blues vs san jose

[moguy1973]

It's the way Coach Hitchcock's system works.  If it's on and all the players buy into it working it pretty much can't be stopped.  And it really relies on strong goal tending since it's an offensive defense type system that can put the team in lop sided breaks where the goalie has to bail them out.  Get a few players that aren't on their game and a goalie that lets a few soft goals by and it can look ugly quick. Fast teams like the Stars and Sharks can give the system fits too. 

[DADAKOTA]

They have 2 choices.  Game 7 or start golfing.

[jpb2187]

10 hours ago, Al Agnew said:

I'm not much of a hockey fan, but I've been watching the play-offs.  What is it with the Blues?  They can look very good for a while, but when they lose, they look totally outclassed and outhustled for either the whole game or a large part of it.  SJ's passing has looked far crisper and more precise than the Blues most of the time in this series, and they seem to get more and better shots on goal overall.  The Blues go through long periods of time when either their defense is lackadaisical or their offense doesn't accomplish anything at all.  Yet then they go through periods when everything looks really good.  Is it the different lines?  Different strategies? 

That's been the storyline for pretty much the whole time Hitch is here. Look like world beaters one day/period, look the egg beaters the next. Lots of times, periods are almost like a game within a game. Just like some football teams come out and dominate one half, then fall flat the next. 

Part of it too is the type of players on the roster, typically Hitch has liked bigger physical players who can implement a variation of the left wing lock/trap system. when the forecheck isn't working the back end gets exposed. This year, additions of guys like Fabbri, and Parayko have given the blues some much needed speed and better passing, but other teams still have better speed and passing than us. Our answer is to outcheck and force turnovers on those type teams, and when they can out hustle or win the battle on the boards, we get beat. 

I agree with you on the hustling. Lots of times it looks like were just getting outworked, nothing to do with skill or speed, but when you lose battles on the board, thats bad. Also, I'm fine with dumping the puck in the zone, but if you just dump the puck with 3 guys standing at the blue line of course the other teams D can handle the puck. We need momentum and speed going into the zone before the dump. Not gonna beat a dman to the puck standing still at the blue line. 

[moguy1973]

Horrible game, but I kind of figured that would be the way it would go after the last game.

"Guess there's always hope for next year" - St. Louis Blues motto going strong since 1967

[stlfisher]

It was a great run. This was no choke job and no team had a tougher draw than the Blues. We looked gassed and the Sharks werejust a better team. Probably the most fun I have had watching the Blues in a long time. It will be a very interesting offseason.

[marcus]

20 hours ago, DADAKOTA said:

They have 2 choices.  Game 7 or start golfing.

looks like there golfing what a season though man so close but yet so far 

[moguy1973]

I think the new playoff format really hurts the teams that are in strong conferences. Blues had to play the #3 and #1 teams in the conference in rounds 1 and 2 and the Sharks had #5 and #7. True Nashville gave the Sharks everything they had but they aren't no Hawks or Stars.  

Not really sure what pieces they need to get farther.  I think #19 needs to go and they might need another dynamic forward to take some defenders away from Tarasenko.  I think Backes made a statement to keep him around if they can afford it. 

[Ham]

well, that sucks. I hate that the Blues didn't get to play for the cup. They had games where they looked so good against the Sharks and games where the Sharks were clearly better. I don't really understand it. Hitch couldn't figure it out either.

I understand the frustration with the playoff format, but it is their party. The GM's, teams, and the NHL determine how they do these things. First and foremost is making money. I get all goofy and start thinking it is some higher thing, but it is just entertainment and making a bunch of money. It is natural to get emotionally invested and I have not figured out a way to get the highs without the lows.

Let's Go Pens!

[moguy1973]

Really goes to show you that the regular season means diddly squat.  If the Lightning make it, there will be two teams in the Cup finals that were only 6th best in points in their respective conferences.  It's almost better to not try so hard in the regular season, stay healthy, and then pour it on in the playoffs once you qualify.  Let all the good teams beat up on each other, that way when you get to face on of them they will be gassed and you can skate on into the finals.

[Johnsfolly]

moguy1973 - I fully understand your comment about the playoff system. There is a lot to be said about staying healthy especially when they play best of seven series at each round. This year there hasn't been a lot of home ice advantages. So you may have a point in trying to focus on staying healthy than driving for the best regular season records for seeding and home ice purposes. Though there is the fan and money consideration to play more games on your home ice and generate much more revenue. I wasn't happy that the Pens had to face the Caps in the last round. However, this is still far better than how the last couple of years that the Pirates got screwed by having to play in the play in game after having a better record than most if not all of the other NL division leaders.