Hofer really led tonight

[MiamiLaw]

Remember guys, the Panthers are without Barkov and have been all year. This is a Top 5-10 player in the league. And Tkachuk is in just his second game. If (and it’s a big if, but he’s skating) Barkov returns, the Panthers will be very tough

You're spot on -
They were also missing Anton Lundell, Marchand (who didn't play in 3rd), Seth Jones, Jonah Gadjovich, Dmitry Kulikov, Tomas Nosek

If they can snag that wild card spot they will be a hand full in the playoffs again.

For sure. That wasn’t the defending champion panthers last night. Barkov and Tkachuk would each easily be the best players on the Blues. Think to be missing two of those guys for 60% of the year and still be in the hunt with the chance to inject them in?

[theograce]

Didn’t think he played that well

But love how he intentionally went at Tkachuk who was chirping him and the Blues in the 3rd.

Stinky mitted his head too.

Really hope Florida misses the playoffs

Just curious, have you always hated Florida or is it a tkachuk thing? I can’t imagine any of the three have had many fans outside of the city they play in or their hometown. I know I absolutely hated Walt until he was a Blue.

Is a a recent thing. I really dislike a few of their players. Love Barkov though

[callitwhatyouwant]

Remember guys, the Panthers are without Barkov and have been all year. This is a Top 5-10 player in the league. And Tkachuk is in just his second game. If (and it’s a big if, but he’s skating) Barkov returns, the Panthers will be very tough

You're spot on -
They were also missing Anton Lundell, Marchand (who didn't play in 3rd), Seth Jones, Jonah Gadjovich, Dmitry Kulikov, Tomas Nosek

If they can snag that wild card spot they will be a hand full in the playoffs again.

For sure. That wasn’t the defending champion panthers last night. Barkov and Tkachuk would each easily be the best players on the Blues. Think to be missing two of those guys for 60% of the year and still be in the hunt with the chance to inject them in?

I don't think people are saying it's the Stanley Cup winning Panthers. But it was the 28-21-3 Panthers vying for a playoff spot and the also completely beat up Blues team went out there and got the job done. Admiral effort. Also, had suspect reffing going both ways. Hard to play under those conditions. The Blues have put out 8 great efforts in the last 10. It's the best stretch of hockey from a complete game standpoint they have done all year. They are just working with LOFT. (Lack of F Talent). If the full roster Blues team played with this sort of effort. They would have overcome some of their shortcomings earlier in the year and been treading water.

I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear, but 2 last minute goals vs Dallas, a 1 goal game vs the Kings, and a really good effort vs the Jets where they looked to be the better team is the difference between being 2 points out of both WC1 and WC2. Yea, that's a lot of what ifs. But it's really as simple as the special teams being the wrong kind of special. 5 on 5 they have been the best team on the ice for the last 5 games.

[stlblue06]

It felt like FLA was in full playoff cheap/agitator mode. I’m not sure why they chose the Blues to play like this. Maybe it was MT being fired up being in his hometown and scoring a couple. Maybe it was the Blues wearing those crazy 1/3 red 90s clown jersey and 90s scoreboard/effects night out of nowhere lol.

The refs were calling it like they wanted a new age no rough stuff regular season game…….

Love how the Blues matched their physical play and didn’t take (bleep) from them. Perfect ended of course on many levels with those 2 Dallas games and how they eared that one.

[callitwhatyouwant]

It felt like FLA was in full playoff cheap/agitator mode. I’m not sure why they chose the Blues to play like this. Maybe it was MT being fired up being in his hometown and scoring a couple. Maybe it was the Blues wearing those crazy 1/3 red 90s clown jersey and 90s scoreboard/effects night out of nowhere lol.

The refs were calling it like they wanted a new age no rough stuff regular season game…….

Love how the Blues matched their physical play and didn’t take (bleep) from them. Perfect ended of course on many levels with those 2 Dallas games and how they eared that one.

