Blues at Blues' Jackets; Whoop That Coat!
Tonight is not a classic trap game. A classic trap game would be if the Blues were playing team they should easily beat tonight and a hated rival tomorrow.
Instead, the Blues are playing a team they should beat toninght and some other team we barely care about tomorrow too. But the Jackets do look like a trap-like game anyway. They are banged-up, missing their top scorer in Rick Nash, have a troubled young goalie like Steve Mason as their starter and are currently riding a six-game losing streak.
On the other hand, the streaking Blues got lucky to beat the terrible (or, as Charles Barkley would say, 'turrrrrible') Islanders on Thursday and will need to play the Jackets tonight like they're still a good team, regardless of whether that's true or not.
(It's not.)
But the Jackets are not without... whatever metaphor would be menacing for an article of clothing (nasty seams? angry frays? left-in stay pins?... what a stupid nickname). They have, after all, beaten the Blues in three of the four meetings this year and have been good at home, going 16-10-7 at Nationwide Arena And Sole Non-Ohio State Venue In Columbus. If the Blues' home record was that solid they'd have 10 more points to their total and would be in the seventh seed in the West with a chance to kove into sixth.
Sigh.
In What To Watch notes, T.J. Oshie still has a perm, Patrik Berglund has been playing like he wants to reclaim his TechnoViking moniker, Matt D'Agositini has yet to inspire a rush on his jerseys at the pro shop and Chris Mason seems to finally be harnessing some of the power of the beard. Also, Cam Janssen, your suspension... continues.
Let's avoid the trap game boys. And you, the GT faithful, well you know what's up. Do this shit.
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03/13 Road Music: @ Columbus Blue Jackets
During the best of times, the Columbus team is a hard one to write about. With Nash out of the line up ... damn near impossible. Seriously ... I scrolled through my mp3s, looking for a song that fit the bill. As it worked out, it was in alphabetical order by artist. I finally found it when I got down to ... ZZ Top.
So, now that the Blue Jackets are out of playoff contention, they are ready to start playing the role of spoiler for other teams. Despite Rick Nash's absence, they have won two in a row, and are 5-3-2 in the last ten games. This is a game that the Blues should win - a weaker opponent, even more so without their franchise player. This is exactly that the Blues can NOT be thinking. Overlook these guys, and it'll bite you on the ass, every time. There's still talent on this team. Our guys can not let up at all - they need to take advantage of the situation, and bear down on them all the more. Run up the goals, if you can... make that rink completely ours. When we meet again (04/05 in St Louis), I want them to remember how we OWNED Nationwide Arena back on 03/13.
Well I was movin' down the road in my V-8 Ford
I had a shine on my boots, I had my sideburns lowered
With my New York WIN and my gold tooth displayed
Nobody give me trouble 'cause they know I got it made
(slightly edited)
I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide / ZZ Top
What I'm basically wanting to tell the Blues is this:
I don't want you to be the guy in the PG-13 movie everyone's *really* hoping makes it happen. I want you to be like the guy in the rated R movie, you know, the guy you're not sure whether or not you like yet. You're not sure where he's coming from. Okay? You're a bad man. You're a bad man, Mikey. You're a bad man, bad man.
Further Reading:
Blues vs Blue Jackets coverage
This is also your pregame pre-party. Meet here, scoreboard watch, make CheliosIsOld jokes (Man, I wished we played ATL one more time), and get ready for Blues hockey. The puck drops at 6:00 PM St Louis time, the GDT drops shortly beforehand.
Until Then, LGB!
-CrossCheckRaise
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Top 11 Reasons Why I Was Asked Aboard At St. Louis Game Time
11. Viva El Birdos staff thought I said the word "fuck" too much . . . Game Timers: impressed
10. There can never be enough pasty white people on a writing staff
9. Site needs more 1990's music references
8. Leaders of the site and staff figured I needed something to do on the six nights I'm not bowling
7. Apparently one Macoupin County native wasn't enough
6. Staff needed one more person whose job was boring enough to waste time here
5. The new guy always brings the donuts to staff meetings . . . hey, WAIT JUST ONE DAMN MINUTE!
4. More sentences involving terms such as "Douchetastic Fuckweasel" and "Assburger Shithead" were needed in actual articles rather than in a mess of Game Day Threads
3. Staff needed someone who dislikes the Blackhawks more than they dislike the Red Wings . . . you know, to balance things out
2. Two words: Blackmail. Photos.
1. Well, obviously SOMEONE was drunk . . . .
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Saturday Links: The times they are a-changin' edition
Don't forget to set your clocks forward before bed tonight.
