St. Louis Game Time - Capitals At Blues GameDay Storystream: Carpe DiemWe're one ugly bastard.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/10753/gt-fave.png2014-04-08T22:49:11-05:00http://www.stlouisgametime.com/rss/stream/53572152014-04-08T22:49:11-05:002014-04-08T22:49:11-05:00Recap: Blues Fail to Capture Win Against Caps
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<img alt="I will stop all your goals with the power of my mind! " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xA_s4mNZHNGG1RkL-5_y8VGT3TA=/0x901:3297x3099/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31347931/482963343.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>I will stop all your goals with the power of my mind! | Bruce Bennett</figcaption>
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<p>The St. Louis Blues took on the Washington Capitals tonight in the hops of catching up to the Bruins in the race for the Presidents Trophy. Needless to say it did not go well for the Blue and Yellow, falling 4-1 to the Caps. Its Recap Time!</p> <h3>Game Recap</h3>
<p>Tonight the <a href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Blues</a> were not so good. Like black plague not so good. They had their moments of clarity, but their downfall was set in motion half way into the second period. The team just seemed to fall apart after Washington’s second goal. The third was a kick in the stomach. There were three unanswered goals tonight ant it was disheartening to see the 4th line was the only group working with chemistry and what we all would like to see from the team. Another 4-1 Loss in the books. It was frustrating to watch and its even more frustrating to recap so I asked around and got together a collection of gifs and observations to go along with your beverage of choice. Still not panicking guys. The Playoffs… they "do things"</p>
<h3>Blues Only Goal</h3>
<p>Maxim Lapierre from <span>Steve Ott</span> and <span>Ryan Reaves</span> at 2:39 of the second period</p>
<p><iframe src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2013021186-358-h" frameborder="0" width="640" height="395"></iframe></p>
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<h3>The First Period started out hopeful but everything changed when the <a href="https://www.japersrink.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Capitals</a> scored first at 17:54 on the Power Play.</h3>
<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_libs5c2aJr1qcksb6.gif" alt="Catbox Fail"></p>
<p>It was like the fucking Fire Nation all over again! Thanks Obama.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>The Blues were down but not out. The put pressure but constantly went high and wide.</h3>
<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4tdljntFZ1r9c1z7.gif" alt="IT ISNT FAIR!!"></p>
<p>It’s like I don’t even know who you are anymore 2013-2014 Blues!</p>
<h3><br></h3>
<h3>It started to feel like we needed to watch <span>Derek Roy</span> again because DAMN he’s become the new face of the Bad Offensive Zone Penalty.</h3>
<p><img src="http://rack.2.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzA2LzEyL2M4L0hhcnJ5UG90dGVyLjJiMTczLmdpZgpwCXRodW1iCTEyMDB4OTYwMD4/4f5f1aea/62c/Harry-Potter.gif" alt="Frustrated Potter"></p>
<p>Roy took a hooking penalty at 16:23 of the First giving the Caps the power play they ultimately scored on.</p>
<h3><br></h3>
<h3>Max Lapierre would score to kick off the first 5 mins of the second period but it would be all for naught.</h3>
<p><img src="http://collegetimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/tv-addiction-emma-stone-meh-gif.gif" alt="Meh Whatever"></p>
<p>I am happy and sad we are getting at least one point out of this new 4th line since no one else can seem to score.</p>
<h3><br></h3>
<h3>This happened</h3>
<p><img alt="Oh no" src="http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/e0och7.gif"></p>
<p>He wrecked himself before he checked himself.</p>
<h3><br></h3>
<h3>After the third Washington goal many started questioning the possibility of demons possessing <span>Ryan Miller</span>.</h3>
<p><img src="http://31.media.tumblr.com/a3321d6df0ebb7fb6c75d851d374b724/tumblr_mhv9ut9qX91rlwc99o1_500.gif" alt="Sam and Dean"></p>
<p>Someone call the Winchesters STAT!</p>
<h3><br></h3>
<h3>Then the Fourth Caps goal went in the net.</h3>
<p><img src="http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view5/2096133/sideshow-bob-rakes-o.gif" alt="Sideshow Bob With Rakes"></p>
<p>WHY IS THIS HAPPENING!?</p>
<h3><br></h3>
<h3>High and Wide started to sound the same as every time your parents told you they were disappointed in you.</h3>
<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m66gclGTup1qai8dg.gif" alt="Sad Stichy"></p>
<p>It was just awful. EVERY time!</p>
<h3><br></h3>
<h3>The fanbase collectively started to freak the fuck out.</h3>
<p><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/d8b65b2e2208ac241b45994a68128ccd/tumblr_mmvomfel1X1r0ftodo1_500.gif" alt="OMG"></p>
