GDT #45: Blues vs. Avs | 2:00 pm CT | NBC, ESPN101

[Robb_K]

Blues WIN!!!! BLUES WIN!!!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Great comeback win! Blues back in 4th!

[Portland Blues]

That one actually had a pleasant ending.

[JCShutout]

Blues needed that. Hell I needed that.

Thank you capn!

/wants to post a pic of ROR in his fancy hat during the parade to celebrate the hat trick but damn if this forum doesn’t have some annoying pic restrictions.

[Robb_K]

Great clutch come from behind win by The Blues. They'll need every point possible from this game onward.

[theohall]

I have never seen anything like the way the Blues can have complete uncontested control of the puck less than 5 feet from the blue line and not clear the zone. and its not just that teams have figured out our break out scheme. we can hit a a skate that's the only possible obstruction with incredible frequency

Yep

[theohall]

And it's about flipping time....

I still don't like the way Hoffman plays and how every player has to adjust when he's on the ice to accommodate the way he plays, but the game-tying goal was nice. That being said - when he was on the ice with Thomas and pick the other puck retriever - Barbashev or Blais - the generated good zone time.

ROR-Kyrou-Schenn is an excellent line, IMO. Great combination of defense, forechecking, and speed. I believe Kyrou has earned the shot to play up since he's basically the only guy Berube has really "punished" for mistakes, but he's never backed off on playing his style - speed and trying to generate opportunities with that speed - whether he shoots or he sets someone else up. Even when Kyrou has made defensive mistakes, the mistakes aren't from lack of effort - which is something I can't say about Hoffman - although Hoffman's effort was good all day today.

Who these line combos hurt is Tarasenko. Bozak isn't a 1st/2nd line center. Basically the Blues have moved to ROR being 1st line - then Thomas and Bozak Lines being 2nd/3rd lines. Given production levels, it'd be hard to call the Schwartz/Bozak/Tank line a 2nd line at all. We'll see how it all shakes out when Clifford is back in the lineup the next game, unless they dress 7 D again and play Mikkola, which Berube might do.

I'm surprised Parayko lasted this long with what his rumored injury issue is.

[ComradeT]

And it's about flipping time....

I still don't like the way Hoffman plays and how every player has to adjust when he's on the ice to accommodate the way he plays, but the game-tying goal was nice. That being said - when he was on the ice with Thomas and pick the other puck retriever - Barbashev or Blais - the generated good zone time.

ROR-Kyrou-Schenn is an excellent line, IMO. Great combination of defense, forechecking, and speed. I believe Kyrou has earned the shot to play up since he's basically the only guy Berube has really "punished" for mistakes, but he's never backed off on playing his style - speed and trying to generate opportunities with that speed - whether he shoots or he sets someone else up. Even when Kyrou has made defensive mistakes, the mistakes aren't from lack of effort - which is something I can't say about Hoffman - although Hoffman's effort was good all day today.

Who these line combos hurt is Tarasenko. Bozak isn't a 1st/2nd line center. Basically the Blues have moved to ROR being 1st line - then Thomas and Bozak Lines being 2nd/3rd lines. Given production levels, it'd be hard to call the Schwartz/Bozak/Tank line a 2nd line at all. We'll see how it all shakes out when Clifford is back in the lineup the next game, unless they dress 7 D again and play Mikkola, which Berube might do.

I'm surprised Parayko lasted this long with what his rumored injury issue is.

I am 50/50 on your Tarasenko comment. I definitely agree with your assessment of Bozak - he's not 1/2 center. The trade-off, however, is that Tarasenko plays more versus the other team's second or third line and second or third defensive pairing. That might be the biggest factor affecting his production as he often gets smothered playing against the top lines and top D.