Game 1 Thoughts

[Bluesfan1978]

Thoughts:

1st Period: Played a Sustainable for 10 minutes or so of the game. Hit when it was reasonable to do so, played within themselves and were positionally sound, forced Winnipeg into a lot of really mediocre shots to start the period, they didn't find their feet until near the end of the period only after a penalty that i would consider extremely mediocre (in fact, the first two penalties were really mediocre calls i felt, you let them play early and you call the captains over and tell them you are going to start taking 1 guy going forward and that should handle it). They started chasing the action more and more as the period went on both in terms of defense and in terms of physicality, which gave more easy zone entries and access to prime ice, which inevitably led to goal #2. I don't fault Binner on either, the first he had no idea was gonna get tipped in direct and up high that was terrible luck, and the 2nd goal was a double tip it appeared through a screen, what are you gonna do. They still recovered well enough in the period, retook momentum, forced Winnipeg into moving the puck before they were ready, and generated a 2nd goal to tie the game.

2nd Period: This is where the game started to get away from them. They were chasing the jets trying to be physical, which look i think physicality is the way you break the jets down, some of their players have a reputation for being pretty soft and contact-adverse. But, we started to gas ourselves by the end of that period and the penalties really did hurt us too because it started to wear down a select group of guys. The jets noticed and started to give it back to us a bit physically.

3rd Period: We ran out of steam a bit, and the Jets picked up their game as a presidents cup team will tend to be able to do, and we spent the entire period chasing the puck until we got it a minute into a shift, and we flipped it high and got fresh legs out. You can't win the period like that, we needed pressure released for a few more shifts than just flip and change, but we were too hyper-focused on defending a 1 goal lead. Binner was not great on the tying goal, but he made some big saves in the 2nd and early 3rd to keep us in it, so you were asking him to basically be as good as game 7 1st period against boston, that wasn't a reasonable ask. Goal #4 happened late in the period when we just didn't have the legs to push back, and we honestly got lucky to get a 2nd shot on goal at any point.

I don't think we need to change a ton for game two to be quite honest. We need to be physical, but don't go 100% from one side of the ice to the other trying to complete the physical play, be smarter with the hits and take them when they chances arise instead. We don't need 60 hits a game to cause them to wear down, just keep it about 30-40 hits a game and try to create more turnovers and quicker puck decisions, and by game 4 or 5 they will be wearing the jets down. Game 1 was winnable, i think we'll have at least another winnable game in the next 2, it's all about getting the series to game 6-7.

As for Texier vs Snuggerud, no contest for me either. I don't think Texier does you much better, he's a skill player who shys from contact, and does have a tendency to turn the puck over. if Holloway was healthy and it was joseph vs snuggerud, I'd say the decision is more to play the brand of hockey that wears the other team down and you play Joseph over Snuggy, but we don't have Holloway in the lineup so we don't have to make that difficult decision.

As far as hits go there should be much less running around to make the hits is the key. I would say the Jets have that discipline already locked in. Blues need less running around and more players taking the hits that are right there and require less effort. Those points on their own would increase the Blues chances of winning. I’d actually love to see Kyrou try to rub a few more people out with his speed. I know it’s not his game but it takes a commitment from every player to wear down the other team. If nothing else have Kyrou trying to hit the smaller D. He did make a nice hit on one player pinching him off at the boards so maybe he will continue to get more comfortable with this.

[11WSChamps]

Gave a winnable game on the road away to a heavy favorite.

The Bolduc penalty changed the whole complexion of the game.

Kyrou being stopped on the breakaway with a 3-2 lead was huge..score there and its probably over.

Ill-timed icing the puck late finally caught up to the Blues against a highly skilled team.

No margin for error when you're a heavy underdog.

Blues had the better goal tender in game one.

[Cahokanut]

One other thing happened.
Bolducs penalty.
While a penalty. Many players did the same. Till then it was looked past. But when a ref. is looking for a call. A rookie is always gonna be watched.
So no blame to bolduc.
Monty was mad. And his outrage at Bolduc was felt by everyone in the bench. Monty was so mad. When the pentalty ended. They yelled for Bolduc to come to the bench, with Bolducs line in the offensive zone. To have a teaching. This changed everyone's attitude, and imo the reason for the lose.

I get why Monty was pizzed about the penalty but I hope he doesn't put Bolduc in the doghouse over it. He should be encouraging Bolduc to embrace the role of a team agitator. Boldy has the makings another Kadri or Marchand, combining skill and the willingness to play physically up to the edge of dirty. Every team needs one and he could be it for us.

He also has an incredible knack for finding open ice in which to maneuver. His play entering the zone where he wheeled hard to the left to fire a shot from the slot was incredible.

Truth be told, he should be playing on the second line instead of Snuggerud who looks lost out there. He's earned it.

