Brad Boyes, Paul Kariya Showing New Life For Blues

by Brad Lee on Mar 5, 2010 9:00 AM CST

Put a guy on notice that he's being actively shopped to other teams at the NHL trade deadline, decide to keep him and then watch him resurrect his season. I'm not saying that's a guarantee for Brad Boyes and Paul Kariya, but it sure looks like it this week.

The under-performing forwards sparked the Blues' offense Thursday night in Dallas. They scored the first three goals of the game for St. Louis on the way to a 6-1 rout of the Stars. Instead of asking where the hell this offense has been this season (five straight games with at least four goals -- if you count the skills competition), let's do a little compare and contrast for the two offensive sparks tonight.

Brad Boyes has scored a goal in each of the last two Blues games. By scoring on his only shot on goal Thursday night, Boyes increased his shooting percentage to 7.5 percent on the season after seeing it fall to 6.5 percent before the Olympic break. Before Tuesday's game, Boyes went 0 for the month of February with no points in his last eight games and 12 games without a goal. This decade he still only has three goals. Finally, this is only the third time all season he's scored goals in consecutive games.

Ok, one more point on Boyes. Remember when his 35 points led the Blues? And now with 37 points scored as of Thursday, Andy McDonald, T.J. Oshie and David Backes have all passed his points total.

All that helps illustrate how bad he's been and thereby showing how important a late season renaissance would be for the Blues. It would be huge. Same for Kariya who it seems REALLY didn't like to be talked about at the trade deadline. In his last five games, Kariya has four goals. In that same span he has eight total points. Before that he had gone 10 games without a goal while registering four assists.

Look, we get it's a small sample size. And it's hard to understand what it's like as a player knowing that your team is trying to send you somewhere else. But something is definitely different with these two players. Maybe it's who they're playing with. Kariya is definitely benefiting from playing with Backes and Oshie. They provide a mix of speed and toughness that is creating space for the undersized waterbug that is No. 9. And McDonald has helped Boyes score in the past. It's nice to see some combination click and then stay together for awhile.

Saturday night the Blues continue their six-game road trip. They've played some bad games in Colorado the last few years and the Avalanche are still a playoff team. And it's an important game. Remember last year when the Blues would get close to the playoff spot and then fall back, get close and fall back. And then it came down to the final weekend of the season. Let's not do that again, shall we?

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Chemistry it's not a science anymore

It’s that perfect storm where everything just clicks. While anger or whatever at being shopped around can cause greatness it can also cause a player to shut down completely. It all depends on the player, the coaches and the rest of the organization. The same can be true with lines why do people click with some but not others. I have no idea but thankfully Payne seems to know and it’s working so I’m just going to sit back and enjoy it. A five game win streak with four or more goals per game doesn’t happen often and I hope we can keep riding this one for awhile

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by Maverides on Mar 5, 2010 9:50 AM CST reply actions

Honestly, I think people really overstate how bad Kariya has been

I’m so going to catch shit for that, but whatever. Personally speaking, I try not to look at contracts when judging what a players giving you (I know sometimes it’s needed, but still) and just by what you see on the ice, and a lot of games when Kariya wasn’t putting in points he still struck as a contributing member of the team and not a liability. Sure, that’s not worth 6 mill, but he hasn’t been overly bad either.

Still though, if he starts contributing points a lot, I’d be happy!

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by Novacain on Mar 5, 2010 10:53 AM CST reply actions

the game against the blue jackets

i went to on jan 30th, yes he was BIG ASS liability, in overtime, he peels off his man, and that guy scores…the defense were already manned up on there forwards and Kariya let his go. No offense to your opinion Novacain, but fuck that he can be a liability and showed that game.

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

by DESTROYER on Mar 5, 2010 11:19 AM CST up reply actions

Everyone fucks up once in a while, that doesn't neccessarily make them a liability.

Now when they do the same or similar things repeatedly and don’t at least look like they’re trying to fix it, (such as a certain other ~~robot~~ player we like to rag on quite a bit), THAT’S a liability.

