GDT Game 3: 4/17/16 | 2:00PM CST | @ Hawks | NBC/Y98

[Portland Blues]

Hitch on Ott:

“He did good. He did exactly what he needed to do for a first game in four months,” coach Ken Hitchcock said. “He wants to be an impact guy and he can have a big impact on the series here.”

[theohall]

Wow, Bergy has really picked up his game.

He's been playing like that for 2 months, now. It's great to see.

Different question: Is cross-checking legal? It seemed like every time a Blues player took a shot and play was stopped, the player shooting was immediately cross-checked - and not the little tap kind with the shove. Having watched the games from every series the past 2 days, the Blues-Blackhawks series is the only I've seen with that much blatant cross-checking happening and not being called.

Heck, in the Isles game, Martin went to the net and started shoving a couple Panthers and got sent to the box for roughing. He never threw a punch or cross-checked or slashed, but got the 2 for roughing anyway. Had those refs been doing the Blues game, the Blues have at least 3 more power plays due to cross-checking alone. Not saying the Blues are being angels either, but that much cross-checking is going to hurt someone and everyone will complain after the fact instead of getting on the refs for not calling crap they should call.

[glen a richter]

This game did have the makings of a very predictable loss after they got down early and Bouwmeester was being a penalty machine. Unfortunately every game in the playoffs is a must win, be it game 1 or game 7. So they better come out with some intensity, fire at will, stay out of the box and try to not give up a billion shots a period like they did in the 2nd.

[Oaklandblue]

I'm really, really impressed. They never gave up. Please Lord, let that continue.

For those who whined about how much Berglund sucks, tell me, you still want to trade him? Guy is money in the playoffs.

Parayko is a fuggin beast. If Chopper was a gorilla, Colt would be it.

If we win this series, Elliott MUST be made starting netminder and have an end put to that nonsense. I don't give a damn how good Allen or anyone else is, when the chips are down, Ells carries this team like no other netminder before or since. He's outlasted better netminders and just has that extra gear that is going to put him ontop if the coaches and management trust him enough to give him the opportunity.

Steve Ott... was ok.

Now, if everyone else can really make an appearance and Tank gets on a roll, we may actually get out of the first round

[dmiles2186]

Ott's first shift back ending in a scrum and a Blues PK was the most Ott thing ever.

I was pretty surly through the first two periods of the game because I felt like the Blues were not elevating their level of play to match the Hawks. But man, they came out firing in the 3rd and pulled it off. Ells is great again. If the Blues lose this series and people blame Ells, I might quit being a Blues fan.

[cprice12]

Kane went into the box for 4 minutes AND the GWG was scored right in Keith's face as he got turned around in front of the net and Schwartz buried it by Keith and Crawford.
A goal doesn't get much better than that.

This series has been all about goaltending.
Both teams are getting their fair share of good chances, but Elliott has been better thus far...and that's saying something because Crawford has been very good.

NBC put up a stat that Crawford is 1-1-1 in the playoffs this year.
I'm not sure why they are putting up an OTL column for playoffs. It's just an L, not an OTL.

In the 3 games so far, Elliott is 2-1 with a 1.28GAA and a .963 Save% with one shutout. And he could very well be 3-0 with a 0.96GAA & a .972 Save% had Shaw been called for goaltender interference in game #2, like many thought he should have been.

I thought Berglund was decent. Yes, he scored on Crawford, but let's not pretend that wasn't anything but luck. His shot from way out goes off a defender, then down and hits the ice and takes a crazy high bounce and beats Crawford upper glove. He didn't dance around Seabrook and smoke Crawford 5-hole or anything like that. That was his first point in the 3 games. He has made a couple nice drives to the net, but I want more from him than that.

This is a broken record, but enough can't be said about Parayko. If he keeps this up, he is going to be a Norris trophy winner soon. They guy is dominant in the defensive zone and is so good in the offensive zone. People are comparing him to MacInnis. I don't see that. I see him as a hybrid between Pronger & MacInnis.

I think Edmundson has been great. I was a bit concerned how he would be, but he has been really good.

