Blues played hard again.

[skilles]

To many give aways every night

[DawgDad]

There is still something left to learn about this Blues team and the Jets, are the teams really this evenly matched or will the Jets affirm they are a distinctly better team?

If the latter the Jets take prohibitive control of this series and win in 4 or 5, perhaps with a blowout thrown in. If the former the Blues leverage home ice and take the Jets deep to 6 or 7.

I'm going to lose some of you with this but . . . Right now this seems a lot like the Blues vs Canadiens in 1968. Blues lost all four games by one goal. Glenn Hall won the Conn Smythe going 0-4, he was clearly the best player on the ice. Now, in that series the Blues turned every game into a nailbiter but outside of goal they were clearly outclassed by the deeply experienced and accomplished Canadiens in every facet.

I'd like to think this Blues team isn't being outclassed by any wide margin. They will need to hold fort on home ice to prove that.

[dtkblueshockey]

Not sure the reasoning behind running 11/7 tonight other than them not wanting to ruin the rest of Parayko and Leddy’s careers by re-aggravating their earlier injuries.

Tucker was not good tonight. Leddy has not been good the past few games leading up to the playoffs and been their worst D so far this series. Time for a new look on the back end.

Try this:

Fowler Parayko
Broberg Faulk
Suter Kessel

Up front, the Jets learned from Game 1 and sought to neutralize our 8 million dollar players offensively and it worked. Kyrou and Thomas were hit into submission and barely had any ice to make plays or shoot. The Blues in general across the lineup just need to put pucks on net and get in their goalie’s kitchen. The power play took too long to get set or had bad zone entries on most of the shifts they had tonight. It has to be better.

Try this if there is no Holloway next game:

Buchnevich Thomas Kyrou
Snuggerud Schenn Bolduc
Neighbours Sundqvist Texier
Toropchenko Faksa Joseph

Walker has been ineffective due to his size. Joseph goes in his spot and they become an s disturber line. Give Texier a look with Sunny and Jake. Try out the rookies with Schenn. They have the best shots right now. Make the 8 million dollar guys play together again.

Binnington was the only reason the Blues didn’t lose 4-1 tonight. He plays til he breaks. No reason to change goal.

[dhsux]

Hard to argue that Winnipeg isn't the better team but it's close. We've put two goals into our net and Parakyo getting tangled up with Binnington gave them another. In two close games that's the difference.

Yes we miss Holloway, but they are missing Ehlers. I don't think we can complain about health.

Are we really saying the reason Connor scored is because Parayko got in Binner’s way? It had nothing to do with leaving Connor completely alone in the slot?

Twice now. Guys hard to keep covered

Blues are right there with the leagues highest point team

Jets high powered offense has been limited

A win in game 3 would change a lot of attitude around here....let's give this team that chance

[Tony Palazzolo]

Hard to argue that Winnipeg isn't the better team but it's close. We've put two goals into our net and Parakyo getting tangled up with Binnington gave them another. In two close games that's the difference.

Yes we miss Holloway, but they are missing Ehlers. I don't think we can complain about health.

Are we really saying the reason Connor scored is because Parayko got in Binner’s way? It had nothing to do with leaving Connor completely alone in the slot?

Not blaming Parakyo, but the two got tied up. Binner makes that save if he has his stick (most likely).

[blues2112]

Hard to argue that Winnipeg isn't the better team but it's close. We've put two goals into our net and Parakyo getting tangled up with Binnington gave them another. In two close games that's the difference.

Yes we miss Holloway, but they are missing Ehlers. I don't think we can complain about health.

And Vilardi.

Agree 100 percent on boldface.

[moose-and-squirrel]

Hard to argue that Winnipeg isn't the better team but it's close. We've put two goals into our net and Parakyo getting tangled up with Binnington gave them another. In two close games that's the difference.

Yes we miss Holloway, but they are missing Ehlers. I don't think we can complain about health.

Are we really saying the reason Connor scored is because Parayko got in Binner’s way? It had nothing to do with leaving Connor completely alone in the slot?

Not blaming Parakyo, but the two got tied up. Binner makes that save if he has his stick (most likely).

agreed.. hard to beat these guys when they're getting goals gifted to them...

btw.. you're wasting your time arguing with a sock.. just an fyi

[desertrat23]

Hard to argue that Winnipeg isn't the better team but it's close. We've put two goals into our net and Parakyo getting tangled up with Binnington gave them another. In two close games that's the difference.

Yes we miss Holloway, but they are missing Ehlers. I don't think we can complain about health.

Are we really saying the reason Connor scored is because Parayko got in Binner’s way? It had nothing to do with leaving Connor completely alone in the slot?

