GDT 1/20/11: Blues v Dead Wings, 7 PM, KMOX, FSMW (HD)

[dmiles2186]

Punch. Bleed. Cry.

RED WINGS (28-12-6) at BLUES (22-17-6)

TV: FS-D (HD), FS-MW (HD)

Last 10: Detroit 5-3-2; St. Louis 4-5-1

Season series -- It's the fourth of six meetings this season between these Central Division rivals. Detroit took the first two on home ice and St. Louis responded with a 4-3 triumph at home on Dec. 23. Patrik Berglund scored twice and Jaroslav Halak made 35 saves for the Blues. Danny Cleary started a four-goal third-period outburst with his second of the night in a 7-3 win on Nov. 17, and Nicklas Lidstrom recorded the first hat trick of his career in a 5-2 victory on Dec. 15.

Big story -- While the Red Wings continue to go toe-to-toe with the Vancouver Canucks for the top seed in the Western Conference, the Blues are simply holding out hope that a playoff berth is in their future. The return of TJ Oshie to the St. Louis lineup could be just the boost coach Davis Payne needs at this stage in the season. Detroit enters the contest second in the conference with 62 points -- three behind the Canucks. The Blues are 10th in the conference with 50 points, four points behind eighth-seeded Chicago.

Team Scope:

Red Wings -- The Red Wings took 18 of a possible 26 points in their first 13 games after Pavel Datsyuk started their run of injuries by breaking his right hand. But they are 1-2-1 in their last four games, including a 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday. Johan Franzen's 20th goal got Detroit within 2-1 at 17:28 of the second, but it didn't take long before the Penguins were back in control. While injuries have hurt the Wings, so has repeatedly falling behind early in games -- they've trailed 2-0 in each of their last three.

Blues -- Oshie provided just the emotional lift the team needed on Tuesday to snap a three-game home losing streak following a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, returning to the lineup a month ahead of schedule. Oshie, who was a minus-1 with two shots on net but was also the game's No. 1 star, got a loud ovation when he was announced as one of the starters for the first time since breaking his ankle on Nov. 10. The Blues were 9-1-2 before Oshie, a first-round draft pick in 2005, was injured, and he led the team in scoring with a goal and nine assists at the time of his injury.

"I felt great," Oshie said. "It took me a while to find my step out there, but everything was good. Probably halfway through the second, I started getting comfortable. I was feeling like myself again out there."

Who's hot -- Red Wings center Darren Helm has recorded four two-point games in his last nine matches and has 10 points in the last 10 games (2 goals, 8 assists). … St. Louis defenseman Erik Johnson has a point in his last four games (2 goal, 2 assists), a season high.

Injury report -- For Detroit, defenseman Brad Stuart (jaw) and forwards Tomas Holmstrom (broken hand), Cleary (ankle), Datsyuk (hand/wrist) and Mike Modano (wrist) are out. … Blues defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo (facial cut) is day-to-day. Meanwhile, the Blues are without concussed forwards Andy McDonald and David Perron.

Stat pack -- St. Louis has sold out all 24 home games this season. … Detroit's Franzen has a team-leading 20 goals, including a goal in each of his last two games.

Puck drop -- Lidstrom was named a captain for the 2011 NHL All-Star Game presented by Discover on Tuesday. The future Hall of Fame defenseman and 12-time NHL All Star is excited about the new format, in which he and fellow captain Eric Staal of Carolina will take turns choosing sides from the remaining pool of All-Stars on Jan. 28. When asked on Tuesday who he might choose with his first pick, Lidstrom refused to tip his hand.

[goon attack]

GOTTA CANCEL THE GAME! THE SNOW! OMFG! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!

[ohio BLUES]

I hope they start Joey MacDonald. Swiss cheese.

[STLADOGG]

GOTTA CANCEL THE GAME! THE SNOW! OMFG! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!

Dags would slap you right now

[SamJunior]

I hope they start Joey MacDonald. Swiss cheese.

Howard will be in net.

Blues 6 (D'Agostini 2, Oshie, Petro, Backes, McRae)
Flying Tires 5

[WaukeeBlues]

Oshie scores tonight. I feel a new win streak in teh air.

