GDT Game 7: 5/11/16 | 7:00PM CST | @ Stars | NBCSN/Y98

[goon attack]

Remember how I and others really pushed for the acquisition of Paul Stastny? And how even though he seemed mediocre we kept saying how important he is as a steady centerman?

We look like geniuses right now because that dude is a player!

[Kerfuffle]

I just noticed the seedings are interesting this year - if San Jose wins tonight then the final four will be a 2-vs-6 from the West and a 2-vs-6 from the East. And whoever represents the West this year in the SCF will have never won the cup before so that will make the SCF even more interesting.

I'm gonna go Blues in 5 in round 3. But the SCF will be tough no matter who you play. I haven't figured out if Tampa is for real yet without Stamkos but I was definitely impressed with Pittsburgh after seeing them finish the Caps.

[StL Dan]

Feels good, but I remember 01 clearly. Gotta come out of the gate strong!

And very glad the boys will get an extra day of rest compared to their opponent.

JC, how you been doing, man?

I'm with you...this is satisfying, for sure, BUT I too remember 2001 so I'm still somewhat guarded. Last night was so much fun, though. Complete domination. Fabbri puts us on the board...Moose with a huge stretch save....great night.

[Kerfuffle]

Some good articles out there this morning --> http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/goal ... ic-game-7/

Also found it interesting that Dallas has $10M invested in 2 goalies for the next 3 seasons and neither one can play goal. Niemi is no where the goalie he was for us back in 2010 when we won the cup with him. But most Hawks fans will admit he was a fluke and outplayed his God-given talent that year -and has never been able to hack it since leaving (small factoid - he used to be a Zamboni driver before we signed him). I'm scratching my head on how Dallas was able to have the best regular season record in our conference with that kind of goaltending.

I may be out in San Jose for work over the next week and want to go to a Blues/Sharks game if the Sharks advance tonight. Let me know if anyone here may be up for a game 3,4, or 6.

[cardsfan04]

So much to be happy about

-Blues didn't Blues this series. Thank. God. I wasn't pessimistic going into last night, but I was very nervous. I mean, it was a game 7 on the road. I'm very impressed by this team's ability to bounce back.

-Elliott is playing out of his mind. There is no goaltender in the league that I would say is more than a wash vs Elliott right now.

-Fabbri with 14 points in 14 playoff games . . . a few months after his 20th birthday. The hockey IQ on him is incredible. He doesn't quite have the scoring ability of Tarasenko, but his play-making ability is off the charts.

-Tarasenko had a solid 7 point series (3G, 4A). But, we're beating good teams without relying on him. If there is one difference between this year and previous years, this is it. We have legitimate scoring depth.

-Bernie made an interesting point on the radio this morning. "Hitch's system isn't outdated, it just requires scoring depth." Or something to that effect. We've been a difficult team to score against for a few years now. This year, we don't have to rely on that to win.

-Berglund is playing really well this postseason. It's like he's a different player since he came back from injury.

[cprice12]

I still can't believe the game went that way last night. Wow.

I'm very happy with the way the Blues played...but the score was not indicative at all as to how the Stars played.
To oversimplify it a bit, Elliott simply outplayed both Lehtonen and Niemi. And it also helped that Dallas missed on a couple golden chances early.

And what the hell with Keith Jones and Pierre McGuire saying that Backes' goal was a softie. That thing was a laser that rang off the post and in. When you look at the camera angle behind Backes, Niemi had the angle right, it was just a great shot.

Now, the first few goals we scored were very soft and should have been stopped. And I thought Lehtonen should have been pulled after our 2nd goal (essentially after our 3rd goal because of the one that was called back), all three were bad goals to give up and then he gives up that late bad one to put us up 3-0. That one was huge.

Fantastic road game for game 7.

It got to the point where I was starting to feel bad for Stars fans with it 5-0 in the 3rd.

[ComradeT]

I still can't believe the game went that way last night. Wow.

I'm very happy with the way the Blues played...but the score was not indicative at all as to how the Stars played.
To oversimplify it a bit, Elliott simply outplayed both Lehtonen and Niemi. And it also helped that Dallas missed on a couple golden chances early.

And what the hell with Keith Jones and Pierre McGuire saying that Backes' goal was a softie. That thing was a laser that rang off the post and in. When you look at the camera angle behind Backes, Niemi had the angle right, it was just a great shot.

Now, the first few goals we scored were very soft and should have been stopped. And I thought Lehtonen should have been pulled after our 2nd goal (essentially after our 3rd goal because of the one that was called back), all three were bad goals to give up and then he gives up that late bad one to put us up 3-0. That one was huge.

Fantastic road game for game 7.

It got to the point where I was starting to feel bad for Stars fans with it 5-0 in the 3rd.

