GDT #9: 10/27/15 | 7:00PM CST | v Lightning | NBCSN/KMOX

[PGABluesFan]

Great game, and the Beer Steins they gave out tonight were sick!

[cprice12]

I feel infinitely better about the Mets chances tonight against Kansas City than the Blues chances tonight against Tampa Bay. Both games will end with the same score: 4-1. The home team loses both.

Generally speaking, not feeling good about these next few games.

I do not feel good about this game.
4 - 2 Bolts

Blues 2
Lightning 5

If nobody gets injured it'll be sort of like a win.

To all you all...

blues-empire.png (20.94 KiB) Viewed 9303 times

[theohall]

This Jake Allen was 100% the opposite of the Allen who played vs Montreal. Any time the puck went back high, he pushed himself outside his crease to the top. When rebounds happened, he was immediately shifting, tracking the puck extremely well.

Blues looked lazy in the first with their efforts to get the puck out of the zone continually just pushing the puck up the boards, even though the Lightning were pinching on those same boards. Reason I used the word pushing - they weren't firing the puck. It was just lazy puck movement with no crispness. Blues were lucky getting this win the the way they played the first.

Exact opposite of Montreal game. Lightning had the better play most of the game, yet the Blues got the only goals.

While Gomez may not have his same legs as before, he is damn good at setting things up from wherever.

And Parayko continues to be a beast. The subtle way he takes away space is awesome to see. When is the last time someone had the speed of Hedman and the shot of MacInnis as a defenseman for anyone?

[glen a richter]

Well, wrong on both counts so... a good and bad night simultaneously.

[theohall]

Some more thoughts:

1) Ott not used on scoring lines - Check
2) The Backes line being essentially a checking line and getting the occasional Ott pairing - Check
3) Gomez not being paired with just Upshall and Fabbri, but sometimes with Jaskin and Fabbri - ie trying to find offense and not treating whichever line Gomez is centering as grinders - Check.
4) Parayko on the #1 power play with the 4 forwards ahead of Pietrangelo - Check.
5) Allen playing like he should and has he did late last season, instead of looking like a goalie playing with a hangover - Check.

This game, with the exception of not playing Rattie over Upshall, looked like the coaches actually trying to create two scoring lines while rolling out two checking lines. They didn't just roll the same forward lines all the time and did change them up occasionally obviously trying to find the best pairings for what's currently on the roster due to the injury situation.

Looking forward.... let's say Gomez continues to play well all the way until Berglund returns. Who do you bench? Gomez, Ott, or someone else? Berglund is as capable defensively as Ott with better offensive skill. If Gomez continues to perform, removing his offense from the lineup would be a mistake. Or does Berglund wind up on a wing with Gomez?

Parayko already looks like the Blues best defenseman. He appears to be better at the take away space thing than both Bouwmeester and Pietrangelo.

First line needs to be more consistent for 60 minutes.

[ComradeT]

Screw bolts.

3-0 Blues. Allen finally has a game worthy of Elliott's backup.

Nailed three out of four predictions!

Where's my Luke Skywalker poster, Curt?

[glen a richter]

I can't believe the minutes Parayko is logging. Maybe his all-star calibre play will help shift Hitch's philosophy on rookies in general.

[ecbm]

3) Gomez not being paired with just Upshall and Fabbri, but sometimes with Jaskin and Fabbri - ie trying to find offense and not treating whichever line Gomez is centering as grinders - Check.

I read an article on the Philadelphia Eagles and Chip Kelly that made the point that when coaches get control of personnel you often see the mistake of a player being treated (and paid) as if he's the player the coach thinks he is/wants him to be rather than what he is. A big part of Gomez resurrection last year had to do with starting 65%+ of his shifts in the offensive end. He's not a checking line guy-there are far better options for that. Yes, including Backes at this point. Hopefully Hitch is coming to see that reality. Which brings me to

I can't believe the minutes Parayko is logging. Maybe his all-star calibre play will help shift Hitch's philosophy on rookies in general.

