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GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 6:04 am
by dmiles2186
[youtube][/youtube]
PANTHERS (1-0-0) at BLUES (1-0-0)

TV: FS-F, FS-MW

Season series: This is the first of two meetings between the Florida Panthers and St. Louis Blues. David Backes scored twice and Jaroslav Halak made 20 saves in their most recent matchup, a 4-1 win by the Blues at Scottrade Center on Nov. 17, 2011.

Big story: Each team will be seeking a 2-0 start; it would especially mean a lot to the Panthers, who finished at the bottom of the NHL standings a season ago. Tim Thomas, who made a triumphant return to the League on Thursday, could be in line for a second consecutive start.

Team Scope:

Panthers: It was all about the old and the new in Florida's 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center that got the season off to a flying start.

Thomas, who turns 40 in April, stopped 25 of 27 shots in his first NHL game in over 17 months and first not wearing a Boston Bruins sweater. Veteran Scott Gomez scored the opening goal for the Panthers, but with the team trailing 2-1 in the third, Aleksander Barkov, the No. 2 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, became the youngest player in 69 years to score an NHL goal. That tied it, and a pair of late goals from Marcel Goc made the difference.

"It had a lot of aspects to it," coach Kevin Dineen said of the win. "Our young players coming through and making a difference, a really nice goal, our veteran guys stepping up when they needed to. It was a mixture of things. That was a hard-fought win."

Blues: Expectations are far greater in St. Louis this season, and the Blues took step one toward meeting them with Thursday's 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators in which they chased goalie Pekka Rinne less than 10 minutes into the first period.

Backes started the scoring with a power-play goal at 2:05, then Vladimir Sobotka and T.J. Oshie followed to give the home team a commanding lead. The Predators would close the gap to one, but another power-play goal from Alexander Steen capped the offense as Halak made 28 saves.

"It was pretty ideal the first 10 minutes," Backes said. "I don't know if we got complacent, but that level … we played pretty well that first 10 and maybe took a step back.

"They're a team that just keeps coming at you, they found a couple and kind of woke us up there where we had to play our style of hockey. It's a result we love and it's one step along the way."

Who's hot: Goc had his first two-goal game for the Panthers, his last coming Nov. 18, 2010, for the Predators against the Montreal Canadiens. … In addition to his goal, Sobotka delivered two hits and won 78 percent of his faceoffs in the Blues' win.

Injury report: Florida forwards Nick Bjugstad (concussion), Steven Pinizzotto (hip) and Sean Bergenheim (hip/abdomen) are on injured reserve. Defenseman Ed Jovanovski (hip) is day-to-day. Goalie Scott Clemmensen (knee) is expected to report to San Antonio of the American Hockey League for conditioning purposes.

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 7:17 am
by dmiles2186
Also, welcome back Mike Weaver and Brad Boyes (and I guess 'former Blue' Ryan Whitney).

This video will never get old.

[youtube][/youtube]

Nor does this one.

[youtube][/youtube]

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:09 am
by sseagle
Can we drop the damn puck already?


(Frank) the Panthers?

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 9:03 am
by glen a richter
The big question is: Will David Baucus provide ESPN any stunning highlights for tomorrow's sportscenter?

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 1:08 pm
by Gaijin Flyer
Maybe we can see another goal from TJ Osheee.

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 1:24 pm
by glen a richter
I might have been missing all the hideous mispronunciations out of sheer disgust at their incompetence, but didn't they also call Steen "Sneed" the first time they mentioned him?

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 1:45 pm
by ViPeRx007
sseagle wrote:Can we drop the damn puck already?


(Frank) the Panthers?
Is that second one a question? You don't seem like the type to question (frank)ing anything.

Anyway, GO BLUES!

VIVA LA FLASHCHAT!!!!!!!

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 7:41 pm
by APOD
Holy shit! 0-5 at the second! Dare I say it :cup: ?

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:13 pm
by dmiles2186
After the touchdown, the PAT is good, and the Blues lead the Panthers 7-0.

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:50 pm
by gaijin
Wow. Winning.

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:53 pm
by dmiles2186
That game: fun.

More to come....

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 9:19 pm
by APOD
Loving the way we look so far.

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 9:42 pm
by ViPeRx007
APOD wrote:Loving the way we look so far.
Image

Best 9000th post ever? I think so.

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 9:50 pm
by cardsfan04
Schwartz with the Gordie Howe Hat Trick!!!

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 6:40 am
by glen a richter
I missed the first period, but no worries. What I saw in the 2nd and 3rd was equivalent to 6 games worth last season. What a display!

The boys biggest problem has been offensive production. Over the 1st two games that has been a non-issue. As long as they keep playing aggressively with the puck, this season could be something special. Of course they could also go the next 7 games and score 5 goals The question, I guess, is this: are the Blues that good or are the Panthers that awful?

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 6:49 am
by cardsfan04
I think the Panthers are that awful, but we MIGHT be that good too. I've been really impressed with our puck movement this year. It's a bit premature to proclaim the offense as being fixed, but I like what I'm seeing.

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 7:49 am
by dmiles2186
Just complete domination from the Blues. I love the amount of 'Tic-tac-toe' goals we've seen so far this season too. At least 3 or 4 of them. It's good to see guys moving the puck, trying to find the open man, and then successfully converting the chances too. And even better than that, the Blues have scored 11 goals and there's been 10 different goal scorers. There are threats to score all over the roster and that's a great thing.

Jaro didn't have much to do, but answered the call when it came.

Just all around domination by the boys in Blue.

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 8:07 am
by glen a richter
I loved the chippiness at the end between the two squads. When the NHL decides to re-align again and put the Panthers in the same division as the Blues, we might have ourselves a great rivalry here.

This, of course, is more a commentary on how bad and nonsensical the new alignment is, particularly in the east.

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 9:37 am
by STLADOGG
As of now this is the team we have been waiting for for so long.
They fight, they score, and they play good defense. Good shit.

Re: GDT #2: 10/5/13 > Blues vs Panthers > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 9:46 am
by philco_3
I liked the game, but I wont get all excited after the trashing of the Panthers. I want to see what they can do against a real team on Wednesday.