How does Lehtera not shoot on that chance in all alone? And he passes back to Tarasenko who is behind the end red line? I mean, Tarasenko then feeds a great pass to Schwartz who put it on net from in tight and Crawford made a great pad save to keep it out...but damnit. Lehtera has to shoot that. It was like I was watching Craig Janney out there making blind drop passes on a breakaway.

The penalty we got for making contact with a player before being completely out of the penalty box was definitely a penalty, HOWEVER it just shows the blatant inconsistency of the officiating in this series. The Hawks did that EXACT same thing to us earlier in the series (game #2?) and they didn't call it. It's black and white, wasn't even close...but no call. Hitch complained about it, but nothing.

In this series, we have gotten a couple bounces on Backes' OT goal in game 1 and Berglund's tying goal in game 3. We also got a bounce or two on a couple post shots, one yesterday that hit both posts and stayed out. So luck has been on our side so far, which, to be honest...is a rarity for us in the playoffs. We're due for this shit...and any team that wins in the playoffs needs a fair amount of luck on their side at some point...every, single, team...no exceptions. And it's good that we are getting some bounces, because we aren't really getting the calls on the ice. They've had to battle through that.

Fantastic come from behind win, on the road, in Chicago, in the playoffs. The pressure is on Chicago now to win or risk coming back to St. Louis being down 3-1.

[gaijin]

I was watching highlights of this game on nhl.com- did anyone else see Crawford's cross-check to Gunnarson's neck after his chance in front in the 2nd period? Ladd knocks Gunnarson to his knees in the crease, and Crawford gives him the stick. I know goalies reserve the right to own their crease, but damn.

[midgensa]

I was sooo thrilled with this win.

To be behind, have bounces going against you, have no momentum, on the road against the defending Stanley Cup Champions ... it was over.

And then we became a new, more resilient and tough team. A team that can win games like that.

A team that can actually inspire hope ... we just might have what it takes to Get That Stanley.

[glen a richter]

I think my thought process was the same as everyone else's... what in the world was Lehtera thinking when he passed to Tarasenko behind the net? Put any of us on the ice in the same exact shooting position as Lehtera was and we'd all have scored there.

Not complaining about the win, but Lehtera needs to make some smarter decisions... that was definitely not one of them.

[Kerfuffle]

Kane went into the box for 4 minutes AND the GWG was scored right in Keith's face as he got turned around in front of the net and Schwartz buried it by Keith and Crawford.
A goal doesn't get much better than that.

I don't understand the Keith hate - we were discussing this on other boards too and wondering why the Blues fans in game 1 and 2 were booing each time Keith touched the puck. His suspension penalty was against Minnesota, not the Blues. What am I missing?

Also, on a different note, why was Ott playing? I was surprised to see that. We don't have an enforcer on our team to dance with him so I thought it was an odd move by Hitch. Several times it was shown he was holding Hawks players down and the Blues got lucky he didn't get called for that. Just seemed to me that Hitch had better options than to play Ott.

[gaijin]

Kane went into the box for 4 minutes AND the GWG was scored right in Keith's face as he got turned around in front of the net and Schwartz buried it by Keith and Crawford.
A goal doesn't get much better than that.

I don't understand the Keith hate - we were discussing this on other boards too and wondering why the Blues fans in game 1 and 2 were booing each time Keith touched the puck. His suspension penalty was against Minnesota, not the Blues. What am I missing?

Also, on a different note, why was Ott playing? I was surprised to see that. We don't have an enforcer on our team to dance with him so I thought it was an odd move by Hitch. Several times it was shown he was holding Hawks players down and the Blues got lucky he didn't get called for that. Just seemed to me that Hitch had better options than to play Ott.

"Wakey Wakey, Backes."

Keith has a history of character problems, and some of that history is against the Blues. His recent suspension is further evidence. St. Louisans don't like professional douchebags- we appreciate good character in our athletes. Call us old fashioned.

As for Ott... we don't know either.

[cprice12]

Kane went into the box for 4 minutes AND the GWG was scored right in Keith's face as he got turned around in front of the net and Schwartz buried it by Keith and Crawford.
A goal doesn't get much better than that.

