Blues Can Clinch Tonight
by Brad Lee on Apr 10, 2009 9:23 AM CDT
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Tonight is a special night, dear readers. I hope you can join the party.
This final home game of the 2008-09 season is an opportunity, not only for the Blues to clinch a spot in the playoffs but to also celebrate what this team has accomplished and where it is going. A win tonight over the Columbus Blue Jackets and a win for the Minnesota Wild over the Nashville Predators and Blues fans can celebrate at worst an eighth place finish. Amazing.
The organization and the people who watch it have said over the last few dark seasons that the future is bright. More talent and depth was coming. There's no way they thought it would be coming this season.
It is nearly a miracle that we find this version of the St. Louis Blues on the cusp of the postseason. The team made one acquisition in the offseason. Injuries decimated the roster and pushed the team into the all-too familiar cellar of the Western Conference. A last second MLK Day comeback for the ages in Boston gave the Blues a push and the momentum carried the team into February...when last year's All-Star goaltender was demoted to Peoria. And then two months of wonderful, pressure-packed hockey followed. That brings us tonight.
This game, this date with destiny for the Blues, is for you and for me. It's for the season ticket holders who kept the faith through the lockout, the dismantling of the team and the non-playoff years. It's for the people who showed up on Tuesday nights in February against Columbus the last three years. It's for the people who braved the ice storms on game nights since the lockout. You diehards of Blues hockey, you knew who was here when the team finished in last place. You know who you are. This game, this night the Blues can make a triumphant return to the playoffs, it's for us. Bill Laurie can't take it away. It can't get traded to Edmonton. It can't blow a knee in a golf cart. When the team takes to the ice, roar. Scream. Yell your bloody head off. That's exactly what the team leadership wants you to do.
"The arena has been jumping," John Davidson told our friend Bernie Miklasz. "I've never seen Scottrade like this. I'll put the atmosphere right up there with any in the league right now. The fans should know how they energize the players. What the fans are doing can propel the team, and propel the players."
As crazy as the comeback this team has made, think about how the leadership has come together. The owner is a guy from Utah who worked for Madison Square Garden. He wasn't a Blues fan before he got here. But every shot of him in the owner's box and every glance we've taken of him up there, the man is into the game. The same goes with his partners in ownership.
The first hire the ownership made was picking John Davidson as team president. The gray-haired goaltender and former broadcaster had never worked in a front office before, but he was the perfect man for putting a face to a faceless franchise. He gave the team instant charm and personality. What did Davidson do? He kept the embattled Larry Pleau as general manager, the man who allowed Brett Hull to walk, the man who traded Chris Pronger. Granted Hull didn't mesh with the head coach at the time and Pleau was ordered to trade Pronger, but that didn't change the fans' perception of Pleau and the job he had done. Together, Pleau, Davidson, the scouting staff and the rest of the front office followed through with a promise to build from within, a plan put in place but never fully followed several times by this organization through the years.
They fired Mike Kitchen and hired Andy Murray, a guy with an interesting reputation. He coaxed a lot out of his Los Angeles Kings teams during his time, but they never really performed in the playoffs. The man is a maniac with exact schedules and mind games. He's called guys out in the press, put high profile rookies on the fourth line with Cam Janssen. Some predicted the gravely-voiced Murray wouldn't survive to see spring. Instead he's gaining support for the Jack Adams award given to the coach of the year. He has every line playing well, the entire team buying into his message and his system. The Blues play as hard as any team in the league (sometimes minus the first five minutes of the game). They play physical and wear the other team down. The conditioning is excellent, the power play light years ahead of last year's version.
Honest question: what is more surprising, the team being in this position or this collection of people pulling this off behind the scenes so fluidly? No disrespect to anyone in the organization, but the team's approach was unorthodox at best. That's part of the reason why The Hockey News picked the Blues to finish last in the Western Conference.
For a team to be successful, it takes everyone working together going the same direction. And it's not just the players and coaches. It's the equipment guys, the trainers and the team dentist. It's the sales people, the media guys and secretaries. They're all a part of this and will relish tonight as much as any of us.
Alright Blues fans. This is it. Time to take the playoffs back. Check in. Who's going? Who's going to be here? Who's going to have a heart attack?
