St. Louis Game Time - Blackhawks At Blues GameDay Storystream: ReduxWe're one ugly bastard.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/10753/gt-fave.png2014-10-26T15:55:30-05:00http://www.stlouisgametime.com/rss/stream/68325222014-10-26T15:55:30-05:002014-10-26T15:55:30-05:00Next Day Recap: Blues Beat Hawks 3-2; No Big Thang
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<img alt="Above: Blues goaltender Brian Elliott marks his territory. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0RDshYX4XiiuYu1G5G4sYI2g7Ts=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42772254/20141025_sng_bv1_170.JPG.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Above: Blues goaltender Brian Elliott marks his territory. | Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Blues handle the Hawks, WGN broadcast also loses. </p> <p>It may have only been an October game, but that win was so satisfying, I fell into a contented sleep as soon as I got home! Unfortunately, that was bad news for you guys. But you're here now, and that's all that matter.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/">Blues</a>, coming off a 2nd straight illness-induced failure, took the ice against Those Fuckers Up North, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.secondcityhockey.com/">Chicago Blackhawks</a> looking to right the ship. And out of the gate, it didn't look pretty. The Blues took two penalties within the first minute of the contest - <span>Jay Bouwmeester</span> for hooking at 00:16 and <span>Barret Jackman</span> for roughing at 00:54 - leading to a long 5-on-3 that didn't last very long. <span>Patrick Kane</span> was able to find <span>Patrick Sharp</span> all alone on the far post for the first goal of the game to give TFUN a 1-0 lead only 62 seconds in.</p>
<p>From there, the Hawks controlled play for the first half of the first period. Then at 12:15, <span>Alex Pietrangelo</span> pinched in to keep the puck, playing it to T.J. Oshie. The pass oddly bounced off Osh's skate and deflected right to <span>Jaden Schwartz</span>, who shot it on goal. Antii Raanta, Chicago's 2nd-string below average goaltender, was perfectly screened by <span>David Backes</span> which allowed the puck to slip through to even the score 1-1.</p>
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<p><iframe height="395" width="640" frameborder="0" src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2014020112-84-ingame-h&site=blues"></iframe></p>
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<p>From there, the Blues really took off, out shooting the Hawks 27-14 and racking up a 61.4% share of Fenwick through the end of the 2nd period. But the last two minutes of the 2nd proved to be the difference in the game.</p>
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<p>At 18:09, the 4th line of <span>Ryan Reaves</span>, <span>Maxim Lapierre</span>, and <span>Steve Ott</span> all proved to have actual use. Lapierre stole the puck from <span>Michal Rozsival</span> at the blueline. Ott collected it on the wing and centered to Lapierre, who took the shot. Raanta stopped it, but couldn't control the rebound before Reaver found it and tried to knock it in on the second chance try. Initially the puck was whistled frozen for a face-off - which would have led to a Blues power play as Rozisval had hooked Lappy. But then The War Room in Toronto picked up the phone and changed the game.</p>
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<p><iframe height="395" width="640" frameborder="0" src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2014020112-430-h&site=blues"></iframe></p>
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<p>This sequence was particularly confusing for the peebrained Hawks fans watching WGN, as apparently they did not have a camera set at the one angle that clearly showed the puck crossed the line, leading the Chicago broadcasters to continue bitching about the call deep into the 2nd intermission.</p>
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<p><iframe height="395" width="640" frameborder="0" src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2014020112-430-a&site=blackhawks"></iframe></p>
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<p>That surprise goal - 12th of Reaver's career - pumped up the crowd and the team, leading to a buzzing shift in the offensive zone. <span>Patrik Berglund</span> played the puck along the boards behind Raanta's net, finding Pietrangelo. Petro shot, Raanta saved it, but the rebound came out far to the slot, where <span>Dmitrij Jaskin</span> found it and put it home for the 3-1 Blues lead with wonly 5 seconds left in the period. It was Jaskin's second NHL goal of his career, both against the Blackhawks. Scottrade exploded.</p>
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<p><iframe height="395" width="640" frameborder="0" src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2014020112-436-ingame-h&site=blues"></iframe></p>
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<p>The Hawks would take advantage of score effects in the third period, rallying to fight back. They even pulled a goal back, as <span>Ian Cole</span> was <i>badly </i>drawn out of position on the rush, allowing Sharp to find <span>Kris Versteeg</span> embarrassinglyuncovered to draw Chicago to within 3-2. with more than 17 minutes left to tie it up. They never did, and the Blues held on for two huge points in regulation.</p>
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<p>A few quick thoughts:</p>
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<li><span>Again it's only October, but this win was huge for a few reasons. First of all, we didn't merely take advantage of bad day for the Blackhawks. Chicago played overall pretty well. We didn't even play and even game and go "toe-to-toe." The Hawks played reasonably well, and over the course of 60 minutes we played clearly better. Even the games we won in this series last year I don't think that would apply to. We spent the week dreading about the shitty play in Anaheim and against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/">Canucks</a> - we even went back and forth about Ken Hitchcock's employment situation. And then this game happened. It's only 60 minutes in October, but this is the kind of games that hot streaks are born from. Let's hope that happens. </span></li>