Blues 4
Wings 2

[fargoblues]

GOTTA CANCEL THE GAME! THE SNOW! OMFG! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!

Truth.



Of course you all can suck hind teat on this one. I've got over three feet of the shit in my front yard.

[theohall]

I hope they start Joey MacDonald. Swiss cheese.

Howard will be in net.

Blues 6 (D'Agostini 2, Oshie, Petro, Backes, McRae)
Flying Tires 5

Maybe Howard can emulate 4th string goalie Thomas McCollum and break his finger in practice.

[dirtypel30]

A winning streak is much needed now. We need to get to 56 by early next week. Always love to climb against conf. foe ahead of us. Plus, my old man is a Dirt Wing fan. Nothing better than to rub his nose in a Det loss. I hope the boys bring the intensity. Payne should reinforce no running around tonight.
Just outwork em.

[JPonder94]

Blues - score
Wings - nope

[cardsfan04]

Blues 4
Wings 2

I think (hope) that Oshie is going to ignite a winning streak.

[glen a richter]

I was browsing the comments on a Yahoo article and someone claimed they heard that Perron won't be back. They didn't elaborate whether they meant this season or ever, but the way it was worded almost got me to thinking the kid is finished for his career. I certainly hope not because we need guys like him against teams like Detoilet.

The current lineup will have to do though.

Blues 2
Detroit 3
Regulation

[#1ELPBluzFan]

IF DP is gone for the season, I'd not be surprised. IF he's gone for his career - I'd be very surprised. Now, if he was wearing #88 instead of #57, I might be more concerned.

I'd love to see Oshhhh score a Gordie Hat Trick tonight in a Blues Victory...but I think he'll bang a few heads, score one and be awesome on Special Teams.

Blues: 3
Wings:1

[Winning Unlimited]

Oshie scores an Ovechtrick. But, why is an Ovechktrick 9 goals, and not 8?

[cardsfan04]

I don't know much about concussions (or anything for that matter), but this sounds like good news. Doug Armstrong said that McDonald has passed all of his baseline tests (which I guess we already knew since he was skating) and Perron has passed the first.

[Krigloch the Furious]

Blues score while im taking a crap... Should I stay put?

[cardsfan04]

Disappointing end, but it's great to see them overcome a 3-0 deficit to a good team to at least force overtime.

[dirtypel30]

3 goal lead worst head in hockey. That a boys. EJ had a tough night. Forecheck in the third is what I should see every night.

[SamJunior]

I was browsing the comments on a Yahoo article and someone claimed they heard that Perron won't be back. They didn't elaborate whether they meant this season or ever, but the way it was worded almost got me to thinking the kid is finished for his career. I certainly hope not because we need guys like him against teams like Detoilet.

Doug Armstrong said during the game that Perron is improving, doing better every day but is a few steps behind Andy Mac (who we know just started to skate with the team). Based on this interview I think Perron could return at the very end of the season or to the playoffs if the Blues make it.

[cprice12]

We were horrible early...geez.
Waaaaay too many stupid giveaways. I'll give Detroit credit to a point, but we kinda shot ourselves in the foot in just handing them the puck on bad passes for the first half of the game...and then Detroit just kept the peddle down when we'd turn it over.
Terrible.

It was good to see us battle back and grab a point and force OT (and we should have won in regulation if Sabotka could have tapped Oshie's pass into the open net instead of hitting the post)...but we shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. I haven't seen us give the puck away that many times in a game in a long time.

And I said this the last time we played them...and once again...Detroit scores "weird" goals on us. All three regulation goals by Detroit were the result of either stupid mistakes by us, or weird-goofy goals.
The horrible giveaway along the boards by Johnson...the goofy redirection off of Polak's stick when he went to block a pass across...and Halak not knowing where the puck was when Bertuzzi was all alone at the side of the open net for an easy goal.

For the last 13-14 years, it seems like half of the goals Detroit scores on us are of the "odd" variety...which just adds to the frustration when we play those ass monkeys.

Oh...and Halak's kick save in traffic late in the 3rd period was outstanding...wow.