GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMOX

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GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KMOX

Post by dmiles2186 »

BLUES (45-14-7) at PREDATORS (29-28-10)

TV: FS-MW, FS-TN

Last 10: St. Louis 7-2-1; Nashville 4-5-1

Blue Notes: The Blues have points in 20 consecutive division games (18-0-2), which is a new franchise record. Vladimir Tarasenko is on a career-high four-game assist streak (one goal, four assists). The Blues are 4-0-0 against Nashville this season and can sweep the season series with a win. Ryan Miller will start in goal and is 3-0-1 with a 1.75 goals-against average, a .934 save-percentage and one shutout in his last four starts against Nashville. The Blues are 9-1-0 in their last 10 against Nashville. With a win, Ken Hitchcock would tie Andy Murray for third on the Blues' all-time wins list (118).

Season series: The St. Louis Blues have won the previous four games against the Nashville Predators. After losing the first two, outscored 10-3, the Predators have lost 4-3 in a shootout and 2-1.

Big story: One night after defeating the third-place team in the Central Division, the Chicago Blackhawks, to end a perfect three-game road trip, Nashville comes home to play the dominant first-place club.

"We had a tough home stretch there for a while. We were playing really well; we just weren't getting goals," Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis said after the 3-2 win. "I think going on the road was good for our team, for the chemistry, and just for the bonding experience. And we've rattled off three wins here and we're getting back in the race."

St. Louis leads the Presidents' Trophy standings in large part due to its 18-0-2 record against its division that includes that 4-0-0 mark against Nashville. The Blues have nine divisional games remaining after this one, including five of the last six.

Team Scope:

Blues: Two young wings, Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko, each reached their first 20-goal season Thursday in a 6-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers.

Schwartz, who turns 22 in June, scored twice to get to 21 goals, and Tarasenko, who turned 22 in December, scored his 20th. They fill bigger roles in their second full season after the Blues traded David Perron to the Oilers this summer.

"I think we expected this to happen," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "... The risk we took was that the two kids could take David's minutes, and they've been able to do that."

Schwartz was not as sure.

"I didn't really expect it coming into this season," he said. "But I wanted to chip in and do my part, and [I'd like] to keep going."

Forward Vladimir Sobotka returned after missing 12 games because of a knee injury and had a goal and two assists, including one on Tarasenko's goal.

Hitchcock told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Friday that the line of Sobotka, Tarasenko and T.J. Oshie, which combined for three goals and eight points, would stay together. Forward Brenden Morrow was a healthy scratch but will be back in the lineup after Magnus Paajarvi sustained an upper-body injury.

"I think we're going to invest in a few more changes, though, in the next 48 hours, to be honest with you," Hitchcock told the newspaper. "There are some things we want to look at here in the next few games. We want to make some changes, and a couple of them might be pretty interesting."

Predators: Nashville got six points from defensemen against Chicago. Shea Weber (two assists) had his 12th multipoint game of the season (second in a row), Ellis' breakaway was his fourth goal to tie his career-high, and Roman Josi had three assists.

Excluding 28-year-old Weber, none of the other five defensemen who skated Friday is older than 23.

"That's the strength of really our group, is our D-men," coach Barry Trotz said. "They're all young and talented. We're the youngest team in the League by three years, on the blue line, with our seven guys. The future's really bright for us there."

Trotz said it was "too early to tell" if goalie Pekka Rinne would start back-to-back games. He's won two in a row after losing his first three after returning from a hip infection.

Who's hot: Blues goalie Ryan Miller is 5-0-1 since arriving via trade from the Buffalo Sabres and has allowed more than two goals once. Forward Alexander Steen had two assists Thursday to reach a career-high 52 points. Oshie had three points and at 53 is one short of his career-high. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has a goal in two straight games after going 20 without one. Tarasenko has five points in a four-game streak. … Josi has 15 points in his past 19 games.

Injury report: Blues forward Patrik Berglund (leg) left the game Thursday midway through the third period and is questionable for Saturday. Magnus Paajarvi has an upper-body injury and won't play against Nashville. … The Predators report no injuries.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by glen a richter »

Regardless of the results of tonight's game, I still have to wonder how Barry Trotz remains the only coach in Nashville history. His teams routinely under-perform and when he has good teams, playoff caliber teams, they fall flat when they get there. How can a shake-up NOT be a good thing for that club? I do think their recent 3 game streak is more indicative of what that team is capable of, so the boys better be firing on all cylinders early and put them in an uncomfortable position.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by not_a_wings_fan »

We need these two points!

