Post-Game Talk: #6| St. Louis Blues @ New York Islanders | October 14th | 1:00 PM | 3-2 OTW

[BelovedIsles]

Saw the replay.

For most of the game, they played well.

The Blues have great interior D. They protect the cage and slot much like NYI, but better. Though it was an evenly played game.

Team needs a scorer. Whether ebs is in or not. At this point Leddy is an afterthought, Toews makes him expendable. B-chuk looks good. The goal scoring will haunt them.

Lastly, Whal. Nice first game, solid all around. He wasn’t floating, that’s the main draw I take from tonight. Kid looks strong on his skates, engaged. I’d like him to spend the year in Bridge though. Build his pro goalscoring confidence. Keep it up Whal!

 

[BelovedIsles]

He’s at the Keanu Reeves concert with his mom

Whats w these actors having ‘concerts?’ Do they sing, talk, stand up, improv? 3rd reference I’ve seen (the first two are real).

 

[BelovedIsles]

I love Barzy. Tarasenko was chipping him from the bench. Barzy told him to 'shut the f..k up'.

He should’ve also told him to demand a trade to play on his wing.

 

[PK Cronin]

Just finished watching. Brassard's best game so far, he had a few chances and controlled the puck more than in previous games. The makeshift fourth line was solid. Really thought the team played pretty well structurally keeping most of the Blues' chances to the outside, but of course were sloppy in their own end during some stretches. Beauvillier had another strong game, as did Bailey. Wahlstrom really fit in well, playing with good speed and effort, plus he flashed a bit of his offensive ability. Dal Colle, despite making the play on Nelson's goal, was mostly invisible again. He's a fine third liner but isn't doing much else other than grinding and we need more. Boychuk was great tonight and I thought Pulock had a strong game in his own end. Greiss was solid when needed, the first goal wasn't on him and Tarasenko on the PP is a hard shot to stop.

3-3 after six games, not great, not terrible.

 

[scottywiper]

He should’ve also told him to demand a trade to play on his wing.

I like the fact Barzal has an edge to him. When we were down 2-0 late he was filthy every time he came off and was watching the Blues bench, ready to return fire at any comments. He hates losing.

 

[BMOK33]

Am I the only one who expects over a point a game this season from Barzal still? I. D.o.n.t know advanced stats but they must suggest his production should be significantly higher

I think most years Barzal will post something like 20-70-90. Last year was a product of adjusting to a new system and the league. Let’s not forget the fact he isn’t playing with anyone elite on his line either. I would expect he’s back near 75-80 points this year. He will undoubtedly have a season somewhere where he goes 30-90-120 but as I said he will have another where he goes 9-80-89. It’s generally what you find when you go back and look at guys like Forsberg/Oates/Francis who were mostly playmakers but also could score at times though not consistently over 25-30

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Johnny boychuk can play on my team any day.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Johnny boychuk can play on my team any day.

Weird. I thought you played for the other team.

 

[NittanyIsle]

JB may not be peak, but damn is he still a solid defenseman in this league.

I am most happy to see our defensive structure back after the debacle of the first 4 games. Yes, teams with more speed and firepower get some chances, but we've seriously cut down the odd man rushes. Looks a lot more like the Grindlanders I saw for large stretches of last year. Play heavy, get into the dirty areas and win battles for pucks. That was the best third period I've seen since the Pittsburgh series.

Missed these guys. Happy to see them back and hope this is the effort level moving forward.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Weird. I thought you played for the other team.

I play on both. It’s 2019 man.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Johnny boychuk can play on my team any day.

I've been saying, before anyone calls him overpaid lets let his play speak for itself first. His impact is still big.

 

[IslesCLT]

I've been saying, before anyone calls him overpaid lets let his play speak for itself first. His impact is still big.

Between the marathon shift he played without his stick (while also eating a shot with his hand and getting the puck deep by kicking it before finally coming off for a change) and the way he kept the puck in the zone to set up the tying goal, he had a fantastic game. He is a tank...a tank that may need a little more maintenance than 5 years ago but still a freakin tank. Glad we have depth on the blue line to try and keep him healthy

 

[Uncle Duke]

I like the fact Barzal has an edge to him. When we were down 2-0 late he was filthy every time he came off and was watching the Blues bench, ready to return fire at any comments. He hates losing.