I don't understand the Keith hate - we were discussing this on other boards too and wondering why the Blues fans in game 1 and 2 were booing each time Keith touched the puck. His suspension penalty was against Minnesota, not the Blues. What am I missing?

Also, on a different note, why was Ott playing? I was surprised to see that. We don't have an enforcer on our team to dance with him so I thought it was an odd move by Hitch. Several times it was shown he was holding Hawks players down and the Blues got lucky he didn't get called for that. Just seemed to me that Hitch had better options than to play Ott.

"Wakey Wakey, Backes."

Keith has a history of character problems, and some of that history is against the Blues. His recent suspension is further evidence. St. Louisans don't like professional douchebags- we appreciate good character in our athletes. Call us old fashioned.

As for Ott... we don't know either.

Yeah, it's the "wakey wakey Backes" thing, plus the fact that he has proven to be a dirty player with his multiple suspensions for intentionally hitting players in the head with his stick. It doesn't matter that those stick infractions weren't against the Blues. Douchebags can be, and should be, booed anywhere.

And what made him just that much more of a douchebag to me was when he was interviewed for "rivalry night" on MSNBC earlier this year or maybe it was last year, but I saw the video earlier this season. He was asked about the "wakey wakey Backes" comment, and he said, "I didn't say that...prove it. Prove it." And he said it with the most cocky, asshole, dick-like smirk on his face. Like we're stupid or something.

All he had so say was, "You know, I'm not proud of that. Things get said sometimes on the rink that aren't indicative of a player's true character. It's heat of the moment stuff." I would have at least respected him more if he had admitted it and said something like that. But he didn't.

I was off Twitter and the internet all day on Sunday until the game, and it was a shock for me to see Ott in the game as well. I wasn't aware he was going to play. But he did his job. And Ott isn't out there to fight...not really. He's out there to hit and stir stuff up, and maybe draw a penalty or two. And if you are referring to him and Toewes mixing it up as far as him lucky to not have gotten a penalty...come on. Both guys were roughing each other up, pushing/shoving/etc and Ott ripped Toewes' helmet off. That kind of thing just doesn't get called in the playoffs, and if it does get called, both players are going off...but it was Toewes, so we all know he wasn't getting a penalty there.

[cprice12]

Panarin jumping on the ice with teammate 20 feet away right before a flurry of Chicago chances not going in only by the miracle that is Brian Elliot. I bet we won't hear too many Chicago fans complaining about TMM there.

Elliott's wild series of saves - NHL com.jpg

Like I said when it was brought up about Tarasenko jumping on early vs. the Hawks when the Blues beat the Hawks in OT...this kind of stuff happens all of the time. And when it's behind or away from the play, it just doesn't get called. This is the exact same thing as when Tarasenko jumped on early.

[tjk002]

I thought Berglund was decent. Yes, he scored on Crawford, but let's not pretend that wasn't anything but luck. His shot from way out goes off a defender, then down and hits the ice and takes a crazy high bounce and beats Crawford upper glove. He didn't dance around Seabrook and smoke Crawford 5-hole or anything like that. That was his first point in the 3 games. He has made a couple nice drives to the net, but I want more from him than that.

Fantastic come from behind win, on the road, in Chicago, in the playoffs. The pressure is on Chicago now to win or risk coming back to St. Louis being down 3-1.

I agree completely on this. People forget that at the end of period 2, Berglund had the puck in the clear and should of gotten it out of the zone. He gave it away and that caused Backes to panic and ice the puck which led directly to the goal. Berglund has been ok, not nearly as good as he was the last 6 weeks of the season. If he gets back to that form, the Blues will be in great shape.

[Kerfuffle]

And if you are referring to him and Toewes mixing it up as far as him lucky to not have gotten a penalty...come on. Both guys were roughing each other up, pushing/shoving/etc and Ott ripped Toewes' helmet off. That kind of thing just doesn't get called in the playoffs, and if it does get called, both players are going off...but it was Toewes, so we all know he wasn't getting a penalty there.

