Pre-Game Talk: Series Discussion: Blues @ Jets

[simon IC]

Overconfidence at this point
is lethal! We are only two games up. We have blown leads before. We can't let up! Every game should be played like it is our last!

 

[STL BLUES]

Somehow, I think some of you have gone a bit too far, here! Let's focus on the REAL enemy, and not insult the great nation who brought this great sport to you! And it won't help at all to try to appease me by narrowing your hatred to Winnipeggers, as I'm one of THEM, too! So, let's just say "Let's Go Blues!" and leave it like that, eh?

It seems to be that if I were a Winnipegger going to a game in St. Louis I'd feel totally safe and could wear my Jet's jersey. However, I don't feel safe going to a Peg's game wearing a Blues jersey.

Canada has nothing to do with that reality. Winnipeg does, eh?

 

[Reality Czech]

So, just checking here, but everyone had Sundqvist as our leading scorer for the series, right?

Sunny with 2G 1A 3P. Somebody is going to need a respectable raise this summer from his 700k this season.

Not a bad trade, not bad at all. Sunny for the win!

 

[kimzey59]

So, just checking here, but everyone had Sundqvist as our leading scorer for the series, right?

Sunny with 2G 1A 3P. Somebody is going to need a respectable raise this summer from his 700k this season.

Maroon is only 1 point back and there's at least 2 more games to go.
Plenty of time to close the gap.

The Ghost, Parayko, Petro and Bouwmeester are right there with 2 points also.

(Now watch Vladdy, ROR and Schenn have one of their combined 12 point games to take the lead)

 

[Vladdy the Impaler]

1st line has yet to truly dominate, expect Vladdy to have a huge game tonight. Blues win 5-2.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

Overconfidence at this point
is lethal! We are only two games up. We have blown leads before. We can't let up! Every game should be played like it is our last!

I'm definitely way more overconfident with this 2-0 lead coming home than I was heading to Chicago and LA back when we got 2-0 leads against them in 2013 and 2014.

But yes, we need to put the foot on their throat tonight!

 

[Bluesguru]

So, just checking here, but everyone had Sundqvist as our leading scorer for the series, right?

Sunny with 2G 1A 3P. Somebody is going to need a respectable raise this summer from his 700k this season.

If Sundqvist doesn’t develop this year, who is playing instead and would the Blues be where they are right now? Chances are we wouldn’t be.

 

[MissouriMook]

Overconfidence at this point
is lethal! We are only two games up. We have blown leads before. We can't let up! Every game should be played like it is our last!

The Jets will be playing tonight like it is Game 7. I suggest we match that level of intensity.

 

[Robb_K]

It seems to be that if I were a Winnipegger going to a game in St. Louis I'd feel totally safe and could wear my Jet's jersey. However, I don't feel safe going to a Peg's game wearing a Blues jersey.

Canada has nothing to do with that reality. Winnipeg does, eh?

If that's really true, I'm sorely embarrassed. Winnipeggers never used to behave that way. Every winter I spend a few months in Winnipeg, and go to a few Jets' games. I haven't seen anything that would make our crowds seem any more rude or violent than any other NHL's city's average crowd. There are always a few immature, rude characters in every crowd of 15,000 +. A couple of them who have had too many beers might make nasty comments, or pick a fight, But your feeling unsafe there surprises me. And I'm sure that kind of behaviour happens occasionally in ALL 31 arenas.

 

[Xerloris]

Every single game should be played as if it's game 7. You can't let them have even a glimmer of hope.

 

[mk80]

Ben Chiarot is a UFA this summer. I like the way he's been throwing his weight around. He's also only 27. Any interest out there? I think he might be a good addition to our LD.

He's a good defense-man no doubt. And with their cap crunch they'll have a hard time keeping him. Unfortunately unless we move some of our own D in an off-season move, I doubt we'd get him for the type of contract he's looking for.

I'm excited for tonight's game, wish I could be in the arena for it, but I'll be there Tuesday. I think we'll see some more goals from the top line with the ability to get matchups we want with the last change. I also think we'll see the PP break through today.

Either way the Jets aren't going to go down easy, we have to play like we're in their situation. Let's really bury them tonight so we can close it out on Tuesday! Let's Go Blues!

 

[Ranksu]

This might be thr turn around of series.

 

[JoshFromMO]

I've never played professional hockey before, but is it possible the jets completely emptied the tank in that game? I recall blues of the past putting up 6-1 or something wins before losing the rest of the series.

I'm being hopeful, but they are not gonna win this series playing like they did in game 3

 

[mk80]

My guess is the next couple games will be back and forth. I think we win to go up 3-1 tomorrow, they avoid elimination in Game 5, and we win it in Game 6. I had this series projected to go to at least 6 before playoffs started, so I'm not surprised to see the Jets get a win last night and make it closer. Although I would have liked to be going for a sweep tomorrow, but oh well at the end of the day we need 2 wins, they need 3.

 

[Note Worthy]

At the end of the day if you were told beforehand that after 3 games in this series the Blues would have a 2-1 lead I think we'd all take that. We're in a good position.

 

[WeWentBlues]

We need to make some minor tweaks in strategy.