Twice now. Guys hard to keep covered

Blues are right there with the leagues highest point team

Jets high powered offense has been limited

A win in game 3 would change a lot of attitude around here....let's give this team that chance

Did the “gee shucks, we played hard, moral victory” crowd actually watch these games? Yes, they were one-goal games (excluding an ENG in Game 1). Yes, shots were even last night. Yeah, hits were close. But look deeper. The Blues’ shot total decreased each period in Game 2. They had nine more giveaways. Little to no sustained pressure. Pulled the goalie with over two minutes left and didn’t register a shot.

Saying they’re out of their depth with Winnipeg doesn’t diminish the season or the team’s bright future. A win in Game 3 means they lose in five games. And if they do, it’s still a successful year considering where this franchise is at. But let’s stop trying to make this a more evenly matched series than it is.

[desertrat23]

Hard to argue that Winnipeg isn't the better team but it's close. We've put two goals into our net and Parakyo getting tangled up with Binnington gave them another. In two close games that's the difference.

Yes we miss Holloway, but they are missing Ehlers. I don't think we can complain about health.

Are we really saying the reason Connor scored is because Parayko got in Binner’s way? It had nothing to do with leaving Connor completely alone in the slot?

Not blaming Parakyo, but the two got tied up. Binner makes that save if he has his stick (most likely).

agreed.. hard to beat these guys when they're getting goals gifted to them...

btw.. you're wasting your time arguing with a sock.. just an fyi

If you’re not trying to rationalize and excuse away playoff losses, you’re a sock? Tough crowd.

[bud white]

Home for two, so given how close these games have been, let's see how the last change impacts the series. I'm sure we'll see the WTF line against Schiefle / Connor / Iafalo these next two games. Jets have been on the receving end of the puck luck so far. And Hellebyuck has been far from the wall Canadian media makes him out to be.

[dhsux]

Hard to argue that Winnipeg isn't the better team but it's close. We've put two goals into our net and Parakyo getting tangled up with Binnington gave them another. In two close games that's the difference.

Yes we miss Holloway, but they are missing Ehlers. I don't think we can complain about health.

Are we really saying the reason Connor scored is because Parayko got in Binner’s way? It had nothing to do with leaving Connor completely alone in the slot?

Twice now. Guys hard to keep covered

Blues are right there with the leagues highest point team

Jets high powered offense has been limited

A win in game 3 would change a lot of attitude around here....let's give this team that chance

Did the “gee shucks, we played hard, moral victory” crowd actually watch these games? Yes, they were one-goal games (excluding an ENG in Game 1). Yes, shots were even last night. Yeah, hits were close. But look deeper. The Blues’ shot total decreased each period in Game 2. They had nine more giveaways. Little to no sustained pressure. Pulled the goalie with over two minutes left and didn’t register a shot.

Saying they’re out of their depth with Winnipeg doesn’t diminish the season or the team’s bright future. A win in Game 3 means they lose in five games. And if they do, it’s still a successful year considering where this franchise is at. But let’s stop trying to make this a more evenly matched series than it is.

I will be last guy to diminish this teams season lots to cheer about and more importantly look forward to

Odds aside I happen to believe a game 3 win could alter the series

[dhsux]

Hard to argue that Winnipeg isn't the better team but it's close. We've put two goals into our net and Parakyo getting tangled up with Binnington gave them another. In two close games that's the difference.

Yes we miss Holloway, but they are missing Ehlers. I don't think we can complain about health.

Are we really saying the reason Connor scored is because Parayko got in Binner’s way? It had nothing to do with leaving Connor completely alone in the slot?

Twice now. Guys hard to keep covered

Blues are right there with the leagues highest point team

Jets high powered offense has been limited

A win in game 3 would change a lot of attitude around here....let's give this team that chance

Did the “gee shucks, we played hard, moral victory” crowd actually watch these games? Yes, they were one-goal games (excluding an ENG in Game 1). Yes, shots were even last night. Yeah, hits were close. But look deeper. The Blues’ shot total decreased each period in Game 2. They had nine more giveaways. Little to no sustained pressure. Pulled the goalie with over two minutes left and didn’t register a shot.

Saying they’re out of their depth with Winnipeg doesn’t diminish the season or the team’s bright future. A win in Game 3 means they lose in five games. And if they do, it’s still a successful year considering where this franchise is at. But let’s stop trying to make this a more evenly matched series than it is.