We are starting to get where the math really works in our favor in the division and the conference. Let's just keep it rolling and take over.

I have always thought Nash has nice pieces but can't properly assemble them. That's usually indicative of coaching, I agree. It would be interesting to see what a new voice would do for them. Roy sure made a difference in Colorado.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by gaijin »

glen a richter wrote:... and put them in an uncomfortable position.
What, like the back seat of a Volkswagen?

2 points, please. :letsgoblues:
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by cardsfan04 »

not_a_wings_fan wrote:We need these two points!

We are starting to get where the math really works in our favor in the division and the conference. Let's just keep it rolling and take over.

I have always thought Nash has nice pieces but can't properly assemble them. That's usually indicative of coaching, I agree. It would be interesting to see what a new voice would do for them. Roy sure made a difference in Colorado.
Yep, we really are. Chicago and Colorado both lost again. 7 and 6 points + 1 game each on them respectively. If we play .500 from here on out, we'll have 113 points. Colorado would need 1.5 points/game to tie us in that scenario. Not over, but their window to catch us is rapidly shrinking.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by theohall »

"I think we're going to invest in a few more changes, though, in the next 48 hours, to be honest with you," Hitchcock told the newspaper. "There are some things we want to look at here in the next few games. We want to make some changes, and a couple of them might be pretty interesting."
That is interesting to hear. Bringing up some young 'uns maybe?? Just to keep the vets motivated down the stretch or get some of them rest before the playoffs.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by glen a richter »

theohall wrote:
"I think we're going to invest in a few more changes, though, in the next 48 hours, to be honest with you," Hitchcock told the newspaper. "There are some things we want to look at here in the next few games. We want to make some changes, and a couple of them might be pretty interesting."
That is interesting to hear. Bringing up some young 'uns maybe?? Just to keep the vets motivated down the stretch or get some of them rest before the playoffs.
I posted elsewhere, and have been thinking recently that acquiring Ott kind of reduced the need for a guy like LaPierre--at least on a regular basis. Morrow is also a guy who should see diminished ice time. I was kind of mentally penciling Rattie and Jaskin into regular ice time next season, but if Hitch wants to get some additional offensive prowess heading into the playoffs, now is a good time to get both those guys a little (more) NHL experience.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by cardsfan04 »

glen a richter wrote:
theohall wrote:
"I think we're going to invest in a few more changes, though, in the next 48 hours, to be honest with you," Hitchcock told the newspaper. "There are some things we want to look at here in the next few games. We want to make some changes, and a couple of them might be pretty interesting."
That is interesting to hear. Bringing up some young 'uns maybe?? Just to keep the vets motivated down the stretch or get some of them rest before the playoffs.
I posted elsewhere, and have been thinking recently that acquiring Ott kind of reduced the need for a guy like LaPierre--at least on a regular basis. Morrow is also a guy who should see diminished ice time. I was kind of mentally penciling Rattie and Jaskin into regular ice time next season, but if Hitch wants to get some additional offensive prowess heading into the playoffs, now is a good time to get both those guys a little (more) NHL experience.
Agree on Jaskin, but not sure I would bring Rattie up this year. Now that we're apparently a cap team, it's important to keep prospects cost-controlled as long as possible. Jaskin's clock has already started, but I'd prefer not to start Ratties until next year.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by not_a_wings_fan »

Seeing slackers shipped out has really lit a fire under bergs. Two goals and four pims for physical play? Who is this guy?
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by ajmbleedsblue »

I was hearing that Blues can clinch if Phoenix loses tonight and the Blues win the next game. Can anyone confirm? My playoff website doesn't update until tomorrow morning.

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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by cardsfan04 »

I don't know about tiebreakers, but that sounds right. There are only the top 3 in each division + 3 WC's that can mathematically catch us. PHX is the lowest WC and once we clinch on them we clinch a playoff spot.

PHX can get 103 points if they win out. If they lose in regulation tonight, they can only get 101. We have 99 points, so winning our next game would give us 101 which would tie their maximum possible. I think ROW is first tiebreaker. We currently lead them by 12. They would add 14 wins getting to 101 points (and we wouldn't add any), so we'd need 2 of their remaining wins to be in SO's to force a 2nd tiebreaker or 3 to win the tiebreaker outright.

