Mastery
- Start date
- Status
Reality Czech
Registered User
- Apr 17, 2017
- 5,831
- 9,424
I'm just thankful that I can watch a game live and join the GDT with my fellow Blues fans! Let's stuff those Turkey Hawks today!
Has anyone wondered why we're not hitting a whole lot lately? Seems like we're not nearly as tenacious in the neutral zone and on the forecheck. It's especially concerning when we allow the other teams' defenders to go into the corners and make plays/breakout without paying a price. As a team that has had success having a relentless forecheck and wearing down the other teams' defense, I think it's something you can point to as a reason we've not played so great lately. Lots of teams are moving away from big heavy defenders and going towards softer, puck moving, skilled guys. Hit these guys, lol.
Even if you get a big chunk of a defenseman in the corner and they still make the breakout pass, 1) it's still physically tolling to get hit, especially if you're not a huge guy that can absorb it easily, and 2) the next time they are trying to make a breakout pass, they know a hit is coming and they have to make that play just that much quicker and they're more likely to make a mistake.
Maybe part of it is that Schenn's been out and he's a physical forechecker, but it's not like we don't have guys that can and have done it before. Kostin and Barbashev have been fine in this regard, but who else? I'll give Sundqvist a pass as he's coming back from injury, but even in the 10 games that Schenn has played, he's recorded 9 hits. I'm not saying hit everything that moves, but it just seems like we're passing up a lot of hits and we're not putting much force into the hits we do throw. Stop allowing the other team to make plays without us charging a fee.
Rant over, LGB.
Even if you get a big chunk of a defenseman in the corner and they still make the breakout pass, 1) it's still physically tolling to get hit, especially if you're not a huge guy that can absorb it easily, and 2) the next time they are trying to make a breakout pass, they know a hit is coming and they have to make that play just that much quicker and they're more likely to make a mistake.
Maybe part of it is that Schenn's been out and he's a physical forechecker, but it's not like we don't have guys that can and have done it before. Kostin and Barbashev have been fine in this regard, but who else? I'll give Sundqvist a pass as he's coming back from injury, but even in the 10 games that Schenn has played, he's recorded 9 hits. I'm not saying hit everything that moves, but it just seems like we're passing up a lot of hits and we're not putting much force into the hits we do throw. Stop allowing the other team to make plays without us charging a fee.
Rant over, LGB.
elkranio
Registered User
- Jan 4, 2014
- 3,066
- 4,554
Happy Thanksgiving my capitalist friends.
Reality Czech
Registered User
- Apr 17, 2017
- 5,831
- 9,424
I distinctly remember Pang saying in the last game that the Blues were 30th in the league in hits, which obviously is a big difference from the Cup winning team. Faulk, Barbashev and team-leading Kostin have been banging bodies but we aren't getting many hits from the rest of our forward group. Those 3 plus Scandella and Bortuzzo are the only regulars averaging more than 1 hit per game.
Schenn was 2nd on the team in hits last year, so that's one big reason for the drop off. None of Kyrou, Thomas, Saad and Buch throw many hits so we may have to get used to a more offensive but less physically intimidating team. Sunny should provide a boost, and maybe they are just saving it for later in the season when the competition level heats up. The Blues don't need to be more aggressive just for the sake of it, but teams can be effective by playing a bit mean sometimes. Better to push around than be pushed around, that's for sure.
Linkens Mastery
Conductor of the TankTown Express
Don't need to hit when you have the puck. The issue right now is they can't convert on their chances and they are giving up too many rushes that end up in a goal against.
stl76
No. 5 in your programs, No. 1 in your hearts
- Jul 2, 2015
- 9,453
- 9,013
You misspelled shitbirds.
Judging by pregame warm-ups, it appears that Blues Head Coach Craig Berube will use 11 forwards and seven defensemen for Friday's 2:30 p.m. game against the Chicago Blackhawks (ESPN+, Hulu, 101 ESPN).
Line rushes in warm-ups did not include Klim Kostin, so either Robert Bortuzzo or Jake Walman are expected to play.
PROJECTED LINEUP
Forwards
Saad - O'Reilly - Perron
Barbashev - Thomas - Tarasenko
Kyrou - Schenn - Buchnevich
Bozak - Sundqvist
Defense
Mikkola - Parayko
Krug - Faulk
Scandella - Perunovich
Bortuzzo/Walman
Goalie
Binnington
Projected Lineup: Nov. 26 at Chicago
I'm sure the D pairs will be shuffled around for different situations in game, but it's interesting seeing Mikkola paired with Parayko. I still have a lot of doubts that Mikkola can process the game fast enough and move the puck well enough, but can't say he hasn't earned an opportunity for more minutes!
This shouldn't translate to nearly last in the league in hits, though.
LGB
Registered User
- Feb 4, 2019
- 2,252
- 2,350
ESPN+ just decided not to show the first minute and a half
TheDizee
Trade Jordan Kyrou ASAP | ALWAYS RIGHT
- Apr 5, 2014
- 20,445
- 13,070
imagine wanting to be a top tier american sports league and not broadcasting your game on traditional TV during a holiday weekend. then the online streamer who is suppose to stream it, doesnt stream it
LMAO
LMAO
well, it was on Spanish feed. i was hoping for andres cantor soccer call on kyrou "GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL" but alas it was not to be.
I had to completely close out of Hulu and restart it to get the stream to show up.
- Status
