Blues Beat Red Wings For Two Periods, Lose The Game 3-2

by Brad Lee on Dec 27, 2011 9:14 PM CST

Ok, so maybe the Red Wings and Blues do have a rivalry.

Somehow Detroit was able to pull off a win for the first time since last season on Tuesday night. I'm not usually one to make excuses, but the Blues sure looked like they played a game in St. Louis last night, traveled and played again tonight. They got out to a physical start in the first, withstood some increased pressure by Detroit in the second and held a 2-1 lead in the third. And then the legs got a little heavy, the skates moved a little less often and the Wings pounced.

To put it into perspective how rare this was for the Blues to not earn a point when leading after two, it was the first time in the Ken Hitchcock era that it happened. That's kind of depressing.

The Blues were in Detroit. That means the bullets are flying, right?

- Two power play goals for the Blues. That had to be a dream, right?

- In the first period when the Blues were really controlling the flow of the game, they did a great job of disrupting the Wings' puck possession game plan. Detroit had to dump the puck into the offensive zone frequently. The neutral zone was a tight-checking, physical place. They had no momentum down the middle and were routinely steered to the outer edges of the Blues' zone. It was great.

- Matt D'Agostini is going to get some coaching after taking two rather cheap (read dumb) penalties that helped turn the momentum towards the Wings.

- The third goal for the Wings was a total screen job. Unfortunately the screener on Brian Elliott was Carlo Colaiacovo. Oops. Like I said, legs were heavy.

- I think there will be a motivated team when the Blues return to the Motor City on Saturday night. They have some mistakes to make up for after this one.

- Injuries. Just when B.J. Crombeen came back, Kris Russell left this contest. Ryan Reaves was just placed on the injured list. Vladimir Sobotka still isn't back. This middle of the season has been brutal in recent years for the Blues in terms of player health. Looks like we're entering that stretch again. Organizational depth and staying healthy is huge right now.

- I will say that Jimmy Howard is a much better goaltender than I thought he would be. His neck beard, however, looks uncomfortable.

Crack one open. There might be a little holiday cheer leftover to forget what could have been tonight.

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Comments

In fairness, Detroit played last night too. But they played a Weber-less Nashville.

So . . . yeah.

Fight Club writer for the print edition of St. Louis Game Time . . . I need another beer.
The Throwdown Lowdown Report, only on The Bluenote Zone.
And I can also write things in 140 characters or fewer.

by Donut King on Dec 27, 2011 9:17 PM CST reply actions

Well that was a really shitty end

to my otherwise great birthday……..

Fuck the officials who seem to need Detroit to win

And FUCK DETROIT FOR RUINING MY BIRTHDAY

I still maintain Vladimir Konstantinov got what he deserved...If you can't handle that then kiss my ass......

"I've got a bad feeling about this..."

by dablues7 on Dec 27, 2011 9:18 PM CST via Android app reply actions

Sorry to hear that! :(

Czech Blue keeps me going... get well soon Vlady Sobotka!

by Hotaru1787 on Dec 27, 2011 11:55 PM CST up reply actions

your tears are delicious to me.

by voline on Dec 29, 2011 3:01 AM CST up reply actions

1st and 3rd periods

Polar opposites. Can’t pin runnIng out of gas on the refs. Next game, Boys.

Sporting interests drove me into my career.

by FlickAuVin on Dec 27, 2011 9:23 PM CST via mobile reply actions

Let's go Blues!!!

by Milo. on Dec 27, 2011 9:51 PM CST reply actions

That felt like a playoff game

unfortunately, it ended like most Blues-Wings playoff games have – missed chances and bitter dissappointment.

However, like a playoff game, we see them again this week. If it’s not a 10-0 game on NYE I’ll do something disgracefull to a dead octipus. Or at least more disgracefull than throwing his remains on the ice during a game, causing his testicles to freeze to the ice. Stay classy, Detroit!

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 Dec 28, 2011 2:37 AM CST reply actions

Completely agree

The Blues lost their legs in the third…certainly didn’t help playing against a team that is one of the dirtier teams I’ve seen in a while.

Seriously, every single play involved a nice little hook, slash, elbow (especially that one Datsuyk gave Jackman) that went uncalled.

