GDT: Game #9 - 10.28.14 - vs St. Louis - 7:30 PM - FS Southwest - 1310 AM - 96.7 FM

[glovesave_35]

Benn was right in front of the net for the Oleksiak and Seguin goals. He's doing fine. I have no issue whatsoever with his mentality.

He was but he's starting to try and force things the last few games a bit. He doesn't need to be Brenden Morrow but he needs to get back to his bread and butter. He is a great stick-handler, passer, shooter, etc. but the pass he tried to make on the play that resulted in the tying goal is not like him at all. I fully expected him to shift his body back around after turning like he did and put a shot on net. He's made some plays unlike himself that haven't resulted in the same result, but there is a balance he needs to find.

I do agree that the rest of the guys seem to watch those three play and think they should try some of the same stuff. We will be a much better team if the forwards all play to their strengths and stay within themselves.

 

[OttMorrow]

My thoughts on the game (not groundbreaking rocket science by any stretch):

Our defense was outplayed by their defense. Both teams goalies and skilled players brought it last night...I call it a wash in those two areas. Our PP could have been a little better, but back to the D....

Ian Cole saved Elliott's arse several times and their defense shut some of Benn's netfront chances down. Our defense wasn't the difference-maker that the Blues' was . How many times have we seen Robidas and Zubov play goalie when the stopper was beaten? How many times have we seen those two lift someone's stick to prevent a scoring chance in prime real estate? These are the types of plays we aren't seeing out of this backend. These are the types of plays to need to win one-goal games. Someone earlier mentioned Dillon-Benn as failing to be the shutdown pair they need to be. I agree, but it's the whole D-corps's lack of commitment to make the big plays and block the shots so that Kari doesn't have to do it all himself. I think we all knew the defense wasn't just going to get magically better with the addition of those guys "knocking on the door", because adding youth to the D rarely improves it. We're seeing it all come to fruition now.

 

[Indianation65]

Speed was up by both teams, exciting, but frustrating to come away with a single point. In the end, it still helps...go STARS!

 

[glovesave_35]

If you look at it, there isn't very much hockey IQ on our blue line. Daley is perhaps the closest to what one could call a "smart hockey player" with a straight face. Nemeth showed quite a bit so far but he's out now so we're down a smart player. That is the single biggest deficiency on this D-corps, it isn't ability or size. Good, quick, instinctual decisions are something teams who want to do damage in the playoffs have.

 

[ZigZagBluesFan]

Just wanted to extend a compliment.

That was an awesome game to watch last night. That Benn and Seguin combo is something special. Your team looks like it can absolutely fly.

Looking forward to our next meeting, but not looking forward to how good your team can be in the very near future.

 

[Klockis]

Didn't watch the game but what's up with this team being shorthanded every single OT? And then usually end up losing while being shorthanded.

 

[Elysian]

Didn't watch the game but what's up with this team being shorthanded every single OT? And then usually end up losing while being shorthanded.

To be fair, that was a phantom high stick call last night. Seguin's stick did go up, but it just went near the guys helmet, never connected.

 

[glovesave_35]

Looked like it hit Pietro's helmet pretty clearly to me.

 

[Satan]

Definitely hit him.

 

[TangoMcBride]

I think that it did hit him but the motion of Pietroangelo's shot is what caused his stick to ride up and catch him in the lid.

 

[BMC]

She's our good luck charm!

Awww thanks Lobo!!!