<li><span>The Blues were playing the puck well in the offensive zone. There was good side to side movement that hasn't been there the last few games. Keep it up.</span></li>
<li><span>Blackhawks fans might whine that <span>Corey Crawford</span> might have changed this game, since his rebound control is much better than Raanta's, which would have eliminated both Reaves' and Jaskin's goal in theory. Let them cling to that - they may even be right. Just keep in mind - if we don't stupidly put ourselves 2 men down in the first minute and <strike>Ian Cole doesn't</strike> Ian Cole is in the pressbox like he should be, this game could have been - maybe even should have been - 3-0. </span></li>
<li> <span>Sometimes it feels as if Hitch is telling the guys to hesitate taking the shot on odd man rushes. Credit to </span><span>Niklas Hjalmarsson</span> and that asswipe <span>Brent Seabrook</span>, who both defended odd man rushes beautifully to not allow either to result on a shot on goal, but the Blues have been either delaying the shot or passing up on a better chance to try and set up a teammate pretty consistently this year. That has to end soon. </li>
<li>I was sure that after Steve Ott took a mis-aimed retaliatory slashing penalty after the whistle with less than 8 minutes left that the Hawks would tie the game. Both the Blues PK & Hawks PP units were forced to play the entire 2 minutes, and the Blues held up well and only allowed 1 shot on goal. Great kill, but Otter MUST be smarter than to put his team in that position. </li>
<li>It's a counting stat counted by the home arena's official scorer, so it's not always the most reliable figure, but the Blues were credited with 10 take aways against only 2 give aways. Puck retention like that is absolutely vital to beating the Blackhawks. </li>
<li>Jaskin didn't just score the game winning goal, he also collected a 63% corsi for. This is what Jaskin can do. Play him - on the Blues, not he Wolves.</li>
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<strike>Speaking of Swedish corsi</strike> <i>(edit: Sorry, Jaskin is a Russian-born Czech. My bad.)</i>, Patrik Berglund of all people led the way with a 70% CF. I've ragged on Bergie in the past, but if he can put up figures like that in games like this, plus score every once in a while, you could do a lot worse with your 3rd line center/left winger.</li>
<li>Fun fact I learned while listening to post game on KMOX: <span>Joakim Lindstrom</span> 's nickname among his teammates is "Joker." As of this very minute, that is officially a "thing." </li>
<li>Lost in all of the madness of the Reaves goal review, Steve Ott picked up his first assist of the year, bringing the #OttSpot count up to 1. </li>
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<div><font size="2"><span>No tweets this time, but you can still vote on who you thought was the best Blue last night. </span></font></div>
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<div>The Blue Note will be back at it on Tuesday night in Dallas to take on everyone's dark horse pick, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.defendingbigd.com/">Stars</a>. They aren't nearly on Chicago's level just yet, but they play pretty similarly and with quite a lot of firepower up front. It'll take a similar game from the Blues to take two points from Texas. Let's do it.</div>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/10/26/7072007/next-day-recap-blues-beat-blackhawks-3-2-like-it-aint-no-big-thangJ-Mill2014-10-25T18:30:01-05:002014-10-25T18:30:01-05:00Hawks At Blues GDT: This Isn't A Rematch
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<figcaption>Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>This is the first time that the Blues have seen the Blackhawks since the playoffs, but this time it just has regular season consequences.</p> <p>How many people on the Blues are going to be sick tonight? Can someone just lick all of the Blackhawks' water bottles and get the two teams on even footing?<br><br>Hey, man, whatever works.</p>
<p>Dmitrij Jaskin will be in tonight, on a line with Patrik Berglund and Joakim Lindstrom, which is a line that potentially has potential. Magnus Paajarvi, as predicted, is in the press box tonight, but Steve Ott is not on the first line with David Backes and T.J. Oshie. This time it's Jaden Schwartz; Ott is back on the fourth.</p>
<p>With Schwartz on the top line, Alexander Steen will be on a line with Jori Lehetra and Vladimir Tarasenko, who had four goals against the Hawks in the playoffs last season.</p>
<p>The last time the Blues played the Blackhawks with Antti Raanta, they won 6-5 in a come from behind shootout victory. They haven't scored with Brian Elliott in net since the Calgary game. Something's gotta give at some point.</p>
<p>This is your game thread. Grab your cold frosty brews and maybe something a little stronger, just in case.</p>
<p>Let's do this. Let's Go Blues.</p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/10/25/7070905/gamethread-for-chicago-blackhawks-at-st-louis-blues-oct-25-2014hildymac2014-10-25T18:14:14-05:002014-10-25T18:14:14-05:00Cheer up Fred<img src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/y1kvdFc_y2UUJU1nsTqBrpK7k1o=/410x410/cdn.vox-cdn.com/fan_shot_images/355540/image1_0_JPG.jpg" />
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Fred, representing a depressed cards fan base after losing the nlcs. As depressed as he and card fans are, maybe they should realize how lucky they are</p></p></div>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/10/25/7071097/cheer-up-fredsnow-man2014-10-25T17:00:02-05:002014-10-25T17:00:02-05:00Buy Tonight's Game Time Paper Blues Vs. Blackhawks
