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GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:30 am
by dmiles2186
BOUWMEESTER
BLUES (18-14-2) at BLACKHAWKS (27-5-3)

TV: FS-MW, CSN-CH

Last 10: St. Louis 5-5-0; Chicago 6-4-0

Season series: This is the third of five meetings between the Central Division rivals. Chicago is 2-0 against St. Louis this season.

Big story: Marian Hossa will return to the Blackhawks' lineup Thursday against the Blues. Hossa has missed the past six games with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester is expected to make his Blues' debut provided he gets his work visa issues ironed out. He was acquired Monday night from the Calgary Flames.

Team Scope:

Blues: The beefed-up Blues defense will be on full display for the first time with Bouwmeester joining the lineup. Jordan Leopold played his first game as a Blue on Monday in a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild.

The Blues were relatively quiet on deadline day, save for shipping Wade Redden to the Boston Bruins, mainly because general manager Doug Armstrong did his dealing Sunday and Monday by acquiring both Leopold and Bouwmeester for draft picks and middle-tier prospects.

St. Louis snapped a three-game losing streak with that win over the Wild.

Brian Elliott will get the start in net against the Blackhawks. Elliott made 20 saves in relief of Jaroslav Halak on Monday. Halak injured his groin and will be out a while. Jake Allen was recalled after Halak's injury.

Blackhawks: Hossa plans on being back after missing six straight games. He should be reunited with linemates Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad.

"I felt good today so there's no reason to wait any longer," Hossa told reporters in Chicago on Wednesday. "I think I'm ready to go."

The Blackhawks have won two straight since losing to the Anaheim Ducks, 2-1, last Friday. They're coming off a 3-2 shootout win over the Nashville Predators on Monday.

Chicago should also have newly acquired center Michal Handzus in the lineup against the Blues. He was acquired earlier this week in a deal with the San Jose Sharks.

Patrick Sharp will miss his 12th straight game with a shoulder injury. Corey Crawford is expected to start in goal.

Who's hot: For the Blues, Jaden Schwartz and Andy McDonald each had two points in the win over the Wild. … For the Blackhawks, Toews has four points in the past two games, including three in a 7-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. Saad also has four points, including three goals, in the past two games. The rookie forward now has now has 20 points in 34 games this season.

Injury report: For the Blues, T.J. Oshie (lower-body) and Halak (lower-body) are both on injured reserve. … For the Blackhawks, Sharp (shoulder) remains out. Patrick Kane missed practice Wednesday with an illness, but he's expected to play Thursday.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:54 am
by sseagle
Blues 666
Offensive racial stereotypes 2

Margin of error : 700

Lets kick names and take ass!

Go blues, lets get on a roll!

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:58 am
by WaukeeBlues
I will be in attendance! :grin: :okman:

Donning the (now retro) old Blues home Tkachuk #7 tonight. I'm sick of them losing at the United Center and getting chased out of that building with my tail between my legs.

LETS GO BLUES

Blues 3
Hawks 2

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:02 am
by WaukeeBlues
Also, is it just me or every time you hear Patrick Kane missed practice because of "illness" you automatically think "too hungover"?

:P

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:12 am
by cardsfan04
I won't really care what Bouwmeester does in the rest of his time here if he kicks the shit out of Kane on his first shift.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:15 am
by KPFBlue
WaukeeBlues wrote:Also, is it just me or every time you hear Patrick Kane missed practice because of "illness" you automatically think "too hungover"?

:P
I usually think he recovering from what I like to call, "cabbie hand"

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:13 pm
by sseagle
We have 38 points.
As of now, 47 points will not get into the playoffs but 57 will guarantee playoffs.

14 more games, looks like we get an exciting stretch run.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 4:37 pm
by glen a richter
Since I'll be able to watch this game, expect a loss.

Hawks 6
Blues 1

It also doesn't help that Elliott is in net.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:15 pm
by dmiles2186
RELEASE THE CRACKNELL!

Image

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:27 pm
by gaijin
Word.

:hawkssuck:

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:28 pm
by sseagle
CRACKNELL!!!
(FIRE HITCH!!)
(HANG ELLIOTT!!!)
CRACKNELL!!!!!!
BACKES!!!!!!!!
(CRUCIFY THE WHOLE MANAGEMENT STAFF!!!!)

followed by a shitoff..