I will be last guy to diminish this teams season lots to cheer about and more importantly look forward to

Odds aside having watched games 1 and 2 I happen to believe a game 3 win could alter the series

[callitwhatyouwant]

Both teams missing a key piece or 2. But the Blues are showing where their holes lie. The team beat other teams by being relentless with their lines and the biggest part of that was their speed and size. Holloway and now Joseph being healthy scratched is a bigger deal for the identity than anything else. Forget about Holloways skill, the X factor was those guys hounding pucks. That's not Thomas game, it's not Buchy's game. Thats our 4th line, Holloway, Schenn, Joseph. There's guys who on each line (minus the top line) that just were just disruptive by nature. Now our top line and 3rd line don't have that. And we are missing the breakneck speed that the 2nd line had with the combo of Kyrou/Holloway.

It's admirable what Monty tried to do, get more forwards more ice time. But that's a departure from what made the team good. I hold out hope tho. One huge thing that's showing up that we aren't capitalizing on are the big kick bounces Helley prefers to give up. He will take those low pad saves and hope he can push them to the side. We haven't gotten 1 rebound off those to score. In the first period alone yesterday we had 3 right there on our sticks or just out of reach that we couldn't get in. 2 of which had a Yawning cage. Blues have to figure out how to get a better rebounding presence.

[seattleblue]

There is still something left to learn about this Blues team and the Jets, are the teams really this evenly matched or will the Jets affirm they are a distinctly better team?

If the latter the Jets take prohibitive control of this series and win in 4 or 5, perhaps with a blowout thrown in. If the former the Blues leverage home ice and take the Jets deep to 6 or 7.

I'm going to lose some of you with this but . . . Right now this seems a lot like the Blues vs Canadiens in 1968. Blues lost all four games by one goal. Glenn Hall won the Conn Smythe going 0-4, he was clearly the best player on the ice. Now, in that series the Blues turned every game into a nailbiter but outside of goal they were clearly outclassed by the deeply experienced and accomplished Canadiens in every facet.

I'd like to think this Blues team isn't being outclassed by any wide margin. They will need to hold fort on home ice to prove that.

There's a lot of similarity to me with the 2009 team not the 2019 team. I just have never even considered this team on the 2019 level, that team was several impact players deeper. But 2009 they actually were dead last in the conference and that run got them to 6th where they carried that stirring momentum into a hard fought 4 game series that they were in each game and Luongo made the difference. Perron was actually (one of) our best player(s) in that series as an almost 21 year old.

I'd add that this team is significantly further along than the 2009 team too and I do not expect this team to miss the playoffs the next two years like that one did.

[DawgDad]

There is still something left to learn about this Blues team and the Jets, are the teams really this evenly matched or will the Jets affirm they are a distinctly better team?

If the latter the Jets take prohibitive control of this series and win in 4 or 5, perhaps with a blowout thrown in. If the former the Blues leverage home ice and take the Jets deep to 6 or 7.

I'm going to lose some of you with this but . . . Right now this seems a lot like the Blues vs Canadiens in 1968. Blues lost all four games by one goal. Glenn Hall won the Conn Smythe going 0-4, he was clearly the best player on the ice. Now, in that series the Blues turned every game into a nailbiter but outside of goal they were clearly outclassed by the deeply experienced and accomplished Canadiens in every facet.

I'd like to think this Blues team isn't being outclassed by any wide margin. They will need to hold fort on home ice to prove that.

There's a lot of similarity to me with the 2009 team not the 2019 team. I just have never even considered this team on the 2019 level, that team was several impact players deeper. But 2009 they actually were dead last in the conference and that run got them to 6th where they carried that stirring momentum into a hard fought 4 game series that they were in each game and Luongo made the difference. Perron was actually (one of) our best player(s) in that series as an almost 21 year old.

I'd add that this team is significantly further along than the 2009 team too and I do not expect this team to miss the playoffs the next two years like that one did.

Yep.

I was in the middle of my career then, raising kids, wasn't paying as close of attention to the Blues from down here in GA.

[bud white]

Reason for optimism ...

In looking back at their performance this season, they were an absolute wagon. Very consistent. But one thing that was missing during the 82 game season was a swatch of "meh" play. A string of games where their game is off and they go on a stretch where they drop to a sub .500 clip. It happens to every team over the course of a long schedule. It appears out of nowhere for no discernable reason.

That hasn't happened to this year's Winnipeg Jets. I went through their schedule and just couldn't find any of those fall offs. Right now they are getting every bounce. Right now, the Blues are just missing juicy rebounds or passes across the crease by inches. (I counted 3 or 4 in the first 10 minutes where we just missed a huge rebound off of Helle's pad that takes the crowd out of it right away.) Have they reached their Zenith and / or will they before the Blues can counter?

The Blues played them close all year and all it takes is one game to turn things around. That's why you gotta love Stanley Cup playoffs!