Follow @stlgoalie After starting the season 3-0, the Blues have struggled mightily, scoring 1 goal or less in 6 of their next 7 games. They scored more in the Calgary game than in all of the other 6 games combined. In those 7 games, they have only been able to get 6 points, the same amount they earned in the 1st three games.
When you look at the NHL’s shot statistics the Blues are last in goals from snap shots and deflections only have 1 goal from a backhand and only two from tips. More interestingly, they lead the league in goal posts hit with 11 shots hitting iron, more than 50% above second place. Even if only half of those post shots went in, which would take it down near the league average), their scoring rate would improve almost a goal a game.
The Blues and their fans hope that tonight will be what cures them and gets the goals flowing. The Blues head to Dallas to take on the Stars at 7:30cst tonight. The Stars are giving up the 6th most goals per game in the NHL. They also have the 4th worst penalty kill and lead the league in short handed goals against and are sending out a netminder that has a sub 90% save percentage.
On the injury front, Robert Bortuzzo has been placed on IR and Brad Hunt has been called up from Chicago. Peteri Lindbohm is injured which took him out of running for the call up. Hunt is the defenseman who has the most points for the Wolves. Alex Pietrangelo who played low minutes for him (21 minutes) in New York and was seen limping after the game is expected to play tonight after skating today.
For the Stars, Jiri Hudler is out ill and Patrick Sharp is out with a concussion.
As to the lines, expect the Blues to be in a full blender based on practice yesterday, but here goes: Niemi Benn – Hamhuis Johns – Oduya Klingberg – Lindell Cracknell - Smith – McKenzie Ritchie – Shore - Korpikowski Spezza – Faska –Roussel Eaves – Seguin - Benn
Perron – Berglund - Steen Schwartz - Lehtera - Tarasenko Fabbri - Stastny - Jaskin Upshall - Brodziak - Yakupov Bouwmeester – Pietrangelo Gunnarsson – Shattenkirk Edmundson – Parayko Allen
I didn’t get to watch the Rangers game and only saw the goal highlights which may be very misleading. In watching them, I noted that Allen misplayed the last three goals, going down early on one, being slow getting back to cover the post on one, and leaving a poor rebound on the other. I’m not overly worried by this but hope coach Corsi is using these as teaching tools. Others commented that Allen made some strong saves and that coverage was poor by the Blues in front of him. As a goalie, I can confirm how the poor coverage can start to affect your play. You start to cheat to cover other things that you fear are not covered, thus making you even more vulnerable to goals against.
Jammer’s 9 NHL Nuggets: 1) The best stats of any goalie with 4 games played is Detroit backup Jimmy Howard – 97.3% and 0.86 GAA. 2) Carey Price is again showing why his is all world and that Montreal moved the correct goalie with his 96.4% and 1.17 GAA. 3) Montreal and San Jose are the only teams undefeated at home. 4) Every team now has a road loss. 5) Mike Babcock’s Maple Leafs lead the league in 5v5 goals against per game at 2.6 per game. Contrast that to the Blues who only give up 1.5. 6) Chris Kreider, Rickard Rakell and Sidney Crosby all lead the league in points per game at 1.5. 7) Artem Anisimov and Claude Giroux lead the league in points with 13. 8) Anisimov and Steve Stamkos have overtaken the kids and lead the league in scoring with 7 goals. 9) I realize +/- isn’t a great stat but Jason Spezza, Bradon Dubinsky, and Boone Jenner have all managed to average a -1 per game while combining for only 3 goals.
It’s a great day for hockey.
Fellow Hockeybuzz bloggers Nashville Predator's Paul McCann, Winnipeg Jet's Peter Tessier and Minnesota Wild's Dan Wallace have generously agreed to a friendly charity wager. We were hoping to do the whole division but don't have it fully represented yet. The blogger whose team finishes the highest the standings at the end of the year gets to pick a charity to whom the others donate in their name.