Half-Assed GDT: Blues @ Stars Game 5 Early Game

[Meatwagon]

Imagine Chicago in 2014 moving in front of us and grabbing Fabbri instead of Schmaltz. This team wouldn't be nearly the same without Fabbri.

I've never been so happy for a Blackhawks draft pick.....ever!

 

[2 Minute Minor]

He has played his best games when ö
pressure is highest.
Could Lindbohm play worse then Edmundson?
He almost cost this game, without Elliott and Lehterä w might be loosing this series by now.

Simple and less error gameplay would be most ideal on that role and I think Lindbohm would be ideal guy for that now knowing Ed isn't in his best and pointing this reg season Ed did face same threatment and he rebound back when Lindbohm played several games in his position.

I really don't see that bad move, maybe bold but not bad.

Inserting Lindbohm seems like a desperation type move, but I believe he'd probably play about the same as Edmundson. Edmundson has had some good games these playoffs, but he's having a confidence crisis right now. I think he could play out of it, and the alternative of playing guys on their off side looked bad. I'd prefer taking more of a Chicago approach and play the top defensive pairings more and limiting Edmundsons shifts, but still give him a chance to work out of it.

Parayko's play has tailed off a bit, too. They are leaning very hard on Pietro.

 

[LGB51]

Didn't get to watch the game today, how did the Berg-Lehtera-Tarasenko and Schwartz-Steen-Backes lines look? Did they stay together the whole game?

Game 6 on Monday may as well be a game 7 for the Blues.

What does the sentence in bold mean?

 

[LGB51]

Inserting Lindbohm seems like a desperation type move, but I believe he'd probably play about the same as Edmundson. Edmundson has had some good games these playoffs, but he's having a confidence crisis right now. I think he could play out of it, and the alternative of playing guys on their off side looked bad. I'd prefer taking more of a Chicago approach and play the top defensive pairings more and limiting Edmundsons shifts, but still give him a chance to work out of it.

Parayko's play has tailed off a bit, too. They are leaning very hard on Pietro.

Not many here have mentioned this but I've noticed this too. Parayko was pretty shaky today as well, indecisive with the puck, and not near as fluent as he usually is in his skating. He and Edmunson are both 22 year old rookies though, and the pressure is really on. That Shatty like pass up the middle of the ice from behind the net for the horrid turnover has really messed with Ed's confidence though.

Oh BTW, about J-Bo you're right. However I could have swore he played a second round series with Calgary against Chicago, and even thought he went to the playoffs with the Panthers one year.

 

[rumrokh]

Parayko does occasionally look like the rookie he is, but it's still rare even when it's more common against good opposition. But today, some of his indecision was definitely in specific situations where teammates weren't getting open and supporting properly. Vets like Steen, Berglund, Gunnarsson, Pietrangelo, and Bouwmeester tend to do a good job of eating the puck on the boards instead of tossing it away when they're caught like that, but it is obviously hard when Dallas is coming at you at a million miles per hour and the ice is choppy.

For all of the gaffes, it's not really like the Blues tried to throw the game away and Elliott stole the show. He did his job, made a few really nice saves like every goalie has to do in basically every playoff game, and the Blues weathered Dallas's pushes really well without letting it suppress their energy. And lately, Parayko has been a significant part of that type of bounce-back response by jumping up on the play when it seems like everyone else is standing still. Sound defense and clearing the zone are obviously important, but there's more to being a winning team in the playoffs than fundamentals. And Parayko continues to be one of those x-factor type players even when he's not levitating off the ice and breathing fire.

 

[Dbrownss]

I was getting the impression Parayko is starting to wear down. This is game 93 for him. I don't remember exactly but he's only use to around 50 and is still actively finishing college. With all of that and the travel schedule. Yeesh.

Fabbri is more use to is between OHL and Team Canada stuff. I was thinking he was starting to wear out game 4....but turns out idk what I'm talking about since he was critical game 5. Guys need to wrap this up Monday and hope to get a couple extra days off. If SJS wins....it's going to be their toughest test yet

 

[Bluesin7]

Got to watch most of the first and all of the 3rd, but Gunnarrson looked god awful. Wow

 

[TheDizee]

Got to watch most of the first and all of the 3rd, but Gunnarrson looked god awful. Wow

he struggled but was nowhere near as bad as edmundson was.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

While Edmundson did give up the inside on the highlight they showed from yesterday, he did finish his checks well for the most part. If you aren't going to dress Reaves or Borts, then you better have someone that can keep the other team honest. I think the broadcast highlighted his play a bit much as they did Shatty's play. Shatty did play well, but...why not highlight Dallas's giving up the puck constantly in the neutral zone? We should've beat them for that reason alone. Edmundson was in far fewer of Dallas chance's highlighting Elliott's great saves as Petro and Parayko both were getting beat pretty regular. We have to realize that Dallas is that good and they bring several lines of it. Elliott has stood on his head. I wouldn't be afraid to put Lindbohm in. His best games have been against Dallas. Perhaps a little Tony LaRussa strategy here playing the numbers? I don't know...I look for him to change all of the lines and defensive pairings next game anyway, because he's the coach....still....for some reason....

 

[Ranksu]

Hitch after game 5

That end is hilarious.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Hitch after game 5

That end is hilarious.

It's like a Mike Martz interview when he was with the Rams.

 

[Ranksu]

Inserting Lindbohm seems like a desperation type move, but I believe he'd probably play about the same as Edmundson. Edmundson has had some good games these playoffs, but he's having a confidence crisis right now. I think he could play out of it, and the alternative of playing guys on their off side looked bad. I'd prefer taking more of a Chicago approach and play the top defensive pairings more and limiting Edmundsons shifts, but still give him a chance to work out of it.

