I really worked for that Philly win with the utter disdain move. Still, that team's going nowhere. First round fodder.
Shaping up for a) a big night for the Blues and b) a great night for the chasers in the fight for those final three playoff spots. Colorado, Calgary, LA win/winning, but Phoenix, Chicago, even Nashville lose. No OT games. Sharks tied with Oilers in 2d.
With a Canucks regulation or OT loss, the Blues hold first in the West tonight. With 15 games each left, Blues effectively hold 2.5 point lead (tiebreaker) over Detroit.
Blues are catching Columbus at a bad time...they're currently playing their best hockey of the year. Blues will come out with a purpose, though, after their last game against Columbus.
Blues are catching Columbus at a bad time...they're currently playing their best hockey of the year. Blues will come out with a purpose, though, after their last game against Columbus.
If the Blues finish 9-5, Detroit would have to play 11-3-1 to pass us for the Central Division (I think).
That's correct, subject to the possibility that the Blues suddenly start getting shootout wins in that 9-5 run and Detroit picks up more non-shootout wins.
Detroit hosts LA tonight and visits Nashville tomorrow without their key guys, nearly all of whom are due back by the end of the weekend according to Babcock. Tonight, Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Bertuzzi, Kindl and Howard are all still out, and LA is desperate. Detroit now plays two consecutive back to back sets, traveling to Nashville in between the first one (the second they don't leave the LA area).
The Rangers visit Chicago tonight too. I would really enjoy the Hawks missing the playoffs (which is unlikely as they've been able to beat Detroit twice). Still, it could happen as none of their games are gimmes. I care less about the President's Trophy than I do about winning the West or Central. The Rangers are really the only team with a shot at surpassing the Blues' point totals from the East, though I could see Pittsburgh maybe putting on a crazy run at the end.
LA is up 2-1 against Detroit in the 2nd. Would definitely be huge if they pull it out tonight, especially with Datysuk, Lidstrom, and Howard out of the lineup.
Tied 2-2, there's about 7 min left in the game and the shots are something like 16-9 for the entire game. LA is a hideous team. Detroit has a legit excuse with so many guys out (also missing Abdelkader and Ericsson) but this has been just godawful to watch. LA's terrible.
Tied 2-2, there's about 7 min left in the game and the shots are something like 16-9 for the entire game. LA is a hideous team. Detroit has a legit excuse with so many guys out (also missing Abdelkader and Ericsson) but this has been just godawful to watch. LA's terrible.
I watched the whole game. Detroit had all of their stars out and LA was listless, sloppy, terrible. Detroit got 15 shots on goal the entire game, at home. That should underscore how feebly they were bringing it, and it wasn't because LA was dominating on defense. That was one of the most gutless performances I've seen in a long, long time. With five minutes to go in the game Detroit had NINE shots on net. And one of those was a gift from the scorer of a shot that hit the post. And LA, leading 3-2 late in a must win game despite looking completely terrible themselves, dug down and found a way to gutlessly lose. Mike Richards and Drew Doughty are the two most overpaid, overrated players in the league right now.
Rangers led 2-1 late into the third at Chicago before blowing it allowing two goals in just over a minute. Hawks got ENG and Rangers got one more to make the final 4-3.
OK, NOW the St. Louis Blues are the best team in the National Hockey League.
Give Chicago credit, they've gone 2-0 against the Rangers and 2-0 against Detroit in the past few weeks, three of those on the road, otherwise they'd be on the outside looking in.
If the Rangers win their game in hand in regulation they'd pip the Blues for the Prez Trophy based on 40-39 ROW.
Vancouver trailing 4-1 with 9 minutes to play at home against Eastern 15th place Montreal. That would give the Blues a 3.5 point cushion over VAN with 13 to play for the top seed in the West, and a 4.5 point cushion over DET for the Central. Also Schwartz can turn pro now that his season's over. Another great night in Blues Nation.
