GDT #77: 3/27/12 > Blues vs. Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMOX

[dmiles2186]

After tonight, only 5 games left in the season.

PREDATORS (44-24-8) at BLUES (47-20-9)

TV: FS-TN (HD), FS-MW (HD)

Last 10: Nashville 6-3-1; St. Louis 6-2-2

Season Series: For much of this season St. Louis has dominated the entire League, but one team that seems to have the Blues' number is Nashville, which has won four of five meetings this season against its division rival. The Predators only loss to the Blues came in a shootout in their last meeting on Feb. 23 at Bridgestone Arena.

Big Story: Few teams know St. Louis quite as well as its division rival to the east. The Predators have played the Blues five times this season and played them well, and with both teams' positions in the postseason essentially assured, Tuesday's season series finale could be a preview of two talented teams that may very well meet again in the postseason.

Team Scope:

Predators: Two weeks ago, things were starting to look uncomfortable for the Predators, who were not playing their best hockey with the playoffs on the horizon. Nashville won just one of five games before taking the ice against Winnipeg on Saturday night, but a solid weekend will cure any concerns -- and it did just that for the Preds. Nashville knocked off the Jets and then headed right to Chicago where it put on a display with a dominating 6-1 victory over one of the hottest teams in the League.

It's possible the return of Alexander Radulov from the KHL spurred the team on, as he has a point in all three games he's played since hopping back across the pond. But the most important thing for the Preds is simply to start playing well as the season ends. After all, with St. Louis holding a seven-point lead on Nashville with six games to play, the Preds are likely consigned to the fourth or fifth seed where it will in all probability face either Detroit or Chicago. Getting home ice in that first-round matchup could prove pivotal, however, and it certainly gives the Predators something to play for as the season winds down.

Blues: For the Blues there appears to be just one goal left to achieve in what has been a remarkable turnaround season. St. Louis currently has the best record in the NHL and with Vancouver right on the Blues' collective heels, the battle for the top seed in the West is still a valuable spoil that has yet to be claimed. The Presidents' Trophy, too, is a possibility, as St. Louis has a two-point edge on the New York Rangers, but the Blueshirts also have a game in hand.

The Blues have not done themselves very many favors lately, however, winning just three games on a recently completed seven-game road trip. It is worth noting, however, that two of those losses came in a shootout, meaning that when the League's top team returns home Tuesday night, they may not be feeling as wounded as the road trip's record might indicate, particularly considering the Blues' 4-0 win against the Coyotes in Phoenix Sunday. A solid performance like that should be a boon to the Blues as they wrap up their season and what should be their first division crown in 12 years.

Who's Hot: Alex Pietrangelo has turned it on from the St. Louis blue line lately, tallying 5 points in his last four games. … Patric Hornqvist has 6 points in his last five games for Nashville.

Injury Report: Jordin Tootoo (upper body), Colin Wilson (groin) and Roman Josi (upper body) are all considered questionable for the Predators. … The Blues activated Alex Steen from injured reserve Sunday. He has missed the last 39 games with a concussion. Roman Polak (bruised knee) is questionable, while Andy McDonald (bruised shoulder) has been out since March 16.

Stat Pack: The Blues have had one of the best goalie tandems in the League all season, but with the team's recent stumble one might think the goaltending is taking a hit. Indeed, Brian Elliott has won just two of his last seven starts, but in those seven games he has also given up a grand total of just 10 goals, making it seem as though the losses are due simply to bad luck rather than poor play.

Puck Drop: As these two teams face off for the last time in the regular season, it is very unlikely they will wind up pitted against one another when the playoffs begin. However, a second-round matchup is far from out of the question, and if that's the case, Tuesday's game could prove pivotal for psychological reasons. If the Blues cannot come out with the two points, five wins in six games would give the Predators a significant mental edge going into a postseason meeting.

[gaijin]

Time to prove we can do it against these guys. Any path to the Conference Finals is more than likely lead through Nashville at some point.

[cardsfan04]

Blues 2
Preds 1

[PGABluesFan]

The injury report says nothing about D'agostini, he was close to returning right?

[DaDitka]

The injury report says nothing about D'agostini, he was close to returning right?

I read they were going to skate him this morning and then decide.

[goon attack]

One of these teams will win.

[cprice12]

Time to prove we can do it against these guys. Any path to the Conference Finals is more than likely lead through Nashville at some point.

I wouldn't say that. Nashville is currently 5th and would anyone be that surprised if Detroit beat them in the first round?

The more I think about it...the more I want Detroit at some point in the playoffs.
I have never been sold on Howard...not even when he was putting up good numbers earlier in the year.
Plus they are pretty banged up right now.