Elliott played really well, we just couldn’t hold them off…

New Year’s Eve is gonna be a good one!

by You Just Got Oshie'd on Dec 28, 2011 6:53 AM CST reply actions

That wasn’t an elbow from Datsyuk, it was a shoulder. Jackman earned it with the twenty cross-checks he gave Datsyuk on the previous shift. Or maybe it was the follow up ten he put on Franzen after that?

by J.J. from Kansas on Dec 28, 2011 7:14 AM CST up reply actions

That was absolutely an elbow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkgIB3P-Wlc

Sorry, I’d be more than happy to retract my statement on the elbow, but that was pretty clearly an elbow.

Not saying Jackman is the cleanest player in the league, but like the ESPN/NFL guys say…c’mon man!

by You Just Got Oshie'd on Dec 28, 2011 9:21 AM CST up reply actions

You don’t elbow a guy with your arm tucked at your side.

Jump straight to the 00:08 mark and there’s a good freeze frame of the instant Datsyuk comes into contact with Jackman. Either Datsyuk has the shortest left arm in the league, or that’s his shoulder making contact. See that white stripe going across Datsyuk’s arm on the jersey? That’s at the very bottom of his elbow. As the contact continues, that part of Datsyuk makes contact with the very top of the logo on Jackman’s chest, which leaves his elbow still several inches away from Jackman’s face.

by J.J. from Kansas on Dec 28, 2011 9:37 AM CST up reply actions

that was certainly an elbow you douc

her.

by TheFlyingCavallinis on Dec 28, 2011 10:16 AM CST via iPhone app up reply actions

I dunno....

I didn’t think the game was called unfairly at all… seems like the Refs didn’t job us like we often believe.

D’Agostini took a bad (as in it was dumb on Dags’ part) interference penalty in the end of the 2nd that took away the power play we had…Wings scored before the period ended… big change in momentum.

by Cole Youngner on Dec 28, 2011 8:10 AM CST up reply actions

This, and we were sloppy as hell in the third

It was like we thought we were passing the puck to the red wings.

"IF CARDS CAN SIGN SUPPAN THEY CAN GIVE ME A HOME"

by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Dec 28, 2011 8:23 AM CST via mobile up reply actions

Can we make a pact to not bitch about the officiating?

I know our radio guys do it but that doesn’t mean we have to. Fans of every team in every sport think the refs are biased against them and except for one gambling former ref in basketball (and who gives a fuck, it’s basketball) it’s never true. Seriously, refs are human and don’t get every call correct and we are human and remember every call that doesn’t go our way while forgetting the ones that do, but the refs aren’t out to get us. The bitching is douchey and untrue and every time you do it you make us all look bad. St. Louis sports fans deserve better than looking that whiny, so stop it

"IF CARDS CAN SIGN SUPPAN THEY CAN GIVE ME A HOME"

by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Dec 28, 2011 8:16 AM CST via mobile reply actions 1 recs

co-sign

nhl refs are awful, but they’re awful for each team.

St. Louis Game Time

by averagejoe on Dec 28, 2011 8:59 AM CST up reply actions

If you've played sports

you know there is always a zebra or two who just doesn’t like your team or a certain player. Many of the refs write about it in their autobiographies. To claim they are objective all the time is folly. Some are better than others at hiding their bias.

That said, you usually know the certain refs who may cost you a goal or momentum and you have to work that much harder to overcome them or stay away from their favorite BS call.

Just a chew toy for the hockey gods

by spectr17 on Dec 28, 2011 9:22 AM CST up reply actions

Um, I did play sports, and no, not really

Some days it never goes your way an some days it’s all your way so it doesn’t always even out within a game, but it always evens out

"IF CARDS CAN SIGN SUPPAN THEY CAN GIVE ME A HOME"

by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Dec 28, 2011 2:00 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

Shut the

Fuck up. We get the worst calls/no calls every time we meet somebody in the squared circle. The Datsyuk no call was terrible. The announcers saying Lidstrom shouldn’t get a penalty out of respect is a fucking travesty. If Nichol did the same thing the announcers would be saying that it was an obvious penalty. We get no respect.

by TheFlyingCavallinis on Dec 28, 2011 10:14 AM CST via iPhone app up reply actions

The wrestling reference is fitting.

by J.J. from Kansas on Dec 28, 2011 10:19 AM CST up reply actions

I had to grab a q-tip

when they were yammering away about the no call due to respect for Lidstrom. WTF was that? Calls based on seniority and level of play? They weren’t even smart enough to STFU about it. You know it’s bad when even the broadcasters openly discuss the Mr. McGoo calls from the refs.