And now your final links for Central Standard Time.
Blues News:
- Blues face off at 6 PM against the Nash-less (Upper body injury) Jackets tonight. JR's twitter ought to have the latest on Polak's status for tonight.
- Maybe the Blues will do this "late-season playoff push" thing three years in a row.
- Rutherford got Mr. Cranial Spider Meeting to pose.
NHL News:
- The Crosby Golden Roar photoshop contest has reached the finals. Several laughs to be had over at Puck Daddy.
- TSN makes an attempt to quantify intangibles and illustrate the three best players on each team completely independent of "back of the card" stats. Jay has to be a close 4th to the three listed.
- Friday's results. LA beats Dallas but gives them a charity point in the process, Minnesota gets by Buffalo, and Nashville takes care of Anaheim in the games that affect our playoff chances.
- Saturday's slate. We need Buffalo to handle Detroit in regulation.
- Standings. 6 points out sucks.
Matt Walker News:
- Matt Walker scores for the 2nd time in 3 games! I believe fire, brimstone, and some horsemen will be following soon.
Other Stuff:
- The Dude is the Truest of all Neutrals.
- If Gandalf tells you not to pass, you don't fucking pass.
- Luvhockey passes along some feel-good stuff concerning the Paralympics (opening ceremonies were yesterday). Something as simple as thanking your Mom gets Proctor & Gamble to donate a dollar to fund athlete training. The schedule can be found here.
Video:
I can't leave out Bob Dylan with a title like that
And since we were on the subject of preferred 40 oz beverage during the last GDT, here's mine.
Stay tuned for the GDT and a Top 11 from the website's newest writer/drunk/swearologist.
Gametimelinks (at) gmail.com
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Friday links: Two points is two points even if they come in a gimmick edition
Blues news
- Blues beat the Islanders in the skills competition. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
- I'm not saying perms are the answer, but T.J. Oshie is playing the best he ever has in his career after getting one done. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
- Dom's take on the Blues win/Isles loss is surprisingly not crazy for someone who is a fan of both teams. [Lighthouse Hockey]
- The RIvermen's postseason roster situation is cleared up. Kinda. [Peoria Journal Star]
-
Here are your updated playoff chances. [Sports Club Stats]
Hockey news
- Thursday games. Games we want: Thrasher over Columbus, Minnesota over Detroit (again on principal), Ottawa over Cal and Gary, San Jose over Nashville, and ... St. Louis over New York. Results we got: Columbus over Atlanta, Detroit over Minnesota, Cal and Gary over Ottawa, San Jose over Nashville and St. Louis over New York. Two out of five ain't bad. [Yahoo! Sports]
- Friday games we want: Nashville over Anaheim, Buffalo over Minnesota and LA over Dallas. [Yahoo! Sports]
- Steven Stamkos is awesome. [ESPN]
- Marc Savard is done ... for the year. [ESPN]
- Bill Guerin says hits to the head are not good. [ESPN]
- Team America goalie Jonathan Quick has left the Kings for the birth of his first child. [TSN]
- Some of the best Chelios is old jokes. [Cult of Hockey]
- Davis Payne, among others, is younger than Chris Chelios. [Sports Crackle Pop]
- Some guy picks the city most worthy to win the cup. San Jose over St. Louis? Really random guy? [Sporting News]
Other links
- The newest member of the GT family, Mr. Donut King, reminds us that March is time for the Name of the Year Tournament. [Name of the Year]
- It's time to step up your insult game ... by going old school. [Shakespearean Insulter]
-
Some weird statues — where's Kung Fu Bunny? [Super Tremendous]
Videos
Cross Check Raise sends along an interesting video. I enjoy the cold ... sometimes ... but holy shit does this not look like fun.
Finally NatetheGreat reminded me of this great video last night. It's not really safe for work and it's kinda fucked up, but it makes me laugh. I hope you enjoy.
Hope you pass those stones soon, Nate.
Poor College Student will man this ship this weekend. Send him things at gametimelinks(at)gmail.com
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Blues @ The Other New York Team
It's got to suck to be an Islanders fan.
Unless you're in your mid- to late-30s, there's no way you remember when your favorite team was at its best winning four Stanley Cups in the early 1980s. Ownership has fluctuated from criminal and incompetent to questionable at best. There's the whole Rick DiPietro 15-year contract. The general manager sounds like a character from Wayne's World. The home arena is hands down the worst in the entire NHL. And with three former first-round picks among the top scorers on the team, they can only manage 14th place in the weaker Eastern Conference.
