>>>Mashinter is a diversion. Brouwer and Reaves and Backes have to watch him running Fabbri. Like Carcillo used to be, he's a lightning rod to take physical pressure and after the whistle stuff off Teuvo, and help Teuvo and Fleischmann feel safe out there. Is it right? I don't know—but THAt IS WHY he's playing. New blog up.<<<

Although not a pure hockey decision...this makes sense. I suspected he is riding shotgun for TT.

as far q forgetting more about hockey than we know...add the word "collective" before know...

in Q we trust....cmon savvy, dk, and the rest of you...it ain't that hard to say
- bogiedoc

Agree bogie BUT as JJ has pointed out before, Q has made mistakes (playing Zeus too much 2 yrs ago) and he's not infallible. I would venture to say about 5 coaches in the league would have won 3 cups with this roster. Hopefully he's right about Mash and they steal a game but as I've always said, give me great players above a great coach any day......unless Q turns into Reggie Dunlop .....then we're a lock.

If the Hawks can win the cup with Timonen in the lineup for that majority of the games, they can win a cup with Mash playing his 5-7 minutes up front. A lot like the role of Ben Eager in 2010, playing 6 minutes a game. He isn't there to do much other than be a large body and maybe keep someone honest.

Mashinter isn't gonna factor much into the outcome. I think real factors will be how healthy our returning forwards are and if the big guns can get blasting. I expect Kane/Panarin to get a decent amount of icetime and hopefully they will draw a few penalties to get a chance to make some of that magic.

I think the Hawks D will play okay, because without Keith they will actively look to step it up a bit.

The #1 biggest thing to look for is the line changes. Road game for the Hawks, and Q loves the match ups. It is likely that the Blues get a few odd man rushes on bad changes because the Hawks are gonna screw it up at some point try to get the right guys on the ice. Either that, or expect a too many men bench minor as things are going.

carcus
St Louis Blues
Location: Captain
Joined: 02.12.2009


Today @ 10:04 AM ET
Mash can't keep up with Tarasenko. If he is on the ice with him that is a win for the Blues. And probably a goal for us more times than not.

And the Hawks don't want to play the "take out guys on the other team". The Blues are deeper and have several guys who Hitch could send out there to "take out" Hawks stars.

There is nothing wrong with legally hitting anyone. But that is not what I get from taking out key players like Fabbri or Tarasenko.

If that is what this series comes down to, neither team will be winning the Cup because whoever advances will not be able to get out of the West with a depleted roster.

Plenty of teams advance after physical 1st rounds and "depleted" rosters. Just not the Blues. Before your team gets out of the west you're probably not in a position to lecture on what it takes to get out of the west.

You need to go back and look at the last 1st round exit by the Blues. What did they do every game last year the Wild had a 2 or 3 goal lead? Ott, Backes, Reaves... even Shattenkirk were out there trying to run players out of the series. Drew a number of dumb penalties for it too. Brouwer may help with keeping that team's heads on straight this year. We will see.

Mash isn't going be able to regulate anything though. I'll agree there. Not the way he played in the regular season. This is not Buff or a healthy Bickell that can play with key players.... the type the after the whistle Blow boys have to watch for when they try to engage with Toews or the stars. If we see a bunch of fights in this series the Hawks will be playing the Blues game and the Blues will win.

Much of the Blues success this year has been the activation of their D corps in a more offensive fashion, and a streaky good Brian Elliott.

Assuming the Hawk D can exit the zone, in theory, the rapid transition potential of the Hawk forwards should be a substantial counter to any goonery from the Blues.

If the Hawks come out like they did against Boston a few weeks ago they should win. Solid forecheck from the top three lines and a hardnosed shutdown performance from line #4 should open the ice for the Kane line.

Let's hope the Hawks come with their GAF attitude tonight. Steal one with Keith out and it's downhill from there.
- Return of the Roar

Elliott was pulled in his last game. If the Hawks have any chance with the roster they are dressing they need to get some goals on him early IMO and get in his head. Past playoffs show he is fragile. Allen too until proven otherwise. An ill timed goal or 2 and that team will fold - though they somehow believe they were world beaters in coming back against the Hawks twice this year. #SquealPig.... sad.