Eihlers, Connor and Laine need to be hit with every opportunity.
Our defensemen need to get more involved in the offensive zone. We are not pinching to extend the play with any frequency. I suppose we are worried about giving up an odd man rush. However, this is an integral part of the Blues game and we need to find a way to not play so conservative while still maintaining our structure.
Our zone exits need to be better. Winnipeg has been so aggressive on the forecheck and with holding the blueline. There has to be something we can do to counter it.

 

[KingBran]

I dont think anyone expected a sweep. Regroup and lets finish em off!

 

[Vladdy the Impaler]

Petro has been getting hammered in our own end. As others have said we absolutely need to be hammering their star players on the boards.

 

[ManyIdeas]

the boys just wanted to watch Thrones

gonna win the next 2, lets go blues

 

[shpongle falls]

I think they should try MacMac with Steen and Barbie for game 4, his speed and forecheck is what we need right now.

 

[Ranksu]

I think they should try MacMac with Steen and Barbie for game 4, his speed and forecheck is what we need right now.

Amen for that.

 

[m1a2lt]

I agree with you, for the most part. I still like to tell the story of someone asking me where I was from and, not expecting him to recognize the word 'Winnipeg', I said I was from Manitoba. He frowned at me and asked where that was. I said it was just north of Minnesota. That brought another longer frown and the classic observation: "But there's nothing north of Minnesota".

The reason I mention this to you is that we were standing in the St. Louis City Hall Rotunda at the time. (Which is an amazing building, by the way.)

If your state officials and the team I am providing counsel to get their act together in the next hour, it'll be wheels up tonight and back to the Great White North. Thus ends my technical excuse to be temporarily on the St. Louis boards. It's been fun to pleasantly peruse the enemy's camp. Especially when my objective opinion was, and remains, the Blues in 6.

And, another by the way: while the people of Jefferson City might not be the most sophisticated, they are exceeding friendly, helpful and very competent at what they do. Many state capitols would be lucky to be so blessed.

Agree with others that you find this everywhere. I was speaking to the former mayor of Mons, Belgium out at Westvleteren and I told him I was from St Louis and he asked where in Canada that was. He assumed I was Canadian because I was speaking Dutch with him. I told him it was in the US Midwest and he asked if that was close to LA. I give him credit for speaking Dutch with me since my French is horrific.

 

[LGB]

Series is far from over. We have been better on the road all year, and maybe it will continue to be that way in the playoffs. I would make a couple adjustments though.

First, switch Eddy and Dunn. Edmundson was Petro's best partner statistically during the regular season and I thought they played very well when they were put together at the end of game three. Dunn and Bortuzzo was one of the best pairings in the entire league statistically during the regular season and maybe Dunn could generate some offense with some easier matchups. Really, if I could, I would put Dunn with Parayko, but that won't happen.

We also might need to shake up the top six. The first line has just been outplayed all series and the second line has been decent (60.27 CF%), but is giving up a lot of high-danger chances (2 for 7 against). I know a lot of people think Schwartz sucks right now, but I would flip him and Schenn. In limited time together Schwartz with ROR and Tarasenko was actually a bit better than Schenn, and maybe moving Schenn down and putting him back at center could spark him.

 

[TheDizee]

Series is far from over. We have been better on the road all year, and maybe it will continue to be that way in the playoffs. I would make a couple adjustments though.

First, switch Eddy and Dunn. Edmundson was Petro's best partner statistically during the regular season and I thought they played very well when they were put together at the end of game three. Dunn and Bortuzzo was one of the best pairings in the entire league statistically during the regular season and maybe Dunn could generate some offense with some easier matchups. Really, if I could, I would put Dunn with Parayko, but that won't happen.

We also might need to shake up the top six. The first line has just been outplayed all series and the second line has been decent (60.27 CF%), but is giving up a lot of high-danger chances (2 for 7 against). I know a lot of people think Schwartz sucks right now, but I would flip him and Schenn. In limited time together Schwartz with ROR and Tarasenko was actually a bit better than Schenn, and maybe moving Schenn down and putting him back at center could spark him.

This series is over, sorry. This is what the Blues do. The only line Schwartz should be on is the 4th.

They get leads and they blow them. They think series are over when they are only 1/2 through them.
They win games on the road, only to come home and lay eggs on home ice.
They get superb goaltending only to have their top players not show a ounce of passion or effort.
They get PPs at critical times, only to generate no momentum and waste them.

One player tonight said the Jets "stole" 2 games from us at home. No, they EARNED those wins by severely outplaying us.

 

[ScratchCatFever]

Woke up for work after a solid 2 hours of sleep, hoping last night was a bad dream... It wasn't.

I hate to say it, but I don't see any conceivable way that we manage to win this series now. Even if we do I don't see us being able to skate with anyone in the second round, our legs appear to be shot already. I know it's cliche and beating a dead horse, but Army absolutely must address our speed issue in the off-season, bring in a top 6 RHS, and a legitimate top pairing LHD. Parayko has leap frogged Pietrangelo as our #1 RH option, imo and we should be looking for a solid stay at home LH option with puck moving abilities to allow 55 to continue to initiate and join the rush.

Maybe it's frustration from what looks to be inevitable doom talking, but Schwartz may be headed down the Oshie path and is due for a change of scenery. Why not capitalize now while he still has some value, rather than hope he just had an off year only for him to continue to regress and have absolutely no leverage in moving him.