GDT #5: 10/15/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > NBCSN/Y98FM

[dmiles2186]

There aren't any good songs about San Jose and all songs about sharks involve eating. So Blues pre-game video it is.

[youtube][/youtube]

SHARKS (5-0-0) vs. BLUES (4-0-0)

TV: NBCSN, TSN

Season series: The San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues meet for the first time in 2013-14. The teams met twice last season and split the two games.

Big story: Two of the NHL's three undefeated teams face off in a nationally-televised matchup that could be an early preview of the Western Conference Final. The Sharks set a franchise record with 24 goals through five games, passing last season's total of 23, and have at least 47 shots on goal three times in five games (twice at least 50). They begin a stretch of seven of eight games on the road against a Blues team that's outscored opponents 19-7.

Team Scope:

Sharks: The Sharks joined the Colorado Avalanche as the only two teams to begin the season with five straight wins with a 3-2 win against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Despite losing rookie Tomas Hertl to a shoulder injury, the Sharks played the Senators even until Brent Burns broke a 2-2 tie at 7:08 of the third period off a feed from Joe Thornton.

"It was just a great play by Joe," Burns said. "I didn't have to do much, but I wasn't going to miss."

Blues: The Blues are 4-0 for the first time in franchise history and have yet to trail in a game. Center David Backes scored twice in St. Louis' 5-3 win against the New York Rangers on Saturday at Scottrade Center.

''It's clicking right now, but it's only four games,'' Backes said. ''Four good games, but it's only getting tougher from here now. We're 4-0 and all that means is we've got 78 games to go."

Who's hot: Hertl continues to take the League by storm. His seven goals lead all rookies, his eight points are tied for second, and he was named the NHL's First Star for the week ending Oct. 13. … The Blues' top line of Alexander Steen, Backes and T.J. Oshie combined for nine points Saturday and has 18 points with a total plus-14 rating in four games.

"It's nothing by design," Backes said. "Whether we're left wing, right wing … those interchangeable qualities we have really helps us play fluidly and not have to worry about who's center or who's doing this or that … that's part of our strength.

Injury report: Hertl (shoulder) sat out practice Sunday for maintenance and is expected to play Tuesday. Defenseman Brad Stuart will serve the third of his three-game suspension for his hit to the head of Rangers forward Rick Nash. Right wing Martin Havlat (pelvic surgery) could soon begin practicing in full with the team. Forwards Adam Burish (lower body) and Raffi Torres (knee) remain sidelined … The Blues have no reported injuries.

[gaijin]

How frickin awesome would it be to open the season with a 5-0 homestand?

[sseagle]

(Frank)
The
Skarks

Lets go blues!!!

Can we start the game now?

[Kreegz2]

Was this game always scheduled to be on NBCSN? I could have sworn it was supposed to be on FSMW. I'll have to watch this game on a shitty youtube quality online stream instead of gamecenter now.

[dmiles2186]

Pretty amazing start in the early going of the season...

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[WaukeeBlues]

We slow down their scoring and turn it into a game fought along the boards and grind it out, we get a win.

Blues 4
Fins 3

[ViPeRx007]

I'm excited for this one. Halak always says he prefers to see a lot of shots and he just might get his wish tonight. I predict a similar game to what we saw against Chicago. Hopefully we can limit their odd-man's a bit better than we did against the Hawks, and Halak won't have to bail us out too much. Also, lets not screw ourselves (or get screwed) with penalties, and if we do: the PK needs to play better than the last couple games. If the Blues play their 60 minute style for, you know, the whole 60 minutes, we should do well.

LETS GO BLUES!

This is going to be a loooong afternoon.

[AlsWoodenStick]

My friend & family are gonna hate me, but damn, I'm gonna watch the Blues game, then the Cardinals during intermissions. Lynn is pitching tonight & that already worries me, and I've been catching up on hockey this weekend, at one point watching highlights on the TV while bidding on HUT cards on NHL 14 and & seeing who I need to pick up for an IR move in fantasy hockey.
I'm all jacked up on Mountain Dew, let's drop the puck and do this shit!

[Kreegz2]

I have no idea what to do with myself for the next 4 hours. I wish the game would just start already. I should be in flashchat tonight. I'm feeling that the Blues are going to squeak it out in OT/SO 3-2.

[Tarasenko91]

3-2 hard fought OT win.

Oshie
Shattenkirk

OT Winner : Tarasenko

[APOD]

Hell of a physical start to the game.

[APOD]

Hell of a physical start to the game.

[drwoland]

I can't watch this one, looks like a total shit show on paper.

[KrustyKevo]

hahahaha this game

[dmiles2186]

The Blues need a miracle right now.

[stinkdified]

The Blues need a miracle right now.

oh gawd...so bad. but so true. but so bad.

[Nyghtewynd]

There are the Blues we know and loathe. At no point were they in this game.

And someone please explain to me why Lapierre shouldn't be released tonight. He is a gigantic pile.

[Kreegz2]

I could honestly not care any less about the outcome of the game. I just hope that Boyle is ok. He is one of my favorite defenseman that I have ever watched play, right behind Pronger, Macinnis, and Stevens.

[STLADOGG]

Lapierre is a (Franking) dumbass. I hated him when he was with Vancouver, hes a snake and should be suspended and released from this team.

[dmiles2186]

I could honestly not care any less about the outcome of the game. I just hope that Boyle is ok. He is one of my favorite defenseman that I have ever watched play, right behind Pronger, Macinnis, and Stevens.

Yeah, that really put a damper on things. It was a scary, scary hit. I'm glad to hear Boyle is moving around and such. When it first happened, I didn't see much movement and my mind began to think something awful had happened.

As for Lapierre, he's already had a couple of dirty hits for us and we're only 5 games into the season. He should be suspended and rightfully so. He's a repeat offender and Boyle's name and number were clearly visible as he was going for the hit. Boyle was defenseless. I don't expect Shanny to take it easy on Lappy.