I don't know... Only 2 goals in the last two games may have made them decide that hockey is way too boring because clutch and grab hockey is back...
No, I just mean that the largest casino in the Bay Area, in the city of San Jose, typically won't have Sharks games on unless a general hockey fan goes up and asks, and it's their only major-sport team. It'll be night and they'll have NBA, college sports and Golf Channel reruns on. It's unimaginable that a St. Louis cardroom wouldn't have a Blues game on when it's playing.
No, I just mean that the largest casino in the Bay Area, in the city of San Jose, typically won't have Sharks games on unless a general hockey fan goes up and asks, and it's their only major-sport team. It'll be night and they'll have NBA, college sports and Golf Channel reruns on. It's unimaginable that a St. Louis cardroom wouldn't have a Blues game on when it's playing.
In their defense, the ice is so good in San Jose that it tends to blind the cameras and thus cause issues with anyone who is attempting to watch for the first few minutes until the producers can get the setting correct again.
Also, Shark games tend to be so exciting no-one would spend any time gambling...instead they would spend their entire time noting:
(During home games): How incredible the ice is, how incredible the Sharks are and how the referees refusal to call a just game is what is keeping the team from rightly winning.
(During away games): How lousy the ice is, how the other team is insanely boring and how the referees refusal to call a just game is what is keeping the team from rightly winning.
Then, after the game they would have to listen to all of the people in the casino using even more excuses than before as to why they lost on the flop, how the lousy felt is causing card to turn over wrong thus exposing their hand (and bet) too soon, etc.
Apparently Sobotka is on the top line again, with Stewart back down to the 3rd. Wonder if it sticks, if it does Stewart's tenure in St. Louis has to be dwindling down.
Sobotka was better than Stewart in the Vancouver game by a wide margin. Really don't want to see Stewart on the top two lines the rest of the year. Not that Sobotka provides all that much offense or should be the better offensive player but at least he gives you second and third effort.
Sobotka was better than Stewart in the Vancouver game by a wide margin. Really don't want to see Stewart on the top two lines the rest of the year. Not that Sobotka provides all that much offense or should be the better offensive player but at least he gives you second and third effort.
Agreed!
Sobotka doesn't really add much offense, but he will continue to battle and doesn't give up on the puck when someone farts next to him like Stewart does. Stewart seems the least terrible when he is playing with Arnott, so I hope he stays there for the rest of the season. He doesn't belong on the top 2 lines. I still hope he turns it around, but at this point there is zero evidence that he will. It's a damn good thing Shattenkirk has turned out to be a really good player, becuase Stewart is a boarder line bust. I hate saying it, but he might need to be traded to a offensive system were its ok to float, becuase it's not working here. The more I think about it, if Tank signs in the offseason, Stewarts as good as gone.
The Sharks have gone 0-10 on power plays the last two games (both Blues shutouts), which is just cosmetic window dressing to disguise the real bias the refs have. Furthermore, Hitchcock trapped them with a boring stanchion-centric game plan from the dead-puck era. Sure, it looks like ten fruitless chances on the power play to the casual observer, but the numbers don't properly convey how boring those opportunities were.
As for me, I'm just grateful the Sharks let the Blues compete on the same ice as them. I mean, it's inarguable how much better they are. I think it shows a lot of class for them to let the little guys have a chance. Those guys can't win the Cup every year. That would just get boring and trappy.
Haha we're going to ruin one of their better goalie prospects with bad Peoria ice now:
@icetimecleve Rivermen have a deal to bring AHL Worcester goalie Alex Stalock to Peo via loan by San Jose Sharks. Straight loan, should be confirmed Sun.
Blues are back home after this game so hopefully their heads aren't already in St. Louis. This game isn't a deal breaker but I like that cushion they have over Nashville and I would like to seem them keep it like that.
Blues are back home after this game so hopefully their heads aren't already in St. Louis. This game isn't a deal breaker but I like that cushion they have over Nashville and I would like to seem them keep it like that.
If we lose tonight and the Preds win tonight and win their game in hand, that cushion is 2 pts.
I've been saying for a while now that people have prematurely discounted the notion of the Preds overtaking the Blues.
Ideally, what I'd like to see is:
Blues pass Detroit, but Vancouver gets first in the West.
Nashville ALSO pass Detroit, creating an epic 4/5 series. The Blues play Chicago in Round 1 and knock them out....then Phoenix (or possibly San Jose...but I doubt it).
The Blues' schedule is defnitely easier than is the Preds'. And while the Blues fairly consistently pick up points across all levels of competition, the Preds' winning percentage drops significantly when facing tougher opposition. That's the basis of my own confidence in the Blues' ability to stay ahead.
I've been saying for a while now that people have prematurely discounted the notion of the Preds overtaking the Blues.
Ideally, what I'd like to see is:
Blues pass Detroit, but Vancouver gets first in the West.
Nashville ALSO pass Detroit, creating an epic 4/5 series. The Blues play Chicago in Round 1 and knock them out....then Phoenix (or possibly San Jose...but I doubt it).