<p>Chaos and panic was everywhere!</p>
<h3><br></h3>
<h3>Fans started to boo as the final seconds ticked off the clock.</h3>
<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m42vpxhBTM1r9c1z7.gif" alt="Crazy Pills"></p>
<p>I am sorry but there is no reason for you to BOO this team. It was the first time all SEASON they have had three consecutive losses. Calm Down.</p>
<h3>Final Thoughts</h3>
<p>I leave you with this from my boyfriend Sam:</p>
<blockquote>It seems to me that the Blues have become the hockey equivalent of the average American male. Able to score every once in a while, but not enough stamina to play a full 60. They need to find their purple pill before the playoffs, otherwise its not looking like a fun time.</blockquote>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/4/8/5596268/recap-blues-fail-to-capture-win-against-capsRealBadRobot2014-04-08T18:30:06-05:002014-04-08T18:30:06-05:00Capitals At Blues GameDay Thread
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<figcaption>Patrick Smith</figcaption>
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<p>The Blues have only two home games left. Will the first of the two be a win?</p> <p>Let's face it - the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.japersrink.com/">Washington Capitals</a> have turned into a gong show. Let's also face it - they can score and Brayden Holtby isn't a bad goalie. Sure we don't get a chance to see Halak tonight, and sure everyone's scoreboard watching to make sure that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/">Blues</a>' recent cold streak doesn't shoot them in the foot, but one day at a time. Cover Ovie.</p>
<p>For the love of God, cover him. He scored twice against the Blues in November. Let's not that happen again.</p>
<p>This is you GameDay Thread. Comment like you're excited that <span>Alexander Steen</span> is back in tonight.</p>
<p>Let's do this. Let's Go Blues.</p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/4/8/5595530/gamethread-for-washington-capitals-at-st-louis-blues-apr-8-2014hildymac2014-04-08T15:00:03-05:002014-04-08T15:00:03-05:00Caps At Blues Game Preview: Five In Four To Go
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<figcaption>Rob Carr</figcaption>
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<p>Tonight would be a good game to get to work on those last five points needed to clinch the Central Division.</p> <p>Five points. Five more points for the <a href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Blues</a>, or five points lost by the <a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Colorado Avalanche</a> (or any combo thereof) will get the Blues their second Central Division championship in three seasons. The Blues are two points behind the <a href="https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bruins</a> for the Presidents' Trophy. Top spot is within reach.</p>
<p>If the Blues can win. Boy howdy, is tonight a winnable game. These <a href="https://www.japersrink.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Capitals</a> aren't playing like the team that dismantled the Blues 4-1 back in November. They're crumbling down the stretch. The Caps haven't won in regulation since March 18th, and every loss diminishes their chances of making the postseason.</p>
<p>The issue for the Blues is the fact that they're not playing their best hockey. Short Alexander Steen and <span>Vladimir Tarasenko</span>, the Blues have struggled to score and have been shut out twice in their last five games. They've scored two goals or fewer in eight of their last ten. <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/daily-bits-are-the-blues-burned-out/article_727e31aa-b363-5f16-aa1a-f8b82ba715d8.html" target="_blank">Bernie Miklasz breaks down the scoring problems thusly</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The team isn't playing well, period. Until recently the Blues' bedrock was their superiority in even-strength play. They'd built up a huge goal-scoring differential in 5-on-5 (and occasionally 4-on-4) situations. Well, that's deteriorated; over their last 10 games the Blues rank 24th among the 30 teams with a minus 8 at even strength.</p>
<p>The problem scoring goals is nothing new. Over their last 35 games, the Blues rank 26th in the league with an average of 2.29 goals per game. They're averaging 1.91 goals in the 11 games since Tarasenko fractured a hand.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A team is more than two players; the fact that the Blues have not been able to score recently is not limited to Steen and Tarasenko being out. It's a team problem. Two goals in the last two games is inexcusable. Four goals in three games isn't much better when you realize that two came against Buffalo in a game that the Blues could've easily lost to a better team.</p>
<p>There's a problem. They need to fix it. A big blow-out win against the Capitals would help, but would be difficult. A win in general? That's doable.</p>