Just a chew toy for the hockey gods

by spectr17 on Dec 28, 2011 10:31 AM CST up reply actions

Definitely won't deny that.

Of course, it was funny because they were wrong about the call anyway, as Lidstrom wasn’t even the person who took him down.

I think that both sides can agree on a couple of things about last night’s game:

1. The announcers on Versus are painfully annoying to listen to, especially Pierre McGuire.
2. The refereeing standard for last night’s game was absolutely non-existent. The penalty calls were completely inconsistent and both sides got away with more than they should have when you considered the kind of stuff that actually did get called.

by J.J. from Kansas on Dec 28, 2011 10:49 AM CST up reply actions

OK

You are the most right thinking Wing fan I’ve come across. Granted, that isn’t saying much at all.

by TheFlyingCavallinis on Dec 28, 2011 10:54 AM CST up reply actions

Excuse me. Who the fuck are you to tell me to shut the fuck up?!

Versus announcers are stupid and them saying Lindstrom doesn’t get called out of respect is stupid, but stupid announcers isn’t the world against us. We don’t get all the calls against us, if you believe that then you are stupid beyond help. And lastly being stupid and paranoid is enough but going off on another Blues fan and telling me to “Shut the fuck up” because I pointed out your misguidance is just pathetic, as well as disrespectful and innappropriate. I’ve been on SBN for a few years and noone has ever been such a dick to tell me to shut the fuck up. I deal with some brash guys in other SBN blogs with fourstick on VEB and Strohman on APC and neither one of them would have the disrespect to just tell me to shut the fuck up. Who the fuck do you think you are?!

"IF CARDS CAN SIGN SUPPAN THEY CAN GIVE ME A HOME"

by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Dec 28, 2011 2:09 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

Ya

My bad bro. I was hungover when I woke up this morning. I meant shut the fuck up in more of an “old friend” kind of way. No disrespect meant. I am a long time lurker but first time poster. I need to earn my stripes on the site. Sorry about the early Perron attitude.

But I really think we do get some absolute shit calls most games. Phantom calls on us and blatant no calls on other teams. Especially against NHL-office-approved teams.

Again, my bad on the ‘tude. Won’t happen again.

by TheFlyingCavallinis on Dec 28, 2011 8:56 PM CST up reply actions

It's ok, it's tough to read to tone on the Internet

I’m sorry for firing back to brashly from a misread. I’ll try to take less offense next time.

"IF CARDS CAN SIGN SUPPAN THEY CAN GIVE ME A HOME"

by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Dec 28, 2011 10:53 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

Also I appreciate you taking the time to reply back

"IF CARDS CAN SIGN SUPPAN THEY CAN GIVE ME A HOME"

by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Dec 28, 2011 10:56 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

Seriously

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing when they started saying that.

by TheFlyingCavallinis on Dec 28, 2011 10:40 AM CST reply actions

3rd period, shots for/against:

Blues had 3 shots on goal, and gave up 13 SOGs. There’s your story in a nutshell.

“Defensive shell” doesn’t work. It’s the hockey equivalent of the prevent defense; the only thing it prevents is victory.

If the Blues had played the 3rd period the way they played the first 30 minutes, they would have won.

by BleedBlue42 on Dec 28, 2011 6:58 PM CST reply actions

This, except it wasn't just the defensive scheme in the third, we were sloppy too

A clean/agressive third and we are happily lauding the blues for the victory in Detroit. Oh well, it was frustrating but it’s a long season

"IF CARDS CAN SIGN SUPPAN THEY CAN GIVE ME A HOME"

by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Dec 28, 2011 10:54 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

Sloppy? Defensive shell?

More like depleted D. First Russell went down then when Polak went off for that spell that left us what, 4 D? You get real tired double shifting, that’s when the running around starts.

With all the injuries we’re battling I think the Blues played as well as could be expected. Let’s try them again with Oshie and a full D and see what happens. Had we buried some of those 2nd period gimmies we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.

Just a chew toy for the hockey gods

by spectr17 on Dec 28, 2011 11:30 PM CST up reply actions