St. Louis Game Time - Blues At Canucks GameDay StoryStream: Andy McDonald ReturnsWe're one ugly bastard.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/10753/gt-fave.png2013-03-20T00:09:41-05:00http://www.stlouisgametime.com/rss/stream/38854432013-03-20T00:09:41-05:002013-03-20T00:09:41-05:00Blues Comeback Fails In 3-2 Loss At Canucks
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<figcaption>Stewart, put your gloves on and score a damn goal. | Rich Lam</figcaption>
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<p>Any team that spots a 3-0 lead to the Vancouver Canucks probably deserves to lose. </p> <p>You can't win them all. Especially when you give the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/">Vancouver Canucks</a> a 3-0 lead.</p>
<p>Well that was a lazy way to start this story. Which is fitting because that's what the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/">Blues</a> looked like in the second and obviously decisive period Tuesday night in Vancouver. St. Louis got the best of play in the first period and was rewarded with no goals. The Blues out-played the Canucks in the third and improved the score from 3-0 to 3-2. But it was too little, too late. I could write this entire thing using lazy cliches.</p>
<p>While <span>Jake Allen</span> allowed all three Vancouver goals, his teammates allowed the Canucks to buzz him. There was a lot of standing around with the team in white while the team with pretend TVs on their chest with a stick hockey stick (you know, a stick figure, just trust me) were flying around.</p>
<p>Some other things happened. <span>Chris Stewart</span> got into a fight. So did <span>Ryan Reaves</span>. Neither seemed to really fire up the Blues. And while some Game Time staffers (like the guy who writes the fight page in the paper) think Stewart fighting is a great thing. I think it keeps the Blues' best player off the ice for five minutes.</p>
<p>So I got into a little dispute on the Twitter tweets. Someone said that <span>Vladimir Sobotka</span> has been the MVP for St. Louis so far this season. And I thought it would be pertinent to reply with some sarcasm that of course he's more important than the dude who leads the team in goals and points because one guy has a hat trick and the other doesn't. Duh.I'm curious what you all think. Sure, No. 17 is versatile, but he's better as a defensive/energy source and too inconsistent to play on say the second line. Agree?</p>
<p>The power play was noticeably more active and dangerous and just a bit out of sync. With <span>Andy McDonald</span> coming back Tuesday and <span>Vladimir Tarasenko</span> on Saturday, there are some old faces who haven't been out there for awhile. It will take a bit of work for everyone to be back on the same page.</p>
<p>Hope you noticed Jaden Schwartz's goal. Not him. He just had to be in the right place for the puck to ricochet off his arm. No, I mean Tarasenko. The youngster found the quiet space on the ice where he could get his feet and stick setup to receive the puck and get his shot off quickly. Reminded me of a guy who used to wear No. 16 around these parts. It was pretty. </p>
<p>There was some hesitation shooting the puck. <span>Alex Pietrangelo</span> twice on the power play. <span>Kevin Shattenkirk</span> on the point. Chris Russell on the point. I could go on. But every time there was a pause, the defense rotated into position and <span>Cory Schneider</span> was square to the puck. The releases have to come faster, shooters need to be more aggressive.</p>
<p>It was a game the Blues could have won but probably didn't deserve to so don't sweat it. Just don't look at the standings. Because they are fucking frightening. The Blues are four points in front of Columbus. Who is in 10th place. Columbus. Yeah, we're going to be fucking sweating this thing until the end of April.</p>
<p>You, yes you. You can't leave a comment if you don't eat your meat.</p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2013/3/20/4126432/blues-comeback-falls-short-in-3-2-loss-at-canucksBrad Lee2013-03-19T15:00:05-05:002013-03-19T15:00:05-05:00Hot Blues take off to the Great White North
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<figcaption>Luongo probably shouldn't have asked Scotty Nichol if he wanted to "follow" him ... | Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Bargain Blues face the Vancouver Millionaires </p> <p>As the trade deadline approaches, potential free agents are getting re-signed and talk turns toward salaries and cap hits. With the standings so tight in the Western conference, nobody's sure who the sellers and buyers are going to be yet. A lot is going to change in the next 2 weeks; heck, even the Blue Jackets are in the hunt. Tonight's contest features the extremes of cap spending, as the highest payroll in the Western Conference, the Vancouver <strike>Millionaires</strike> Canucks take on the lowest payroll in our St Louis Blues. Sitting in 4th place, compared to the Cancuk's 7th place, feels like scoring a bargain. Admittedly, it's only 2 points that separate the two teams, but holding our own against the big spenders of the league sure feels good.</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2345899/01_-_Thrift_Shop__feat._Wanz___Explicit_.mp3">Thrift Shop / Macklemore & Ryan Lewis</a></p>
