GDT Game 2: 5/1/16 | 2:00PM CST | @ Stars | NBC/Y98

[Portland Blues]

If this team could actually play 3 full periods we'd be unstoppable. Fantastic first, solid second (except the few missed chances) and then nothing but trying to keep Dallas from scoring in the third...

Going to be a kick in the jewels if we lose in OT.

[glen a richter]

This damn team never ceases to find ways to piss me off.

[Portland Blues]

This damn team never ceases to find ways to piss me off.

Didn't have to be a psychic to guess where this was going. The patented "Blues Shell" for the entire third. 2 shots on goal.

[Portland Blues]

Here's our chance!

[Robb_K]

Bad time to fail on that power play. But they shouldn't have stopped playing offensively and let The Stars tie it in the first place.

[Portland Blues]

Dang, Schwartz had a great look there...

[JCShutout]

Ok, another pp. Blues, we HAVE to score here.

[JCShutout]

Yes! Backes! 1-1 baby!

[Portland Blues]

Backes with the birthday OT winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Misc. Blues]

Happy Birthday Backes

[Robb_K]

The Blues MUST score on this PP! And they DOOOOOO!!!! Backes bangs in the rebound!!! Blues win!!!! Blues win!!!

[Portland Blues]

Thanks for the 3 power plays Roussel! (That guy seems like a total tool.)

[theohall]

How many penalties did Roussel take in this game?



Let's Go Blues!!!!!

[theohall]

Get in Roussel's kitchen. That guy will take bad penalties if the Blues can agitate him. Blues did nothing to him in Game 1, which I found to be very odd.

[glen a richter]

Let's just file that under the "win in spite of the coach" column. Stop with the (Franking) defensive shell in the 3rd. We could score 7 on these guys just by keeping the foot on the gas.

Oh well, ride the high back home and take game 3 decisively.

[cardsfan04]

Man, we needed that so bad. Before the game when I said I didn't think this was a must-win, I wasn't anticipating a 3-1 blown lead in the 3rd period. A loss would have been crushing.

But, we won, so all is good and we have home ice in a 5 game series. Gotta take it to them on Tuesday. I'd really like a throat-stomping win, something like 4-0 that isn't ever close.

[theohall]

On the 3rd period crap....

The Blues talent isn't suited to playing the "deny shots" type of game which Hitchcock has favored since arriving. He clearly had the Blues playing the "deny shots" without attacking in the 3rd period, because the D was nowhere near where they needed to be to support even when the forwards had the puck behind the Stars net in the 3rd period. Result - No Stars forwards made any effort at playing D in the 3rd and they eventually got the 2 goals to tie the game, because the Blues presented ZERO offensive threat in the 3rd.

Want to win easier games? Keep the puck in your opponents zone. Ask the Sharks!

Memo to Hitchcock - your first power play unit is the line with Fabbri, not the one with Tarasenko. Yes, that Tank line got the game-winner on the only shift they actually kept the puck in the offensive zone on the power play. The Fabbri line - always got the puck in the zone and got pucks on net on the power play. Maybe if the Fabbri line gets the first shot at power plays with extended time OT isn't even necessary.

I think I'm more ticked that I picked Blues 4 Stars 2 which likely would have happened without the Blues entire 3rd period of defensive shell hockey.

[cardsfan04]

https://twitter.com/ESPN_NHL/status/726912822018367488

EDIT: I don't think it's showing up here anymore because ESPN deleted it, but when I first posted this it had a tweet from ESPN announcing the Stars' OT win today to tie the series at 1-1.

[Robb_K]

On the 3rd period crap....

The Blues talent isn't suited to playing the "deny shots" type of game which Hitchcock has favored since arriving. He clearly had the Blues playing the "deny shots" without attacking in the 3rd period, because the D was nowhere near where they needed to be to support even when the forwards had the puck behind the Stars net in the 3rd period. Result - No Stars forwards made any effort at playing D in the 3rd and they eventually got the 2 goals to tie the game, because the Blues presented ZERO offensive threat in the 3rd.

Want to win easier games? Keep the puck in your opponents zone.

Hitch claims he doesn't coach his team to play back in a defensive shell, but that that just happens when the opponents make their push.

IF THAT'S the case, Hitch should have called his time out early and told them to start attacking again.

He claims that a team can't skate with The Stars, ans shouldn't try (meaning that the defencemen shouldn't pinch into the O-zone). But IF they DON'T send the defencemen in to help keep the puck in that zone, most of the time, they lose possession after a couple seconds, and The Stars are racing back to The Blues' zone again. It's a fine line to have everyone skating hard in the neutral zone and not joining the rush, and avoiding spending the whole time on your heels.

It's completely irrational to not try to play offence, and sit back and dump the puck for a whole period, or even just 9 minutes, even with a 3-goal lead, let alone only a 2-goal and 1 - goal lead. Hitchcock is behaving like he's more senile than I am (and he's a lot younger than I). He should be fired instantly, if he tries this in another game.

The only answer is to have The Blues try hard to score on every shift, and risk having breakaway goals scored against when being caught pinching.

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[KrustyKevo]

This was so amazing to see in person. I barely have any voice left. But I counted about 8 "(Frank) the Blues" directed at me. Lol