By Sean Gallagher Brad Lee
The Blues, fresh off the most fun Columbus Blue Jackets game, well, ever, journey to Nashville to play in front of around 11,000 country music hockey fans.
I'm getting this going for the estimable Brad Lee, who apparently likes having a nice family dinner over actually being around for the start of a Blues game. Hmmpf.
Anyway, in the suddenly super-competetive Central Division, where every team is at least 2 games over .500, the Blues need to stick it to the Predators the way predators often try to [way over the top reference self-edited here].
Paul Kariya returns to Nashville for the first time since leaving them for St. Louis, so it'll be interested to see how he is greeted before he commences ramming it straight up [second horrible reference self-edited here].
My sole prediction: Tootoo takes a run run at Kariya and gets his ass pounded into the ice by someone big and mean wearing a Bluenote.
As always, pitch in your comments, Brad should be along shortly to get this going the right way.
13:33, 1st Period: Quick-moving game so far. Toivonen in net being helped by Devlins Predators firing the puck right into his gut. Very helpful.
I missed the start, how did the crowd welcome Kariya?
I heard a group of drunk kids chanting, "I love Boy(e)s!" last night. Big fan of that.
9:49, 1st Period: Flipping channels and the NHL Network (my new favorite place to be) is showing an Alaska Aces game. I can already hear the GT Prospect Dept asking his wife to switch to Direct TV. Aces are down 3-1 to some other ECHL team that I have zero percent chance of properly identifying.
Blues PP: Holy shit are Nashville's jerseys ugly. Two minutes just for that.
Booing Kariya is like Blues fans booing Demitra. The team didn't re-sign him. Plus, I can't blame either of those players for not cutting a deal to stay - both teams were in ownership changes when their contracts expired. It's almost as dumb as booing Pronger.
And yet, that happens, too.
4:06, 1st Period: Poor rebound control by the guy with fake ears on his mask and the Dahmer Predators are up 1-0. Accordining to the Game Time "Blues Record When..." feature, the Blues are 0-2 when Hannu Toivonen starts.
I'm just reporting the facts.
3:01, 1st Period: Where's the Music City Towel Man to distract the home team and give the Blues a chance for a quick counter-attack goal?
End of 1st Period: The Nashville horn to signal the end of the period sounds like the horn of some hoosier's jalopy honking out front to pick up your daughter. Probably fitting.
And yes, that's about as concise as I was able to make that metaphor. Sorry, I was drinking Pabst and eating taquitos far too late into the eve yesterday.
Start of 2nd Period: Still waiting for Brad Lee to show up and ake this away from me. Manbones arrives with "The Blues are controlling the play this first period but they have been manhandled by the Predators so far."
These predator jokes just write themselves, don't they?
15:30, 2nd Period: I'd like to introduce you to the new Blues Shooting Machine, Jamal Mayers. Guy scores on Dom Hasek and now he can't stop firing from all over the ice.
14:56, 2nd Period: Dan Hinote touches the puck. Speaking of Dan Hinote, have you seen his girlfriend and her sister, Jenny McCarthy. Sure I can, it's right here:
Preds PP: After some crazy pressure from the third line, the Preds draw a Powerplay. No Predators are dating a McCarthy sister, however.
Blues kill off the PP: Time for one of those 4 goal second periods, eh? Also, Amy McCarthy comes to plenty of Blues games. Take that Nashville!
Blues PP: Oh wait, Tkachuk obstructs some Gacy Predator and the PP turns into a 4-on-4. Jenny McCarthy doesn't think it's a penalty.
I Love Boy(e)s!: Bradley Boyes ties the game at one. With Kariya and Boyes on the 4-on-4 it felt just like a powerplay anyway.
Toivonen!: I can't tell if he's getting lucky or paying really well. Are those ears on his helmet, or are they real? I hope Bernie lets us in on it.
David Perron!: As always seems to happen against the Blues, the Preds' huge attack turns into a chance the other way, and No. 57 finishes. I know one guy who is waiting for his Perron 57 jersey to come in, I'll bet there are plenty more behind his.
Toivonen: Damn it. Fake ears or not, when you're falling back on a puck, you lie flat so no one can tell where the puck is. Toivonen raised his legs and it was obvious the puck had to be in the net. All tied up at 2 and the Blues hand the Preds another PP.
Oh, and welcome in, North Carolina.
End of Second: I'm off to grab some tacos and beers. Back for the third (unless Brad shows up...).