Islanders Hockey...at least we don't wear the fish stick fisherman uniforms anymore!
So it feels like it's bee awhile since the Blues blew up at Colorado last weekend. It was just a week ago that they were one point out of the final playoff spot. Then Calgary and Detroit kept playing. And winning. And now the Blues are back down in 11th spot, six points out of the playoffs. And even with the sizable layoff, the Blues only have one game in hand.
In other words, the Blues could really use two points tonight. They must have two points tonight. If they don't get two points tonight, the sky is falling, the river is rising, the end is near. Please enjoy our friend Dominik at Lighthouse Hockey. He's a St. Louis guy with an Islanders problem. And he has commenters now!
It's an early 6 p.m. CST game time on the Island. So grab some grub, turn the game on and start tearing shit up. This is your game day thread. Act like it's important.
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Hockey Future On Top 10 College Free Agents
Hockey Future has an interesting article up on who they rank as the best undrafted prospects in college hockey. Now, I don't see a lot of East Coast hockey, but of the Western contingent there are two I wouldn't mind seeing the Blues sign:
Chay Genoway, D, 23
Senior, University of North DakotaGenoway got his final year at North Dakota off to a terrific start, but it would all come to a halt on Nov. 13. when a hit by Aaron Marvin (CGY) forced Genoway out of the lineup indefinitely.
The Morden, MB native played in nine games to date and posted 10 points (four goals, six assists). All of his goals came on the power play.
Genoway is an offensive defenseman with great hands and on-ice presence. He is a fluid skater with good speed. He quarterbacks the power play with confidence and his puck skills are outstanding. What Genoway lacks in size (5’9/174), he more than makes up for in his leadership and work ethic. He is a tireless worker and leads by example. On a young Fighting Sioux team, Genoway has been invaluable in guiding North Dakota to another great season in the WCHA.
Genoway was off to arguably his best start of his collegiate career. An All-American West Second team selection last season, Genoway may have been on his way to another and All-American season were it not for his injury.
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Thursday links: Getting ready for the battle of Misso- wait, the Islanders are still in New York? edition
As I write this, a deluge of rain is pouring down outside my apartment. Thunder, lightning — the whole deal. Finally winter is done.
You know what else is done? The Blues break. The Note are back in action tonight against the Islanders. Let's get to the links.
Blues news
- Blues vs. Islanders tonight. It's on Long Island, so don't forget the early start. [Sporting News]
- Paul Kariya is closing strong on the 2009-10 season. He's playing with a purpose ... or a guy who is trying to weasel his way into one more contract. [Belleville News-Democrat]
- The road could be great for the Blues. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
-
Do you know this couple? I don't know if I'd admit it. [Joe Sports Fan]
Hockey news
- Wednesday's results. Games we want: Buffalo over Dallas. Check. [Yahoo! Sports]
- Thursday games. Games we want: Thrasher over Columbus, Minnesota over Detroit (again on principal), Ottawa over Cal and Gary, San Jose over Nashville, and ... St. Louis over New York. [Yahoo! Sports]
- Oh to be an Avs fan — Colorado fans are already talking about who they're going to face in the playoffs, not if they will make the playoffs. [Mile High Hockey]
- Like all old people, Mike Modano is afraid of change. [Defending Big D]
- Marc Savard doesn't know where he is, but Matt Cooke won't be suspended for causing that damage. Cam Janssen gets five games ... Matt Cooke gets zero. [ESPN]
- The GM's were discussing heads to the hit, but does it really matter? No. [ESPN]
- Matt Cooke is not popular in Tampa Bay. [TSN]
- Chris Chelios is back in the NHL. He is twice my age. He is old enough to be my father. He remembers playing in the NHL when ads weren't on the boards. Are you trying to tell me that no one else is good enough to suit up for Atlanta? [TSN]
- Stealing logos of pro sports teams is never a good idea. Unless you're a high school sports team. [Puck Daddy]
- Sidney Crosby's stick and glove from the gold-medal game have been found. I knew you couldn't trust Patrice Bergeron. [Yahoo! Sports]
Other links
- I don't know the point of this site, but I figure you fine folks can have some fun with it. [Big-Ass Message]
- Childhood Trauma enjoys this memo. Matt Stone and I do as well. [Letters of Note]
- Photoshop is 20 years old. I'm really only linking to this because it includes my favorite album cover of all time. [Complex]
Video
There is so much to like in this old commercial brought to us by Childhood Trauma.
More goodness to come later ... like a GTD. gametimelinks(at)gmail.com
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