Parayko's play has tailed off a bit, too. They are leaning very hard on Pietro.

I don't see it as desperate move. I think that would just tell we've debt and Hitch understand where we stand now, Edmundson is weak link and we can replace his spot easily. Yet again Edmundson have experienced getting scratched in this season and he did rebound nicely and came even better he was, so him losing confidence wouldn't be case. I bet he'd be even tougher and sharp after couple games off.

I woulnd't even talk about this if Edmundson would play his normal level, but now he's lost boy + we have debt who can play his spot. Everytime he is on ice is opportunity to Dallas score. So I don't see why Hitch wouldn't use well known as a simple straight style of dmen like Lindbohm, who avoid all the time making errors.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

Not many here have mentioned this but I've noticed this too. Parayko was pretty shaky today as well, indecisive with the puck, and not near as fluent as he usually is in his skating. He and Edmunson are both 22 year old rookies though, and the pressure is really on. That Shatty like pass up the middle of the ice from behind the net for the horrid turnover has really messed with Ed's confidence though.

Oh BTW, about J-Bo you're right. However I could have swore he played a second round series with Calgary against Chicago, and even thought he went to the playoffs with the Panthers one year.

They made such a big deal about him finally getting to go to the playoffs his first year with the Blues that it stuck in my mind. Now if he can just get his first playoff goal.

 

[Mike Liut]

Not many here have mentioned this but I've noticed this too. Parayko was pretty shaky today as well, indecisive with the puck, and not near as fluent as he usually is in his skating. He and Edmunson are both 22 year old rookies though, and the pressure is really on. That Shatty like pass up the middle of the ice from behind the net for the horrid turnover has really messed with Ed's confidence though.

Oh BTW, about J-Bo you're right. However I could have swore he played a second round series with Calgary against Chicago, and even thought he went to the playoffs with the Panthers one year.

I think Parayko playing on his off side made him look like he was struggling more than he was. A couple bad clearing attempts will do that. One lead to a goal and the other a good scoring chance.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

Got to watch most of the first and all of the 3rd, but Gunnarrson looked god awful. Wow

The narrative is that multiple Blues defensemen struggled (Parayko, Gunnarsson, Edmundson) I think Shattenkirk had a pretty solid game. But you have to remember, this was against the top offense in the league, at home, in a must-win playoff game. And the team allowed 1 goal.

Even if you look at Chicago's Cup winning teams, they have not been perfect teams. They just win when they have to. I think the Blues have some young colts on defense, and occasionally it shows.

But at the same time, we're seeing Parayko carry the puck up the ice more often, and unleashing his point slapshot with confidence more often.

I am not so convinced that the defense is a problem that needs to be solved as much as a set of strengths and weaknesses that needs to be managed. Edmundson is nowhere near the trainwreck that Chicago had on their 3rd pairing, or even Dallas. The Blues don't need to hide him (though if he sits out another game I won't be surprised). If I'm Hitchcock, I would keep him in the line-up, use the last change to my advantage in Game 6, and limit his ice time. Let him play back into his confidence. I just don't see other options as that attractive.

That said, Bortuzzo deserves to play, too. Its just a problem with the handedness issue creating a bigger problem than you solve by putting Bortuzzo in.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

I don't see it as desperate move. I think that would just tell we've debt and Hitch understand where we stand now, Edmundson is weak link and we can replace his spot easily. Yet again Edmundson have experienced getting scratched in this season and he did rebound nicely and came even better he was, so him losing confidence wouldn't be case. I bet he'd be even tougher and sharp after couple games off.

I woulnd't even talk about this if Edmundson would play his normal level, but now he's lost boy + we have debt who can play his spot. Everytime he is on ice is opportunity to Dallas score. So I don't see why Hitch wouldn't use well known as a simple straight style of dmen like Lindbohm, who avoid all the time making errors.

I think you make a strong argument. I think a coach could play this more than one way. We don't know how they look in practice, but I wouldn't be surprised if Edmundson sits.

Best case scenario would be to clinch the series tomorrow and the other Western series goes 7 games. I think the team would benefit from a few extra days rest.

 

[Bluesin7]

The narrative is that multiple Blues defensemen struggled (Parayko, Gunnarsson, Edmundson) I think Shattenkirk had a pretty solid game. But you have to remember, this was against the top offense in the league, at home, in a must-win playoff game. And the team allowed 1 goal.

Even if you look at Chicago's Cup winning teams, they have not been perfect teams. They just win when they have to. I think the Blues have some young colts on defense, and occasionally it shows.

But at the same time, we're seeing Parayko carry the puck up the ice more often, and unleashing his point slapshot with confidence more often.

I am not so convinced that the defense is a problem that needs to be solved as much as a set of strengths and weaknesses that needs to be managed. Edmundson is nowhere near the trainwreck that Chicago had on their 3rd pairing, or even Dallas. The Blues don't need to hide him (though if he sits out another game I won't be surprised). If I'm Hitchcock, I would keep him in the line-up, use the last change to my advantage in Game 6, and limit his ice time. Let him play back into his confidence. I just don't see other options as that attractive.

That said, Bortuzzo deserves to play, too. Its just a problem with the handedness issue creating a bigger problem than you solve by putting Bortuzzo in.

Yeah but Gunnarrson stood out the first period to me as just the worst I've ever seen him play. And yes the coaches say they're telling him they want him to shoot more, I wish he would. Top 3 fastest slap shots in the league I'm pretty sure

 

[shpongle falls]

What does the sentence in bold mean?

It means they better f------ win monday night. I really don't want the Blues to have to play a game 7 in Dallas' barn, not that they couldn't win it there but it'd be a hell of a lot better to win game 6 at St. Louis, get a little extra rest before the next series starts.