Blues Blow Kariya’s Hat Trick

Hell of an effort by Paulie tonight. Could the BTK line be back for good even when McDonald returns?

Tofu didn’t have a chance on Modano’s goal. With the way the team played recently, a point in Dallas and a point at Detroit would be fine by me.

we got a point. i missed most of the game b/c i play hockey on saturday nights and my fucking taping of the game got ruined when i didn’t rewind the tape enough. some good chances throughout the game from what i saw. brewer has a tendency to screen the goalie more often as of late.

i still like walt playing with stempy and perron. the good news is kariya’s scoring again!!!! i wish i could have seen it.

What is this “tape” you refer to? Our DVR got all of the game. Technology is good.

Having Kariya makes it like Christmas every game for me.

But I was fit to be tied before game’s end and was muttering to myself like the poet Ian MacTeagle - if Backman had been more willing to take a hit to make the clearance along the near boards, Modano never gets a chance to tie the game [at least not THEN].

Still, a big point in the standings was gained.

g1 brad i know…i need to fix my other computer so i can once again record television without the use of my 1980’s device.

so it was backman again eh? echl for him. someone must have said something to him b/c he actually performed a bodycheck on friday night.

from what i saw tiovo played well is that true for the rest of the game i missed?

At one point in time I actually liked Backman. Now I see a bigger, slower, much dumber, much less talented version of Sergei Zubov. He hasn’t developed at all the way the Blues had envisioned when they gave him that contract.

He does not have any physical presence, which is a crime for somebody his size. He looks pass-first when he is deep in the offensive zone, which a defenseman shouldn’t do. Shoot it on net and get back.

As for last night’s game… Damn goal post. I also hated the non-call on Boyes with about a minute-and-a-half left in OT. If it stops an obvious scoring chance, or a affects play, then BLOW THE GODDAMNED WHISTLE! The hell with “deciding the game by calling a penalty in OT.” If they commit it, call it.

The Goalie Guy wrote:

“As for last night’s game… Damn goal post. I also hated the non-call on Boyes with about a minute-and-a-half left in OT. If it stops an obvious scoring chance, or a affects play, then BLOW THE GODDAMNED WHISTLE! The hell with “deciding the game by calling a penalty in OT.” If they commit it, call it.”

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Can I get an “Amen?”

I think the only people in the world who didn’t expect that penalty to be called with the 19,000 homers in Dallas last night (which includes the officiating crew). You know damn well that if that’s EJ pulling down Modano or that monkey-faced puke Ribiero on a play going the other way, El Zebra’s arm is in the air like a shot…

Chris D wrote:

“i still like walt playing with stempy and perron.”

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I actually like the combination of Stempniak-Backes-Perron quite a bit better. I can see Tkachuk being traded again for picks and prospects at the deadline (and not brought back this time), so all parties involved might be better served to not get too comfortable with Tkachuk centering Stempniak and Perron. Backes can play the same role in the middle, as he has the size and the disposition to do so.

What I’d REALLY like to see is, in 2008-09, a line of Oshie centering Perron and Lemtyugov… but I think our coach would rather stick a red-hot fork into both eyeballs before trusting a line of raw kids at this level.

B.

As for Backman, the Blues can modify their team slogan to, “Whatever You Want To Offer For This Stiff, We’ll Take…”

If we have to have a Swede up here on the blueline, I’d honestly rather see Hellstrom up here making rookie mistakes than see Backman making the same mistakes with seven years’ NHL experience.

At least Hellstrom will HIT some sonsabitches along the boards and in front of the net…

B.

GTPD:

I understand the discretion that NHL officials have (and rightly need) in calling stuff. But if they’re going to call an insignificant hook away from the play in the first period (as the NHL says to increase power plays and therefore, scoring) they should be brave enough to call anything that nullifies a scoring chance at any time in the game.

Speaking of officials, does anybody else hate to see Tim Peel on the ice at the Scottie? He doesn’t want to be known as a homer, so he won’t call anything remotely questionable on the Blues, but if an opposing player so much as falls down near a Blue… PHWEET!

Ugh… apparently Big Wallet has a no-trade clause. Why do the Blues keep handing those out like Halloween candy?

The Blues have to “hand out” NTCs because of exactly what you’re suggesting. If you’re an established veteran and the Blues want to sign you, you demand a NTC. Otherwise, as recent history has shown, you’ll be pulled away from your family at the deadline as you’re traded away for picks and prospects.

Unless you’re going the fantasy route and playing only 18-23 year olds, you have to bring in or re-sign some veteran players. Veteran players like Tkachuk, Weight and Kariya will refuse to sign with St. Louis if they think that come February if the team is strggling they’ll be shipped off across the continent with no say in the matter.

Until the Blues become a consistent playoff team and a potential Cup contender they aren’t going to be the premier destination for UFAs. Ergo, they have to sweeten the pot by handing out “right of refusal to any trade” clauses, which is essentially what they’ve become.

NTC’s aren’t being “handed out”. I’m sure they’re being demanded by any agent who is worth two shits.

Also, Tkachuk isn’t a free agent until next year, right? So I would doubt he would be traded this year anyway. Besides, it seems the need is still in the forward ranks, I don’t think you’d want to trade one of your better forwards. Granted you can argue he’s not one of the better forwards, but I don’t think there are any kids in the system or in Peoria that can or are able to step in and do what Tkachuk can do.