Speaking of Howard, he has seen his numbers steadily get worse as the season has gone on:
October: 1.82 GAA, .929 Save%
November: 1.89 GAA, .930 Save%
December: 2.01 GAA, .928 Save%
January: 2.29 GAA, .909 Save%
February: 2.91 GAA, .903 Save%
March: 2.74 GAA, .887 Save%

Pre All-Star break: 2.03 GAA, .924 Save%, 5 SO
Post All-Star break: 2.63 GAA, .903 Save%, 1 SO

Plus, he has been hurt a LOT lately, probably didn't help that Babcock is an idiot and ran him into the ground in the first half of the season. Nothing like wearing out your #1 goalie before the all star break.
(I mentioned this to some Wings fans at LGW earlier in the year and they got all defensive, saying he was young and could handle it...hmmm....how'd that work out for ya? )

Nashville should have a HUGE advantage in net in the first round. If Nashville gets home ice in the first round, I'll pick them in 5 games...if Detroit gets home ice, I'll pick Nashville in 6.
I think Detroit will be one and done this year. They're beat up, they're struggling (I don't count the 7-2 win vs. Columbus last night...the Blue Jackets are a minor league team), Howard is struggling, and the Wings are looking old...finally.

[goon attack]

Screw Nashville.

Pedophilotors - 2
Blues - 6

[thedoc]

It's DaDitka's birthday.

Blues 4

Chris Hanson's 2

[cardsfan04]

I kind of want the Wings too, especially if it means we play the winner of the Detroit/Nashville series in the 2nd round. But, I think it's a bit of a catch-22. We want them because they have been struggling and have injury issues. But, if they survive Nashville, that could be an indication that they have pulled it together and aren't struggling as much. Either way, I'd rather them over Nashville and like our chances with home ice advantage.

[cardsfan04]

It's DaDitka's birthday.

Blues 4

Chris Hanson's 2

[gaijin]

Time to prove we can do it against these guys. Any path to the Conference Finals is more than likely lead through Nashville at some point.

I wouldn't say that. Nashville is currently 5th and would anyone be that surprised if Detroit beat them in the first round?

The more I think about it...the more I want Detroit at some point in the playoffs.
I have never been sold on Howard...not even when he was putting up good numbers earlier in the year.
Plus they are pretty banged up right now.

Speaking of Howard, he has seen his numbers steadily get worse as the season has gone on:
October: 1.82 GAA, .929 Save%
November: 1.89 GAA, .930 Save%
December: 2.01 GAA, .928 Save%
January: 2.29 GAA, .909 Save%
February: 2.91 GAA, .903 Save%
March: 2.74 GAA, .887 Save%

Pre All-Star break: 2.03 GAA, .924 Save%, 5 SO
Post All-Star break: 2.63 GAA, .903 Save%, 1 SO

Plus, he has been hurt a LOT lately, probably didn't help that Babcock is an idiot and ran him into the ground in the first half of the season. Nothing like wearing out your #1 goalie before the all star break.
(I mentioned this to some Wings fans at LGW earlier in the year and they got all defensive, saying he was young and could handle it...hmmm....how'd that work out for ya? )

Nashville should have a HUGE advantage in net in the first round. If Nashville gets home ice in the first round, I'll pick them in 5 games...if Detroit gets home ice, I'll pick Nashville in 6.
I think Detroit will be one and done this year. They're beat up, they're struggling (I don't count the 7-2 win vs. Columbus last night...the Blue Jackets are a minor league team), Howard is struggling, and the Wings are looking old...finally.

No, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Nashville takes out Detroit in Round 1, no matter which of them is #4 and #5. But that just makes it more likely that we may face Nashville in Round 2 or even (dare I say it?) later. The last 3 seeds in the West are so convoluted right now, it's impossible to tell what the matchups will be, so we don't know who the division champs will play. Nashville is looking fairly solid, and it's not a stretch of the imagination to say they could go at least to the 2nd Round (especially now that they are putting some space between them and those 5-6 teams vying for those last spots). But if the Blues are to go deep, I think its feasible we draw a matchup with Nashville in a later round.

So beat their asses now so we don't have to constantly hear about how Nashville went 6-1 against the "best team in the NHL."

[cardsfan04]

I think there's a decent chance that Chicago beats the 3 seed making the 2nd round seed matchups 1-6 and 2-4/5.

[fargoblues]

(Frank) these pussies, and their peckerhead goalie.

Blues 3
sanduskys 1

[theohall]

I think there's a decent chance that Chicago beats the 3 seed making the 2nd round seed matchups 1-6 and 2-4/5.

A Blues-Blackhawks playoff series would be awesome!

[glen a richter]

A home game??? I hope they've done routine maintenance on STC as it hasn't been used in forever.

2
1

[cardsfan04]

I think there's a decent chance that Chicago beats the 3 seed making the 2nd round seed matchups 1-6 and 2-4/5.

A Blues-Blackhawks playoff series would be awesome!

Yeah, that would be amazing. Well, assuming we won lol.

[drwoland]

Good playoff test. Tough game, especially with the revolving door we got going on right now.

Blues 4
Preds 3

[cprice12]

I think there's a decent chance that Chicago beats the 3 seed making the 2nd round seed matchups 1-6 and 2-4/5.

A Blues-Blackhawks playoff series would be awesome!

We have won 8 of the last 9 playoff games vs. Chicago.

Just sayin'.

[glen a richter]

I think there's a decent chance that Chicago beats the 3 seed making the 2nd round seed matchups 1-6 and 2-4/5.

A Blues-Blackhawks playoff series would be awesome!

We have won 8 of the last 9 playoff games vs. Chicago.

Just sayin'.

It wouldn't be the same without Ed Belfour committing manslaughter on the net with his stick.