Come back for more later today.
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Blues can be eliminated tonight
I’m worried that with all the excitement about the Blues clinching, people are forgetting that we can be eliminated tonight with a loss. I’m not excited about tonight, I’m scared to death.
Not true.
Actually, the Blues can’t officially be eliminated tonight. Don’t forget about Anaheim. Even if we lose tonight, we can still make the playoffs if we win Sunday AND Anaheim gets less than 2 points out of their final two games. That would put us in 8th place behind Nashville.
But I’d much rather clinch tonight. I’ll be there, making the Jackets feel very, very unwelcome.
Not not true
If Anaheim wins tonight, Nashville wins tonight, Blues lose tonight, we are eliminated tonight. Hmmm, unless the Anaheim game ends after 12:00. Then we’d be eliminated early tomorrow, but you get the point.
I'll be there
See you in 305, right?
by Poor College Student on Apr 10, 2009 9:36 AM CDT reply actions
305?
I’m in 305 row P seats 16 & 17. Season ticket holder. Prolly going to be to nervous and on edge to think tonight. LETS GO BLUES!
During intermissions
some of us GT folk hang out around 306 near the Toyota sign. Look for people holding the paper.
www.stlouisgametime.com
I'll be here
I decided to hold off on the rest of the regular season, and I grabbed a couple of playoff tickets. I’m content to bide my time until then.
LGB
Just win, baby!
.... formerly "Tim" of StLouisGameTime.com
by CrossCheckRaise on Apr 10, 2009 9:37 AM CDT reply actions
btw CCR,
as someone who grew up in Belleville, Ill., gotta throw you some love for the Stag avatar. Nice job!
Go Blues!
by DenverCardsFan on Apr 10, 2009 10:16 AM CDT up reply actions
I grew up there, too
BTHS West, 1992.
.... formerly "Tim" of StLouisGameTime.com
by CrossCheckRaise on Apr 10, 2009 10:27 AM CDT up reply actions
Right on.
I am showing my age, but I was East 84. I can’t even say “Go Lancers” with a straight face cause high school was high school and pretty much sucked.
But I can say “Go Blues!”
by DenverCardsFan on Apr 10, 2009 10:48 AM CDT up reply actions
looks like we have all the belleville schools covered. i’m from althoff ’99… and yes, high school was horrible, even for us catholic school girls.
OH that is funny.....;)
And what the hell are you talking about?! Althoff girls at least made my time in high school (at least Sr. year) bearable……
Go Blues!
by DenverCardsFan on Apr 10, 2009 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions
Blues can clinch tonight...
…and if they do, I can finally unclinch. Seriously, therehasn’t been a stress-free day with this team and it hasn’t helped that over the past three weeks the supposed upper-echelon teams have been handing out wins to our close competitors.
I’ll be watching at home tonight. I was tantalizingly close to landing free tickets for tonight, but no such luck. C’est La Vie. Somebody shoot some video tonight to show me what I missed tomorrow.
I once shot a man just to see him die...then I got distracted and missed it.
a couple weeks ago, a friend of a friend mentioned giving us (me and said friend) his tickets for today, but I haven’t heard anything since. I’ll have to do some calling around to find out. if it’s no dice, then I’ll be here for the GDT
"I'm sorry we hurt their feelings"
-Barret Jackman
Aw, I'm sorry. :(
Well, at least you get to spend the game with the rest of us who aren’t able to get there for whatever the reasons.
Reporter: There`s a "stamp out the Beatles movement" underway in Detroit. What are you going to do about it?
Paul McCartney: We`re going to start a campaign to stamp out Detroit.
You gotta beleive
This has been an awesome ride and we can’t get off yet. This is going to be awesome.
Beating Me Is Tougher Then A Dog In A Bathtub. Confused? Check out this link for an explanation:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Dog%20In%20A%20Bath%20Tub
Great job B-Lee.
I will be watching here in Denver—the Center Ice package just paid for itself with one game.
I don’t want the Easter game to mean a damn thing on Sunday. Let’s win tonight!
Have fun those of you lucky enough to go. I hope to hear some singing…..;)
by DenverCardsFan on Apr 10, 2009 10:01 AM CDT reply actions
I will be there...