<p>Concentration, puck possession (which I don't think existed against the Hawks on Sunday), pouncing on rebounds - all of these were hallmarks of the Blues' style at the start of the season. Where did it go?</p>
<p>Now would be a terrible time for the Blues to have their first three-game losing streak of the season. Many teams are gaining speed as the post-season approaches. It'd be a shame to have the Blues losing ground. Luckily Ryan Miller has played the Caps well this season, allowing two goals in two starts with the <a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Sabres</a> and posting a .975 SV%. A little goal backup for the starter from the Blues would be helpful.</p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/4/8/5593582/washington-capitals-at-st-louis-blues-preview-blues-need-five-pointshildymac2014-04-08T13:54:59-05:002014-04-08T13:54:59-05:00Halak Not Starting Against The Blues In Tonight's Game<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" data="http://www.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/1_fgls8936/uiconf_id/15091581" width="615" name="kaltura_player_1396983101" height="430" allowfullscreen="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always">
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<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Adam Oates: interesting personnel decisions, or is he just trolling Caps fans now?</p></p></div>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/4/8/5594648/halak-not-starting-against-the-blues-in-tonights-gamehildymac2014-04-08T11:48:38-05:002014-04-08T11:48:38-05:00Alexander Steen Returns Against Capitals From Injury<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="/rss/stream/5357215">Alexander Steen Returns Against Capitals From&nbsp;Injury</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>It couldn't happen soon enough. Welcome back, Steen.</p></p></div>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/4/8/5594120/alexander-steen-returns-from-injury-against-capitalshildymac2014-04-08T11:00:04-05:002014-04-08T11:00:04-05:00Lighting The Lamp: A Capital Affair
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<img alt="Adam Oates signed gameworn Blues jersey from the 1988-89 season. Oates claimed he never wore #10 and would only sign on the nameplate" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Zzcmb-IRJin--phRzEMtyeN5TUc=/0x251:2039x1610/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31267505/oates_jersey_001.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Adam Oates signed gameworn Blues jersey from the 1988-89 season. Oates claimed he never wore #10 and would only sign on the nameplate | Rick Ackerman</figcaption>
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<p>You might recognize the "Lighting the Lamp" feature from the Game Time paper. Rick Ackerman has been nice enough to send over his column for the website. "Lighting the Lamp" will be featured every home game day.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">What happened? The Blues won a thrilling defensive battle with the Philadelphia Flyers last Tuesday, taking a 1-0 victory in another sho(shie)otout to gain first place in the race for the Presidents' Trophy from Boston. A listless, uninspired win over Buffalo Thursday was a precursor of worse things to come, though. The steamrolling Blues have suddenly rolled over after a disastrous weekend in which the offense has disappeared and the defense has been shaky when it mattered. Neither Ryan Miller nor Brian Elliott can be faulted as the team-defense in front of them has vanished and the Blues are suddenly easy pickings, looking lost and bewildered out on the ice. Yes, the Blues made a valiant effort to tie the game in Chicago in the third period, yet the hockey gods broke Alex Pietrangelo's stick (and our hearts) at a very crucial point as the Blues attacked in the last ten seconds or so, and the Hawks got the empty-netter for the win. Yikes!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the least, the Blues have an opportunity to redeem themselves tonight against the now-out-of-the-playoffs Washington Capitals. With only three games left after tonight, the Caps trail the second-wild-card Blue Jackets by four points. It's tough going the rest of the way for Washington as they travel to Carolina, host Chicago the next night and end the season at home against Tampa Bay. Columbus hosts Phoenix and then travels to Dallas, Tampa Bay and Florida. St. Louis is still four points ahead of Colorado with four games to play for each Central Division club. The Avs play in Edmonton tonight and then end the regular season with games at Vancouver, San Jose and Anaheim. The Blues travel to Minnesota and Dallas before ending the regular season at home against Detroit on Sunday. So, tonight's contest is obviously quite important to both the Caps and Blues.