Pre-Game Talk: Series Discussion: Blues @ Jets

[The Note]

One of the few positives I’ll take out of this series is the play of the young guys (Dunn, Thomas, Binnington.) Other players have played well -namely Bozak and Maroon- but you never know how players will react in their first playoffs and they’ve all done well, playing in big spots, to boot. But that’s about it. Can’t believe they’re bringing back their patented 6 game sweep.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

ROR....where the hell are you????

 

[KingBran]

Is Schwartz hurt? Didn't see him last night.

 

[TheDizee]

ROR....where the hell are you????

Hes getting swarmed half the time since Schenn cant make a simple breakout pass, dig pucks out of the corner or even get a puck under control and off his stick in a timely fashion.

Jets playing smart hockey. They know 27 folds when he gets hit so they hit him every chance. They know 10 sucks right now so they swarm 91 and 90.

Blues want to win this series? Either the big boys start showing up or pray for career games from the bottom 2 lines. JB will continue to provide this team with elite goaltending but I fully expect the Blues to piss this series away due to no goalscoring. The sad thing about it is the WPG goalie has been subpar at best in this series, certainly not like hes 2012 Quick going against us and stealing games.

Outside of the PP, they generated virtually nothing 5on5 in over 2 games and thats why they are tied at 2-2 now.

 

[ScratchCatFever]

Is Schwartz hurt? Didn't see him last night.

I'm beginning to wonder if he's been playing with an injury all along. I don't recall ever seeing a player fall down this steep of a hill in a 18 month period while still in his mid to late 20's. If he's been healthy I'm looking to move him in the summer before his value completely evaporates a RHS with wheels or a top 4 LHD.

 

[TheDizee]

I'm beginning to wonder if he's been playing with an injury all along. I don't recall ever seeing a player fall down this steep of a hill in a 18 month period while still in his mid to late 20's. If he's been healthy I'm looking to move him in the summer before his value completely evaporates a RHS with wheels or a top 4 LHD.

He was like this in the middle of the 2017 season where he was a useless piece of garbage but in March or so when Allen started playing well so did Schwartz. And then he took it to a elite level and that play remained until he got hurt in Detroit last year.

Hes been a pile of hot garbage since. This is who he is. Hes either hurt, underperforming or just waiting to get hurt again. Hes the Blues version of Charlie Coyle/Granlund that the Wild had for years and they were smart to finally part ways.

 

[Note Worthy]

Any idea when the start time for Saturday will be announced? I plan on going but, you know, kids and all. Need to plan a baby sitter and I can't give them a time.

 

[WATTAGE4451]

Is Schwartz hurt? Didn't see him last night.

He was on the ice plenty. Lile literally,he was falling off his feet to ice constantly.

 

[David Dennison]

I think Edmundson needs to sit, he was dead out there in the third and Carl or MDZ are better puck movers.

 

[WATTAGE4451]

I think Edmundson needs to sit, he was dead out there in the third and Carl or MDZ are better puck movers.

Agreed. Also i think that schwartz needs the alexander steen treatment
Move him to 4th line. We cant keep playing him 16-18 minutes a freaking game. Its not just his non-scoring thats a problem now. He constantly tries to stickhandle between 2 guys or force bad passes that result in turnover 2-1 rushes.

Fabbri looked surprisingly decent last night. Let him take schwartz place.

 

[Oberyn]

After Binnington, I think Dunn has been our best player. He's been great in both zones and is able to elevate his game during crunch time. Unfortunately, there's not many other players to rave about after those two. Maroon and Thomas have been solid as well I guess.

 

[Chojin]

I should just be happy that the Blues made the playoffs at all, given their start to the season, but I'm strangely not OK with them getting shellacked by the Jets.

 

[WATTAGE4451]

After Binnington, I think Dunn has been our best player. He's been great in both zones and is able to elevate his game during crunch time. Unfortunately, there's not many other players to rave about after those two. Maroon and Thomas have been solid as well I guess.

Marron bozak thomas has been our most effective line even with thomas looking shaky at times.

Perron and sundquist have had their individual moments despite being weighed down by jaden.

Jaden needs to get moved down to the 4th line like steen. See if fabbri can make anything happen with them or give steen another shot, im just sick of schwartz getting 16-18 minutes a game. He has been bad all season.

 

[Chojin]

I don't think Schwartz has been terribly ineffective. He's been pretty good on board battles and has made some nice plays.

 

[Celtic Note]

I don't think Schwartz has been terribly ineffective. He's been pretty good on board battles and has made some nice plays.

I think this is true and especially the first two games. He is generating chances. However, he needs to be orders of magnitude better than last game and at finishing chances as a whole.

 

[67Blues]

I look at it this way. We needed to make the playoffs to help ownership afford to be a cap team. We get our 3 home games which helps the bottom line, then we retool the roster to help with the lessons that we learned from the Jet's series. Watching them on ice, they are head and shoulders above the Blues in both play, speed, and tactics.

Unfortunately, this series probably cost Berube either the job, or at best, a few years on the contract. His lack of adjustment to the Jets game after game 2 is shocking. The Jets addressed and change their game plan to adapt to the Blues in the first two games and it has been very successful. The Blues rarely had any clean looks in the ozone. And playing the ROR line against the Jets #1 line is ludicrous. The Jets will gladly trade their offensive line to keep our offensive line off the board as their #2 line is almost as dangerous and ours is a step below.

