Well, we've finally reached it - the last game of the season. This isn't where we expected to finish, back when we were still celebrating the Swedish Sweep, and everything seemed so full of promise. Yet, here we are.
As we watch the rest of the league go on with the playoffs, there are a lot of decisions to be made. Will the fans keep returning to the DrinkScotch after such a disappointing home record? Will the STH'rs re-up their plans, with the ticket increase? How will Walt spend all of his free time?
And for the team, especially: Will Davis Payne lose the "interim" from his title? Will the Blues stick with the Mason/Conklin duo in net? Can the Blues tighten up their home game performance next year? What will they do with Paul Kariya? And the other UFAs (Brad Winchester, Carlo Colaiacovo, Darryl Sydor, Mike Weaver, and Chris Mason)? Will any of the RFAs have to be defended, like David Backes was from VAN's poaching? Who do we pursue in free agency? Who gets the call-ups from Peoria?
Lots of decisions to be made, and many with far-reaching implications for the franchise. You could say that this offseason, the Blues will be at a
Crossroads / Eric Clapton and Cream
Who better to finish off the Blues season than one of the great Blues masters?
As for tonight's game; there are several factors to serve as motivation for our squad. First of all, you always want to play strong and set a tone for next year, especially when playing a divisional foe. Additionally, some of our guys are playing for their next contract, either here or elsewhere. Also, while we are behind in the seasonal series (4-1 Nashville), this could be a down game for our opponents, too, and we should be able to take advantage of that. Failure to do so would really end things on a sour note.
The Nashville Predators are ending their season with a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 games. They continue to get stellar goaltending from Pekka Rinne (2.57 GAA, .910 SV%). If they plan on resting him, they would be starting Danny Ellis (2.69 GAA, .909 SV%) who is no slouch, either. One other notable change since our last meeting: Patric Hornqvist took a Shea Weber slapshot (amazing that he even survived) and is out for the remainder of the season with the dreaded Upper Body Injury..
Further Reading:
Blues vs Predators coverage
Hopefully, the crossroads for the Blues won't involve them making a deal with the Devil(s).
As before, this is your pregame pre-party. The puck drops at 7:00 PM St Louis time. The GDT will drop shortly before hand. Until then, gather here, organize which bandwagon to join for the playoffs (PHX for me!), blow up the team for the 1,025th time, and understand my reasons for missing the game...
Will: So, when did you know, like, that she was the one for you?
Sean: October 21st, 1975.
Will: Jesus Christ. You know the fuckin' date?
Sean: Oh yeah. 'Cause it was Game 6 of the World Series. Biggest game in Red Sox history.
Will: Yeah, sure.
Sean: My friends and I had, you know, slept out on the sidewalk all night to get tickets.
Will: You got tickets?
...
Will: I can't fuckin' believe you had tickets to that fuckin' game!
Sean: Yeah!
Will: Did you rush the field?
Sean: [surprised at the question] No, I didn't rush the fuckin' field; I wasn't there.
Will: What?
Sean: No - I was in a bar havin' a drink with my future wife.
Will: You missed Pudge Fisk's home run?
Sean: Oh, yeah.
Will: To have a fuckin' drink with some lady you never met?
Sean: Yeah, but you shoulda seen her; she was a stunner.
Will: I don't care if Helen of Troy walks in the room, that's Game 6!
Sean: Oh, Helen of Troy...
Will: Oh my God; and who are these fuckin' friends of yours, they let you get away with that?
Sean: Oh... they had to.
Will: W-w-w-what'd you say to them?
Sean: I just slid my ticket across the table, and I said, "Sorry, guys; I gotta see about a girl."
Will: I gotta go see about a girl?
Sean: Yeah.
Will: That's what you said? And they let you get away with that?
Sean: Oh, yeah. They saw in my eyes that I meant it.
Will: You're kiddin' me.
Sean: No, I'm not kiddin' you, Will. That's why I'm not talkin' right now about some girl I saw at a bar twenty years ago and how I always regretted not going over and talking to her. I don't regret the 18 years I was married to Nancy. I don't regret the six years I had to give up counseling when she got sick. And I don't regret the last years when she got really sick. And I sure as hell don't regret missin' the damn game. That's regret.
[pause]
Will: Wow... Woulda been nice to catch that game, though.
Sean: [sheepishly] I didn't know Pudge was gonna hit a homer.