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Washington came into the NHL as an expansion franchise in 1974 (along with the Kansas City Scouts, now the New Jersey Devils). A successful construction contractor in the Washington area, Abe Pollin, headed the investment group that purchased the club.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pollin, who also owned the NBA Washington Bullets/Wizards, built the Capital Center in Landover, Maryland to house both teams. The first-year Capitals were dreadful, even by expansion standards, finishing 8-67-5 for 21 points in 80 games. Coach Jim Anderson reportedly said, "I'd rather find out my wife was cheating on me than keep losing like this. At least I could tell my wife to cut it out." He didn't last half the season as GM Milt Schmidt (HHoF 1961) took over as coach. Nor did Schmidt, as he was replaced by Max McNab as GM and Tom McVie as coach.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eight years later David Poile (now with the Nashville Predators) was hired as GM and immediately made a blockbuster trade, sending long-time Caps Ryan Walter and Rick Green to Montreal for defensemen Rod Langway (HHoF 2002) and Brian Engblom, center Doug Jarvis and Craig Laughlin (now the Caps' tv color analyst). Dennis Maruk, Mike Gartner (HHoF 2001) and Bobby Carpenter led the offense. Another major addition was by drafting defenseman Scott Stevens (HHoF 2007) in 1982. Stevens, well remembered in St. Louis as a Blue, is now an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils. The Caps finally made the playoffs in 1983 after nine long years.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Washington would qualify for the playoffs for the next 14 seasons. However, they would not get to the conference finals until 1998, led by Peter Bondra's 52 goals and the slick play of the Capitals' current head coach, center Adam Oates, yet another former Blue. Unfortunately, they were swept in the Stanley Cup Finals by Detroit. The following summer, the team was sold to a group headed by AOL executive Ted Leonsis. Players came and went, including Jaromir Jagr coming and Oates going (after a salary dispute and demanded trade, sound familiar?). The biggest acquisition, though, was Russian sniper Alexander Ovechkin, drafted in 2004 after the Caps won the lottery from Pittsburgh. Although Ovechkin stayed in Russia (lockout, remember?) to play for Moscow Dynamo, he joined the team the following season and lived up to the hype, scoring 52 goals and 106 points, earning the Calder Trophy as top rookie. Ovechkin beat out Sidney Crosby for the honor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Even with the Russian super-star, Washington would not return to the playoffs until 2008, nor would they advance past the conference semi-finals in the following six seasons. And it looks pretty unlikely that they will qualify this season. Like the Blues, the Caps have never sipped champagne from the bowl of the Stanley Cup.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yes, the Blues need to reclaim the confidence they have had all season until now and show the fans they have not suddenly forgotten how to play the game. It's time to get back to basics and follow Hitchcock's system that has them where they are: division leaders with a franchise record 52* (including bonus-time wins not counted prior to 2005) home victories. It's time to get back to work.</p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/4/8/5590238/lighting-the-lamp-a-capital-affairhildymac2014-04-08T08:00:02-05:002014-04-08T08:00:02-05:00Caps At Blues Morning Open Thread - Hey, Jaro
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<figcaption>Patrick Smith</figcaption>
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<p>The Blues haven't been playing up to their abilities, while the Capitals are showing how much being in the Southeast Division helped them.</p> <p>It's amazing what happens when one of the worst divisions in the history of sports is dissolved, isn't it? A team can go from being one of the top three playoff seeds nearly every season to fighting to make the postseason at all.</p>
<p>That's the Caps. Adam Oates is on the hotseat, <span>Alex Ovechkin</span> is about to finish the years tops in both goals and plus/minus, and <span>Jaroslav Halak</span> hasn't been the goaltending savior that they've needed.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/">Blues</a> need to gain control of the Central Division. Anaheim's one point behind for the Western Conference lead. Their future's up to them.</p>
<p>This is your morning open thread. Check back later for a Lighting the Lamp, a preview, your GDT, and a recap, of course. While you're killing time, head over to <a href="http://www.japersrink.com" target="_blank">Japers' Rink</a> and see what they have to say about this evening's tilt.</p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/4/8/5593138/capitals-at-blues-morning-open-thread-halak-ovechkin-backes-steenhildymac