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GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:32 am
by dmiles2186
SHARKS (20-7-6) at BLUES (22-6-4)

TV: CSN-CA, FS-MW

Last 10: San Jose 5-4-1; St. Louis 6-3-1

Season series: This is the third and final game between the teams. The San Jose Sharks won the first two games against the St. Louis Blues by a combined score of 12-5. San Jose forward Brent Burns scored a hat trick in the Sharks' 6-3 win at SAP Center on Nov. 29.

Big story: St. Louis has lost two games in regulation on home ice (13-2-2), and one of those losses came against San Jose on Oct. 15. The Blues will be looking to avenge the earlier loss at Scottrade Center, in which the Sharks got goals from six different players on their way to a 6-2 win.

Team Scope:

Sharks: San Jose has dropped five of six (1-4-1), including a 3-2 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday.

Coach Todd McLellan sent a message to Burns and Logan Couture at practice Monday, assigning each a teal jersey indicative of assignment to the team’s third and fourth lines, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

"There's some players that haven't produced that we really count on a lot," McLellan said. "And maybe it's an opportunity to shake things up a little bit."

McLellan did not commit to demoting the two forwards from the top six for the St. Louis game.

Burns has not scored in eight games, and Couture has two goals in his past 15 games.

Blues: St. Louis lost to the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in overtime Monday night. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak.

The Blues may have to play San Jose without captain David Backes, who left the game Monday with an upper-body injury sustained on a hit by Senators forward Colin Greening.

St. Louis could not hold onto the one-goal lead it held after two second-period goals by Chris Stewart. Bobby Ryan tied it for the Senators at 5:44 of the third and rookie defenseman Cody Ceci scored the game-winner at 3:59 of overtime.

Coach Ken Hitchcock was not disappointed with his team's play in the overtime loss, particularly in the second period. He expected a good effort from Ottawa after the Senators lost 5-2 to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

"I thought the way we played in the second period was great. The second period was one of the best road periods we've played all year. We really took it to them and really hemmed them in, and at times overwhelmed them with our forecheck, so I was really happy. I was happy with the point.

"You know, disappointed that we lost it the way we did, it was too bad. [We] made a few errors on the 4-on-4 stuff, but overall the way we played in the second and third period was pretty impressive. We were down three, four top forwards … that's pretty impressive."

Who's hot: Sharks center Joe Pavelski has three goals his past three games. … Stewart has four goals his past three games after scoring twice in Ottawa.

Injury report: Sharks defenseman Scott Hannan (upper body) is day-to-day. Forwards Mike Brown (lower body), Adam Burish (lower body) and Raffi Torres (knee) are on injured reserve. … In addition to Backes, St. Louis may be without forwards Vladimir Sobotka (upper body) and Jaden Schwartz (undisclosed), both of whom sat out against Ottawa. Defenseman Jordan Leopold (finger surgery) and right wing Ryan Reaves (hand) are on IR.

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:57 am
by gaijin
Let's go fishing, boys.

2 points, please. :letsgoblues:

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:03 am
by STLADOGG
The injuries may be adding up now with Backes gone.
Hopefully we can get a point out of this game.

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:47 am
by dmiles2186
Hate to see a streak like this (possibly) come to an end tonight.

[tweet][/tweet]

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:08 am
by Oaklandblue
No excuses. We can do this.

Good guys 3
Skanks 0

Stew, Roy and Cole to the rescue

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 4:57 pm
by Oaklandblue
dmiles2186 wrote:Hate to see a streak like this (possibly) come to an end tonight.

[tweet][/tweet]
Why do I have a feeling that Backes may end up playing tonight? I don't know where it's coming from, but I am sure praying to it.

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 5:36 pm
by KPFBlue
Good to see Chris Stewart heating up right now. He's going to have to be a big part of the offense AND the enforcement out there. I will be shocked if Backes sees the ice tonight. In fact, I'd be very surprised if he saw anything more than ambient light today.

Steen needs to keep his head on a swivel tonight.

Let's respond:
Blues 2: Tarasenko, Polak
Joe Thornton is a Douche: 1

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 5:46 pm
by Oaklandblue
KPFBlue wrote:Good to see Chris Stewart heating up right now. He's going to have to be a big part of the offense AND the enforcement out there. I will be shocked if Backes sees the ice tonight. In fact, I'd be very surprised if he saw anything more than ambient light today.

Steen needs to keep his head on a swivel tonight.

Let's respond:
Blues 2: Tarasenko, Polak
Joe Thornton is a Douche: 1
Just ONE? Wait...

*pulls out a book and thumbs through it*

Douche (n.): Joe Thornton. Not to be confused with Shawn Thornton, who is a much bigger douche, which ironically is somehow possible in this space-time continnum, although he did take correspondence courses in How To Be A Hockey-Douche from Joe. Not related...far as we know although are possibly "douche-brothers" on the KPFBlue Douche-Scale (tm).
Used in a Sentence: Joe Thornton is a douche.
Rank in Douchery: #1

Ah, so THAT explains the one! I get it now!!

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:17 pm
by ComradeT
[tweet][/tweet]

This sucks... I am all for giving the young guys opportunities but this is our Captain America, goddammit!!

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:35 pm
by crazyhorse
Carlo on left wing?

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:38 pm
by dmiles2186
crazyhorse wrote:Carlo on left wing?

Actually...

