GDT #29: 12/10/11 > Blues vs Sharks > 7:00PM > FSMW/KMOX

[dmiles2186]

Kill Thornton.

Fans traveling to Saturday's game vs. San Jose will want to make note of this traffic advisory: All lanes of Eastbound I-64 from Jefferson to 6th Street will be closed. Lanes will reopen at 8 p.m. on Sunday. Dec. 11. If you're traveling this route, please make alternate travel arrangements and allow additional time for travel.

The St. Louis Blues' resurgence began with the hiring of coach Ken Hitchcock a little more than a month ago.

The San Jose Sharks hope a less drastic approach has gotten them back on track.

San Jose looks to continue its recent success in St. Louis when the teams meet Saturday night.

Since Hitchcock took over for Davis Payne on Nov. 6, the Blues (16-9-3) have earned a point in 13 of 15 games (10-2-3).

T.J. Oshie scored twice in Thursday's 4-2 victory over Anaheim, helping St. Louis improve to 7-2-1 at home under Hitchcock. The Blues had suffered back-to-back losses to Colorado and Chicago before winning their last two games.

"The boys are rolling. We're back on track," Oshie said.

To keep things going, the Blues will have to withstand San Jose, which has won seven of 10 on the road this season and is 10-2-1 in its last 13 visits to St. Louis. The Sharks have allowed just 16 goals in their last 11 games there.

Coach Todd McLellan shuffled his team's lines Thursday after San Jose (15-9-1) lost four of its previous five games, helping lead to a 5-2 win over Dallas. McLellan moved Brad Winchester up to the first group centered by Joe Thornton, who had two assists, while Jamie McGinn started on the third line and Torrey Mitchell on the fourth.

Each player ended up with a goal.

"Sometimes when you move the lines around everybody gets a bit of a wake-up call and people get mad," McLellan said. "Those people who got mad had good nights."

The second line of Ryane Clowe, Logan Couture and Martin Havlat remained the same. Clowe had a goal and an assist, while Couture scored and Havlat added an assist.

It's unclear whether McLellan will stick with the same lines for Friday's contest, but he'll be looking for improvement from the only meeting with the Blues this season.

St. Louis rallied for a 4-2 win in San Jose on Oct. 15, with Alex Steen getting the go-ahead goal as the Blues scored three times in the third period.

Brian Elliott made 34 saves in that matchup to win his first start of the season for a then-struggling Jaroslav Halak, and he's 11-2-0 with a league-leading 1.56 goals-against average.

Halak went 1-6-0 with a 3.35 GAA before Hitchcock's arrival but has gone 4-1-3 with a 1.58 GAA since the coaching change, including a 21-save victory Thursday.

It is unclear who will start this contest, though Halak is 0-2-0 with a 5.23 GAA in his last three starts versus San Jose.

Antti Niemi appears likely to get the nod for the Sharks, having allowed more than two goals just twice in his last 10 starts. Backup Thomas Greiss took the loss in the most recent meeting, and Niemi is 4-2-0 with a 2.86 GAA in six career starts versus the Blues.

Joe Pavelski tops the Sharks with 12 goals despite having one in his last seven games - he only has two points in that span - but he has two goals and five assists in his last four matchups with St. Louis.

David Backes has a team-high 10 goals for the Blues and has scored three in his last four games versus San Jose.

[Winning Unlimited]

Perron's first game against Thornton. If he goes batshit crazy and tries to bertuzzi anything in teal, I'd understand. We all remember Chase's comments, too.

Segment 5.
http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/R ... Audio.aspx
You all going to the game better boo Thornton out of the building.

[glen a richter]

Blues 2
Sharks 3

It's unfathomable that this team will score more than 2 goals in a game three times in a row.

[thedoc]

Blues 2
Sharks 3

It's unfathomable that this team will score more than 2 goals in a game three times in a row.

Nay sayer, I have picked the correct score the last 3 games.

I say Blues 4 (big mac's)

gold fish 2

[goon attack]

You (Franking) pansies. this will be a blow out.

