T.J. Oshie Scores Blues' Goal Of The Year (So Far)

by Brad Lee on Jan 17, 2012 8:00 AM CST

Who's happier, the guys who made the kick ass play or the people in the first couple rows who got to see it up close?

Before you read what I've got to say, just go ahead and watch this clip about half a dozen times.

Damn, son. That death-defying goal was his 14th on the season, tied with David Backes for the team lead. After the game, Oshie sat down with Pierre McGuire and described the play. He told the bald, creepy reporter that when he saw the puck coming from David Perron (what a deadly accurate pass, by the way), he was hoping to get Kari Lehtonen moving side to side. So he tried the trickier play of accepting the puck on his backhand and then moving to his right on his forehand. What he didn't tell McGuire was that he had to go parallel to the ice with a defensive player on his back and over the pads of the goalie.

The amazing part is that Oshie got a mental picture of what he wanted to do, he twisted his body moving at high speed in traffic and did it exactly as he saw it in his head in that split second. Well, that's what he told McGuire. On semi-national cable television, he could have just been talking out of his ass. But I don't want to believe that.

Oshie burst on the seen with an amazing shootout goal against the Blackhawks his rookie year in 2008-09 where he undressed the goaltender and put it into an open corner at his feet. He became beloved with two massive hits on Rick Nash. He became a teen heartthrob with his frosted tips. Monday night he showed that he's a legitimate first or second-line player in the NHL.

When Oshie was late to practice at the end of last season and was suspended for two games, we said all the pressure was on him. He could straighten things out, train his ass off, sign a one-year deal and then prove this season that he's more mature and ready to be one of the foundation players for the Blues for the next eight to 10 years. That's exactly what he's done.

I'm not sure if I'm happier for him to prove his critics wrong and that he could take his career seriously or that there's a guy on my favorite hockey team that can score while flying parallel to the ice. In any event, the Blues are atop the NHL standings along with the New York Rangers. I call it the Blues' goal of the year so far because it put them atop the standings, it was created by two of the players the team has been banking on for the past three years and it represents a possible turning point for this franchise. The national headline today: The Blues Are Back.

St. Louis is clearly the best home team in the NHL. And right now I wish it was early April. A lot of stuff will happen between now and the end of the season. Just think, the Blues could get healthier. Better too.

Celebrate/keep us grounded in the comments.

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Blues home record: 19-3-3

Detroit’s home record: 18-2-1

Detroit could give a pretty good argument that they have the best.

by Tblake55 on Jan 17, 2012 8:08 AM CST reply actions

the real test is if our Blues can navigate that rough road schdule in late Feb to Late March

Get through that .500 or better and look out world

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Twitter: @jdandturkelton
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Anyone who says "Nuff said" or "Need I say more?" needs to be elbowed in the cock.

by I_AM_SPARTACUS on Jan 17, 2012 8:14 AM CST up reply actions

this^

St. Louis is clearly the best home team in the NHL.

much as I like the Blues chances, the only clear thing, they have ventured into new territory.

they still have trouble offensively, which like the Rangers, good to excellent goaltending has disguised, temporarily.
the honest truth is that an extremely undermanned (though inspired) Dallas team, took the Blues to the limit at home, on a night that the Blues should have routed them.

this is not to belittle the Stars performance or lack of offense from the Blues just a statement of fact.
that was one of the best most exciting 1-0 games I have ever seen.
the potential for great things is there for this team and I don’t know why they are not more prolific in their offensive game given the talent level and work ethic on every line, especially with a healthy Steen and MacDonald on board, but even without them they eclipse the talent level on a man to man basis of almost every other team in the league, yet they do have trouble finishing off opponents.

by MasterOfPuppets on Jan 17, 2012 12:52 PM CST up reply actions

I have just one problem with that arguement

Everyone always bemoans the lack of offense, and fair enough, we’re not scoring 4 goals a night. Our defense however, has made it so we don’t need to. Sure we may score 2-3 per game, but when your defense and goalies make it so that’s all you need, I fail to see the problem. I think at this point in the season you can’t really call it a fluke or anything either. Couple that with the fact that we’ve not had a healthy team since the beginning of the season and I say they’re in pretty good shape.

Barret Jackman is my hero.

In remembrance of Pavol Demitra and all our fallen Blues brethren.