I'm with you on the Backes goal but recall some called a similar goal by Hossa and goals by Janmark on Elliot soft, too. A goal allowed when the goalie saw it all the way is not necessarily soft - sometimes credit to the shooter for making a shot unstoppable.

[Kerfuffle]

I'm with you on the Backes goal but recall some called a similar goal by Hossa and goals by Janmark on Elliot soft, too. A goal allowed when the goalie saw it all the way is not necessarily soft - sometimes credit to the shooter for making a shot unstoppable.

Everything was going in at that point so in all fairness they all looked 'soft'. If the goalie was standing on his head up to that point then yeah I don't think the Backes goal would have been called soft. But it's splitting hairs - a goal is a goal. Dallas goalie combined SVP last night --> .684

[fargoblues]

Now, the first few goals we scored were very soft and should have been stopped. And I thought Lehtonen should have been pulled after our 2nd goal (essentially after our 3rd goal because of the one that was called back), all three were bad goals to give up and then he gives up that late bad one to put us up 3-0. That one was huge.

Fantastic road game for game 7.

It got to the point where I was starting to feel bad for Stars fans with it 5-0 in the 3rd.

Lindy Ruff post-game was saying he should have pulled Lehtonen after the Tarasenko goal that was called back. I concur. I was a little mad when it was called back but part of me was happy because that shot should have never gone in and that's when I knew that Kari had regressed back to the mean and the Blues would tag him for a couple more softies.

I never once felt bad for the Stars fans. Not once.

Props to the few that stayed till the end and cheered their team. Screw the 17000 that left.

[cardsfan04]

Now, the first few goals we scored were very soft and should have been stopped. And I thought Lehtonen should have been pulled after our 2nd goal (essentially after our 3rd goal because of the one that was called back), all three were bad goals to give up and then he gives up that late bad one to put us up 3-0. That one was huge.

Fantastic road game for game 7.

It got to the point where I was starting to feel bad for Stars fans with it 5-0 in the 3rd.

Lindy Ruff post-game was saying he should have pulled Lehtonen after the Tarasenko goal that was called back. I concur. I was a little mad when it was called back but part of me was happy because that shot should have never gone in and that's when I knew that Kari had regressed back to the mean and the Blues would tag him for a couple more softies.

I never once felt bad for the Stars fans. Not once.

Props to the few that stayed till the end and cheered their team. Screw the 17000 that left.

I still can't believe that puck went in. That goal, much more so than the Fabbri goal, made me realize that he was off his game, but I was a little worried that the "get out of jail free" card was gonna give Lehtonen the chance to right the ship. When we got the goal back a minute later, I felt the game was over.

[goon attack]

I agree with Curt that it was a nice hard shot and perfectly placed by Backes. Niemi was in good position... was out of the crease entirely... just a great shot... not very far out, and rising.

I don't think that goal was soft at all.

[goon attack]

I still can't believe that puck went in.

Really? He was clearly passing and it went off the d-man's stick. Lehtonen wasn't expecting that at all. Nobody was. So... maybe it was soft because Lehtonen should be ready for it, but those "softies" aren't always soft... more like flukes.

If you ask me, the Stastny goal was the only really soft one.

[cardsfan04]

I still can't believe that puck went in.

Really? He was clearly passing and it went off the d-man's stick. Lehtonen wasn't expecting that at all. Nobody was. So... maybe it was soft because Lehtonen should be ready for it, but those "softies" aren't always soft... more like flukes.

If you ask me, the Stastny goal was the only really soft one.

Fluky may be a better word, I dunno. I don't think it should have gone in though even with the deflection. I thought the Berglund goal was pretty soft as well.

[StL Dan]

I still can't believe that puck went in.

Really? He was clearly passing and it went off the d-man's stick. Lehtonen wasn't expecting that at all. Nobody was. So... maybe it was soft because Lehtonen should be ready for it, but those "softies" aren't always soft... more like flukes.

If you ask me, the Stastny goal was the only really soft one.

Fluky may be a better word, I dunno. I don't think it should have gone in though even with the deflection. I thought the Berglund goal was pretty soft as well.

Bergie's goal was a snipe. Perfectly placed with good timing. I don't think the goalie had time to move up to cut down the angle. The Stars goal off Eddy was definitely flukey. Feel badly for the kid. But, what could he have done differently?

[theohall]

Berglund's goal deflected off of one of the Stars. Lehtonen failed to react to the deflection at all.

Stastny's goal was a true softie. He put it between Lehtonen and the post down low. There is no way there should have ever been a gap where that puck went.

Backes goal was a plain snipe, just like Janmark's goal in Game 6 which several here called soft, when it was just a plain snipe. So criticizing the announcer for calling the Backes goal soft when some here called the same type goal by Janmark from Game 6 soft? C'mon man!

