Round 2 : Blues vs Kings

[dmiles2186]

I just got to thinking this morning...I wonder how it's going to work when they go back to LA. The Lakers and Clippers are both making the playoffs, both high seeds, and those two teams share Staples Center with the Kings.

I hope we don't have many 2/3 day layoffs like the Canucks and Kings did.

[cprice12]

We would run smack into Nashville in round 3.

I'm not saying we couldn't win, but we wouldn't be the favorite.

Why wouldn't we be a favorite against Nashville? We finished ahead of them in the regular season and would have home ice against them.

I'm not saying we'd be heavy favorites by any means, but we'd certainly be favored to win.

[kodos]

I think if you asked 10 hockey experts to pick a winner of that series 9 are going to pick Nashville.

Nashville is the team most picked to come out of the West.

We wouldn't be big underdogs or anything, but I don't think we would be favored to win.

[DaDitka]

I think if you asked 10 hockey experts to pick a winner of that series 9 are going to pick Nashville.

Nashville is the team most picked to come out of the West.

We wouldn't be big underdogs or anything, but I don't think we would be favored to win.

Agreed. National guys trust Rinne more then Elliot or Halak and they also appear to like their scoring more as well.

Who cares, very few national guys have given us real credit this year anyways.

Everyone is just sitting around waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[kodos]

I honestly think both LA and Nashville will be coin tosses. 50/50 shot at winning either series.

These teams are all good and very even.

[DaDitka]

These teams are all good.

They wouldn't be in the second round of the playoffs if they weren't.

[Portland Blues]

I honestly think both LA and Nashville will be coin tosses. 50/50 shot at winning either series.

These teams are all good and very even.

[deadphish]

How many cup winners does LA have? That has got to count for something when predicting the outcome doesn't it?

[ohio BLUES]

How many cup winners does LA have? That has got to count for something when predicting the outcome doesn't it?

A quick glance shows they have 2: Justin Williams and Rob Scuderi. We've got 4, so let's hope that counts for something.

[deadphish]

How many cup winners does LA have? That has got to count for something when predicting the outcome doesn't it?

A quick glance shows they have 2: Justin Williams and Rob Scuderi. We've got 4, so let's hope that counts for something.

Not quite the same type of impact cup winners we have in Langs, Arnott and AMac.

[not_a_wings_fan]

We wouldn't be favored because their line versus us reads 4-1-1.

We went 2-2-2 against Nashville this year. We won the games late in the season if that means anything.

I consider it a pretty even match, but I don't like the matchup at all. Similar styles but they have more experience playing it.

Regular season meetings in order:

4-2 L
2-1 L (SO)
2-1 L (SO)
3-1 L
3-2 W (SO)
3-0 W

[cprice12]

We wouldn't be favored because their line versus us reads 4-1-1.

We went 2-2-2 against Nashville this year. We won the games late in the season if that means anything.

I consider it a pretty even match, but I don't like the matchup at all. Similar styles but they have more experience playing it.

Regular season meetings in order:

4-2 L
2-1 L (SO)
2-1 L (SO)
3-1 L
3-2 W (SO)
3-0 W

3 of those games went to a shootout and there are no shootouts in the playoffs.
So, realistically, we could be as good as 4-2 against the Kings or as bad as 1-5 if you play out the overtimes instead of going to a shootout.

I like our chances vs. LA. I think it will be a very good series, but I have a really good feeling about it.

[deadphish]

Wow. From NHL.com.

FAN POLL: WEST GOALIES
Which Western Conference goalie will be the best performer in Round 2?

Brian Elliott (Blues):25.29%
Jonathan Quick (Kings):25.19%
Mike Smith (Coyotes):23.49%
Pekka Rinne (Predators):26.03%

[gaijin]

Wow. From NHL.com.

FAN POLL: WEST GOALIES
Which Western Conference goalie will be the best performer in Round 2?

Brian Elliott (Blues):25.29%
Jonathan Quick (Kings):25.19%
Mike Smith (Coyotes):23.49%
Pekka Rinne (Predators):26.03%

What about when Halak returns and Hitch starts him?

[theohall]

Wow. From NHL.com.

FAN POLL: WEST GOALIES
Which Western Conference goalie will be the best performer in Round 2?

Brian Elliott (Blues):25.29%
Jonathan Quick (Kings):25.19%
Mike Smith (Coyotes):23.49%
Pekka Rinne (Predators):26.03%

What about when Halak returns and Hitch starts him?

(sarcasm noted)

Odds are Halak will not start again until Elliott loses. Hitchcock has already said in a presser that Halak will not be available for the first 2 games vs LA.

[WaukeeBlues]

Wow. From NHL.com.

FAN POLL: WEST GOALIES
Which Western Conference goalie will be the best performer in Round 2?

Brian Elliott (Blues):25.29%
Jonathan Quick (Kings):25.19%
Mike Smith (Coyotes):23.49%
Pekka Rinne (Predators):26.03%

What about when Halak returns and Hitch starts him?

(sarcasm noted)

Odds are Halak will not start again until Elliott loses. Hitchcock has already said in a presser that Halak will not be available for the first 2 games vs LA.

And especially if we win one or both of them, no change for Game 3. As well there shouldn't be.

[philco_3]

IMO I really feel if we advance from round 2 we would be favored to win it all, but then again we have to BEAT the Kings, which we haven't done this season.

What???

Yes, the Blues did beat the Kings. St Louis shutout LA 1-0 in February at Scottrade. They shutout the Kings again in LA but lost in a shootout. There are no shootouts in the playoffs. So the two most recent matchups, the Blues are 1-0-1. The first loss to the Kings was in October when Halak was playing like ass and before Hitchcock took over and was the only game in the series this season that was not decided by one goal.

my bad

[dmiles2186]

If you've got 9 minutes...

[gaijin]

If you've got 9 minutes...

Immortal.

I remember watching this game on TV in college- I was as stunned as the Kings fans in the crowd.

Funny to see how young Pronger and Quenneville looked. And nice to see some footage of Demitra.

[tjk002]

If you've got 9 minutes...

Immortal.

I remember watching this game on TV in college- I was as stunned as the Kings fans in the crowd.

Funny to see how young Pronger and Quenneville looked. And nice to see some footage of Demitra.

I was out in Burbank for this series for work, and got to go. Unreal!