I do not want to see the Blackhawks. Only would rather play them instead of the Wings and Canucks.
I've been saying for a while now that people have prematurely discounted the notion of the Preds overtaking the Blues.
I agree. The Preds' schedule isn't that much harder than the Blues' schedule. They had a tough February and still stuck around. Yes, the Blues play CBJ 3 more times, whatever. They also play CHI 3 times. They play both PHX and ANA twice, as well as TB and CAR, games which I think people are assuming will be easy but these teams are hot as of late. And as well as the Blues have played on this road trip, I'm still not convinced that they'll suddenly be great on the road during the 7 gamer coming up. There's still not that much of a difference between the remaining games for the two teams. I think the worst case scenario for the Blues is to finish 5th behind Nashville at 4.
I've been saying for a while now that people have prematurely discounted the notion of the Preds overtaking the Blues.
Ideally, what I'd like to see is:
Blues pass Detroit, but Vancouver gets first in the West.
Nashville ALSO pass Detroit, creating an epic 4/5 series. The Blues play Chicago in Round 1 and knock them out....then Phoenix (or possibly San Jose...but I doubt it).
Ideally, I'm hoping for a first round bye. Then it will be warmer in St. Louis, which, as we have learned from our friends in California, makes it MUCH easier to make good ice.
I agree. The Preds' schedule isn't that much harder than the Blues' schedule. They had a tough February and still stuck around. Yes, the Blues play CBJ 3 more times, whatever. They also play CHI 3 times. They play both PHX and ANA twice, as well as TB and CAR, games which I think people are assuming will be easy but these teams are hot as of late. And as well as the Blues have played on this road trip, I'm still not convinced that they'll suddenly be great on the road during the 7 gamer coming up. There's still not that much of a difference between the remaining games for the two teams. I think the worst case scenario for the Blues is to finish 5th behind Nashville at 4.
Actually, Nashville only went 6-4-3 in February. Their March is harder.
The Blues don't need to be "suddenly great on the road." They just need to maintain some semblance of their 9-1-2 road record under Hitch outside the division.
As far as schedules, nobody's assuming the games against anyone will be easy. But this is Nashville's remaining schedule and like I said, they pick up points at a far lower rate against better teams than they do against the Columbuses of the world. They just do:
3/3 @ FLA
3/6 vs. LA
3/8 vs. COL
3/10 vs. DET
3/12 @ PHX
3/15 @ SJ
3/17 @ LA
3/18 @ ANA
3/20 vs. EDM
3/22 @ PIT
3/24 vs. WPG
3/25 @ CHI
3/27 @ STL
3/30 @ DET
3/31 vs. CHI
4/3 vs. MIN
4/5 vs. DAL
4/7 @ COL
It's clearly harder than the Blues' schedule of:
3/3 @ SJ
3/6 vs. CHI
3/8 vs. ANA
3/10 vs. CBJ
3/11 @ CBJ
3/13 @ CHI
3/15 @ CAR
3/17 @ TB
3/21 @ ANA
3/22 @ LA
3/25 @ PHX
3/27 vs. NSH
3/29 @ CHI
3/31 vs. CBJ
4/4 vs. DET
4/6 vs. PHX
4/7 @ DAL
The fact is, the Blues don't really drop off the way Nashville does when they play tougher competition. The numbers show it. Catching up from +17 to +22 is a hard task. Toews is also out indefinitely with a concussion, making the prospect of those Chicago games easier.
It's not overstated to say Nashville has a tough road to catch up.
Actually, Nashville only went 6-4-3 in February. Their March is harder.
The Blues don't need to be "suddenly great on the road." They just need to maintain some semblance of their 9-1-2 road record under Hitch outside the division.
As far as schedules, nobody's assuming the games against anyone will be easy. But this is Nashville's remaining schedule and like I said, they pick up points at a far lower rate against better teams than they do against the Columbuses of the world. They just do:
The fact is, the Blues don't really drop off the way Nashville does when they play tougher competition. The numbers show it. Catching up from +17 to +22 is a hard task. Toews is also out indefinitely with a concussion, making the prospect of those Chicago games easier.
It's not overstated to say Nashville has a tough road to catch up.
I said that Nashville stuck around, which they did. I didn't say they had a great record. It just seems like even after the Blues' great February, they didn't gain that much ground on Nashville.
I was always under the impression that Nashville picked it up against the top teams, but that's just from me looking at scores on nhl.com. It always seemed like Nashville was winning their games no matter who they played. I could be giving them more credit than they deserve though.
I guess I see it differently that you do. The way I see it, if Nashville wins three more games than the Blues do down the stretch, they'll move into 4th. I don't think that's the craziest possibility. I admit that I'm being pessimistic, but I'm cautious about writing the Blues into the 4th spot just yet. And believe me, I'd love to be confident in the games the Blues have against Chicago, but I'm just not for some reason. I hope they prove me wrong, because I don't think the Hawks are a better team than the Blues this season.