Sharks 2
Blues 7 (Perron 3, Oshie 3, Jackman)

[glen a richter]

You (Frank) pansies. this will be a blow out.

Sharks 2
Blues 7 (Perron 3, Oshie 3, Jackman)

Jackman???

Your argument is invalid.

[AlsWoodenStick]

Blues 2
Sharks 3

It's unfathomable that this team will score more than 2 goals in a game three times in a row.

Nay sayer, I have picked the correct score the last 3 games.

I say Blues 4 (big mac's)

gold fish 2

I noticed that, nice job. I think we'll do one better though.

Blues 5 (tacos)
Guppies 2
Decapitations 1

[cprice12]

Please...please someone destroy Thornton.
Perron isn't going to do it...it's not his game and he'd have a better chance of hurting himself than knocking Thornton into next week.
Besides, Perron has said he's moved on...if you believe that. However, Perron said that Thornton never apologized to him...ever.

I'd like to see Thornton cut across the middle and have Backes absolutely destroy him with a clean check. Backes will be on the ice against him more than likely.
Come on Cap'n...send a message.

[AlsWoodenStick]

Please...please someone destroy Thornton.
Perron isn't going to do it...it's not his game and he'd have a better chance of hurting himself than knocking Thornton into next week.
Besides, Perron has said he's moved on...if you believe that. However, Perron said that Thornton never apologized to him...ever.

I'd like to see Thornton cut across the middle and have Backes absolutely destroy him with a clean check. Backes will be on the ice against him more than likely.
Come on Cap'n...send a message.

I wouldn't mind seeing Captain America continue his rampage against the Canadians.

[PGABluesFan]

I want this, only with 10X more blood.

[Oaklandblue]

For Gods sake start Elliott, bench Jackman and dress a Chihuahua for D.

We got Perron back and we have yet to respond, tonight send a message back that everyone in the Bay Area will remember for a long time. Rock them on the ice, rock them at the net, forget Joe, take out the whole team and beat up on Niemi. Show them why Teal is a lighter color of Blue.

Blues 12
Sharks 0

Edit: There would be nothing better than Perron flattening that flake Thornton, but I'd rather send a message by burying them on the scoreboard, breaking their confidence when they're in a state of flux and snatching 2 points. That sends the message you want to send moreso than going for Joe's throat, though I won't complain if someone whips him into next Thursday, provided we get 2 points :D

[Gaijin Flyer]

I look for Vlad the punisher (hardest lbm for lbf hitter) to get a big hit on Thornton.

Sharks 3
Blues 5

[WaukeeBlues]

Please...please someone destroy Thornton.
Perron isn't going to do it...it's not his game and he'd have a better chance of hurting himself than knocking Thornton into next week.
Besides, Perron has said he's moved on...if you believe that. However, Perron said that Thornton never apologized to him...ever.

I'd like to see Thornton cut across the middle and have Backes absolutely destroy him with a clean check. Backes will be on the ice against him more than likely.
Come on Cap'n...send a message.

I wouldn't mind seeing Captain America continue his rampage against the Canadians.

Would love to see it but I think we all know as well as I do that that's not going to happen. Probably nothing will happen to him. Perron being back isn't going to change the fact that the Blues never did any retribution against Thornton at any point last year...

Blues 3
Sharks 2

Would be nice to see Perron score though. Hope he does.

[not_a_wings_fan]

Someone needs to go ahead and take an instigator with him and beat him silly in the corner.

[philco_3]

Blues 4, Sharks 5 in Shootout.

[STLADOGG]

Cap'n Kirk in the lineup?

[AlsWoodenStick]

Elliott in net according to TPC

[Oaklandblue]

Elliott in net according to TPC

GET OUT THE ZAMBONI!

[Oaklandblue]

An odd observation, but despite popular opinion, doesn't the C on Thornton's uniform really stand for C_nt?

[Krigloch the Furious]

hope this is a hard hitting game
one-timers from the point during the powerplay would be nice
Oshie will keep up his badass play
Steen and Backes will have big games
Stewart will continue sucking butt
and Bergy will continue being fairly worthless

4-2 Blues