GDT #56: 2/14/12 > Blues @ BJ's > 6:00 PM > FSMW/KMOX

[dmiles2186]

Happy Valentine's Day to Rick Nash, courtesy of TJ Oshie.

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David Perron is enjoying the best stretch of his career while helping the St. Louis Blues get untracked on the power play.

The Blues have won four straight behind the red-hot Perron heading into Tuesday night’s visit to the league-worst Columbus Blue Jackets.

Perron has scored in every game of this four-game run for St. Louis (34-14-7) for the best goal streak of his career. The fifth-year winger has seven points during his surge.
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“I’ll certainly take the goals that are coming my way right now,” Perron said. “Mostly the wins, for sure.”

Perron has scored three of the Blues’ four power-play goals over the last two games, including one in Sunday’s 3-0 home win over San Jose. St. Louis had been 0 for 10 over its previous six contests.

“That’s four power-play goals in two games,” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. “We don’t care how it looks as long as we get the job done.”

St. Louis owns the NHL’s second-worst power play on the road at 9.1 percent. Columbus (16-34-6), however, has the league’s worst penalty kill at 75.1 percent.

That beleaguered unit allowed three power-play goals in Sunday’s 5-3 home loss to Anaheim.

“I think if we had given them 10 power-play opportunities tonight, they might have gotten 10 goals,” interim coach Todd Richards said.

Richards replaced the fired Scott Arniel on Jan. 9. Arniel was the second person to coach the Blue Jackets since Ken Hitchcock was let go by Columbus on Feb. 3, 2010.

Hitchcock remains the Blue Jackets’ winningest coach with 126 victories. He’s had quite an impact in St. Louis since taking over for Davis Payne on Nov. 6, going 28-7-7.

The Blues are three points behind NHL-leading Detroit with two games in hand. Their 1.91 goals-against average and 11 shutouts are the league’s best.

Jaroslav Halak made 25 saves Sunday to tie for the NHL lead with his sixth shutout. Halak was pulled in his previous start, a 4-3 shootout loss at New Jersey last Thursday.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in Jaro, going right back to him,” Hitchcock said.

Halak is 5-2-1 with a 2.94 GAA in eight career starts against the Blue Jackets while Brian Elliott is 3-0-1 with a 2.45 GAA in four.

St. Louis has won five straight over Columbus, including both meetings this season. A 2-1 victory Nov. 27 marked Hitchcock’s return to Nationwide Arena.

The Blues saw a valuable player return Sunday in Andy McDonald, who assisted on a goal by Pietrangelo. The center had been out since October with a concussion.

“It’s nice to be back,” McDonald said. “It’s been so long, kind of a long road to recovery.”

Columbus has started to get some key players back. Jeff Carter has picked up three points in five games after missing a month with a shoulder injury and James Wisniewski has three points in two contests since missing 17 games with a broken ankle.

“Obviously we’re a lot of points out of a playoff spot but it’s time to play for pride and a lot of guys are playing for jobs, too,” Wisniewski said.

[F Keenan]

Blues 6
Felatios 1

[fargoblues]

Notes 4
Lower Horn Service Squad 1

[gaijin]

Looks like the BJs may be shopping Nash: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck- ... MH1th7vLYF

They mention which teams had scouts at a recent game, and StL wasn't one of them. However, seeing as how we're playing them tonight, that's kind of a moot point.

Would you go for Nash? What do you think Columbus would ask for in return? Not sure if he is in the last year of his contract, but I would probably wait and make him an offer in the offseason, rather than disrupt the team's chemistry by giving up a few roster players.

[SamJunior]

Not sure if he is in the last year of his contract, but I would probably wait and make him an offer in the offseason, rather than disrupt the team's chemistry by giving up a few roster players.

He has 5 or 6 years left on his contract.

Blues 2 (OT)
BJ's 1

[cprice12]

Not sure if he is in the last year of his contract, but I would probably wait and make him an offer in the offseason, rather than disrupt the team's chemistry by giving up a few roster players.

He has 5 or 6 years left on his contract.

Blues 2 (OT)
BJ's 1

Yup. Nash signed an eight-year contract extension with the Blue Jackets worth $62.4 million set to take effect in 2010–11.
He will be a free agent after the '17-'18 season.

[thedoc]

Blues 5

George Michael 1

[gaijin]

Not sure if he is in the last year of his contract, but I would probably wait and make him an offer in the offseason, rather than disrupt the team's chemistry by giving up a few roster players.

He has 5 or 6 years left on his contract.

Blues 2 (OT)
BJ's 1

Yup. Nash signed an eight-year contract extension with the Blue Jackets worth $62.4 million set to take effect in 2010–11.
He will be a free agent after the '17-'18 season.

Oh, he's one of those. Chance for new ownership to make a big first impression? We'd have to remind Oshie not to lay him out every time they're on the ice together...

[Kreegz2]

Stewart, Porter and a 2nd for Nash

Yeah I know they would never take it

[cardsfan04]

Blues 6
BJs 0

I'm feeling a rout with AMac spurring some offense.

[kodos]

This is going to be one of those games the Blues lose 4-1 that makes us all scratch our heads...

[philco_3]

This is going to be one of those games the Blues lose 4-1 that makes us all scratch our heads...

I'll say a 3-2 loss in OT.

[philco_3]

Stewart, Porter and a 2nd for Nash

Yeah I know they would never take it

Bergie, Cole, and Bishop for Nash.

[crazyhorse]

Blues 3
bj's 0

[Winning Unlimited]

Stewart for Nash and Carter. Make them make us take salary.

[drwoland]

6-5 win in OT. These games always end up being shit shows, but we absolutely have to get this attainable road win.

[SamJunior]

Holy (Frank)! Stewart...

[dmiles2186]

Holy cripes. Not the way to end the period. The shorty was great...no so great to give up a powerplay with 0.1 to go.

[ohio BLUES]

Deflected puck... what can you do? Oh well.

Columbus is dreadful, so let them enjoy their one goal.

[cardsfan04]

Deflected puck... what can you do? Oh well.

Columbus is dreadful, so let them enjoy their one goal.

That was pretty close to my thoughts on it. I would have liked to have seen Sobotka just fall on it from the faceoff, but oh well I guess. This is the kind of mistake you hope you make against Columbus instead of Detroit.