Couple of observations from tonight's game.

by hildymac on Dec 22, 2010 12:17 AM CST

Ok, one big one that was really painfully obvious all night long - the Blues are frustrated, and they're playing like it. I don't know how obvious it is on TV, but tonight, wow. They were letting anything get under their skins - the slightest shove, a look, everything. And instead of retaliating with their play necessarily, they just retaliated by doing stupid things. Winchester thankfully didn't try to fight Byfuglien, but Barret Jackman's "kneeing" (should have been tripping) call on Evander Kane wasn't necessary. It wasn't done on accident, in the middle of the play. Kane skated by Jackman, Jax grabbed both of Kane's knees with his stick, and pulled as hard as he could to get Kane to the ice. Why? Kane was chirping at Jackman and pushing and prodding and trying to annoy him so Jackman'd do something doofy - and he did.

Also, a pass needs to somehow make it from point A to point B without someone else getting the puck that isn't wearing our jersey.

Anywho, I really did like how the Blues remembered exactly how to score on Chris Mason - high glove side. All three goals just flew into the net in the exact same way. If the opposition needed the perfect tape on how to beat Chris Mason, they got it tonight. He's been struggling all season long so far anyway trying to adjust to the Thrashers and the Eastern Conference, but tonight was just a matter of someone knowing how to beat him, plain and simple.

Not a whole bunch of Blues fans there tonight - there were a few, but not a ton. Always surprises me, considering how many Cardinals fans invade Braves games, but different sports, I guess. The ones that were there were pretty loud, but Philips was loud tonight in general. Considering it was a Tuesday, there were a ton of people there (like 14,600 or so, I think). I guess people're off, or something, but the atmosphere was fun. I hope it's like that on Sunday, too. Weird... it's more enjoyable with people IN the arena.

Oh, and if anyone wants to look at shitty pictures of tonight's game (my friend's camera is not suited to hockey photography), here you go .

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One more thing...

The opposition needs to get Cam on the Kiss-Cam more often. Totally puckered up for the Atlanta crowd and then couldn’t keep a straight face. The folks around me thought it was hysterical.

Thrashing the Blues
SB Nation Atlanta - home of the Fairest and Weatheriest fans on the net.

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.

by hildymac on Dec 22, 2010 12:42 AM CST reply actions

Thanks Hildy

I’ve notice the frustration or just maybe just stupid behavior the last half dozen games or so.
I think the refs have to so now they’re looking for anything and everything it seems.

On another note did you have a GT meet up?

Hockey players wear numbers because you can't always identify the body with dental records.

It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. Laura Ingalls Wilder

by luvhockey on Dec 22, 2010 7:20 AM CST reply actions

Baseball and hockey

The Cardinals are hugely popular all across the south because until the Braves moved to Atlanta they were the team farthest south in all of MLB. And old habits die hard

The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. But that's the way to bet. - Damon Runyon

by baroose on Dec 22, 2010 7:38 AM CST reply actions

Cards are popular everywhere these days

Their success gives them a Yankee-like quality among bandwagoners, I’ve seen tons of Cards gear in Pittsburgh, NYC, Atlanta, etc. Kind of silly but I imagine the numerous rappers from St. Louis in the past decade helps this as well, as you see them wearing Cards gear in their videos (sadly those Blues practice jerseys in the Country Grammar video never caught on).

I went to one Braves/Cards game when I lived in Atlanta and could’ve sworn there were as many Cards hats as Braves.

by Perrowned on Dec 22, 2010 6:08 PM CST up reply actions

i tend to agree

with the rapper thing…but its also the same with atlanta hats

Pujols takes out "I" in BIG and "A" in MAC, previously considered to be an unyielding, consonant threat

by DESTROYER on Dec 22, 2010 8:17 PM CST up reply actions

I really think it has a lot to do with KMOX.

Like baroose mentioned, they were the team that used to be farthest south, and the KMOX broadcast signal stretches all the way down here. I work with some guys who grew up huge Cardinals fans, and even though they’re Braves fans now, they still follow the Cards and always go to see them when they’re at Turner Field.

Thrashing the Blues
SB Nation Atlanta - home of the Fairest and Weatheriest fans on the net.

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.

by hildymac on Dec 22, 2010 10:44 PM CST up reply actions

Thanks for the report for those that couldn't see it, Hildy.

We need to move to the Eastern Conference, obviously.

