Shipping Up To Boston; Blues v Bruins GDT

In a year that has started above expectations it seems like the Blues have nothing but new tests ahead of them. Win the first two at home and have a rocky road trip? Time to face Chicago and Pittsburgh on consecutive nights. Knock off the last two Stanley Cup champions in those games? Gotta go back to Nashville to face the only team that has beaten them in regulation. Win that game convincingly? High-powered San Jose rolls into town. Knock off the Sharkies in a shutout? Gotta go to Boston to play another of the hottest teams in the NHL.

At some point either the Blues are going to not meet one of these challenges and fall back to expectations or else they're going to stop being considered challenges and the Blues will be accepted as a legitimate competetive team.

The Bruins have ridden a ridiculously hot Tim Thomas (1.04 GAA and 96.7% save percentage) and a reborn Nathan Horton, freshly sprung from the Florida Panthers oganization (six goals, 11 points in 10 games) as well as legitimate scoring from Milan Lucic (five goals, 10 points) and David Krejci (eight assists, 10 points) to lead the way. Of course it helps to have a monster like Zdeno Chara anchoring your blueline as well.

Thomas got run out of the game with the Caps last night, so he might get right back in net tonight. If not, the always effective Tuukka Rask could get the start, and that's no let down.

It's yet another challenge for the Blues to meet tonight - can they beat the potent Bruins? If so, what can they muster tomorrow in New York against the Rangers?

Other topics for your discussion:

• Ian Cole, Nikita Nikitin. Better or worse than the AHL line of Tyson Strachan and Nathan Oystick?
• David Perron, legitimate 30 goals scorer? Brad Boyes, can he ever get back to 30? Will he at least burn this Bruins team that traded him?
• Happy Birthday Game Time!
• Jaroslav Halak, can I have your baby?

The game is on FSN, KMOX and the other side resides over at Stanley Cup of Chowder.

This is your GDT. Do this.