[tweet][/tweet]

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:58 pm
by ComradeT
Don't get why they wouldn't call up anyone from AHL. A good chance to show themselves and I'm sure Jaskin or Rattie wouldn't do better than Carlo on the wing...

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:22 pm
by Nyghtewynd
So much fun watching the team laze around the ice, take dumb penalties, and go down early.

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:26 pm
by Nyghtewynd
So, as of now, we're left waiting to see which team we draw to see if we have a chance to win one series, because we can't beat SJ, LA, or ANA. Boy, that sounds vaguely familiar.

All you need to know about this performance: with about 1:30 of six-on-four PP at the end of the game, with one SJ player not having a stick for an extended period of time, the Blues had zero shots on goal until the last second. Screw you guys. Screw you.

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 7:48 am
by dmiles2186
We were down Boat, Schwartz, Backes, and Reaves, on top of being on the back half of a back to back. Strangely enough, this was the closest we'd played them all year. Why San Jose has beat up on us? I have no idea. We've got 7 regulation losses and almost half of them have come at the hands of SJ.

But I'm not worried. Again, 7 regulation losses, which are the fewest in the league, if I'm not mistaken. As for the playoffs and potentially meeting up with them? It's December. In April, they will be a different team and so will we. Trade deadline will do that, the teams will just have the natural ebbs and flows of a season. And anyway, the regular season doesn't mean anything once the postseason starts. I always use the example of the 2011-2012 season when the Blues destroyed the Kings in the regular season and then they stomped a mudhole in us in the 2nd round.

Was last night disappointing? Absolutely. Did it look like we were skating in quicksand at times? Absolutely. But I felt, even down 3-0, that the Blues could win the game. Thought I was going to get my wish when they clawed back to 3-2 at the end of the 2nd. Regardless, the injury bug has started to hit and with line combos being shaken up, some uneven play is to be expected.

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:34 am
by ComradeT
I wonder if there was not enough time to bring anyone from AHL in for Backes. Obviously, the hope is that we go into playoffs healthy. But if we are not, again, these injuries to regular players are great chances to try out our AHL stand-outs and let them get into the action a little. If we had enough forwards fine, but having to put a D on a wing is a bit ridiculous.

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 11:24 am
by STLADOGG
ComradeT wrote:I wonder if there was not enough time to bring anyone from AHL in for Backes. Obviously, the hope is that we go into playoffs healthy. But if we are not, again, these injuries to regular players are great chances to try out our AHL stand-outs and let them get into the action a little. If we had enough forwards fine, but having to put a D on a wing is a bit ridiculous.
That is what I was thinking too. It was probably a game time decision.

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:56 pm
by cardsfan04
dmiles2186 wrote:We were down Boat, Schwartz, Backes, and Reaves, on top of being on the back half of a back to back. Strangely enough, this was the closest we'd played them all year. Why San Jose has beat up on us? I have no idea. We've got 7 regulation losses and almost half of them have come at the hands of SJ.

But I'm not worried. Again, 7 regulation losses, which are the fewest in the league, if I'm not mistaken. As for the playoffs and potentially meeting up with them? It's December. In April, they will be a different team and so will we. Trade deadline will do that, the teams will just have the natural ebbs and flows of a season. And anyway, the regular season doesn't mean anything once the postseason starts. I always use the example of the 2011-2012 season when the Blues destroyed the Kings in the regular season and then they stomped a mudhole in us in the 2nd round.

Was last night disappointing? Absolutely. Did it look like we were skating in quicksand at times? Absolutely. But I felt, even down 3-0, that the Blues could win the game. Thought I was going to get my wish when they clawed back to 3-2 at the end of the 2nd. Regardless, the injury bug has started to hit and with line combos being shaken up, some uneven play is to be expected.
This essentially sums up my thoughts. Down 4 forwards + playing back-to-back nights in different cities while they were here resting. I would be upset if I heard any members of the Blues using that as an excuse, but that doesn't mean it's not a factor. I don't know why we've struggled against the Sharks this year or why we seem to be getting off to slow starts lately. The former I think is probably somewhat of a coincidence, but the latter needs to be addressed.

All in all, though, I'm not worried. We have a great record. We're going through more of an ebb than a flow right now, but we'll bounce back from it. We're too talented not to. I'm not worried about facing the Sharks in the playoffs. They are a good team, and I wouldn't hope for them. But, I think we're capable of beating them and just haven't thus far.

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:20 pm
by not_a_wings_fan
So if my napkin math is correct, we have lost every game against the pacific division except a win over Calgary?

1-5-2?

Regulation losses to SJ (3), Ana, and LA... OTL to Van and PHO.

Idk if that's cause for concern, but amazing results considering we are lighting up the rest of the league.

I would think the coaches would need to take a hard look at some game film and figure out how to close the loop hole these teams are exploiting.

We are 10-0-1 in the Central and 21-2-2 against the league other than the Pacific.

Re: GDT #33: 12/17/13 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMO

Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 9:54 am
by gaijin
not_a_wings_fan wrote:So if my napkin math is correct, we have lost every game against the pacific division except a win over Calgary?

1-5-2?

Regulation losses to SJ (3), Ana, and LA... OTL to Van and PHO.

Idk if that's cause for concern, but amazing results considering we are lighting up the rest of the league.

I would think the coaches would need to take a hard look at some game film and figure out how to close the loop hole these teams are exploiting.

We are 10-0-1 in the Central and 21-2-2 against the league other than the Pacific.
Looks like we need to get back to playing Eastern Conference teams. Hey look, there's one now!