GDT: Blues @ Sharks 12/20/14

[Robb_K]

The referees were terrible tonight, they weren't going to call anything on the Sharks and let some pretty bad interference go a few times. That's not an excuse though, we have to be able to see out a lead in the final minute.

Our defense needs sorted out. Yes, Gunnarsson is out, but we can't go to pieces whenever we have 1 play injured. We are almost exclusively passive, there isn't a need to be overly aggressive, but there needs to be some aggression in how we defend and close gaps. It's not working as it is, if we don't start looking at solutions soon then it's going to be too late.

This was also happening when Gunnarsson was playing. The Blues' need to be more aggressive vs. opponents in their own end.

 

[Multimoodia]

I think the root of the problem comes back to the poor play of Pietrangelo and Bouwmeester lately. They have not been good at all of lately. If they start playing back up to their full abilities I think we'll see a lot of this sloppy play to away.

Pietrangelo makes stupid decisions and seems to be confused on shot blocking.

Bouwmeester, at least tonight, just absolutely stunk. He wasn't throwing the puck into the crowd under pressure like he usually does when he's playing poorly, he was getting beat by players with half his speed on a regular basis. He was getting boxed out by players half his size.

Pietrangelo was bad, Bouw was horrid.

 

[Fred Murtz]

Brent Burns OT rocket slapshot PPG 3-2

 

[LGB51]

Steen was terrible. I hate him on Tarasenko's line. Even with Schwartz's injury I strongly dislike Hitch's decision to split up SOB. They were playing well and those three are noticeably better when they're together.

Yep, should have went with Ott, Lindstrom or Jaskin with Frank & Lehty, you gotta keep at least one well playing line together when injury occurs. If given the chance of course, which The Blues are with their depth. Really if frustrating to watch them sit back on their heels with a lead, and let the other team come after them in wave after wave, until the dam finally breaks inevitably in the final 60 seconds of what seems like every period.

 

[Dbrownss]

Love the people that only show up to post when we lose. Literally not a single post while we're winning, then we lose and suddenly they don't shut up. Worst kind of fan. Far worse than bandwagoners.

+1


It gets old

 

[thedustman]

Hopefully these are just some regular season pains that all teams go through.

On to Tuesday against the Avs. LGB.

Here we go! better to go through this now than in the playoffs... every cup winning team has gone through a giant rut during midseason in the past couple of years... plus we have some major positives going for us: PBJ, petter lindbohm, Jake Allen, ...

 

[Multimoodia]

On this year's switch to extremely passive play by the defensemen in the defensive zone...does anyone besides me think that it's probably systemic rather than players failing to execute?

And if so, who can tell Hitch/Shaw that it's not working?

 

[kagei]

Pietrangelo makes stupid decisions and seems to be confused on shot blocking.

Bouwmeester, at least tonight, just absolutely stunk. He wasn't throwing the puck into the crowd under pressure like he usually does when he's playing poorly, he was getting beat by players with half his speed on a regular basis. He was getting boxed out by players half his size.

Pietrangelo was bad, Bouw was horrid.

You think Backes could take Petro and Jbo in a fight in practice?

 

[Vladys Gumption]

On this year's switch to extremely passive play by the defensemen in the defensive zone...does anyone besides me think that it's probably systemic rather than players failing to execute?

And if so, who can tell Hitch/Shaw that it's not working?

The only possible explanation is coaching. If it were only one or two players I could see it being just on them, but when every single defenseman is backing off I tend to seriously believe it's on the coach. It's absolutely infuriating.

 

[kagei]

Yep, should have went with Ott, Lindstrom or Jaskin with Frank & Lehty, you gotta keep at least one well playing line together when injury occurs. If given the chance of course, which The Blues are with their depth. Really if frustrating to watch them sit back on their heels with a lead, and let the other team come after them in wave after wave, until the dam finally breaks inevitably in the final 60 seconds of what seems like every period.

As much as I want to see Jaskin get chances I think he is carving out his spot with Bergie and Stas

 

[EastonBlues22]

Brent Burns OT rocket slapshot PPG 3-2

Looks like Allen reacted slowly because he didn't see the pass right away due to the screen.

 

[kagei]

The only possible explanation is coaching. If it were only one or two players I could see it being just on them, but when every single defenseman is backing off I tend to seriously believe it's on the coach. It's absolutely infuriating.

If it's not coaching then it's leadership. Maybe both.

 

[carter333167]

Pietrangelo makes stupid decisions and seems to be confused on shot blocking.

Bouwmeester, at least tonight, just absolutely stunk. He wasn't throwing the puck into the crowd under pressure like he usually does when he's playing poorly, he was getting beat by players with half his speed on a regular basis. He was getting boxed out by players half his size.

Pietrangelo was bad, Bouw was horrid.

I counted at least three very dangerous strips of Petro in our zone. One was mind boggling...a guy caught him from behind going around the net and tossed a very dangerous pass into the slot.

Petro won't take a man to the boards in our zone...he now is screening the goaltender consistently...he is shooting the puck 5-10 feet wide in their zone...what is going on with him??

There needs to be a come to you know moment with our D and Our D-Coaches b/c we look awful in our own zone right now.

 

[elkranio]

Well I'm all ears.