In the east, it's getting to that last 1/3rd of the season. That's playoff mode. They are on the outside looking in. To put it in context. The Blues are 10 points out from a playoff spot. The Panthers are 28-22-3 now and are 6 points out from a playoff spot. Thats a 2 game difference but the gap is seemingly large. There are also 2 teams right with them and another 4 sitting at 57. If the Panthers go on a 3 game losing streak. They could suddenly be in 2nd to last place.

The League is very strange this year. The Panthers view the Blues as a must win scenario game especially since both teams are banged up. seems like an easy pickings game.

[stlblue06]

Yeah crazy standings year for sure. Want another nugget?

The Blues are now tied (or maybe still 1 back since MINN won last night) of the Wild for regulation wins. The Blues are where they are and the Wild are 3rd in the NHL.

The Blues are easily a top 10 RW team. Just imagine them with average goaltending, average injuries, and an average 3 on 3/SO clown time record!!!!

[icon]

Yeah crazy standings year for sure. Want another nugget?

The Blues are now tied (or maybe still 1 back since MINN won last night) of the Wild for regulation wins. The Blues are where they are and the Wild are 3rd in the NHL.

The Blues are easily a top 10 RW team. Just imagine them with average goaltending, average injuries, and an average 3 on 3/SO clown time record!!!!

You left out that the Blues are scoring 2.5 goals per game. Try blaming that on goaltending.

[wiscrev]

I never understand why these kids facewash with their mitt and don't lead with the blocker. Take a cue from Billy Smith. Pop turtle in the jaw with your blocker and he will think twice about acting up.

I believe it is an automatic penalty if a goalie strikes with the blocker.

[MiamiLaw]

Remember guys, the Panthers are without Barkov and have been all year. This is a Top 5-10 player in the league. And Tkachuk is in just his second game. If (and it’s a big if, but he’s skating) Barkov returns, the Panthers will be very tough

You're spot on -
They were also missing Anton Lundell, Marchand (who didn't play in 3rd), Seth Jones, Jonah Gadjovich, Dmitry Kulikov, Tomas Nosek

If they can snag that wild card spot they will be a hand full in the playoffs again.

For sure. That wasn’t the defending champion panthers last night. Barkov and Tkachuk would each easily be the best players on the Blues. Think to be missing two of those guys for 60% of the year and still be in the hunt with the chance to inject them in?

I don't think people are saying it's the Stanley Cup winning Panthers. But it was the 28-21-3 Panthers vying for a playoff spot and the also completely beat up Blues team went out there and got the job done. Admiral effort. Also, had suspect reffing going both ways. Hard to play under those conditions. The Blues have put out 8 great efforts in the last 10. It's the best stretch of hockey from a complete game standpoint they have done all year. They are just working with LOFT. (Lack of F Talent). If the full roster Blues team played with this sort of effort. They would have overcome some of their shortcomings earlier in the year and been treading water.

I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear, but 2 last minute goals vs Dallas, a 1 goal game vs the Kings, and a really good effort vs the Jets where they looked to be the better team is the difference between being 2 points out of both WC1 and WC2. Yea, that's a lot of what ifs. But it's really as simple as the special teams being the wrong kind of special. 5 on 5 they have been the best team on the ice for the last 5 games.

I hear ya. The margin is super thin and my post wasn't so much to take away from the Blues. More to point out that the Panthers can get healthy fast and be a top team.

[stlblue06]

Yeah crazy standings year for sure. Want another nugget?

The Blues are now tied (or maybe still 1 back since MINN won last night) of the Wild for regulation wins. The Blues are where they are and the Wild are 3rd in the NHL.

The Blues are easily a top 10 RW team. Just imagine them with average goaltending, average injuries, and an average 3 on 3/SO clown time record!!!!

You left out that the Blues are scoring 2.5 goals per game. Try blaming that on goaltending.

It starts with goaltending and spreads from there. Either in a good way or bad. If the team didn’t have to adjust their entire playing style to protect the goalies in November then the offense most likely wouldn’t have slowed down.

Injuries will also help explain the lack of scoring

[callitwhatyouwant]

Yeah crazy standings year for sure. Want another nugget?

The Blues are now tied (or maybe still 1 back since MINN won last night) of the Wild for regulation wins. The Blues are where they are and the Wild are 3rd in the NHL.

