GDT: Game 38: Columbus at St. Louis | 4/5 8:00 PM EDT | The most critical edition of them

[IBleedUnionBlue]

A quick scan, and this is something like the 16th game this season where this team has scored 1 or fewer goals in regulation. This team is dead last in goals per game in the NHL. Trading for Gaborik was a good start, but Jarmo is going to have to find a couple more goal scorers in the off-season, preferably one that can be a wing for Johansen.

Bouwmeester was a great pickup for the Blues. I see this Blues team as a dark horse to upset a higher seed come playoff time.

 

[Dr. Fire]

Well it was a good game, and a heck of a run. If we could have gotten 2 points we would have been in the race. Mission Impossible to get in now - we have to play well on the road, we have to hope a team collapses (St Louis or Detroit) and we have to hope noone else arounds us (like and Edmonton) gets hot either.
The overturned goal for us was the correct call. The game was very physical and we did miss Boll and/or Dorsett, we got pushed around and the officials let alot of it happen. After we tied it I was excited - for about 8 seconds. That 3rd goal was a heart breaker. Neither team played a great game early, but in this case Hitch got his guys to grind it out. Congrats to him, always been a fan of his.
This team is about where I expected them to be in the standings - BUT after a terrible start, it's easy to be excited about next season. I'm still not sure on Gabby - but he has the skills we need - plus it's his contract year so he could easily score 30-40 goals next year looking for another contract. Most importantly we found our Goalie in Bob. Again don't want to bet the farm on him yet but he deserves the opportunity to be our #1 next season.

Agreed.

San Jose has pretty much separated themselves from the pack, and the Blues and Redwings seem to have re-found their mojo.

The big problem for us is that damn schedule. Having played more games, and having most of our remaining games on the road is just a killer for us.

Let's also be honest. The horrible start to the season really set the table for these conditions, and no one expected us to be within striking distance of the play-offs at this point.

Nothing is impossible, but no matter what happens it has been a hell of a ride.

 

[major major]

Columbus isn't the only team that will get pushed around by St. Louis. That team can do it.

How was Blake Comeau btw? I only saw the game condensed. And I like to say that name Blake Comeau. Such a cool name. ...Blake Comeau.

I liked the way Comeau played last night. No big hits, but he definitely finished them, and he generally moved the puck in the right direction.

He is a better skater than Gillies and has better hands (still not good hands, but better than Gillies).

 

[major major]

We had our chances.

I thought Foligno and Wiz were sub-par.

But credit to STL, they played harder.

---------

OT: Anybody else notice we don't block shots anymore?

The last player we had among the 40 top shot blockers was Jan Hejda.

Forgive how disagreeable I am this morning.

I don't think Foligno deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as Wiz when it comes to subpar play.

St.Louis did not play well. They hand-delivered us most of the best chances, and it was Allen who kept them in the game.

I still see a lot of shot blocking. It seems everyone does it, and we just don't have one or two guys who specialize in it.

 

[ca5150]

Columbus isn't the only team that will get pushed around by St. Louis. That team can do it.

How was Blake Comeau btw? I only saw the game condensed. And I like to say that name Blake Comeau. Such a cool name. ...Blake Comeau.

Blake looked like a good skater, had a couple good hits but only had about 8 min ice time, but for what we gave up, I like what I saw so far, he did kinda shy away when there was a major scrum, wish he would grabbed someone and roughed them up a bit, maybe that's not really his game but it would be nice if dropped them on occasion.

 

[ca5150]

Unable to solve Allen, and unable to apply enough pressure on their shutdown game in the third.

Getting pushed around didn't take the Jackets off their game. That's the Blues' intent with all the cheap stuff. You overreact to it, and they win. And those beamoaning Dorsett... I love the guy too but he's out fo the season and wouldn't have been any help last night. Foligno, Dubinky, Umberger, Mackenzie, Letestu, Prout. These are all stout individuals who were in the middle of scrums last night.

Aucoin, Wiz, Prout, Nikitin -- all culpable for the two goals. But still it was only two. I do think it would behoove Richards to rethink the pairings, and to consider sitting someone for Erixon. (Nikitin's possible injury notwithstanding.)

I was more talking about missing Dorse for future seasons and IF we were to make the playoffs, you need grit in the playoffs. I agree, I would love to see Erixson back in for someone when he gets healthy, I would love to see Nikitin a healthy scratch, Aucoin looks like he's skating in mud most nights as well.

 

[EspenK]

Not playing moderator,(although the power...) just trying to help so these comments about the remaining games don't get lost DSL's suggestion was to put all such comments here

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1396457

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Not playing moderator,(although the power...) just trying to help so these comments about the remaining games don't get lost DSL's suggestion was to put all such comments here

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1396457

Thanks, EK. I moved a couple posts (the power...), but this is a good reminder.

 

[JACKETfan]

Forgive how disagreeable I am this morning.

I don't think Foligno deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as Wiz when it comes to subpar play.

St.Louis did not play well. They hand-delivered us most of the best chances, and it was Allen who kept them in the game.

I still see a lot of shot blocking. It seems everyone does it, and we just don't have one or two guys who specialize in it.

We're in the bottom 5 in blocked shot stats.

I watch Foligno closely. He plays like a grinder.

 

[major major]

We're in the bottom 5 in blocked shot stats.

I watch Foligno closely. He plays like a grinder.

Oh boy.

Full Disclosure: Foligno has become my favorite player. So with that you should know nobody watches him more closely than I do, though I am not unbiased.

What I see in Foligno is a guy who is good at everything except shooting. He is a very good defensive player who excels at skating the puck out of the defensive zone and setting up the cycle in the other end (typically his linemates prefer him to carry the puck through the neutral zone because he can use his speed to back up the defenders). And coming off the cycle, he can use his amazing skating to angle into the slot. He is a very good passer when he looks for it, but doesn't have the best vision. His shot is crap, weak release. It's no wonder he over-handles it, because he doesn't trust his own shot.

In sum, he is a very valuable player. He gets the puck from one end to the other and creates dangerous scoring chances. Although he isn't good at scoring, he would be great with top scorers who can help him finish the chances he creates.

 

[NotWendell]

Wiz hasn't been impressive in MOST games he's played this year. Candidly, our defense is better without him.

Oh but he's our power play quarterback, you're thinking? That's the power play that's ranked 26th in the league right now.

 

[Matthew]

Wiz hasn't been impressive in MOST games he's played this year. Candidly, our defense is better without him.

Oh but he's our power play quarterback, you're thinking? That's the power play that's ranked 26th in the league right now.

Surely this has nothing to do with him missing so much time?



Who am I kidding. Buy him out. No value to be found.

 

[MeowLeafs]

What happened to Nikitin?

 

[NewLife]

Too bad Ive to work tomorrow, would love to watch a "reborn" Gaborik vs Minnesota tonight.

Prospal-Anisimov-Gaborik is ****ing awesome!

Make the play offs gays.

 

[Jaxs]

Too bad Ive to work tomorrow, would love to watch a "reborn" Gaborik vs Minnesota tonight.

Prospal-Anisimov-Gaborik is ****ing awesome!

Make the play offs gays.

Thanks, bolded is mispelled, I hope.

 

[NewLife]

Thanks, bolded is mispelled, I hope.

Sorry. Not sober. Like I said work tomorrow.