Starting to think my original idea about what to expect from the Blues this season might be eerily accurate. Lots of good pieces, on paper they add up to a really good team, but the pieces don’t really fit together and it really relies on all the question marks resolving in a positive manner.
Based on 6 data points, I guess I expect us to kind of struggle through the first game in Vegas but win it, then get waxed in the 2nd game.
Kings split in StL. And I’m having an issue getting Spectrum (Frontier decided not to renew the local Fox (Sinclair) Sports stations), so I didn’t see either of them.
I’ll summarize:
Game 1 - kind of boring, Blues won, Petersen didn’t look as good when he shut us out and Mike Yeo got fired. That said, the Blues didn’t look especially sharp but they got the W.
Game 2 - Kings got an easy goal and a snipe late in the 1st, dominated much of the 2nd and had a couple more fantastic goals. Vince Dunn should have been at least the 2nd star for the Kings for his shitty defensive play.
I don’t know what our offensive scheme is outside the 2nd line which is “use Kyrou’s speed to break down defense, take advantage accordingly.” I have no idea what our PP scheme is. Parayko has a bomb for a shot, I think he’s used it maybe 3x this season total. It’s like we’re trying to be cute, looking for the perfect shot and think stickhandling counts as scoring goals. Oh, and Mike Hoffman is showing why a lot of teams steered away from him in the offseason.
Thanks for the update.
You’re welcome. I just wish our guy with lots of speed (Kyrou) could use it and score, like your guys apparently know how to do.
I hope to appreciate my speed guys one day. Tomorrow at MIN.
Speed is what has killed us the past few years as bloating contracts (stink-eye at Brown) means hoping for developing draft picks. Maybe it’s all caught up. Not sure if our USA National Juniors guy (Turcotte) is back from quarantine or is even with Kings or Reign (local Ontario, CA) yet.
Alright, Spectrum is up and running. Saw Tuesday game, good result. Saw Thursday game, not as good result. Lost two defensemen, one to a major boarding call, other to a puck to the nose or teeth (blood literally everywhere).
Don’t worry, the NHL Department of “Player Safety” will be all over that boarding call. Maybe you’ll even get the “we believe this is the kind of play best handled by the officials on the ice” line that was lobbed at the Blues on the Stone blindside hit on Bozak that had nothing to do with the play going on that has Bozak out with a concussion.
Game 5 of the 7-game Blues/Coyotes series tonight. Betting on the 'Yotes taking it 5-2 before it’s all done, because for whatever reason we match up like shit with them.
Blues/Coyotes, Game 7 tonight. I think the winner gets to move on in the season, and the loser gets relegated somewhere.
Kings finally break through last Thu, winning 6-2. Wild postponed/canceled Sat. game. Play tomorrow, the second of a now single-header.
If you have access to The Athletic, there’s an article out there from Katie Strang about dysfunction within the Coyotes organization. (I’m repeating myself there.) It is … not flattering at all.
I do not.
Strang is a good reporter. Sorry to see her leave ESPN.
Kings-Coyotes game had fans at it. Lots of Kings fans, not sure if they journeyed there or live in Phoenix area.
Panarin taking leave of absence from Rangers after report he beat up an 18-year old girl in Russia years ago. Source of the alleged incident: Andrei Nazarov.
I’m sure all of this has nothing to do with Panarin being an outspoken critic of Putin, including an apparently teeing off about a month ago.
Rangers issued a statement saying the allegations are completely false. Pretty strong words for the Rangers, I’m not sure how they could be so sure in a “he said she said” type case even with the Russian govt involved.
Based on when this alleged incident happened, Panarin would have been about 19. It’s not like he’s 24, or his current 29. I’m by no means condoning hitting a female outright, or saying it didn’t happen. Just saying it’s a different perspective if we’re talking a 19-year old guy and an 18-year old girl as opposed to say a 26-year old guy and an 18-year old girl.
But yeah, it’s one thing to stand behind the player and offer a “no comment at this time” and it’s another to offer an unequivocal “these allegations are false” statement unless the organization has information indicating that Panarin was going to be the victim of an attempted smear job.
Those are some colorful Blues uniforms.
Alright, quality win over the division leader.
Getting my hopes up, just to knock me down later.
So, we missed the whole second period due to some shenanigans with Spectrum/TiVo combo. The internet went down for an hour, and it appears that the TiVo did not record the second period. Damn, I hate Spectrum. Now will be keeping a running total of all days that the internet goes out (affecting my work as well). Might have too set up Frontier Internet Service, so as not to lose service (I don’t even recall losing service with Frontier), but wiring logistics might be an issue. And there’s the contract issue.
Another quality win over the now not-division leader.
Kings now in 3rd, two points out of 1st.
Blues lost another defenseman, this time to a puck he didn’t see.