[ecbm]

Excellent game.



Now 8 more, please.

Oh, and any NHL goalie should stop every shot he sees that isn't deflected or a shot off an odd-man rush. Otherwise, either it got through him or he was positioned poorly, either of which is 100% on the goalie.

Mentally, the Blues do need to prepare to have to work harder to score than they did for most of this series. Rinne and Jones both look better than the dumpster fire they just faced.

[StL Dan]

Berglund's goal deflected off of one of the Stars. Lehtonen failed to react to the deflection at all.

Stastny's goal was a true softie. He put it between Lehtonen and the post down low. There is no way there should have ever been a gap where that puck went.

Backes goal was a plain snipe, just like Janmark's goal in Game 6 which several here called soft, when it was just a plain snipe. So criticizing the announcer for calling the Backes goal soft when some here called the same type goal by Janmark from Game 6 soft? C'mon man!

I'll watch Bergie's goal again...didn't realize it was deflected. Good timing on the shot none the less. Not sure Lehtonen was prepared for it positionally.

I like his timing on the goals he's scored...and the shots he seems to take even when he doesn't score.

[cardsfan04]

Berglund's goal deflected off of one of the Stars. Lehtonen failed to react to the deflection at all.

Stastny's goal was a true softie. He put it between Lehtonen and the post down low. There is no way there should have ever been a gap where that puck went.

Backes goal was a plain snipe, just like Janmark's goal in Game 6 which several here called soft, when it was just a plain snipe. So criticizing the announcer for calling the Backes goal soft when some here called the same type goal by Janmark from Game 6 soft? C'mon man!

I'll watch Bergie's goal again...didn't realize it was deflected. Good timing on the shot none the less. Not sure Lehtonen was prepared for it positionally.

I like his timing on the goals he's scored...and the shots he seems to take even when he doesn't score.

I didn't notice the deflection either. To me it was a shot from near the blue line without much traffic in front of him which is why I said it was soft. I'd have to see the deflection, but that does change things a little I guess. But, still, there was very little in front of him. None of the 4 pucks that got by Lehtonen left me thinking, "There's nothing he could have done there."

[StL Dan]

Berglund's goal deflected off of one of the Stars. Lehtonen failed to react to the deflection at all.

Stastny's goal was a true softie. He put it between Lehtonen and the post down low. There is no way there should have ever been a gap where that puck went.

Backes goal was a plain snipe, just like Janmark's goal in Game 6 which several here called soft, when it was just a plain snipe. So criticizing the announcer for calling the Backes goal soft when some here called the same type goal by Janmark from Game 6 soft? C'mon man!

I'll watch Bergie's goal again...didn't realize it was deflected. Good timing on the shot none the less. Not sure Lehtonen was prepared for it positionally.

I like his timing on the goals he's scored...and the shots he seems to take even when he doesn't score.

I didn't notice the deflection either. To me it was a shot from near the blue line without much traffic in front of him which is why I said it was soft. I'd have to see the deflection, but that does change things a little I guess. But, still, there was very little in front of him. None of the 4 pucks that got by Lehtonen left me thinking, "There's nothing he could have done there."

ya, just watched it again. NBC doesn't slow that one down from an angle that makes a deflection obvious. so, hard to tell for sure from what i can see. Lehtonen was surprised though. he was deep in the blue. didn't come out at all to cut angle.

[cprice12]

Berglund's goal deflected off of one of the Stars. Lehtonen failed to react to the deflection at all.

Stastny's goal was a true softie. He put it between Lehtonen and the post down low. There is no way there should have ever been a gap where that puck went.

Backes goal was a plain snipe, just like Janmark's goal in Game 6 which several here called soft, when it was just a plain snipe. So criticizing the announcer for calling the Backes goal soft when some here called the same type goal by Janmark from Game 6 soft? C'mon man!

I'll watch Bergie's goal again...didn't realize it was deflected. Good timing on the shot none the less. Not sure Lehtonen was prepared for it positionally.

I like his timing on the goals he's scored...and the shots he seems to take even when he doesn't score.

I didn't notice the deflection either. To me it was a shot from near the blue line without much traffic in front of him which is why I said it was soft. I'd have to see the deflection, but that does change things a little I guess. But, still, there was very little in front of him. None of the 4 pucks that got by Lehtonen left me thinking, "There's nothing he could have done there."

ya, just watched it again. NBC doesn't slow that one down from an angle that makes a deflection obvious. so, hard to tell for sure from what i can see. Lehtonen was surprised though. he was deep in the blue. didn't come out at all to cut angle.

They said a couple times that it was deflected...but I never saw it. The puck didn't seem to change directions from the angles we saw, and the puck didn't seem to flutter after the supposed deflection either.
I'm not so sure it was deflected...but we'd need a different camera angle to be sure.