"So is Q going to be putting Mashinter in some sort of ice Ferrari?
Cause other than that, ain't no way he's catching either of them on the rink.
I don't deny that's what some of JJ's connections have told him. However, whether they actually believe Q's bullsh!t is another story altogether."

-Savvyone-1


You have been questioning / bad mouthing Q all year. Read the following quote from the blog. Then read it again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again…..Until you FINALLY get it.

"Joel Quenneville has forgotten more about hockey than all of us combined will likely ever know—and he keeps playing these guys, game after game, year after year."

-JJ (via the blog)
- Katana777

Oh I get it just fine. Just that no one on here can ever question the great wizard Q.
There are plenty of folks on here that have more than a good grasp of the game and game strategy. In the end, none of it matters because Q is going to do things his way. It doesn't mean any of us have to like it (and some of the players that didn't agree or couldn't figure him out have been shipped off the island) -- so I wouldn't get your shorts too tied up in knots over those of us expressing our angst over his coaching decisions.

I really think it's archaic thinking, he's really going to limit lines 3 success unless they have plans of having the other 3 LW's take Mash's shift here and there.

Sometimes coach Q gets stuck in an old mind set, the only reason I say this, we experienced this with Bollig and I thought the Hawks did very well last year with Sharp, Vermette and TT, no one to create space there

Re: Hammer TVR....

JJ, please tell me they are on their strong sides in practice and that it is not really "TVR Hammer"???

Mashinter with the GWG tonight, on route to a Conn Smythe.

Plenty of teams advance after physical 1st rounds and "depleted" rosters. Just not the Blues. Before your team gets out of the west you're probably not in a position to lecture on what it takes to get out of the west.

You need to go back and look at the last 1st round exit by the Blues. What did they do every game last year the Wild had a 2 or 3 goal lead? Ott, Backes, Reaves... even Shattenkirk were out there trying to run players out of the series. Drew a number of dumb penalties for it too. Brouwer may help with keeping that team's heads on straight this year. We will see.

Mash isn't going be able to regulate anything though. I'll agree there. Not the way he played in the regular season. This is not Buff or a healthy Bickell that can play with key players.... the type the after the whistle Blow boys have to watch for when they try to engage with Toews or the stars. If we see a bunch of fights in this series the Hawks will be playing the Blues game and the Blues will win.
- tredbrta

I actually have nothing to do with the Blues moving on or going home. Just like you have nothing to do with the Hawks winning the Cup.

We both can talk all we want.

It isn't like saying that if there are depleted rosters for whichever team advances, that they will not likely continue to move on. The West is too good to keep beating really good teams without your star players.

I don't need to have a winning history from the team I root for to give that opinion.

Not the Blues or Hawks but...ouch.

Minnesota WildVerified account ‏@mnwild 11m11 minutes ago
Parise & Vanek will not travel with #mnwild for Games 1 & 2. Parise is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury: http://ow.ly/10CxKl
- MNHawk

Probably the only group dressing in game 1 that looks worse than the Hawks on paper.

Mash may be the least talented player playing in these playoffs. Sved and Gus are probably among the 5 worst d men dressing. G and S may develop into something but today....

I think I may be thankful I have a very long flight this evening.

Elliott was pulled in his last game. If the Hawks have any chance with the roster they are dressing they need to get some goals on him early IMO and get in his head. Past playoffs show he is fragile. Allen too until proven otherwise. An ill timed goal or 2 and that team will fold - though they somehow believe they were world beaters in coming back against the Hawks twice this year. #SquealPig.... sad.
- tredbrta

Like almost all of this RS, I expect the first goal in this game to be HUGE! Hawks score first and the Blows will be taking runs, activating their defense at the offensive blue line and trying to open up the game. Blows score first and Hitch will lock it down and try to suffocate/frustrate the Hawks skill forwards. First goal wins tonight, IMO. I also think that Elliot will (like Ryan Miller) be a weak link for STL in this series. He is not a big body and if given open looks, I think 88+72+19+Co will be able to beat him.