The Blues are easily a top 10 RW team. Just imagine them with average goaltending, average injuries, and an average 3 on 3/SO clown time record!!!!

You left out that the Blues are scoring 2.5 goals per game. Try blaming that on goaltending.

It starts with goaltending and spreads from there. Either in a good way or bad. If the team didn’t have to adjust their entire playing style to protect the goalies in November then the offense most likely wouldn’t have slowed down.

Injuries will also help explain the lack of scoring

Goaltending F'd the team up at the beginning of the year. It looked to be a decently high octane offense with defenders who could skate and had some legit size outside of Tucker who doesn't really fill either of those categories. Goaltending sucked, so high scoring games like that red wings game where we were playing really well just turn into garbage because the goalies were sieves.

The team then starts trying to play conservative defense and we stop scoring. Big problem, because Army made 1 HUGE blunder in the offseason. He didn't resign Suter to protect Mailloux. So instead of us have a top 10 top 4 defense group, we have to spread those guys across our defense and we get a mediocre one. I mean, Parayko is leading the league in blocked shots this year. Faulk has returned to form (I called that one). Broberg keeps getting faster. Fowler is having a "down year" but he is having to play with a guy who doesn't really understand NHL but is getting better. This one is on Army. Can't blame the players here. This was a poor miscalculation of Tuckers ability.

Now the goalie play is back for Hofer, and he gives us a chance night in and night out, we can't score goals. Binner still can't keep the team in the game, but I don't necessarily blame binner all the time here. We can't create leads. It's a problem when you get out of the 1st tie game to just get shelled in the 2nd. Sometimes that's because of a softy given up in the 1st, but more often than not it has been special teams not being good, and not getting a lead. Changes the game.

The team isn't a burn it to the ground team like some will say. Army about a month ago said this and I can say today I disagree. The metrics were showing the team was a top half team but the eye test showed that wasn't the case. The team wasn't playing full 60 so the metrics don't mean much when you get smoked in the 2nd period. Doesn't matter that for 40 minutes of a hockey game you were better like a 2-1 advantage or something when for 20 minutes you were vastly worse like a 1-4 advantage.

Big rant there, but the team is playing a full 60 now. Not getting results, but I would bet about any amount of money, that 5 on 5 the metrics including real score are all favoring the Blues over the last 10.

[IsDurbanodoingtime]

I never understand why these kids facewash with their mitt and don't lead with the blocker. Take a cue from Billy Smith. Pop turtle in the jaw with your blocker and he will think twice about acting up.

I believe it is an automatic penalty if a goalie strikes with the blocker.

It is. Usually a match if done with effect.

[Hazelwood72]

I never understand why these kids facewash with their mitt and don't lead with the blocker. Take a cue from Billy Smith. Pop turtle in the jaw with your blocker and he will think twice about acting up.

Amen! I played beer league goalie and occasionally (not often) had to pop a couple of the young idiots with some blocker music to give them some tough love.

I played in a decent beer league in Houston in the late 1990’s who had 5-6 retired WHA pros from the mid and late 1970’s. At the time I played, they were in their late 40’s and I was mid 40’s. We older guys “knew the code” for proper hockey etiquette. Since Texas amateur leagues generally don’t have enough players for a true Over 40 or Senior league, we had to accept guys in their early 20’s as well. Every now and then the younger guys testosterone would take over and they’d cross the line. It was mostly stuff like them coming in and ramming me, Kadri style. One time I wound up on top of the idiot who rammed me. I got really urinated (PD rejected me saying Piz zzd) since I had already given up a couple of soft goals and was already grouchy, so I started punching him with my blocker. Most young players in my league (including this kid) wore face cages, so it wasn’t like I was going to maim him for life.

He came up to me in the parking lot afterward and said, “Sorry, I went a little too far. I said, hey, don’t worry about it, I got out of hand myself. Then we had a few beers with the rest of the gang. All’s well that ends well. He was new in our league and turned out to be a decent guy. It’s the beauty of a good beer league.

If I lived back up North, I’d still be playing in an Over 60 league but there’s nothing like that here in San Antonio.