GDT#42: 1/10/12 > Blues @ Canadiens > 6:30 PM > FSMW/KMOX

[dmiles2186]

Back to back shutouts. Big night for Jaro. 1st place. Great night.

Who starts the next game now, Hitch?

[PGABluesFan]

Amazing! So who starts in goal next game now?

[dmiles2186]

That was a classy response by Montreal fans. Seriously. That was awesome.

[gaijin]

That was a classy response by Montreal fans. Seriously. That was awesome.

You don't see a standing ovation for the opposing goalie very often. Classy indeed.

[cardsfan04]

That was a classy response by Montreal fans. Seriously. That was awesome.

Yeah, that was awesome. Good for Halak. And pure class from Montreal. I gained a new respect for them because of that gesture.

[goon attack]

Solid road win. The most impressive thing about it to me is that it's a game we should win easily and we did. We didn't let up on an inferior opponent. Gotta be ruthless.... like a machine to get to the next level. Competing your hardest should be automatic.

[kodos]

Are we now 1st in the West??

Not anymore, Vancouver is in OT.

[cardsfan04]

Are we now 1st in the West??

We are tied w/ Vancouver w/ 2 games in hand, but they are in OT vs TB right now. TB tied it up w/ like a minute left to force OT.

[kodos]

Cockbags won.

[STLADOGG]

The last time the Blues were out of a playoff spot was November 22.

[northwest dave]

Man, Hitch has got these guys playing some intense hockey. The puck pursuit was awesome. What a fun team to watch.

[Ron Finger]

Man, Hitch has got these guys playing some intense hockey. The puck pursuit was awesome. What a fun team to watch.

Incredibly accurate assessment.

[WaukeeBlues]

Very happy to see the rebounds getting buried. Doesn't happen much in this league where juicy rebounds come out in the slot area and, however simple, very good to see that 3rd man high trailing the play, picking up the garbage and putting it in the net. Good positioning, pursuit and delivery by both Arnott and Backes there.

And what a sick steal by Backes at the end. Stripped it, turn, 2 on 1, pass shoot score. That was beautiful.

[drwoland]

Didn't get to watch, LOVED the highlights.

[glen a richter]

Also missed the game but saw some of the highlights...

It's fun to be a Blues fan again. Let's keep this thing rolling.

[cprice12]

Granted, Halak didn't see a ton of shots...and Montreal sent an awful lot of shots wide...but Halak stopped everything that was put on net, and he didn't look shaky or have any brainfart moments with the puck that has plagued him this year.

His best game by far. His fundementals were solid in this game...which is something that had been driving me crazy. He had been putting up good numbers since his the first half dozen games or so, and the media was praising him non-stop, but he never looked quite right. He couldn't hold on to the puck and his rebound control wasn't great. And his recent switch to a new webbing in his glove to better hold on to the puck just proves there was an issue there.

Anyway... hopefully Halak is coming on now and we can roll two solid goalies in the 2nd half and have relatively fresh keepers come playoff time.

Halak is now 9th in the NHL with a 2.14 GAA (his GAA is sinking like a rock...not log ago it was over 3.50).

Total class by Montreal after the game....giving Halak a standing O after pitching a shutout. That's obviously not something they ordinarily do, but they showed a lot of class congratulating Halak on his performance, and also at the same time thanking him for the great playoff run he turned in two seasons ago for the Habs.

I thought Montreal could have done a little more to honor Ron Caron before the game...unless FSMW just didn't air all of it. They just put something on the jumbotron and said something over the PA before the game started. I hope St. Louis does it up right for him when the Blues get back to town.

1st place in the Central, 2 pts. out of 1st in the West with 2 games in hand on Vancouver...whom we play on Thursday. Detroit and Chicago can suck it.


I think what's important to note here, is that yes, the Blues have been very, very good since Hitchcock took over... but even more importantly, the Blues are still getting better...and they're doing it now without Steen & McDonald...so they'll be that much better once they return. It doesn't look like the Hitchcock honeymoon is going to end anytime soon. But honestly, people shouldn't be surprised by this team's play this year. Many of you, along with myself, knew this team was very good and expected a playoff team, and they were on the verge of breaking out...they just needed something to get over the hump...and Hitchcock looks to have been that something. Armstrong is a genius.

Assuming they continue their fine play and make the playoffs as a decent seed, playoff experience shouldn't be a concern. The additions of Arnott and Langenbrunner are huge in that respect, plus Halak had that long playoff run two years ago, and Elliot has been there before (didn't play well then, but still)...plus a chunk of this team got a taste of the playoffs a few years ago. Hopefully that was a learning experience.

Bring on the Canucks. I'm glad we're at home for that one...best home record in the NHL.

[dmiles2186]

For those that didn't see Jaro's standing O last night...

[youtube][/youtube]

[WindyCityBluesFan]

Really, really classy by Montreal fans. I can say with certainty that no American teams fans would have responded like that, in fact, I doubt any other fan base would have done that. Have never been to Montreal but that definitely makes me want to take the trip up north. Just shows their respect for the game itself and not just petty team jealousy crap.

[cprice12]

Really, really classy by Montreal fans. I can say with certainty that no American teams fans would have responded like that, in fact, I doubt any other fan base would have done that. Have never been to Montreal but that definitely makes me want to take the trip up north. Just shows their respect for the game itself and not just petty team jealousy crap.

I could see if David Freeze were traded in the offseason and then came back and won a game against the Cardinals with a home run in extra innings, and baseball did a "3 stars" thing where players would come out onto the field and wave to the crowd...I could see Cardinal fans giving him a standing ovation.

[theohall]

FYI, I saw the Blues execute the dreaded pass from the corner to the front of the net back pass play that has killed the Blues for years. Price made a great save on it.