Ken Hitchcock "Sends a Message," Promotes Brenden Morrow To Second Line

The Blues' third line was a -5 in Saturday's loss to the Star. They were terrible. Just... not good. Neither they nor the fourth line has been producing as of late - the Blues' secondary scoring has dried up since the loss of Vladimir Tarasenko. The coach needs to do something.

That something is scratching Chris Porter, putting in Magnus Paääjarvi, and getting Carlo Colaiacovo back in the line-up. Ok, not bad. Until you check out today's line-up post from Lou Korac. I hope you guys are on some blood pressure pills. I know I am!*

Hitchcock has used Ott, Berglund and Paajarvi previously and likes the group.

"We've had that line play twice together," Hitchcock said. "It's been very effective. Paajarvi's back feeling good about himself now, so we'll put him in and keep him going. We want to keep that line together as much as we can here to finish the season and see how we look."

Hitchcock said he'd "send a message" to some players following Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Stars. Brenden Morrow moves up to play on the second line, Derek Roy will play left wing on the fourth line and Chris Porter will be a healthy scratch. Also, Carlo Colaiacovo goes back in on defense and Ian Cole comes out.

So, Morrow gets a promotion, Derek Roy gets moved to a role that probably isn't suited to him at all considering the other two players on that line are not offensive in the least, and Ott continues to "find himself" on a line with someone who has been playing better and someone who has been a healthy scratch too much.

It's such a shame that someone just can't duct tape bubble wrap around Tarasenko's hand.

*Shockingly, this is unrelated to hockey. Or teaching.