by BluesTiger on Jan 17, 2012 7:30 PM CST up reply actions

wasn't an argument

but I see you want one.
I merely made the observation that the Blues are not cashing in enough of their opportunities.
given the depth and talent of this team they should be knocking teams out, not holding on for the decision.
yes the defense and goaltending have been great, didn’t say it wasn’t, never said it was a fluke.
you say the Blues win and that is all that matters, in the end this is true
but winning this way takes its toll on a team and individuals.
relying too heavily on one facet of the game when there is so much more available is settling for good enough.
in 2-1, 3-2 games, there is always the possibility of that one bad bounce going against you and undoing all the good things that were done previously.
how many times did the analysts mentioned the “race to 3” when discussing Hitch’s game philosophy.
while I don’t believe that this is what he means, 3 goals is all we need to win, it stuck in my head 3 goals.
I say to hell with a race to 3, get 6
it’s not like the Blues are Edmonton or New Jersey only able to roll out 1 or 2 lines capable of putting the puck on net.
they rank in the top 1/3 of the league in SOG, yet in the bottom 1/3 of goals scored.
power play is the biggest issue I see, and no reason for it, the Blues have the personnel to be not only effective but prolific in this facet of the game given their size, speed and skill.
yet they are near the bottom of the league in power play goals with 22 while allowing 27
The Blues are not the Wild, Predators, or Coyotes, this team has real 2-way talent and more quality depth (IMHO) than even the Red Wings or Boston

we’ve not had a healthy team since the beginning of the season

every team has issues with health, that is an excuse, not a reason why.
as I said before I think this team is capable of great things right now! but it is not without some problems that I can’t see, why they are problems.

by MasterOfPuppets on Jan 18, 2012 10:40 AM CST up reply actions

Okay

Chillax. I’m not trying to throw flame around. I’m just stating that our defense and goalies have given us plenty of wins. Yeah it would be great and I’d love to score 3 or 4 a night, but if we can keep winning games I’m happy doing it by a goal. I’d make the case you could argue that most games can be decided by one bad bounce.

Again, I’d love to bury teams and I agree we need to connect on more shots. Sure there are problems with the team. All teams have them.

Getting a full roster back is going to do nothing but help. Russell was a big part of our offense from the point, and Steen was absolutely an asset. Factor in we’ve been without McDonald and once we get them back I’d wager our goals for will rise

Barret Jackman is my hero.

In remembrance of Pavol Demitra and all our fallen Blues brethren.

by BluesTiger on Jan 18, 2012 7:45 PM CST up reply actions

That was a great feed from Perron

And a sweet move by Teej ‘cause God couldn’t score versus Lehtonen last night

St Louis Blues - Season Ticket Holder - Sec 106
SUTA
Twitter: @jdandturkelton
What Exactly is a God Wand?
Anyone who says "Nuff said" or "Need I say more?" needs to be elbowed in the cock.

by I_AM_SPARTACUS on Jan 17, 2012 8:25 AM CST via Android app reply actions

" The national headline today: The Blues Are Back."

The Blues are back! Hells yeah!

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

by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Jan 17, 2012 8:43 AM CST via mobile reply actions

True statement is true re: The Oshie Goal

…it was created by two of the players the team has been banking on for the past three years and it represents a possible turning point for this franchise.

Seeing guys like Oshie and Perron develop into legitimate NHL stars is why I do the Prospect Department gig.

"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 Jan 17, 2012 9:06 AM CST reply actions

Because of you

we’ve seen these guys on the horizon and many others.
I think this could be a reason why I get antsy when someone doesn’t step up as fast as I think they should.
They’ve been on the radar and I’ve watched them because of your stuff on Sundays for years that it seems like they’ve been around longer than they have.
Did that make sense?
I may not comment every Sunday but I look at all of it. It is very appreciated by me and I hope others.

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 Jan 17, 2012 7:07 PM CST up reply actions

Completely agree

The prospects information on Sundays is gold. I may be a forty-something frumpy woman teaching tech school students how to write, but every last one of them respects the hell out of me for my depth of knowledge about our prospects. I owe that to you. I owe you so much beer, if I ever get to one of the meetups.
Gratias ago!

by Tasialue on Jan 17, 2012 7:35 PM CST via Android app up reply actions

That was unreal even seeing it about 200 feet away.

I was for sure they would wave it off for goaltender interference . . . then they showed the replay. Holy shit was that beautiful – the entry pass by Frenchie, then the finish by Teej.

Funny that a game with so many brutally-butchered scoring chances (to be fair, there were plenty on BOTH sides, along with some stout defense) could be decided with such a pretty play in front.

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 Jan 17, 2012 10:17 AM CST reply actions

i was on the left side of the play...on the corner, the feed was a beauty and stick work by Teej was a thing of beauty.

i’d say he has earned his next contract

St Louis Blues - Season Ticket Holder - Sec 106
SUTA
Twitter: @jdandturkelton
What Exactly is a God Wand?
Anyone who says "Nuff said" or "Need I say more?" needs to be elbowed in the cock.

by I_AM_SPARTACUS on Jan 17, 2012 11:32 AM CST up reply actions

Players who can go cross grain like that

make mince meat out of dmen and goalies. It should be illegal is you ask any dman. I call it the “Oh SHIT!!” move. You’re about to shut the player down and he changes direction, completely making you look the fool in front off 19K screaming fans, Perron is another who can make this happen and I look forward to more undressing of other team’s.

Who is this O’Shea fellah by the way. Did we make a trade? I’m on the road and may have missed it.

Just a chew toy for the hockey gods

by spectr17 on Jan 17, 2012 12:48 PM CST reply actions