GDT: Blues @ Sharks 12/20/14

[Multimoodia]

Allen's rebounds tend to get worse when he's not feeling his glove. When I see them popping off him like they were tonight I know what's going to happen.

He's young enough I'm not overly worried about it.

 

[Lakewood]

Not saying it's an excuse, but petro got hit in the hand a few games ago and I notice him wincing and adjusting his glove. He may be playing w a broken finger.

 

[Ranksu]

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

Haha, Well we don't like Swedish at all and they don't like us. I hate them also even though I have 20-30 cousins who are fully Swedish and I have live cross a finnish and swedish board over 30 years. You could throw stone a cross other side of Sweden over the river.

In generally we think Swedish are those 'pinkie boys'.

What comes sport, doesnt matter what sport match we have against Sweden it's like doomsday. In both nation media will hype 'that' coming event and its top small talk issue all around. When other loose media and people will F with that month and over 20 years ago happened things we remember and always reminds that, but both will respect the other one at the end.


* * *


Blues (TOI):

Lindström (12:35) - Backes (19:39) - Oshie (18:06)
Steen (19:39) - Lehterä (18:31) - Tarasenko (18:12)
Berglund (16:10) - Stastny (15:39) - Jaskin (14:54)
Ott (13:46) - Lapierre (9:26) - Reaves (7:42)

Butler (18:51) - Pietrangelo (25:04)
Bouwmeester (26:03) - Shattenkirk (24:12)
Jackman (20:24) - Cole (14:10)

Allen 90.0% (64:22)

Sharks (TOI):

Hertl (18:15) - Thornton (21:08) - Pavelski (22:51)
Marleau (23:44) - Couture (22:29) - Wingels (18:50)
Karlsson (15:18 - Sheppard (16:25) - Goodrow (14:50)
McGinn (7:15) - Desjardins (6:42) - Scott (5:27)

Vlasic (25:22) - Braun (23:16) 
Dillon (22:49) - Burns (26:07)
Hannan (12:52) - Tennyson (15:00)

Niemi 90.0% (63:10)

 

[Alklha]

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.

The mid-game interviews are funny with how our players use "aggressive" this season. If we kill a PK/score a PP goal, then I've heard Shattenkirk and Oshie describe very passive special teams as "aggressive". When we lost a goal on the PK, Shattenkirk was saying we need to be more aggressive.

This was the start of the season we had players talking about the need to be more aggressive and nothing has changed. The words they are using must be regurgitation of coaching instructions on some level, so I'm not sure the system can be exclusively to blame. It's coaching either way, either it is a bad system or they can't get the players to play how they want effectively.

I think we've only had our top 4 healthy for about 10 games this season, but that can't be an excuse.

 

[STLBloosiers]

why does Petro always screen the goalie? Like gtfo of the way if you're not gonna block it

 

[TheDizee]

didnt see the game but saw the boxscore and noticed the sharts had 3 pps and we had 0

so just another typical blues game it seems

 

[KirkOut]

didnt see the game but saw the boxscore and noticed the sharts had 3 pps and we had 0

so just another typical blues game it seems

The Sharks didn't really commit any obvious infractions that I saw. All the Blues penalties were obvious. And their name is the "Sharks". Like the team we played thursday is called the "Kings"

 

[Multimoodia]

why does Petro always screen the goalie? Like gtfo of the way if you're not gonna block it

He's trying to block it but he prefers not to go down when doing so since he's typically a pretty capable puck handler.

This creates an issue an awful lot of the time.

 

[TheDizee]

The Sharks didn't really commit any obvious infractions that I saw. All the Blues penalties were obvious. And their name is the "Sharks". Like the team we played thursday is called the "Kings"

takes a pretty big "effort" by the refs these days to not makeup atleast 1 call on a team so when you dont get 1 PP in this postlockout nhl, u are typically playing the sharks, pens, hawks or wings.

 

[KirkOut]

takes a pretty big "effort" by the refs these days to not makeup atleast 1 call on a team so when you dont get 1 PP in this postlockout nhl, u are typically playing the sharks, pens, hawks or wings.