I am ****ing pissed off but anyway.
I've made a trip to Lappeenranta with my gf to open our visas (or whatever it is called). It's a bus trip, 5 hours from Pietari, quick and painless.
So here we are sitting in the middle of the town waiting for our bus to get us back. There's a big company of average Finnish teenagers in front of us. And one of them (male) has unbelievable white hair.
And a bum appears. He notices this teen and starts staring at him with a total disgust written all over his face.
He does so for a couple of minutes and then goes there and starts asking questions. My gf speaks Finnish a little, so she translates me that the bum implies that the boy is a swede and must be ***** on a spot.
So I guess Finland strong and no swede shall pass

 

[KirkOut]

Jackman and Bo were both noticeably worse than usual. I thought Petro had some good plays but he also had some bad ones and just passive defense. Why??

Cole, Shat, and Butler were....ok I guess. not good but ok.

Seriously we have the talent back there why is our defensive positioning seem so weak at times?

 

[Lord Helix]

On this year's switch to extremely passive play by the defensemen in the defensive zone...does anyone besides me think that it's probably systemic rather than players failing to execute?

And if so, who can tell Hitch/Shaw that it's not working?

I'd love to have the game footage that coaches and the staff get to dissect the team under different scenarios.

 

[Multimoodia]

You think Backes could take Petro and Jbo in a fight in practice?

Bouwmeester would just stand there very confused thinking Backes was trying to congratulate him on a job well done. Would probably punch Backes in the helmet in return and then Backes would be out for a week with a "not concussion" or whatever.

Pietrangelo would be screwed.

 

[elkranio]

I really hope that this is how we just don't burn our gas before the playoffs. Otherwise we're gonna be killed in the first round again.

 

[BlueDream]

Not to overreact but I think this team is mentally soft and has been for a while. Leads on the road in tough buildings don't last. Can't win important games like these against good teams. And I fully believe that starts at the top of the ladder with guys like Backes and Oshie, who have been here for so long and are considered "leaders". I honestly question Backes as a captain these days.

The soft defense and them continuously backing off has been infuriating for a while now. And I don't know what the **** is up with Bouwmeester this season but he looks awful. This guy would have never made Team Canada if he played like this last season. I seriously don't get what has happened to him. He handles the puck like a hot grenade.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Actuall I bet J-Bo would ask Backes if he needed his taxes done.

 

[kagei]

start a thread if you want on this....which defenseman who wears A on his jersey deserves it more this year.....just a thought

 

[LGB51]

Pietrangelo makes stupid decisions and seems to be confused on shot blocking.

Bouwmeester, at least tonight, just absolutely stunk. He wasn't throwing the puck into the crowd under pressure like he usually does when he's playing poorly, he was getting beat by players with half his speed on a regular basis. He was getting boxed out by players half his size.

Pietrangelo was bad, Bouw was horrid.

But Petro leads out team in blocked shots, by a comfortable margin. I'd say the rest of the boys need to step up that part of their game with that being the case. As annoying as Rural Route ten is, he has been pretty spot on as it pertains to Alex's effectiveness, and shutdown capabilities. The guy just hasn't been reliable at all as a number 1 Dmans this season. And now over the last 3 or so games, Jay is playing equally as unreliable, it's hard to believe from watching those 2 play right now as a unit, that were a heavily relied on pairing for team Canada's gold medal winning defense.

 

[Multimoodia]

I counted at least three very dangerous strips of Petro in our zone. One was mind boggling...a guy caught him from behind going around the net and tossed a very dangerous pass into the slot.

People in the office next to mine heard me yell at Pietrangelo for being a "lazy, lolly gagging mother****er" and thought I was chewing out a serviceman. They came over to tell me that contractors aren't supposed to do that.
How he didn't feel Thornton closing on him boggles my mind.

Petro won't take a man to the boards in our zone...he now is screening the goaltender consistently...he is shooting the puck 5-10 feet wide in their zone...what is going on with him??

I have to assume voodoo curses and mumps at this point. Nothing else makes sense.

 

[Blues88]

Steen was terrible. I hate him on Tarasenko's line. Even with Schwartz's injury I strongly dislike Hitch's decision to split up SOB. They were playing well and those three are noticeably better when they're together.

Yep. Agree with all that. Steen likes to hang on to the puck low and try to create space but the reason Lehterasenko works so well is they are constantly moving the puck in space and creating separation. Honestly, Steen gets a bit selfish with the puck at times and it ends up costing him/the team. He plays better when he's using his linemates.

On this year's switch to extremely passive play by the defensemen in the defensive zone...does anyone besides me think that it's probably systemic rather than players failing to execute?

And if so, who can tell Hitch/Shaw that it's not working?

It has to be. The gap closure is just mediocre on average. If they don't have two forecheckers going in hard on the Dmen, the other team basically has 60 free feet to enter our zone with speed. Transition game is still intact, but it could be way better. Seems like we are scoring a disproportionate amount of goals off the cycle. Not a bad thing, but they don't induce many odd man breaks with the breakout in its current form.

Overwhelming positives are the play of Berglund and Jaskin. Jaskin is skating better, initiating contact. Really looks good below the goal line...not taking any ******** either. Berglund is just looking better in general. Making good reads and plays, winning a ton of board battles. Actually buzzing around the middle of the zone and looking towards the net when he has the puck.

Allen made some incredible saves but his rebound control is bad....at best.

 

[Multimoodia]

The only possible explanation is coaching. If it were only one or two players I could see it being just on them, but when every single defenseman is backing off I tend to seriously believe it's on the coach. It's absolutely infuriating.

I just don't get it. The method of playing they're using is going to be exposed by cross-ice passing or teams that can bum rush the front of the net.
The Blackhawks use the former very well, the Kings the latter. If the Blues played the Blues they'd get lit up consistently because between allowing entirely too much too to enter the zone and the inability to contain the high slot/cross ice passing Tarasenko would score a hat trick every game.
To say nothing of the bum rush that Backes and co. could put on.