GDT Game 3: 5/19/16 | 8:00PM CST | @ Sharks | NBCSN/Y98

[theohall]

Story of the Series

DeBoer has Hitchcock completely outcoached.

The End.

[WaukeeBlues]

No adjustments have been made.
This is why people hate Hitchcock

Sent from my R2 unit

This WCF appearance would be enjoyable in of itself if I knew this asshole was not returning as head coach.

Well I'll tell you what, if this embarrassment of a series continues like this he might not be back.

Or one can only hope.

I still think this team's success this postseason has been more about the collective players turning a corner than anything Hitch has done differently than in years past.

[Portland Blues]

I mean it's no wonder we're gassed, we've basically played 3 years worth of Blues playoff hockey in 1 postseason.

[WaukeeBlues]

No adjustments have been made.
This is why people hate Hitchcock

Sent from my R2 unit

This WCF appearance would be enjoyable in of itself if I knew this asshole was not returning as head coach.

Well I'll tell you what, if this embarrassment of a series continues like this he might not be back.

Or one can only hope.

I still think this team's success this postseason has been more about the collective players turning a corner than anything Hitch has done differently than in years past.

And to add to my own point here: It would be something totally different if the Blues were definitely in these games and falling just short but they look like total crap and they are getting embarrassed.

The Hitchcock pessimist would point out that if a certain puck didn't take two bounces off of the posts the Blues drop a 3-1 series lead to lose to the Hawks in crushing fashion in the first round, couldn't put away yet another series where the Blues had a 3-2 advantage against the Stars who, IMO, were clearly outmatched by the Blues and now getting sh*tkicked and embarrassed in the conference finals.

Hitchcock shouldn't have been brought back last offseason.

[WaukeeBlues]

I mean it's no wonder we're gassed, we've basically played 3 years worth of Blues playoff hockey in 1 postseason.

I actually thought about that earlier but then it's like "Well what about the Sharks?"

And they have had to log a hell of a lot more airline miles than the Blues too.

[Portland Blues]

Complete and utter

[abc789987]

Just copy all the same comments from game 2 to this thread.

[Kerfuffle]

The post game analysis I think is spot on tonight. I usually can't stand Milbury but the word 'energy' and lack of it keep coming up and I think that's fair. Now is when all eyes are on Hitch to figure out how to spark this team again. We actually might see Reaves and Ott next game to change things up. Should be interesting game 4.

[AllBluesTheWhite]

Blues are trying to Dallas the Sharks too much.

Sharks are really looking like the team that can win the cup for the West.

Blues return to Chicago series form, they can do this.

Obviously, they aren't going to "hit" the Sharks into submission, but they still have the proper two-way game coming from Steen, Backes, Bergie to compete.

Looks a whole lot like the 2001 WCF right now.

[cardsfan04]

I'm not going full panic unless we lose game 4, but it's hard to be optimistic after consecutive shutouts in which Jones didn't have to work very hard. Win game 4 and it's a brand new series, but that would require generating scoring chances.

[Portland Blues]

Dear Blues Team:

[Oaklandblue]

I don't blame Hitch for these guys not doing zip. I'm tired of that excuse. Play the game Hitch has provided, do your job and make things happen. We beat them in Game 1 soundly, so it can be done again. No one is being outcoached, the team is simply not playing to it's potential.

I wouldn't bother activating Reaves or MPS and deactivate Ott and call up Ty Rattie. Give the Teal a face they haven't seen before.

[Oaklandblue]

Blues are trying to Dallas the Sharks too much.

Sharks are really looking like the team that can win the cup for the West.

Blues return to Chicago series form, they can do this.

Obviously, they aren't going to "hit" the Sharks into submission, but they still have the proper two-way game coming from Steen, Backes, Bergie to compete.

Looks a whole lot like the 2001 WCF right now.

Given the Sharks are an older team - Jumbo and Marleau are pushing late 30's, the Blues could make it a physically grueling competition and wear them down. It worked in Game 1, it will work again. When we are playing our game, the Sharks can't touch us.

[glen a richter]

Stick a fork in the Blues, second consecutive WCF getting absolutely stonewalled by a goalie/team on fire, albeit 15 years apart. Who will they lose to in 2031?

[gaijin]

Stick a fork in the Blues, second consecutive WCF getting absolutely stonewalled by a goalie/team on fire, albeit 15 years apart. Who will they lose to in 2031?

Las Vegas

[cprice12]

I'm not going full panic unless we lose game 4, but it's hard to be optimistic after consecutive shutouts in which Jones didn't have to work very hard. Win game 4 and it's a brand new series, but that would require generating scoring chances.

This.
For the most part they've looked like utter crap the first three games.
However, if they can manage to win game 4, they have stolen home ice advantage back and it's a best out of 3 and we have two at home...not that that means anything since we've played worse at home, but whatever.

I said before that game 3 wasn't a must win...and that as long as they played well, I'd feel better. Well, they started off the game good, but the last two periods were like game 2...very bad. So I'm not feeling good at all about this series now.

Game 4 is just about a must win now. Huge, huge game and the Blues need to completely change the way they are playing if they hope to win it.

We'll see what happens.

It would be nice if Elliott could stand on his head and steal one to give us a boost...and it would be nice if Tarasenko could find some open ice to do something, they have really smothered him.

[StL Dan]

The Sharks are darn good.

[dmiles2186]

It's tough to tell where the line ends for the Sharks' play, imposing their well, controlling possession and the line begins for the Blues and whatever they're doing. The Blues look gassed. But even that aside, they're missing wide open passes, they're giving up odd man rushes and seems like most are ending up in the back of the net. The bounces aren't going their way.

I still have faith they'll flip the switch, but they've not shown it at all in 3 games. They've been outplayed in all three and they're a few posts from being down 3-0 in the biggest series this franchise has had in 15 years. And the thing is, clearly the players aren't just quitting. Why would you when most of them haven't been this far? The Sharks are out-Bluesing the Blues and so far, we don't have an answer for it.

The concerning thing is that this series reminds me of the 2nd round series against the Kings in 2012. We're not making Jones work, it doesn't feel like we're going to score, and everything feels like an uphill battle. The Blues are losing board battles, faceoffs, quality chances, and the hitting game.

And was anyone else really, really, really annoyed that the Blues showed more heart, passion, and fire in the final 5 minutes with no goalie than they had almost the entire series (and still couldn't get a goal)?

[StL Dan]

And was anyone else really, really, really annoyed that the Blues showed more heart, passion, and fire in the final 5 minutes with no goalie than they had almost the entire series (and still couldn't get a goal)?

Yes.

[gaijin]

One thing I have particularly noticed is that when the Blues are in the defensive zone and manage to get the puck away from the Sharks, they dump it out in a desperation move to relieve the offensive pressure and get a line change. At the other end (and this is a much smaller sample size), when the Blues are in the offensive zone and the Sharks take over the puck, they are bringing it out and taking it up ice into our zone. Lather, rinse, repeat for the last couple games.