 

[WeWentBlues]

The Bortuzzo Edmundson pairing needs to be split up. Jets are skating circles around them in our zone. Split them up or sit Bortuzzo.
I would seriously consider putting 17 in the press box for Game 5. He doesn't have it this year.
You can't break up the Bozak line. Chemistry is king.
Schenn needs to be moved off the top line. He is dragging that unit down.
Not sure why Dunn was moved off of the top PP unit after the amazing play he made in Game 3 to keep the puck in. That needs to be a permanent move.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

Best players: Binnington, Thomas, Maroon, Perron
-Binny is doing everything you could ask. Thomas is doing well in his first playoff action. Maroon has been a beast with the physical play, though, you can see his offensive shortcomings. You can't ask for more. Perron holds the puck way too long but he has done very well at everything else.

Can do better but not killing us: Pietrangelo, Tarasenko, O'Reilly
-Tank has two goals but a lot of his other shots are forced. ROR is working hard without the puck but has been a ghost offensively. These two are doing a fine job controlling the play but the ability to turn that control into quality scoring chances has gone way downhill this series. Petro is our leading point getter and playing well defensively overall but you know there is an extra gear there because we've seen it often in the playoffs before.

Killing us: Schenn, Schwartz, Parayko, JBo
-I enjoy Schenn's physical game but the rest of his game has just been awful. His advanced numbers are being boosted by playing with two better players. Schwartz needs to learn how to skate again. Dude falls down every other time in the offensive zone. The Parayko/JBo has been straight up DOMINATED the last 3 games. Their corsi ratings and expected +/- are terrible. They have no guts in the offensive zone and are just content playing defense. Unfortunately, they aren't doing very well at it.

 

[Punished ROR]

Will the Jets get amped up by their crowd and come out trying to kill us again until they tire themselves out? Man I hope so because that was our only working strategy.

 

[Dbrownss]

I look at it this way. We needed to make the playoffs to help ownership afford to be a cap team. We get our 3 home games which helps the bottom line, then we retool the roster to help with the lessons that we learned from the Jet's series. Watching them on ice, they are head and shoulders above the Blues in both play, speed, and tactics.

Unfortunately, this series probably cost Berube either the job, or at best, a few years on the contract. His lack of adjustment to the Jets game after game 2 is shocking. The Jets addressed and change their game plan to adapt to the Blues in the first two games and it has been very successful. The Blues rarely had any clean looks in the ozone. And playing the ROR line against the Jets #1 line is ludicrous. The Jets will gladly trade their offensive line to keep our offensive line off the board as their #2 line is almost as dangerous and ours is a step below.

This is why being patient with Kostin is a good thing. He is the prototypical player we want. It's how Vegas, Columbus, Washington and Winnipeg are successful. Big, fast and skilled.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

And playing the ROR line against the Jets #1 line is ludicrous. The Jets will gladly trade their offensive line to keep our offensive line off the board as their #2 line is almost as dangerous and ours is a step below.

FWIW, the Jets 1st line of Connor, Wheeler, and Scheifele straight up OWNED us in Games 3 and 4 in every way possible.

 

[ZigZagBluesFan]

I disagree with anyone that says the Blues aren't working hard. I think the Blues have been working their asses off in this series. That's what worries me the most.

I fear the Jets are just...better. And I worry that even if we do pull out the series we're going to be gassed (a la versus Sharks in the WCF) and we're not going to have much left in the tank in round 2.

The Jets are a VERY good team. Probably the best in the West despite their second half. We're having to earn every single inch out there and over the course of a seven game series it's hard for me to feel confident we can somehow get the energy to take our game to another level.

I desperately want to be wrong. I want this to be a strategy thing that can be fixed, but damn, they're a difficult team to play against.

 

[Itsnotatrap]

The Blues are working hard but their composure with the puck is terrible right now. Yes, the Jets get credit for a lot of that, because when we get all panicky they for the most part are exploiting it and grinding us with possession to capitalize on our recklessness, and then it gets to be a self defeating cycle.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

That was a hell of a game last night. Disappointing to lose in OT. Hats off to Winnipeg for withstanding the first period where the Blues dominated them but didn’t manage to score.

So, now we’ve got a best of 3 to move on. It’s hard not to have some PTSD with other year’s failures, but let’s see how this team comes out tomorrow. Take a moment and be glad you aren’t a dazed Bolts fan today wondering where their Cup parade went in a week. The Blues are still in this series, and the close games like last night can go either way.

 

[Reality Czech]

Hes getting swarmed half the time since Schenn cant make a simple breakout pass, dig pucks out of the corner or even get a puck under control and off his stick in a timely fashion.

Jets playing smart hockey. They know 27 folds when he gets hit so they hit him every chance. They know 10 sucks right now so they swarm 91 and 90.

Blues want to win this series? Either the big boys start showing up or pray for career games from the bottom 2 lines. JB will continue to provide this team with elite goaltending but I fully expect the Blues to piss this series away due to no goalscoring. The sad thing about it is the WPG goalie has been subpar at best in this series, certainly not like hes 2012 Quick going against us and stealing games.

Outside of the PP, they generated virtually nothing 5on5 in over 2 games and thats why they are tied at 2-2 now.

Yeah it would be really sad if the inept power play one again costs us. We had a golden chance to win the game with that late Jets penalty and didn't even get close on the PP. Not good. Heck if nothing else works at least start firing pucks from the point and look for tips and rebounds.

Lots of disappointment to go around but yeah we need more from Schenn for sure. Doesn't look like a top line player right now.