Let's Go Blues

BLACKHAWKS (1-0-1) at BLUES (2-0-0)

TV: NBCSN

Season series: This is the first of five meetings between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues. The Blackhawks went 3-1-1 in last season's series, with captain Jonathan Toews scoring three goals to lead the way. Brian Elliott was in net for both of the Blues' victories.

Big story: The second installment this season of NBCSN's Wednesday Night Rivalry features St. Louis going for a third straight win behind a red-hot goalie. In this case it's not Elliott but his partner in the Blues' dynamite goaltending tandem, Jaroslav Halak. He's stopped 47 of 49 shots this season and became the franchise's all-time shutout leader in Saturday's 7-0 rout of the Florida Panthers.

Team Scope:

Blackhawks: This is the first road game of the season for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who if they weren't already aware opponents are gunning for them probably figured it out after a surprising 3-2 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

Goals by Patrick Kane and Brandon Saad had Chicago seemingly cruising heading into the third period, but Corey Crawford's bid for a shutout ended midway through as Martin St. Louis scored and then set up the tying goal by Teddy Purcell moments later.

"It's about playing a full 60 minutes, and we might have had a little lull there," forward Ben Smith told The Chicago Sun-Times. "But that's just early in the year. Some things happen, and it's important as long as we learn from it and move forward. Things will be all right."

Blues: Glenn Hall tended goal in over 900 NHL games, the majority of them with the Blackhawks, but when expansion arrived in 1967 he ended up as one of the original Blues. Hall helped lead St. Louis to three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances while recording the final 16 shutouts of the 84 in his career. Halak passed him Saturday by stopping all 19 shots he faced against the Panthers.

Seven different players scored a goal for the Blues, with Jaden Schwartz adding a pair of assists for a three-point night.

"It's a special feeling," Halak said of his record, "but it's only the start of the season. We got two wins, I got one shutout, but I wouldn't be able to do it without my teammates … none of them."

Who's hot: Kane and Saad each have goals in consecutive games for the Blackhawks to begin the season. Niklas Hjalmarsson has a team-leading three assists. … Alexander Steen has goals in consecutive games and is one of five Blues with a team-leading three points. Halak now has 26 career shutouts, including the nine he recorded for the Montreal Canadiens.

Injury report: There are no notable injuries on either Chicago or St. Louis heading into Wednesday's game

kodos wrote:Anyone else catch the first episode of the new show NHL Rivals on NBCSN?

It was about the Blues/Hawks rivalry and it was good stuff. I'm sure it will be on again... SET YOUR DVRS!

TONIGHT'S PROJECTED LINEUP

Forwards

Alexander Steen-David Backes-T.J. Oshie

Brenden Morrow-Derek Roy-Chris Stewart

Jaden Schwartz-Patrik Berglund-Vladimir Tarasenko

Vladimir Sobotka-Maxim Lapierre-Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Jay Bouwmeester-Alex Pietrangelo

Jordan Leopold-Kevin Shattenkirk

Barret Jackman-Roman Polak

Goalie

Jaroslav Halak

***

CHICAGO'S PROJECTED LINEUP

Forward

Brian Bickell-Jonathan Toews-Patrick Kane

Patrick Sharp-Michal Handzus

Brandon Saad-Andrew Shaw-Jimmy Hayes

Brandon Bollig-Marcus Kruger-Joakim Nordstrom

Defensemen

Duncan Keith-Brent Seabrook

Niklas Hjalmarsson-Johnny Oduya

Nick Leddy-Sheldon Brookbank

Goalie

Corey Crawford

flyingnote38 wrote:an important early season measuring stick for the Blues.

Last year, both teams got off to fast starts before their early season match-up. The Hawks won and went on their way to a virtually unblemished first half and Stanley Cup. The Blues ran into injury issues, especially in goal, and never got back on stride until the final few weeks of the season. Hopefully, the Blues can win (and in regulation please) and at least start to change the division narrative for this year.

also, GQ recently had a column on the 20 worst sports franchises, and the Blues checked in at #20. They were not the lowest esteemed in the NHL nor with a connection to St Louis.

The Arizona Cardinals were 19th.

The Leafs were 16th and the Yotes #11.

A cup would get them off this list.

http://www.gq.com/entertainment/sports/ ... me#slide=1

gaijin wrote:Game 3 of an 82-game season is a measuring stick?

Oaklandblue wrote:It's going to be epic, one way or the other. The organization has stopped screwing around and taken winning the Cup as job #1. Finally.

Halak has everything to prove. Putting him in goal puts it to the test. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I believe in him. Now's his time to shine.

We're as fully loaded with all the options as we're going to get. If we can beat them, it sets the stage for everything. We need this win for more than just the 2 points, we need the win for the confidence it will bring and we can build on.

Let's do this.