… from my couch. But I will watch every second of this game. We absolutely will win. We have to win.
For once this season, the Hockey Gods will smile on our playoff hopes and dreams and cut us a break. Just a small one. A Preds loss. We can’t get eliminated. We won’t. We’ve fought too hard for this chance, and we will succeed.
Perfect summary of what’s going on here, Brad. Tonight’s the most important night of the season, and I absolutely can’t wait until tomorrow, when I can not worry anymore. I just hope it’s because we’re in, and not watching from the outside again.
Reporter: There`s a "stamp out the Beatles movement" underway in Detroit. What are you going to do about it?
Paul McCartney: We`re going to start a campaign to stamp out Detroit.
I'll be here.
Probably having a heart attack, but I’ll be here.
This is the greatest I’ve felt as a Note fan since . . . oh, about ’01.
No matter what happens, I am motherfucking proud of this team.
"The world is getting to be such a dangerous place, a man is lucky to get out of it alive." -- W.C. Fields
Going to the game
Bought 10 seats in the nosebleeds of section 325.. so if you’re sitting around there.. yes, I’m that guy.
http://www.stlouisgametime.com/
I'll be there
Cant wait, heck, today is a big day because of this and a job interview, talk about anxiety for one day.
Reinhard Divis. Mike Glumac.
Eric Boguniecki. Alexander Khavanov. Jason Bacashihua.
Thinking about those players makes this team and what they can accomplish unspeakably divine.
Let’s go Blues, and let’s get Wild!
I will be
There in 318B with my GT in one hand and my phone in the other watching the Minny nashy score updates.
I have SO much #$%^&*(&^%^& shit to do today
and tonight. Yet I will most certainly blow it all off (including my taxes) yet again to watch yet another Blues hockey game.
Its who I am. It’s what I do. It’s Blues hockey.
by DenverCardsFan on Apr 10, 2009 10:34 AM CDT reply actions
Indeed
I said everything in my “Inspirational Speech” post last night.
Lets go Blues, lets go Wild and **** Detroit
Baltimore Blast - 5-time MISL champions, ready to make it 6 on 4/11
Let's go Blues!
I had to choose between going to the Opening Day Game
bwtween the Rockeis and Phillies here in Denver or staying home and watching the Blues game tonight.
Ummm hello? That’s not a tough call at all……
Go Blues!
by DenverCardsFan on Apr 10, 2009 10:36 AM CDT reply actions
I was gonna go to the BJ's blog but
I don’t think the lame-ass fans have one. At least not on SB…
by DenverCardsFan on Apr 10, 2009 10:52 AM CDT reply actions
Good luck guys
I’ve enjoyed your run, even the game at our expense (and the Oshie goal that’s up for goal of the year…ugh). But really I enjoyed watching the guy smack Nash around. Much obliged.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
There in spirit, 970 miles east
I’ll be in front of a TV in a bar in Brooklyn, where I’ve seen the Blues beat the Jackets before. Thanks for the post – for me, going to the playoffs will finally put closure to players we’ve lost since we were last there, like Mayers and Salvador, Pronger and Young. And were was Oshie in 2004? High school?
307 Row M
I cannot wait for tonight. So where’s the after party after the game? Which bar do we want to make richer?
Hatred Walking
Playoff Tickets
The Blues have decided to jinx everything by letting us pickup our Playoff Tickets, while tonight’s game is going on. I think I’m going to at least wait until after the game….
This is the email I received:
Thank you for purchasing 2009 St. Louis Blues Playoff tickets. With the Blues set to clinch a Playoff berth this weekend we are ready to begin distributing your Playoff tickets at tonight’s game vs. Columbus. If you ordered your Playoff tickets before April 9th, your tickets will be available for pick-up tonight at the Scottrade Center Box Office. Tickets will be available at the start of the 1st intermission and up until 1 hour after the game.
If you decide to not pick-up your Playoff tickets tonight or you purchased on or after April 9th, they will be mailed out via the United States Postal Service Priority Mail early next week. If you have not received your Playoff tickets by the end of next week please contact your sales representative or call 314.622.BLUE (2583).
Please check stlouisblues.com beginning next week for information on opponent, dates, and times of playoff games. Thank you for your continued support throughout our Playoff Push.
by Angst vorm Nichts on Apr 10, 2009 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions
Almost too nervous to post...