<p><b>The Enemy: </b>The Vancouver Canucks just played last night, losing to the Minnesota Wild 3-1. Roberto Luongo took the loss, allowing 3 goals on 25 shots against. That being the case, I'd expect Cory Schneider to get the start for the Canucks. He has a 6-5-3 record, with 2.63 GAA and a .910 Sv%. As for scoring, the usual names top the list. Overall scoring is lead by Henrik Sedin (7-19-26), followed by the goals leader Daniel Sedin (8-16-24). After that, there's a drop-off to three players tied with 16 pts. The team has been hampered by injuries, notably to Ryan Kesler and Kevin Bieksa. Additionally, the Canucks will be without the services of David Booth, lost to a lower body injury.</p>
<p>The Canucks have had some power play troubles, at one point going 0-for-36 before scoring with the man advantage last night. They currently rank 27th in Power Play percentage.</p>
<p><b>Further Reading:</b></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.nucksmisconduct.com/">Nucks Misconduct</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://vansunsportsblogs.com/topics/hockey/passittobulis/">Pass It To Bulis</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://canucksarmy.com/">Canucks Army</a></p>
<p><b>Final Verse:</b> It's a late one folks, with the game being in Vancouver. The puck drops at 9:00 St Louis time. The TV broadcast is on Fox Sports MW, and the radio call is on KMOX 1120 AM. The GDT should drop shortly ahead of the puck. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Reheat the hate leftover from the 2009 playoffs, give us your favorite @Strombone tweet, and get ready for a long night.</p>
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<p>Hilarious Luongo & Schneider Goalie Skit [HD] (via <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=_PjH8EBz3J8">CanucksVid</a>)</p>
<p>LGB!!!</p>
<p><i>-CrossCheckRaise</i></p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2013/3/19/4122070/road-music-03-19-vancouver-canucksCrossCheckRaise2013-03-19T14:12:34-05:002013-03-19T14:12:34-05:00Blues at Canucks GameDay Preview
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<figcaption>Derek Leung</figcaption>
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<p>Tonight's game is a late one, but with the way that the Blues have been playing, it shouldn't be too hard to stay up for it.</p> <p>Wow, what happened to the Vancouver Canucks? Just 3-5-2 in their last ten games, they started the season with a bang. Two starting goalies! What a happy accident that Blues fans could relate to. And then, well, the wheels came off. They went 36 power plays in a row without scoring before their lone goal in Monday's 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild ended that streak. They're not in first place any more in the Northwest, and they're down towards the bottom of the Western Conference playoff positions, though just two spots behind the Blues.</p>
<p>They can't score off the powerplay either. They've scored two or fewer goals in seven of their last eight, while allowing 24 goals total in their last eight. To say that scores have been lopsided as of late won't do them justice. They might have issues again tonight, too. Jake Allen has won his last five starts, and has allowed three goals in his last three games. </p>
<p>If you're the Canucks, you also have Alexander Steen, who has returned with a vengeance, Chris Stewart, who is the NHL's first star of the week, and the returning Andy McDonald to deal with tonight. Factor in Vladimir Tarasenko who had an assist in is return on Saturday night, and Vladimir Sobotka who has been playing like a man possessed, and you have a Blues team that Vancouver probably doesn't want to see right this second.</p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2013/3/19/4124120/blues-at-canucks-gameday-preview-march-19-2013hildymac2013-03-18T19:44:45-05:002013-03-18T19:44:45-05:00Blues at Canucks Morning Open Thread
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<figcaption>Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Tonight is the triumphant return of Andy McDonald, who has been absent from the line-up for ten games.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/">Blues</a> seem to be getting healthy at the right time. Sure, <span>T.J. Oshie</span> is still broken, but tonight marks the return of <span>Andy McDonald</span>... which means that Oshie is officially the only member of the Blues still out.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, with the game being in Vancouver, it's a super late 9:00 start time, so some of us might fall asleep before they get a chance to see McDonald score in his return. It's all good, though, because I'm sure that the <a href="http://blues.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=660777">NHL's first star of the week, Chris Stewart,</a> will score one before I fall asleep on my couch. Stewart has 14 points in his last seven games, and scored the game winner on Saturday night thanks to a great pick and pass from <span>Vladimir Sobotka</span>.</p>
<p><span>David Backes</span> has been quite the Canuck-killer in his career, and I don't just mean their Olympic team. Backes has seven goals and nine assists against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/">Canucks</a> in 22 games against Vancouver. No wonder they wanted to poach him from the Blues.</p>
<p><span>Jake Allen</span> gets the start tonight. Here, to refresh your memory:</p>
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<p>This is your morning open thread. Discuss helpful hints for staying awake past 11.</p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2013/3/18/4121292/blues-at-canucks-morning-open-thread-andy-mcdonald-returnshildymac