Give me one example of where Mash delivered a solid check. I don't think he even knows how to finish a check if he has the opportunity. Guy is worthless and the Blues won't target TT with Mash on his line because they want that line on the ice to take advantage of the matchup advantage. TT ad Fleishman may never see the offensive zone to take advantage of their offensive skills

Elliott was pulled in his last game. If the Hawks have any chance with the roster they are dressing they need to get some goals on him early IMO and get in his head. Past playoffs show he is fragile. Allen too until proven otherwise. An ill timed goal or 2 and that team will fold - though they somehow believe they were world beaters in coming back against the Hawks twice this year. #SquealPig.... sad.
- tredbrta

Crawford gave up 5 goals and had an .800 save percentage in his last game against a bad team.

Who cares?

Probably the only group dressing in game 1 that looks worse than the Hawks on paper.

Mash may be the least talented player playing in these playoffs. Sved and Gus are probably among the 5 worst d men dressing. G and S may develop into something but today....
- tredbrta

Be careful Tred, you could be looking at #5 here soon.
You know, Q did say he was looking great skating 25 min a night in Rockford.
Gee, I didn't know figure skating trials were going on . . .

Mashinter with the GWG tonight, on route to a Conn Smythe.
- SimpleJack

Perhaps he's playoff Mashinter ala Bickell! Go Hawks!

Elliott was pulled in his last game. If the Hawks have any chance with the roster they are dressing they need to get some goals on him early IMO and get in his head. Past playoffs show he is fragile. Allen too until proven otherwise. An ill timed goal or 2 and that team will fold - though they somehow believe they were world beaters in coming back against the Hawks twice this year. #SquealPig.... sad.
- tredbrta

You mean the one time Elliot was a starting goalie in the playoffs 2012

He helped win a series and the entire team got steam rolled by the Kings

if reaves is even on the ice with those hawk players....hitch is more of an idiot than i give him credit for...and we will all know what he is up to....

reaves and ott two of the biggest sacks of poop in the league...wow...
- bogiedoc

Is that not the exact same argument for Mash being on the ice w Vlad or Fabbri.

Is that not the exact same argument for Mash being on the ice w Vlad or Fabbri.
- Gerk

This roster move is a pissing match between Q and Hitch. Its frustrating and both coaches are living in the past with their lineup decisions and enforcers in the lineup when better players like Jaskin, Paajarvi, Weise+Panik are healthy scratches...

This roster move is a pissing match between Q and Hitch. Its frustrating and both coaches are living in the past with their lineup decisions and enforcers in the lineup when better players like Jaskin, Paajarvi, Weise+Panik are healthy scratches...
- EnzoD

Oh you think Paajarvi is better than anyone

I actually have nothing to do with the Blues moving on or going home. Just like you have nothing to do with the Hawks winning the Cup.

We both can talk all we want.

It isn't like saying that if there are depleted rosters for whichever team advances, that they will not likely continue to move on. The West is too good to keep beating really good teams without your star players.

I don't need to have a winning history from the team I root for to give that opinion.
- carcus

You're right.... Just like I have the right to challenge the basis of the opinion. I even watched much of the Blues 1st round - anyone trying to claim the Blues weren't more interested in running the Wild more than actually playing the game at several points in that series is simply lying. I actually thought the previous year's round had more disciplined hockey. Even with the Wakey Wakey incident.

Oh you think Paajarvi is better than anyone


- sycsam

Better than Jaskin

Better than Jaskin
- Gerk

Ott would be in if healthy

Read that Sobotka was on verge of returned when he got hurt in the KHL playoffs

Crawford gave up 5 goals and had an .800 save percentage in his last game against a bad team.

Who cares?


- carcus

Was my post about Crawford? I have concerns about his Blues inflicted concussion too. What I do know is Crow has proven he stands up and plays better under playoff pressure. Has Elliott? Has Allen? When?

Was my post about Crawford? I have concerns about his Blues inflicted concussion too. What I do know is Crow has proven he stands up and plays better under playoff pressure. Has Elliott? Has Allen? When?
- tredbrta

when the other is injured

You're right.... Just like I have the right to challenge the basis of the opinion. I even watched much of the Blues 1st round - anyone trying to claim the Blues weren't more interested in running the Wild more than actually playing the game at several points in that series is simply lying. I actually thought the previous year's round had more disciplined hockey. Even with the Wakey Wakey incident.
- tredbrta