That's nice that he can return verbal fire. I'd prefer fire of a more tangible variety.

 

[IslesCLT]

That's nice that he can return verbal fire. I'd prefer fire of a more tangible variety.

Like..say...driving the play when down 2 late, scoring the tying goal, and assisting the OT game winner? That kind of tangible?

 

[Uncle Duke]

Like..say...driving the play when down 2 late, scoring the tying goal, and assisting the OT game winner? That kind of tangible?

The goal he scored to tie it was a pass that should have been a turnover and the OT assist was a 3 on 2 layup (Petro hobbled). We all know what he can do 3 on 3 and it's nice to have him in those situations but show me something 5 on 5 consistently. And win a gd faceoff every now and then.

 

[MJF]

I play on both. It’s 2019 man.

Not that there’s anything wrong with it.

 

[IslesCLT]

The goal he scored to tie it was a pass that should have been a turnover and the OT assist was a 3 on 2 layup (Petro hobbled). We all know what he can do 3 on 3 and it's nice to have him in those situations but show me something 5 on 5 consistently. And win a gd faceoff every now and then.

and if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle

Not getting into a bunch of what-ifs.

 

[MJF]

Between the marathon shift he played without his stick (while also eating a shot with his hand and getting the puck deep by kicking it before finally coming off for a change) and the way he kept the puck in the zone to set up the tying goal, he had a fantastic game. He is a tank...a tank that may need a little more maintenance than 5 years ago but still a freakin tank. Glad we have depth on the blue line to try and keep him healthy

Again, I don’t think anyone thinks we aren’t better with Boychuk than without. But he does have mileage on his body, and in a game where we gave the Jets a track meet he looked gassed in the 3rd period. Against a team like the Blues he will shine. Against some speedier opponents I’m all in favor of giving JB the night off.

 

[PK Cronin]

and if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle

Not getting into a bunch of what-ifs.

Nah man, he wants tangible stuff, not what actually happened in the game.

 

[crasherino]

Again, I don’t think anyone thinks we aren’t better with Boychuk than without. But he does have mileage on his body, and in a game where we gave the Jets a track meet he looked gassed in the 3rd period. Against a team like the Blues he will shine. Against some speedier opponents I’m all in favor of giving JB the night off.

As long as its pitched the right way at the beginning of the season by the coaching staff, I'm totally fine with this approach. I was listening to the post-game interviews after the game on the ride home and Barry was talking about how hard it is to tell guys like Marts and Boychuk that they're scratched. But if you go into the season telling Johnny that the plan is to play 60-65 games to keep him healthy and rotate the kid in, he should hopefully be OK with that.

Whether I'd start him in WPG....whatever the plan is, I'm fine with. But I suspect there's a plan. And if Mayfield is banged up a bit at some point, he should be getting a rest too on occasion.

 

[Disgraced Cosmonaut]

MJF- i think plenty of people think it. I agree that they’d be wrong and he should play 55 games. Love him.

That said, it’s not so simple. His contract is significant. I believe this may be his last season here if we don’t move another bigger contact. Hopefully OW is legit and we can roll out more scoring ASAP.

 

[Uncle Duke]

and if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle

Not getting into a bunch of what-ifs.

Didn't use the word if once. Just stated facts.

 

[pursuit81]

I've been saying, before anyone calls him overpaid lets let his play speak for itself first. His impact is still big.

Vs Carolina in the playoffs was proof enough of that. (Not saying we would have won with JB, but he would have made a difference.)

 

[leeroggy]

I don't feel bad about the negative stuff at all, they deserved every bit of it and more. This was an awesome win but it only really matters if they can build off of it. On it's own, it's just 2 points. And for Barzal to be first star, c'mon. Boychuk1, Greiss2, Barzal3

Until the last 5 minutes Boychuck had a pretty mediocre game. We all love the warrior mentality but he's really becoming a liability in his own zone when we are trying to break out. He's easily our worst puckhandler in that situation and there's way too many icings and blind dump outs off the boards that are immediate turnovers at this stage of his game.

 

[pursuit81]

Nah man, he wants tangible stuff, not what actually happened in the game.

You take one game where he gets a lucky goal and then shines in circus hockey and all of sudden is everything all right. It isn't, not until he shows he can do it in real hockey and in the face off circle.