I know it's time for hockey because I've started singing "Don't Stop Believing" with the words "...born and raised in FUCK DETRIOT!!!"

by J-Mill on Mar 5, 2010 2:26 PM CST up reply actions

it just put me off

from the games ive watched on tv then that game in person he did nothing to help the blues

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

by DESTROYER on Mar 5, 2010 2:27 PM CST up reply actions

But if NAMBLA starts playing well . . .

we won’t be able to use all the “misfired” jokes. GASP!!!!!!!

Y’know . . . things like “David Backes had one bullet left in his gun. He gave his gun to Brad Boyes, who promptly shot a hole in the ceiling. He was aiming for the post.”

IT’S TOO GOOD!

"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday." -- Don Marquis
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by Donut King on Mar 5, 2010 11:14 AM CST reply actions

Maybe a new line of material?

On the other hand, how great would it be if they discovered the secret to getting Boyes scoring again was to put him on the trade block?

“Boyes is firing wide again. Time to fax all 29 teams and alert the media.”

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by Dominik on Mar 5, 2010 2:12 PM CST up reply actions

That would simply be epic.

“Fuck, JD’s sending the Boyes fax again. Who we got next on the schedule?”

“The Blues.”

“Goddamnit.”

"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday." -- Don Marquis
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by Donut King on Mar 5, 2010 3:29 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

"David Backes never has just one bullet left in his gun -

he has the infinite ammo cheat for life."

I know it's time for hockey because I've started singing "Don't Stop Believing" with the words "...born and raised in FUCK DETRIOT!!!"

by J-Mill on Mar 5, 2010 2:27 PM CST up reply actions

As if I couldn't feel like a bigger nerd

this just did it

by namshite on Mar 5, 2010 4:10 PM CST up reply actions

NAMBLA is improving

Boyes gets paid to produce points, as does Kariya, so the lack thereof is worrisome. Boyes however is improving his game, remember last year when he lead the league in the worst +/-? He basically lead the league the whole season last year. He’s only -1 now fellas.

It goes to show you that defensively, he’s contributing much more. He’ll find himself offensively for sure.

Then again, maybe I’m high on this 5 game streak. Oh the air smells so fresh. TGIMFF.

by NaJaKwa on Mar 5, 2010 12:58 PM CST reply actions

I still can't forgive Colorado

for breaking Toivonen.

by namshite on Mar 5, 2010 2:51 PM CST reply actions

LOL

Isn’t it typical?

I go and say “that’s it with Kariya – cute ass or not – my faith in him has gone…” and he’s SOOOOO shattered by this that he gets that ass of his working and scores twice…

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by drfrankentweed on Mar 5, 2010 3:29 PM CST reply actions

we were all thinking about you, Doc

.... formerly "Tim" of StLouisGameTime.com

by CrossCheckRaise on Mar 5, 2010 6:56 PM CST up reply actions

actually

i’ve literally heard “pk doing what is necessary to get to the dirty areas of the ice” 3 or 4 times this win streak. wow

who woulda thunk an announcer would say that. and be right half the time. pk CAMPED in the crease with a dman on his back. hmmmm.

A strong anvil fears no hammer

by Childhood Trauma on Mar 6, 2010 9:15 AM CST up reply actions

About the 5 straight games with 4+ goals...

Broadcast last night on FSN said that it’s the first time since the ’92 season. Not bad boys, not bad! Now, if we can start a run of 8 out of 10 years finishing top 3 in the division again…and 14 of 15 years over .500 Win% again.

by stlfan on Mar 5, 2010 11:34 PM CST reply actions

I'm really happy with Davis Payne

The guy has been fiddling around with the lines for a while, and I think he’s found the right chemistry to make a shot to the play-offs.

Side-note:
Past two games, Blues players have accumulated 30 points – 11 goals, 29 assists. Of those 11 goals:
Top Line scored 5 (including 1PPG), 2nd Line scored 2, 3rd Line scored 4.

Kariya-Oshie-Backes is becoming a reliable line, Berglund-McDonald have some great teamwork going, Boyes has become an offensive threat for a defensive line, and Steen is continuing his scoring habits.

by russkidan on Mar 6, 2010 1:02 AM CST reply actions