GDT Game 55: 2/12/19 | 7:00 PM CT | vs Devils | FSMW/KMOX

[Robb_K]

Great game! Let's have a LOT more like this! We deserve it after 51 years!

[glen a richter]

Great game, and as far as I'm concerned even though Binnington gave up 3, what are you going to do about a 5 on 3 PP goal? The third one looked like it changed direction but I was half falling asleep by that point, and I didn't see the first one. So at worst, I can only fault him for one, maybe two of the goals, plus with the game firmly in hand he may have been letting up just a touch. Binnington continues to be fine and needs to continue as the #1.

MacEachern needs to stay with the club even after all injured parties have returned. Send someone else down, that line is working great.

[WaukeeBlues]

Blues win, and all of the Wild, Avalanche and Blackhawks lose in regulation.

The night COULD NOT have gone better. Perfection. Absolute perfection.

[gaijin]

Blues win, and all of the Wild, Avalanche and Blackhawks lose in regulation.

The night COULD NOT have gone better. Perfection. Absolute perfection.

Mark the calendar. And don't count on it happening again for a while.

[theohall]

Dallas could have lost, but they didn't.

[theohall]

Blues finally have a positive goal differential at +1. Last time they were positive was Nov 16.

Tomorrow is time to beat up on Arizona, like they haven't done the past two seasons, and take over 3rd place when Tampa beats Dallas.

[gaijin]

Blues finally have a positive goal differential at +1. Last time they were positive was Nov 16.

Tomorrow is time to beat up on Arizona, like they haven't done the past two seasons, and take over 3rd place when Tampa beats Dallas.

Fate couldn't have set this opportunity up any better- things are finally clicking, the chance to break into the top 3 in the Division, facing a sub-.500 team while the team we are chasing has to play the #1 team in the League.

Sounds like the perfect opportunity for the Blues to pull a Blues.

[theohall]

Well, the Blues, other than having a very compact schedule, appear to have a very favorable schedule based on opponents down the stretch.

6 games against no doubt playoff teams (TOR, NSH, BOS, SJS, TBL, VGK)
8 games against borderline playoff teams (DAL x2, MIN x2, COL x2, CAR, BUF) (yes, I am counting Dallas as borderline, because they are about to be a wild card team which puts them in the mix with the other teams on the borderline).
11 games against non-playoff, or most likely non-playoff teams (ARI x2, ANA, LAK, EDM, DET, NJD, CHI, PHI, VAN)

The fact 6 of the borderline games are Central division head-to-heads provides the opportunity to cement at least a 3rd place finish. Scarily, the Blues made up a ridiculous number of points in ~6 weeks. That same difference is all that separates them from Nashville with ~7 weeks remaining in the season. If either Nashville or Winnipeg struggles and the Blues continue playing this way, who knows what could happen? I didn't believe the Blues could make up the ground when November began, much less make it up after being dead last on Jan 4th. Now? Anything is possible, especially with that schedule. The only problem is WPG and NSH each seem to have similar schedules to the Blues in terms of opponent difficulty the rest of the season.

[theohall]

How bad was the NHL in 1997

The Ottawa Senators were dead last on Jan 26, 1997. They only played 3 games over .500 (17-14-6) and made the playoffs. Technically, that't not even .500 hockey since they lost 20 games - just 6 of them earned them a point.

[WaukeeBlues]

Well, the Blues, other than having a very compact schedule, appear to have a very favorable schedule based on opponents down the stretch.

6 games against no doubt playoff teams (TOR, NSH, BOS, SJS, TBL, VGK)
8 games against borderline playoff teams (DAL x2, MIN x2, COL x2, CAR, BUF) (yes, I am counting Dallas as borderline, because they are about to be a wild card team which puts them in the mix with the other teams on the borderline).
11 games against non-playoff, or most likely non-playoff teams (ARI x2, ANA, LAK, EDM, DET, NJD, CHI, PHI, VAN)

The fact 6 of the borderline games are Central division head-to-heads provides the opportunity to cement at least a 3rd place finish. Scarily, the Blues made up a ridiculous number of points in ~6 weeks. That same difference is all that separates them from Nashville with ~7 weeks remaining in the season. If either Nashville or Winnipeg struggles and the Blues continue playing this way, who knows what could happen? I didn't believe the Blues could make up the ground when November began, much less make it up after being dead last on Jan 4th. Now? Anything is possible, especially with that schedule. The only problem is WPG and NSH each seem to have similar schedules to the Blues in terms of opponent difficulty the rest of the season.

Those Central division games are going to be the pivotal ones. Those are the "4 point" games that can really cement your position or leave you floundering.

As great of a position as the Blues are in it could disappear just as quickly. Hard to not be optimistic though considering the quality of hockey they're playing. As I think I mentioned, the Blues have back to back games in three straight weekends. Proper nutrition, sleep and rest (not necessarily the same thing) are going to be pivotal. Hope the Blues health and fitness guys are keeping close tabs on the boys.

How bad was the NHL in 1997

The Ottawa Senators were dead last on Jan 26, 1997. They only played 3 games over .500 (17-14-6) and made the playoffs. Technically, that't not even .500 hockey since they lost 20 games - just 6 of them earned them a point.

When'd they expand to a 16 team playoff though? I'd venture to guess that's the reason, not that teams were "bad." Compared to today they were. The NHL was also expanding at a breakneck pace with players in the NHL that probably wouldn't be otherwise.

[theohall]

How bad was the NHL in 1997

The Ottawa Senators were dead last on Jan 26, 1997. They only played 3 games over .500 (17-14-6) and made the playoffs. Technically, that't not even .500 hockey since they lost 20 games - just 6 of them earned them a point.

When'd they expand to a 16 team playoff though? I'd venture to guess that's the reason, not that teams were "bad." Compared to today they were. The NHL was also expanding at a breakneck pace with players in the NHL that probably wouldn't be otherwise.

I think 17 years was more than enough time to adjust. The 16 team playoff started in 80-81. Agree with the expansion point, but 17-14-6 equaled from dead last to a playoff spot? Look at what the Blues record from Jan 3rd to now to have accomplished the same at this point.