My heart goes into my mouth every time I just think about the alternate possibility. I’ll be there yelling like crazy. If Chris Mason has a game for the ages, we’re good. Wonder who has the job of taking a run at Oshie this time. Cherry picker Rick nASH couldn’t represent himself and get it done even though he had the momentum and a 20+ pound advantage, so who will it be? More important, will the referees even notice?
As I said before
I’ll be in my living room screaming at the TV.
My kids and husband had better not ask me for anything.
I’ll get home about 6:45 from work. My husband had better have supper waiting and then I’m planted for the evening.
Request—can we please have a split thread? I sooooooooooooooooo hate the lag and I expect a big thead even with lots of people at the game.
Oh, I wish I could be there but alas, with hubbies hours cut at work there’s no way to work it.
sounds like the genders are reversed in your house lol
"I'm sorry we hurt their feelings"
-Barret Jackman
It's about 50-50 usually
He’s off today and I’m at work so he gets to make supper.
It is reversed in that I’m the sports fanatic and he’ll watch some but usually will find something else to watch.
Tell you what Luvhockey
I can automatically set a thread to launch at a certain time that will be the spillover so to speak. I’ll set it for 8:30 St. Louis time. You watch for it and then direct people to it when it goes live.
Deal?
www.stlouisgametime.com
DEAL!!!!!!
I sometimes hit that damn post button 30 times. I know it doesn’t help but it makes me feel better.
I'm going to be clenching my jaw all night..
and nervously eyeing that scoreboard for ther other 2 games of interest.
I’ll be migrating from my 307 homebase over to 316 for tonight. LET’S GO BLUES!
I'M PUMPED AND SO NERVOUS
at the same fucking time. Unfortunately i can’t find a bar around here with the hockey package, and even if i could I’ll be so uptight tonight that I couldn’t be in a condition to get myself home afterwards regardless. So I’ll be sitting here in my dorm and probably scaring the living shit out of whoever is on R.A. duty tonight. Let’s do this thing lads and allow me to finally relax (until game 1 that is)
'I would not be bothered if we lost every game as long as we won the league.'
MARK VIDUKA
I'll be there
112 Q, right in front of the soundboard guys. Two fat guys, a really tall guy, and a little one that looks like Frodo. Together we form The Unfuckables.
And if you’re reading this Gallagher, I’m the fat guy that isn’t Zger.
I’ve got a fever, and the only cure is more Blues Victories!
by Angst vorm Nichts on Apr 10, 2009 3:04 PM CDT reply actions
Brad and Angst...
Look over your left shoulder to 318 2nd row…I will wave my GT at you guys….
Perhaps even a trip to 305 during intermission…I may need the therapy…
Seriouly…you guys are a bit of therapy for me….No one here at work understands.
Sweet
Not sure about the intermission trip, as that would eat into my nicotine time, which I’ll need tonight more than ever. But I will be down there early; is there a place where everyone hangs out before the game?
by Angst vorm Nichts on Apr 10, 2009 3:43 PM CDT up reply actions
Thanks, Brad
I figured as much, but I didn’t want to be the creepy guy milling around the place lookin for GTers. Ok, I lied; I do kind of enjoy being the creepy guy.
by Angst vorm Nichts on Apr 10, 2009 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Will be there
With an old season-ticket partner, wife, sister and niece in tow. Told the latter two (newbies from out of town) they better be ready for the atmosphere of their life.
Bit nervous at the moment, yes indeedy.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
I.Can't.Fucking.Wait.
nervous as hell though.
Called in sick cough, cough to work for today/tonight so I wouldn’t miss THE Game of the Year. I just couldn’t tape the game and actually expect to not check my phone for updates while working……
Cancelling annual Easter hog/turkey hunt at the Fort
Round Easter time you can always find me running the oak covered hills near Randolph Hearts’ old hunting lodge on Fort Hunter Liggett along the central CA coast.
Not this weekend. There is no cell coverage and the nearest sports bar is an hour away so I told my fellow Nimrod’s to shoot ‘em in the lips and I’d see them next week.
I’ve (Blues) got bidness to tend to first.
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