Wasn't referring to that one - that was just rough housing - no biggie. But there was a replay shown at a later point where Ott was intentionally holding a Hawks player down for like 5 seconds - and he did it again later. The thought that occurred to me was not 'hey the refs missed the call' but rather 'why is Hitch risking this guy being out there when he could put his team down a man?'. We've had bozos like this on our team too and I always hate seeing them in playoff games cause they are more a detriment than any value add. Hitch is playing with fire there if he continues to play Ott. It may not bite him in the ass but it's a risk.

[cardsfan04]

I think the Keith thing comes down to a few factors:

1. He's a star player on a rival team. That's not WHY I hate him, but it increases the odds that I will hate him.

2. He's a dirty player. Uses his stick a ton and doesn't get called for it very often.

3. Just seems like a real douchebag in the way he carries himself. The "wakey, wakey" thing is the most glaring example. But, that was confirmation of a pre-existing opinion of him more than something that influenced my opinion. And, as Curt said, I would gain respect for him if he said, "Not my finest moment, got caught up in the heat of the game." Doesn't make it right, and I think it takes a certain kind of person to taunt somebody while they are out cold. But, I'd be willing to cut him a little bit of slack if he owned it.

[cprice12]

And if you are referring to him and Toewes mixing it up as far as him lucky to not have gotten a penalty...come on. Both guys were roughing each other up, pushing/shoving/etc and Ott ripped Toewes' helmet off. That kind of thing just doesn't get called in the playoffs, and if it does get called, both players are going off...but it was Toewes, so we all know he wasn't getting a penalty there.

Wasn't referring to that one - that was just rough housing - no biggie. But there was a replay shown at a later point where Ott was intentionally holding a Hawks player down for like 5 seconds - and he did it again later. The thought that occurred to me was not 'hey the refs missed the call' but rather 'why is Hitch risking this guy being out there when he could put his team down a man?'. We've had bozos like this on our team too and I always hate seeing them in playoff games cause they are more a detriment than any value add. Hitch is playing with fire there if he continues to play Ott. It may not bite him in the ass but it's a risk.

Ott has actually been a decent playoff performer for us.
I'd much rather have him in the lineup than Reaves.
His beautiful assist to steen in game #1 of 3OT during the 2014 playoffs vs. the Hawks was fantastic.
Ott gets a bad rap, but if he isn't taking bad penalties, he can be an effective 4th liner.

[ecbm]

Only a Blackhawks fan could say

I don't understand the Keith hate

It really merits no response.

Meanwhile, I see a lot of hate whenever other teams' fans discuss Backes, who has neither received a major penalty other than fighting nor been suspended, EVER, in his NHL career.

Berglund has become an acceptable 3rd line player rather than a joke of a 3rd line player. Let's curb our enthusiasm a bit there.

As for Ott, if the plan is for him to play 6 minutes a night as long as he doesn't take a penalty, fine I guess.

[dmiles2186]

I was watching highlights of this game on nhl.com- did anyone else see Crawford's cross-check to Gunnarson's neck after his chance in front in the 2nd period? Ladd knocks Gunnarson to his knees in the crease, and Crawford gives him the stick. I know goalies reserve the right to own their crease, but damn.

Yep, I saw that live and mentioned it in flash chat. I mean, it wasn't just a weak ol' cross check, he got a good piece of him.

[theohall]

Kane went into the box for 4 minutes AND the GWG was scored right in Keith's face as he got turned around in front of the net and Schwartz buried it by Keith and Crawford.
A goal doesn't get much better than that.

I don't understand the Keith hate - we were discussing this on other boards too and wondering why the Blues fans in game 1 and 2 were booing each time Keith touched the puck. His suspension penalty was against Minnesota, not the Blues. What am I missing?

Because he's a douche whose too much of a coward too man up when upset and, instead, uses his stick as a weapon to whack defenseless guys in the head. Not just once, but multiple times. On top of that he's even more of a douche making fun of clearly injured players. Maybe someone should slam his head into the glass, whack it with a stick and we can all stand over the douchebag saying "Wakie Wakie."

He shouldn't even be playing in this series if the league had any balls.