Blues/Coyotes Series

[heff]

Doesn't matter what line we have out there, we look like 5 guys trying to (Frank) a hockey puck. Bad handles, unfocused, hesitating passing... Are they a bad matchup?

[flyingnote38]

perron in particular has not looked good

[Robb_K]

I had a family matter, and so, couldn't watch the Saturday game live. So, I watched it after it was over, without having seen the score ahead of time. It seems that The Blues are just not skating hard or well enough to keep up with the speedy Coyotes. They also can't seem to move the puck up ice into the O-Zone consistently, which compounds the problems of making themselves more tired, by having to defend a lot more than The Coyotes. And that also leads to additional penalties, which further tires them out and gets them further behind in the scoring, which leads to them having to take more chances to try to create more offence. I don't know if the problem is lack of energy due to fighting off illness, lack of coordination in their game from integrating the new players and players returning from illness or injury, combined with lack of motivation from a few forwards to get back and help out with defence.

Then, of course, there is their inability to score on the power play. They are shooting too much from way out by The Blue Line, with no movement by teammates down deep, near the crease, and no formation of screens. They need both their shooters and non-shooters to penetrate deeper before letting the shot go, and have teammates in place to jump on rebounds, and set screens. They have thrown away the fundamentals. The puck movement is mostly just back towards The Blue Line, where they end up taking a worthless, no-chance, sure loss of possession shot.

[flyingnote38]

0 for 13 on the power play has been the difference
ticky tack calls against didn't help also

[theohall]

The game Saturday, both goals Husso allowed are the kind that should be stopped. short side?? Then through the legs with the stick off the ice?? Stick on the ice when moving across and that one doesn't go in. Just bad goals, IMO. Yes, the Yotes players made good plays to get the shots, but Husso played them poorly.

Officiating was so bad, even TheHockeyGuy (youtube) did a section on the Blues-Yotes games and the awful officiating.

[theohall]

Is it a coincidence the Blues lost 3 games since Scandella left the lineup? I don't think so and it shows why Dunn is still not a Top 4 defenseman. Nor is Mikkola ready pickup at that role. It's ashame Perunovich has a shoulder injury. Not saying he'd do any better, but he'd be worth the look.

[flyingnote38]

feels like Groundhog Day (the movie)
endless games against the yotes and dmen dropping like flies.
Perunovich out for the season

[theohall]

Not to mention losing two 2 centers even if Thomas keeps getting moved to the wing.