The attention he receives from opposing teams, when he is in his spot. Speaks loudly, for me.
Bolduc should be with a guy, that can pass him the puck. He should have at least three shooting spots and five plays that get the puck to him, in his spots.

I don't blame Bolduc on the penalty. It sucks to say. But the Blues was always going to get penalized. Bolduc wasn't the only one getting shifty, it was happening without calls all game. I knew, the players knew, The coach should of known, it would be a rookie that would get the call.
I don't think the call killed momentum like monty's reaction did. Everyone looked shocked and everyone's shoulder's went down.

[Sudsy 11]

When (if) the Blues get eleminated, I'll talk about the how the future seems bright. However, it's the playoffs and yesterday was a winnable game. My complaint started the 2nd half of the 2nd period. The Blues repeatedly backed in their D zone allowing the Jets easy access to set up possession. I don't understand why. Was that a strategy with the lead? Were they tired from all of the running around and hitting? It was only a matter of time with all of those long possessions in the D zone than one was going to end up in the net. I noticed it stopped finally when the Jets tied the game. The entry to the D zone became contested again. Other than that, it was a good game. Hopefully the Blues get a lead in game 2 and stay aggressive.

[MizTruBlueLuvzU]

Gave a winnable game on the road away to a heavy favorite.

The Bolduc penalty changed the whole complexion of the game.

Kyrou being stopped on the breakaway with a 3-2 lead was huge..score there and its probably over.

Ill-timed icing the puck late finally caught up to the Blues against a highly skilled team.

No margin for error when you're a heavy underdog.

Blues had the better goal tender in game one.

And 50 was far from lights out. Stings that we should have had that one

[Cardsfan1586]

Gotta say, I love that Bolduc is turning into a threat from up top and I’m rallying loving his grit and nastiness.

[Harry York 37]

One other thing happened.
Bolducs penalty.
While a penalty. Many players did the same. Till then it was looked past. But when a ref. is looking for a call. A rookie is always gonna be watched.
So no blame to bolduc.
Monty was mad. And his outrage at Bolduc was felt by everyone in the bench. Monty was so mad. When the pentalty ended. They yelled for Bolduc to come to the bench, with Bolducs line in the offensive zone. To have a teaching. This changed everyone's attitude, and imo the reason for the lose.

I get why Monty was pizzed about the penalty but I hope he doesn't put Bolduc in the doghouse over it. He should be encouraging Bolduc to embrace the role of a team agitator. Boldy has the makings another Kadri or Marchand, combining skill and the willingness to play physically up to the edge of dirty. Every team needs one and he could be it for us.

He also has an incredible knack for finding open ice in which to maneuver. His play entering the zone where he wheeled hard to the left to fire a shot from the slot was incredible.

Truth be told, he should be playing on the second line instead of Snuggerud who looks lost out there. He's earned it.

The attention he receives from opposing teams, when he is in his spot. Speaks loudly, for me.
Bolduc should be with a guy, that can pass him the puck. He should have at least three shooting spots and five plays that get the puck to him, in his spots.

I don't blame Bolduc on the penalty. It sucks to say. But the Blues was always going to get penalized. Bolduc wasn't the only one getting shifty, it was happening without calls all game. I knew, the players knew, The coach should of known, it would be a rookie that would get the call.
I don't think the call killed momentum like monty's reaction did. Everyone looked shocked and everyone's shoulder's went down.

Monty likely overreacted. It was a STUPID SELFISH penalty.
However, it needed to be handled by the bench boss in a way that doesn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. I can’t find a clip of the penalty and the reaction. I remember losing my mind for a full ten seconds, and I did notice Walker skating in Bolduc place the next time line three was on the ice.

It was an incredibly undisciplined play in O zone in the third period of a one goal game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He is a Rookie and plays with a ton of heart.
This is why they “play the games”.

[AtillaTheBlue1]

55 was terrible, and tried way 2 hard. took a dumb penalty, and let the goal scorer on winner, just park there.


also, winnepeg are soft, and are a bunch of wussies. act tough, then not so tough, except to skilled players, backes syndrome. glad coach brought out walker after the idiotic trip on the centerman for blues. And i guess no next guy in penalties????? those wussies tried to go 2 v1 on nearly everyone when they could.

playing physical is good, and was working on the jets, playing stupid like ottawa did last night is another.

[FunSeeker]

The 3rd period was bad. Fowler (-3) and Parayko (-2) didnt get it done in front of Binnington at the end of the 3rd. Can they do better in the crunch time minutes of the game? Absolutely.

Blues didnt generate offense in the 3rd period. Got to do better. And they will.

The loss was disappointing but Winnipeg sure didn't instill fear in me. Blues just played like a young team for a period and it cost them. They will bear down and get it done the rest of this series.