Short version, we'd clinch a tie for the last spot.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by ajmbleedsblue »

Nice work, Cardsfan04. I wonder what the actual requirement for pts to get a spot is at the end of the season. I'm sure we have exceeded that by now.

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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by STLADOGG »

Wow I cant believe we beat the Preds by 3!
That never happens, also there were a shit ton of Blues fans there; and they were loud. Blues starting to pick up some bandwagon fans?
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

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ajmbleedsblue wrote:Nice work, Cardsfan04. I wonder what the actual requirement for pts to get a spot is at the end of the season. I'm sure we have exceeded that by now.
I was gonna guess around 100, but Dallas (currently 8 seed) is on pace for 93.18 points. Seems we likely have exceeded the threshold already.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by cardsfan04 »

STLADOGG wrote:Wow I cant believe we beat the Preds by 3!
That never happens, also there were a shit ton of Blues fans there; and they were loud. Blues starting to pick up some bandwagon fans?
Yeah, that was cool as hell. The LGB chants were really loud, louder than they are at home games sometimes. The towel guy stuff was really funny. I was really surprised by that, but it was really cool.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by gaijin »

cardsfan04 wrote:
STLADOGG wrote:Wow I cant believe we beat the Preds by 3!
That never happens, also there were a shit ton of Blues fans there; and they were loud. Blues starting to pick up some bandwagon fans?
Yeah, that was cool as hell. The LGB chants were really loud, louder than they are at home games sometimes. The towel guy stuff was really funny. I was really surprised by that, but it was really cool.
It seemed like the Blues fans in the crowd were louder throughout the game than the Preds fans (of course, the Blues led the whole game, so that's probably your reason right there). But Nashville is the closest NHL market to us geographically, so it only makes sense that there would be a large number of Blues fans in Nashville.

At any rate, helluva job, boys. :okman:
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by cardsfan04 »

gaijin wrote:
cardsfan04 wrote:
STLADOGG wrote:Wow I cant believe we beat the Preds by 3!
That never happens, also there were a shit ton of Blues fans there; and they were loud. Blues starting to pick up some bandwagon fans?
Yeah, that was cool as hell. The LGB chants were really loud, louder than they are at home games sometimes. The towel guy stuff was really funny. I was really surprised by that, but it was really cool.
It seemed like the Blues fans in the crowd were louder throughout the game than the Preds fans (of course, the Blues led the whole game, so that's probably your reason right there). But Nashville is the closest NHL market to us geographically, so it only makes sense that there would be a large number of Blues fans in Nashville.

At any rate, helluva job, boys. :okman:
I think they might have outnumbered the pred fans too. Somebody on the broadcast suggested 10K Blues fans were there. I think Panger thought that was a big high, but if it's even in the ballpark of 10K, that's a ton of fans at a road game.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by glen a richter »

cardsfan04 wrote:
gaijin wrote:
cardsfan04 wrote:
STLADOGG wrote:Wow I cant believe we beat the Preds by 3!
That never happens, also there were a shit ton of Blues fans there; and they were loud. Blues starting to pick up some bandwagon fans?
Yeah, that was cool as hell. The LGB chants were really loud, louder than they are at home games sometimes. The towel guy stuff was really funny. I was really surprised by that, but it was really cool.
It seemed like the Blues fans in the crowd were louder throughout the game than the Preds fans (of course, the Blues led the whole game, so that's probably your reason right there). But Nashville is the closest NHL market to us geographically, so it only makes sense that there would be a large number of Blues fans in Nashville.

At any rate, helluva job, boys. :okman:
I think they might have outnumbered the pred fans too. Somebody on the broadcast suggested 10K Blues fans were there. I think Panger thought that was a big high, but if it's even in the ballpark of 10K, that's a ton of fans at a road game.
I was listening to the KMOX feed and had to remind myself it was a road game. In the 3rd period there was a penalty call and I thought we were going on the power play because it seemed like the entire crowd was groaning about it.
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by dmiles2186 »

[youtube][/youtube]
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Re: GDT #67: 3/15/14 > Blues @ Predators > 7:00 PM > FSMW/KM

Post by glen a richter »

dmiles2186 wrote:[youtube][/youtube]
So basically there were about 5 Preds fans in attendance? I'm cool with getting 42 home games in an 82 game season.
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