Yep. Noticed the narrowing in TOI between him and Bouwmeester. Hopefully another reality Hitch is coming to terms with: Parayko right now is either the best or second-best D on this team.

[ViPeRx007]

I'm happy to be wrong on my prediction this time. I forgot I fixed all of our problems by sponsoring the Hockey Gods. Impressive game on both sides of the ice. A few sloppy plays in our own zone, but Allen was there to bail us out.

My game notes:

1) So Allen just needs to play against one of his buddies every night. It seems to motivate him. His best game by far.

2) Really nice to see Fabbri back and getting chances. Doesn't seem the concussion made him play scared. Hopefully he can stay healthy. We're going to need him.

3) I, like Kreegz, also thought we got away with a few calls against. It was nice to get some breaks though, as it seems we usually don't get that many...but I suppose every fan of every team thinks this about every game.

4) I really want one of those steins. Dang geographical difficulties.

[PGABluesFan]

4) I really want one of those steins. Dang geographical difficulties.

I wasn't expecting them to be this nice!

[dmiles2186]

Agreed. Those steins are fire. Viper, they didn't hand them out at the gate, but they handed out a voucher. I did look around on the ground in my section to find extra vouchers, but no luck.

And surprisingly, the box that the stein came in is actually pretty sharp looking too.

As for the game, this was about as good a defensive game the Blues have played collectively as a group all season. Constantly getting stick in lanes, rarely out of position, and completely neutralizing Stamkos and Johnson.

Glad we got that first goal because it felt like that's all either team was going to get for awhile.

And once again, Gomez making plays. For a cheap hire, he's been about as good as we could ask for this year. And seeing Upshall's wheels in person, he's clearly making an impact even if it's not on the score sheet.

Backes, on the other hand, looks like a shell of himself.

[ViPeRx007]

Agreed. Those steins are fire. Viper, they didn't hand them out at the gate, but they handed out a voucher. I did look around on the ground in my section to find extra vouchers, but no luck.

I suppose I'll forgive you eventually.

[glen a richter]

That stein beats the hell out of a magnetic calendar any day of the week. Maybe not a Parayko bobblehead doll though.

[WaukeeBlues]

Great win, we need every win we can get at this stretch.

1) Tarasenko played pretty poorly the first two periods. Threw the puck around a pick, wasn't terribly engaged, he didn't look good. Third was better.
2) I don't think there can be an intelligent debate: Gomez, Brouwer and Fabbri were the best line all night for the Blues. So many chances. I don't know how on earth the three of them work so well together but they were great.
3) Parayko. I just shake my head in disbelief at this guy. He was poised, engaged, rarely ever out of position (I don't think I saw it once) just... nuts. I think my favorite part of the night was when he wound up for a slapper and everyone in front of him just visibly cringed and tensed up a la Chara and Weber. Hilarious. His 55 throws me off though, it makes me have nightmares of Cam Janssen

[ComradeT]

Agreed. Those steins are fire. Viper, they didn't hand them out at the gate, but they handed out a voucher. I did look around on the ground in my section to find extra vouchers, but no luck.

And surprisingly, the box that the stein came in is actually pretty sharp looking too.

As for the game, this was about as good a defensive game the Blues have played collectively as a group all season. Constantly getting stick in lanes, rarely out of position, and completely neutralizing Stamkos and Johnson.

Glad we got that first goal because it felt like that's all either team was going to get for awhile.

And once again, Gomez making plays. For a cheap hire, he's been about as good as we could ask for this year. And seeing Upshall's wheels in person, he's clearly making an impact even if it's not on the score sheet.

Backes, on the other hand, looks like a shell of himself.

Backes needs to work on his skating. He just doesn't get there anymore as fast as he used to. For a big guy, skating can deteriorate pretty quickly, but can probably be fixed if he spends a summer with a power skating specialist.

[ecbm]

That stein beats the hell out of a magnetic calendar any day of the week. Maybe not a Parayko bobblehead doll though.

Depends on if the doll looks anything like Parayko, though...