[PPG]

Theo- I'm not saying Hellebyuck was a bit off his game. My ehole point was each goal the Blues scored was basically a perfect shot.
No goalie has ever been able to cover every square inch of the goal and I've always maintained that a perfectly placed shot will beat any goalie.
The challenge is to Make a perfect shot while being checked, or trying to corral a less than accurate pass, or picking the corner of the net from various shooting angles.
Even if he had been razor sharp, the Blues would have still probably scored 3 goals.
By contrast, Winnipeg got lucky bounces on their first 2 goals. Without those lucky bounces, the Blues might have had a 3 goal lead in the 3rd period.

I can't recall seeing many games this entire year, if any, that had 3 goals that were literally in rhe very top corner of the net. Without those 3 great shots, the Blues end up getting shut out and everybody says how great Helkebuyck played.
It looked like Winnipeg had a shaky start as a team, not just their goalie.

One other note:
when we see many of these acrobatic saves on game highlights, it is plain to see that if the shooter made a better shot, then they easily score.

It will be interesting to see what kinds of goals the Blues score over the rest of the series.

[dhsux]

Great comments here

While not a must win how this team and coach responds tonight is critical for the series

Ill assume monty has made his point(s) and cooled down and is pushing a positive tone

Ill take game #1 effort with clean up in isle 7 on some of the bigger issues brought up here bur all in all the Blues can make this a great series by curting these mistakes plays in half

Go Blue!

[hotrivets]

Gave a winnable game on the road away to a heavy favorite.

The Bolduc penalty changed the whole complexion of the game.

Kyrou being stopped on the breakaway with a 3-2 lead was huge..score there and its probably over.

Ill-timed icing the puck late finally caught up to the Blues against a highly skilled team.

No margin for error when you're a heavy underdog.

Blues had the better goal tender in game one.

And 50 was far from lights out. Stings that we should have had that one

Binner kept them in the game. Which goal did you think was soft?

[gghhamr]

Admittedly I watched while riding the elliptical, however:
1) my imagination or is it true that 55 is always out there for the killer goals against, looking exasperated?
2) blues looked out of gas in the third. Adrenalin wore off

[Tony Palazzolo]

Admittedly I watched while riding the elliptical, however:
1) my imagination or is it true that 55 is always out there for the killer goals against, looking exasperated?
2) blues looked out of gas in the third. Adrenalin wore off

Parayko is coming off a knee injury and being off for 6 weeks. It's gonna take him a bit to get up to 100%. He made a couple of misplays that is rare for him. At times you can see his skating is not what it was.

[SRV1990]

Admittedly I watched while riding the elliptical, however:
1) my imagination or is it true that 55 is always out there for the killer goals against, looking exasperated?
2) blues looked out of gas in the third. Adrenalin wore off

When you're a #1 d-man, and/or on the #1 d unit, you're out there against the other teams best line/s more often than other players and at the most critical points of the game. Being out there more and at the most critical times means you stand the chance of "killer" goals being scored against you. Add to that what Tony P said above. CP55 is the least of my worries on this team. And worrying gets you no where, so there's that.

[Bluesfan1978]

One other thing happened.
Bolducs penalty.
While a penalty. Many players did the same. Till then it was looked past. But when a ref. is looking for a call. A rookie is always gonna be watched.
So no blame to bolduc.
Monty was mad. And his outrage at Bolduc was felt by everyone in the bench. Monty was so mad. When the pentalty ended. They yelled for Bolduc to come to the bench, with Bolducs line in the offensive zone. To have a teaching. This changed everyone's attitude, and imo the reason for the lose.

I get why Monty was pizzed about the penalty but I hope he doesn't put Bolduc in the doghouse over it. He should be encouraging Bolduc to embrace the role of a team agitator. Boldy has the makings another Kadri or Marchand, combining skill and the willingness to play physically up to the edge of dirty. Every team needs one and he could be it for us.

He also has an incredible knack for finding open ice in which to maneuver. His play entering the zone where he wheeled hard to the left to fire a shot from the slot was incredible.

Truth be told, he should be playing on the second line instead of Snuggerud who looks lost out there. He's earned it.

Nothing wrong with Bolduc being over aggressive as long as he learns from it. I think I’d put him on the 2nd line so you have 2 players willing to be physical. Then I think I would put Texier on RW in the 3 rd line and sit Snuggerud to watch for a game or two. Texier would be a much better option than Snuggerud at this point I think.

Texier is never the answer to anything. I’d take my chances with Snuggie, he got his first game in, hopefully he learns and can make adjustments.

Easy to say this now but I thought Texier had a great game. 4 hits, a couple chances to score, but besides that he really dug in and played hard. He actually exceeded what I thought he would look like coming in to play.