Blues won though, 17 more points to go... lets get 2 tomorrow and 2 on sunday, and we can all chill a bit.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:33 pm
by Nyghtewynd
Could this be the game that turns the corner? Maybe. They overcame a lot tonight. Elliott was schizo, alternating between awesome and horrid. Jackman was a step behind the whole game. But you saw what Bouwmeester could bring to this team. A ton of minutes on D, and he was just solid. You can't depend on Cracknell doing his Messier impression every night, but that was a great win. Must consolidate it at home tomorrow.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:34 pm
by STLADOGG
2 points on the road. Lets get 2 more tomorrow!!

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:54 pm
by drwoland
Great game to watch, although the Blues looked AWFUL all too frequently.

Pietrangelo seemed dazed and confused at both ends of the ice. Jackman I actually thought showed up really well on a lot of plays.

Cracknel - what can you even say? Good for him, seems like Porter getting that deal really energized the 3rd and 4th lines.

Bouwmeester is a HUGE asset, especially once he gets more comfortable. Leopold looked good too.

Elliott showed flashes of his last-year self - just sitting there waiting for the puck to move, not fidgeting. Of course, between the shootout and regulation, he let in a few too many goals right under the pads :doh: but at least he didn't let those shake him. I liked what I saw today. Let's not forget, these are the #1 Blackhawks.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 5:00 am
by glen a richter
Regardless of the outcome, Elliott should not be playing and I have no faith in him going into the playoffs if he has to be our #1.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 6:46 am
by Oaklandblue
glen a richter wrote:Regardless of the outcome, Elliott should not be playing and I have no faith in him going into the playoffs if he has to be our #1.
We don't really have a #1. If you put any of our netminders between the pipes, the results as of late have been about the same. Better effort? Sure, but I don't see anything that says yes, he's the #1.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 6:56 am
by APOD
Stole 2 points from the best team in the west right now...I happy with it no matter how we did it.

I really hope we don't end up in 8th or 7th Really shooting for 6th place if we even make it, going to be a hard fought rest of the season.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 7:22 am
by theohall
Bouwmeester is a major improvement on the backend. The issue with the Blues, however, is exactly what kept being said last night and it is an issue with the forwards playing defense. Way too often, the wingers, especially, stand still and wait to react to what an opponent does when the opponent is in the Blues end. The Backes and Berglund lines, in particular, were guilty of this many, many times. The reasons the Boats and 4th line actually looked better - they did not give the Hawks time and space. They skated at the guy with the puck, not giving him time (except for that late goal by the Hawks), and the other forwards would - to borrow a soccer term - mark their opponents and be in position to make plays on the puck before it gets passed. Too many times, MacDonald and Steen got caught standing still, watching the Hawks pass the puck around, and only skating towards the puck after a pass. They put zero pressure on the Hawks in the Blues end of the ice. It's like they seem to expect the defenseman and center to make all the plays in the defensive zone, so Steen/MacDonald can get the eventual breakout. Problem is there is no breakout without the wings being aggressive on the puck on defense.

A real good example of being aggressive on the puck was Tarasenko's 2nd or 3rd shift, when he steals the puck inside the Blues blueline on the RW boards and gets it up ice. Boats and Perron get the puck near the Hawks net, then Tarasenko - who was the 2nd to last guy up the ice, because he started the play, winds up stealing the puck from 2 Hawks directly in front of the net, getting a shot, and then winding up behind the net with the puck.

The eventual move of Schwartz to the Backes line should have happened the moment Oshie went on IR. Schwartz plays like Oshie and that showed in the game after that switch was made. Only issue now, really, is Steen not being aggressive enough on defense. We all saw what Schwartz kept doing, not letting the Hawks make plays and actually creating turnovers, instead of waiting for them.

Leopold did not impress me much. With all of the time Polak spent in the box, he still only had 16 minutes of ice time. His point play, if he is going to be on the #2 power play, needs to improve dramatically. This is two games in a row where he simply could not keep the puck in the zone on the PP.

