GDT #60: 2/20/17 | 7:00 PM CST | vs Panthers|FSMW/NHLN/KMOX

[theohall]

Watched this game again...

Prior to 1 minute after the Blues tied the game, the Blues used their basic 4 lines the entire game outside of the PK and PP.

1 minute after the Blues tied the game, which they had done using their basic lines and fighting through it, Yeo starts line juggling. In the last 16 minutes of the 3rd period, Yeo iced 14 different line combinations. Yes, there was basically a completely different line combination for the Blues every minute of the 3rd period after they had tied the game. And this is our coach who does that in a tie game. On top of that, the 2nd to last faceoff (the game-winning goal shift) is 57 on RW, 21 on LW, and 28 at C. These guys haven't played a shift together all season and they are lined up for a defensive zone faceoff against the Panthers top line which has played the whole game together??? WTH is that???? And what the heck happened to letting them play through it?

This almost seemed like Yeo was using the 3rd period as the Blues final practice before the break or something.

Here are the 14 line combos:
17-21-57
75-28-10
57-12-49
91-26-20
20-21-57
91-26-17
49-12-20
56-21-57
91-12-20
49-12-56
21-26-20
17-12-91
17-12-28
57-28-21

And, yes, Paajarvi only had 4 shifts in the 3rd period. (5 if you count him skating on the ice for 6 seconds before a faceoff).

When a forward, Steen, has almost as many shifts (28) as a Defenseman, Pietrangelo's 29, you are over-playing that forward.

[Toasted Oates]

If Brodziak had simply won the faceoff, the game's likely going to OT regardless of who the wings are. I guess we'd disagree that line chemistry had anything to do that. Nobody's arguing with you that he did some extreme juggling in the 3rd period.

Steen averages 27.6 shifts a game so Monday night wasn't an outlier. Whether he should be playing that much in general is another discussion as he's near the top of the league in shifts/game and TOI/game among wingers. Would another coach play him less with this roster? Maybe, maybe not.

I get your argument: "Hey guys, this turd isn't any different than the guy that got shitcanned in Minnesota last year." But I think it's too small a sample size to get too fired up one way or the other. Obviously just an opinion, though.

[theohall]

I get your argument: "Hey guys, this turd isn't any different than the guy that got shitcanned in Minnesota last year."

Or the guy he just replaced if he's going to start mixing and matching lines for no apparent reason like Hitchcock did so often. I can't recall ever seeing the Blues lines juggled that much ever by any coach in their history, without injuries, in such a short time span. And, again, it's a mixed message from the head coach when he spouts off publicly about "playing through it" to gel as lines and then pulling that type of coaching.

[gaijin]

Both Nashville and Calgary won last night (Thursday), so now we are tied for 3rd in the Division with Nashville (although we hold the tiebreaker), and only 1 point ahead of Calgary, which holds the second wild card spot.

This last-second loss stings a bit more now.

[thekortehaus]

Both Nashville and Calgary won last night (Thursday), so now we are tied for 3rd in the Division with Nashville (although we hold the tiebreaker), and only 1 point ahead of Calgary, which holds the second wild card spot.

This last-second loss stings a bit more now.

Honestly though, with how the season is shaking out, 1st WC is the spot to be for us.

3rd in the division means first series against whoever loses the race between Chicago and Minnesota. 1st WC likely means going west to play SJ, Edmonton, or Anaheim. I'd rather go west and meet up with Minnesota or Chicago after they get beat up a little.

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