St. Louis Game Time . . . I need another beer.
And I can also write things in 140 characters or fewer.

by Donut King on Dec 22, 2010 8:03 AM CST reply actions

Easy fix.

St. Louis moves to the East
Pittsburgh moves to the West

sports writers at major networks all retreat to their bunks

by Paperwork Ninja on Dec 22, 2010 8:13 AM CST up reply actions

Easier fix.

Move the Panthers to Portland and re-name them the Buckaroos. The Eastern Conference is now one team short; move the Blues to the East. Fan ta Chicago, Detroit, Columbus and Nashville.

"If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil."

-- Otto von Bismarck, 1851

http://futurenotes.blogspot.com

by Tomorrows Blues on Dec 22, 2010 10:12 PM CST up reply actions

We'd make the playoffs every season.

I support this. That, and I’d get to see the Blues down here more often. Which of course would lead to a few more of my Sybil games a year, but I guess I can handle it.

Thrashing the Blues
SB Nation Atlanta - home of the Fairest and Weatheriest fans on the net.

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.

by hildymac on Dec 22, 2010 10:45 PM CST up reply actions

Moving to the east

makes me feel dirty.
Must go shower now

Hockey players wear numbers because you can't always identify the body with dental records.

It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. Laura Ingalls Wilder

by luvhockey on Dec 22, 2010 11:11 PM CST up reply actions

If Pittsburgh moves to the West

by Paperwork Ninja on Dec 22, 2010 11:16 PM CST up reply actions

Bah.

Hit the wrong button. If they move west, though, then we get all the excessive hype over Sid and Ovie finally getting to settle their differences over the Stanley Cup.

DRAMA!

CHILLS!

HYPERBOLE!

Which would probably lead to more money in the pockets of everyone involved.

by Paperwork Ninja on Dec 22, 2010 11:18 PM CST up reply actions

Crysby would have kittens if he wasn't able to take his "road trips' in a taxicab...

I’d like to see Ultrapuss play a Thursday night game, fly to Vancouver, play there on Saturday night, then take a red-eye back home and play the next night… and do that four to eight times a year, like the Western Conference teams have to do.

Those Eastern Conference d-bags would be whining like babies about how “rigorous” their first-class chartered all-amenities-provided travel is…

"If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil."

-- Otto von Bismarck, 1851

http://futurenotes.blogspot.com

by Tomorrows Blues on Dec 22, 2010 11:36 PM CST up reply actions

That'd provide even more fodder for the cameras.

Which would provide more footage to dangle in front of ESPN to get that big deal done… which is money in the bank to the teams and players. They could even interrupt the “LeBron James Presents The LeBron James Show Starring LeBron James” coverage with coverage of Sid complaining that flying is as hard as math. I don’t know why it is, but stuff like that generates money and puts people in front of their televisions for games.

by Paperwork Ninja on Dec 23, 2010 8:07 AM CST up reply actions

Blues played great except for the last 7-8 minutes

Although we got outshot , alot of Atlanta’s chances came in the last 7-8 minutes when they pulled back within 1. Liked our penalty kill alot, we positioned well and didn’t give them open lanes for good shots from the point.

Atlanta has played really fast hockey under Craig Ramsay, and I thought we matched their pace very well all game. Sobotka had a great faceoff win to get the helper on Petro’s goal. He locked up the opposing center and kicked the puck back straight to Petro. Petro drifted left a bit to the open shooting lane and ripped it home. I was 5 rows behind Mason that period, and Petro’s slapper goal was damn sexy.

Hildy…I thought Kane was embellishing/diving a bit, but Jackman did seem to get irritated. Backes has taken a few bad penalties of late as well. Hopefully we carry the good stuff into tonight like our PK and quick play plus antagonize Detroit without retaliating to their antics.

Oh…and Fuck Detroit

by Cole Youngner on Dec 23, 2010 9:56 AM CST reply actions

Oh, Kaner dove a bit.

But it was still doofy of Jax to do that. I really love how Ramsay’s got the team playing up-tempo and smart. John Anderson tried that, but he was an awful coach when it came to getting guys to do what he needed them to do.

I was hoping for a Christmas Miracle of a powerplay goal, but I’m glad we saved that up for Detroit!

Thrashing the Blues
SB Nation Atlanta - home of the Fairest and Weatheriest fans on the net.

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.

by hildymac on Dec 24, 2010 3:12 PM CST up reply actions