That is ****ing ridiculous. I mean what?? The Sharks didn't have any penalties worthy of being called. So what the hell would they call. Hey, you, Burns - that's two minutes for having an unkempt beard. Nah, must be an NHL conspiracy against the Blues and in favor of the Sharks

 

[Multimoodia]

That is ****ing ridiculous. I mean what?? The Sharks didn't have any penalties worthy of being called. So what the hell would they call. Hey, you, Burns - that's two minutes for having an unkempt beard. Nah, must be an NHL conspiracy against the Blues and in favor of the Sharks

I think the actual penalty would be for housing vermin in his facial structure.

 

[Dbrownss]

That is ****ing ridiculous. I mean what?? The Sharks didn't have any penalties worthy of being called. So what the hell would they call. Hey, you, Burns - that's two minutes for having an unkempt beard. Nah, must be an NHL conspiracy against the Blues and in favor of the Sharks

There was the blatant interference in OT. And a couple I seen. They weren't unbelievable horrid penalties but still...

 

[Alklha]

The Sharks didn't really commit any obvious infractions that I saw. All the Blues penalties were obvious. And their name is the "Sharks". Like the team we played thursday is called the "Kings"

There was a pretty clear interference penalty on Berglund in OT. The Thornton low-blow on Lapierre wasn't exactly obvious, but with the positioning of the puck one of the officials really should have spotted that. Looked like they had too many men at one point as well.

I don't mind referees putting their whistles away for interference, but there is still a point where you have to call it.

Still not an excuse, the game should have been won in regulation irrespective of what was or wasn't called.

 

[Fred Murtz]

Full OT Brent Burns goal 3-2

 

[Blues88]

The lack of power plays were honestly refreshing after the Kings game. I can't stand the tin foil crowd and their insistence that the league is trying to abolish hitting, but if there was one game that they'd use to make their point, it was that one.

I would advise everyone to watch Wolf on Wall Street. It insulated me with good feelings and ultimately kept my positive Saturday afloat.

 

[LGB51]

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

That's fine, my point was we have seen Steen several times now added to the STL line, and it's always been either a dud or failure of a decision. So quit doing it genius. I really hope this is Hitch's last season as the Blues head coach, as I have absolutely lost hope in his coaching and decision making. Not all hope mind you, but it dwindles more and more after games like this, where the way our players are being made to play D is directly effecting bad outcomes. This passive style to me seems like it just makes it that much harder on the team to get the puck out of the zone, which is what ultimately lead to the game being tied.

 

[uncommonsense52]

That's fine, my point was we have seen Steen several times now added to the STL line, and it's always been either a dud or failure of a decision. So quit doing it genius.

That line needs someone one that wing who is creative, and has good on-ice vision, to keep up with Tarasenko and Lehtera.

Steen is a good player, love having him. But he's a hard-nosed (not a nose joke, promise) guy who pushes the play forward with strong forechecking rather than with creativity. And he's got a decent shot sometimes, but not always. Very streaky.

Schwartz works on that line because he's got a lot of skill wrapped into a package that over comes a height disadvantage with high on-ice vision. He's got the IQ to know where guys are moving to without having to see it.

Steen's great, but that's not really his thing.

I really hope this is Hitch's last season as the Blues head coach, as I have lost absolutely hope in his coaching and decision making. Not all hope mind you, but it dwindles more and more after games like this, where the way our players are being made to play D is directly effecting bad outcomes.

I feel like the other day you were defending Hitchcock to me... but whatever, I'll take you in my camp any day haha.

This passive style to me seems like it just makes it that much harder on the team to get the puck out of the zone, which is what ultimately lead to the game being tied.

Yeah. The passive defense is a problem. I totally understand some guys needing to play that style. Cole, Jackman, Butler... guys who maybe aren't very choosy about when and how they would step up and try to strip the puck... maybe better to try to have them play puck containment instead of letting htem step out of position.

Gunnarson is still an unknown to me.

But Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk and Bouwmeester are really top-level defenders. They (should) have the brains to know when to step up and play the man, or hang back and catch the lane. And they should be able to coordinate with each other on... if one guy steps up, the other guy sags down low, or leans tot he opposite boards to watch for the east/west pass.