Last comments - Free Tarasenko and Schwartz in OT. With the way they are playing at both ends and Taransenko's creativity, they should both get OT opportunities, instead of David Hold the Puck and a currently struggling to handle the puck at all, Steen. I don't think either Schwartz or Tarasenko has played one shift in OT. I was terrified when Stewart and Steen were on the same shift in OT, and Stewart almost completely screwed that up. He was standing in an offensive zone corner, with no one near him, while Steen was one-on-one with a Hawks player behind the net. Get in a friggin' scoring position Stewart - which is not an offensive zone corner with no one near you in OT. Had Steen not won that battle, it's a 3-on-2 the other way, because Stewart is nowhere positive for that situation.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 7:56 am
by dmiles2186
Until we actually won the game, I didn't think we would. They kept hanging around, but even in the shootout, it just felt like we couldn't close it out. Great win. I don't care so much that Chicago got a point, they're too far gone at this point. Now if that happens tonight, I won't be happy. But we've got some games in hand on the other teams around us in the standings and we've got to use those by getting wins. This was a good start.

And kudos to Ells. Still looks a tad shaky, but he came up big. He made some huge saves in the 3rd to get us the point and keep us in it until the end.

Re: GDT #35: 4/4/13 > Blues @ Hawks > 7:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 8:28 am
by DaDitka
theohall wrote:Bouwmeester is a major improvement on the backend. The issue with the Blues, however, is exactly what kept being said last night and it is an issue with the forwards playing defense. Way too often, the wingers, especially, stand still and wait to react to what an opponent does when the opponent is in the Blues end. The Backes and Berglund lines, in particular, were guilty of this many, many times. The reasons the Boats and 4th line actually looked better - they did not give the Hawks time and space. They skated at the guy with the puck, not giving him time (except for that late goal by the Hawks), and the other forwards would - to borrow a soccer term - mark their opponents and be in position to make plays on the puck before it gets passed. Too many times, MacDonald and Steen got caught standing still, watching the Hawks pass the puck around, and only skating towards the puck after a pass. They put zero pressure on the Hawks in the Blues end of the ice. It's like they seem to expect the defenseman and center to make all the plays in the defensive zone, so Steen/MacDonald can get the eventual breakout. Problem is there is no breakout without the wings being aggressive on the puck on defense.

A real good example of being aggressive on the puck was Tarasenko's 2nd or 3rd shift, when he steals the puck inside the Blues blueline on the RW boards and gets it up ice. Boats and Perron get the puck near the Hawks net, then Tarasenko - who was the 2nd to last guy up the ice, because he started the play, winds up stealing the puck from 2 Hawks directly in front of the net, getting a shot, and then winding up behind the net with the puck.

The eventual move of Schwartz to the Backes line should have happened the moment Oshie went on IR. Schwartz plays like Oshie and that showed in the game after that switch was made. Only issue now, really, is Steen not being aggressive enough on defense. We all saw what Schwartz kept doing, not letting the Hawks make plays and actually creating turnovers, instead of waiting for them.

Leopold did not impress me much. With all of the time Polak spent in the box, he still only had 16 minutes of ice time. His point play, if he is going to be on the #2 power play, needs to improve dramatically. This is two games in a row where he simply could not keep the puck in the zone on the PP.

Last comments - Free Tarasenko and Schwartz in OT. With the way they are playing at both ends and Taransenko's creativity, they should both get OT opportunities, instead of David Hold the Puck and a currently struggling to handle the puck at all, Steen. I don't think either Schwartz or Tarasenko has played one shift in OT. I was terrified when Stewart and Steen were on the same shift in OT, and Stewart almost completely screwed that up. He was standing in an offensive zone corner, with no one near him, while Steen was one-on-one with a Hawks player behind the net. Get in a friggin' scoring position Stewart - which is not an offensive zone corner with no one near you in OT. Had Steen not won that battle, it's a 3-on-2 the other way, because Stewart is nowhere positive for that situation.
Great post!

Maybe now that the D has been addressed, more and more people will see how Andy Mac, Steener, and DP's complete lack of presence in the defensive end is killing us. Stewie has been equally as bad, but I cut him a little slack because at least he's producing.

Backes has been back in his zone, but he's been highly reactive instead of proactive as well...the difference is that it seems to stem more for uncertainty and over-thinking then it does lack of interest as it appears with those named above.