Yeah... Hitchcock frustrates me, and whatever you want to say about people overreacting after losses... that's not me. I've been saying this since we lost to Chicago.

 

[Ranksu]

Marc-Edouard Vlasic wrist shot goal 2-2

Looks this video guys. Jbo lost 1on1 against Jumbo and Pietro is not taking man and try to block shot. That would be easy shot to Allen. Terrible plays by our top2 D's. Poor effort and that cost us 2 points and game against Sharks.

People blame Hitch?? Open your eyes boys, in the end its players who carry team or not.

 

[Backes to the wall]

Not choked about this loss at all. Last year we got stomped by San Jose all season. At this point in the season we have taken points from a lot of good teams.
The team is close to contending, just need a couple moves.

 

[byfuglien]

Dont care that we lost, Ott ****ing scored. Lets just refer to him as THE goalmachine.

 

[LGB51]

That line needs someone one that wing who is creative, and has good on-ice vision, to keep up with Tarasenko and Lehtera.

Steen is a good player, love having him. But he's a hard-nosed (not a nose joke, promise) guy who pushes the play forward with strong forechecking rather than with creativity. And he's got a decent shot sometimes, but not always. Very streaky.

Schwartz works on that line because he's got a lot of skill wrapped into a package that over comes a height disadvantage with high on-ice vision. He's got the IQ to know where guys are moving to without having to see it.

Steen's great, but that's not really his thing.



I feel like the other day you were defending Hitchcock to me... but whatever, I'll take you in my camp any day haha.



Yeah. The passive defense is a problem. I totally understand some guys needing to play that style. Cole, Jackman, Butler... guys who maybe aren't very choosy about when and how they would step up and try to strip the puck... maybe better to try to have them play puck containment instead of letting htem step out of position.

Gunnarson is still an unknown to me.

But Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk and Bouwmeester are really top-level defenders. They (should) have the brains to know when to step up and play the man, or hang back and catch the lane. And they should be able to coordinate with each other on... if one guy steps up, the other guy sags down low, or leans tot he opposite boards to watch for the east/west pass.

Yeah... Hitchcock frustrates me, and whatever you want to say about people overreacting after losses... that's not me. I've been saying this since we lost to Chicago.

I don't remember defending Hitchcock, should be easy to check.

 

[Meatball]

Not sure what they intend to accomplish with this defensive strategy. If it's to save themselves for the playoffs, then by all means, do what you must.

If they play like this when they get there, expect to get bounced...quickly.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

takes a pretty big "effort" by the refs these days to not makeup atleast 1 call on a team so when you dont get 1 PP in this postlockout nhl, u are typically playing the sharks, pens, hawks or wings.

They also disregarded the delay of game that would have given a 5 on 3, even though it looked like the call would have been correct....but not just, since the original penalty was weak.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

I never played hockey. Someone who understands strategy better may have a comment:

I see the transition passing as looking better and better (in general, depending who is on the ice). Is there any validity to the thought that the team is deliberately backing in to give up shots from certain areas of the ice on purpose.....so that they'll be better set to control the puck after the presumed save/block, and better positioned to quickly pass the puck up ice?

I'm seeing the backing off the blue line like everyone else, and wonder if it's coached that way for a reason.

I'm much less concerned with Pietro screening, since he leads the team in blocks by a tremendous margin and that's a big part of how he does it. I think getting screened or not is mostly the goalie's responsibility. As long as the defender is addressing the play and not just carelessly skating across the field of view, it's going to happen sometimes.

 

[Dbrownss]

As much flack as we give hitch. He was spot on in his post game.

These unnecessary loses get to him it seems.

But....we've taken a point from LA and SJS in their barns, improvement from last year at least. This just seems like a mental thing......along with our top pairing playing like #7


Imo Pietrangelo and Bouwmeester have been the biggest weakness. With that said, it makes me a little optimistic about the year, we know what they are capable of if they find that level of play. Either that or other teams now know they are as soft as cotton and all you have to do is pressure them and they screw up.