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<img alt="I like watching the pretty pictures I imagine in my head. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3Bp8s6Ne5vsI429rH1bdIlGGQtA=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42708810/485666077.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>I like watching the pretty pictures I imagine in my head. | Dilip Vishwanat</figcaption>
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<p>You can buy tonight's Game Time paper online right now. </p> <p>So the damn <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.secondcityhockey.com/">Chicago Blackhawks</a> are in town. You might remember our hockey squad from our town has a problem with Those Fuckers Up North (TFUN). I'm sure it will be a spirited contest with the puck and the stick. Go team.</p>
<p>So down below, we'll have more info about <a href="https://sowl.co/GPt5t">buying tonight's Game Time paper</a> that we're selling outside the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/">Blues</a> game. But before we get to the business part of this relationship, let me give you some stuff first.</p>
<p>In my editor's column tonight, I wrote about some of the various excuses, I mean theories, people have come up with to explain the start of the season for these St. Louis Blues. And of course we got to the infamous words: buy in. Hitchcock used it in his post-game comments Thursday:</p>
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<p>Just cause you have the same group back doesn't mean they want to play the same way. The way we have to play for success is tough. It's hard playing that way. It's really hard playing that way, but very successful. So the decision the coaches have to sell and get the players to <b><i><u>BUY IN</u></i></b> is to play the right way. This isn't skill ahead of work. We're guilty of that sometimes. This is an attitude about making the next play the next play, forcing the next play. This is really forcing offense and putting yourself in a very vulnerable position defensively. What happens is you're not on the same page. We need to get on the same page and value checking. A big part of checking is managing the puck the right way.</p>
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<p>He also mentioned the gambles the defensemen are taking. He said on some plays the blueliners are so hyped to join the play, they get ahead of the forwards. Now that isn't exactly what happened on the second Vancouver goal (the back-breaker that opened the floodgates for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/">Canucks</a>), but it's close.</p>
<p>The Blues had come down on the rush and the <span>Vladimir Tarasenko</span> and <span>Jaden Schwartz</span> line (because it's built around them and the third guy is benefiting from what they've done) created a helluva chance for Jori Lehtera. He put a shot off the stretched left pad of Ryan Miller. The rebound came to the corner. And that's when shit got bad. Suddenly the momentum of all three forwards carried them deep inside the Canucks' zone. In fact, all three were past the end red line. Defenseman Jordan Leopold should have seen this and acted judiciously. Instead, he came drifting in and tried laying the lumber on a Canucks player who suddenly had the puck instead of playing smart puck support or just plain defensive positioning close to the blueline. When he tried to check, he took himself out of the play and the Canucks had a two-on-one chance from their faceoff dots until they scored. It was one of the longer two-on-one breaks you'll see.</p>
<p>The Blues need to play smarter, settle the fuck down and make sure they know where <span>Brent Seabrook</span> is on the ice at all times and never let that dipshit breath.</p>
<p>The paper. In January we will mark 20 years since a fan-run paper was first sold outside Blues home games. This is the first season we're offering single copy sales electronically from the website. Go to our <a href="https://sowl.co/GPt5t">secure server, pay $3,</a>tonight's issue is yours compared to the $4 hard copy cost downtown. Now we do offer $2 an issue for a season-long subscription. For more information, email me at gtbradlee at gmail dot com.</p>
<p>And thanks for reading, you animals.</p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/10/25/7070109/buy-tonights-game-time-paper-blues-vs-blackhawksBrad Lee2014-10-25T13:05:39-05:002014-10-25T13:05:39-05:00Blues' Illness: Is It A California Conspiracy?<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/russostrib/status/526057078276620290">Blues' Illness: Is It A California&nbsp;Conspiracy?</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Yep. It's not enough to be two of the best in the West. Anaheim and Los Angeles have to make the rest of the West sick, too*.</p>
<p>*<em>but probably not on purpose</em></p></p></div>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/10/25/7070229/blues-illness-is-it-a-california-conspiracyhildymac2014-10-25T13:00:02-05:002014-10-25T13:00:02-05:00An Un-Hully Alliance: Q & A with City on the Take
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<img alt="Above: Alexander Steen gives Bryan Bickell the traditional greeting of the Blues-Blackhawks rivalry. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TCRXe3ZJwBG0osBv6FgKUBAd5i8=/0x230:4000x2897/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42669892/20140427_pjc_aw6_520.JPG.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Above: Alexander Steen gives Bryan Bickell the traditional greeting of the Blues-Blackhawks rivalry. | Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>My asshole friend Jim writes about the Blackhawks. We ask each other asshole questions, and give each other asshole answers. </p> <p>Perhaps you've heard there's a game tonight?</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Blues</a> will look to harvest the best antibiotics known to man - Andrew Shaw's tears - when they play Those Fuckers Up North tonight at Scottrade. In preparation, I asked my asshole friend, <a href="https://www.secondcityhockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Blackhawks</a>/Chicago Sports blogger <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/jimkressjr">Jim Kress</a> of <a target="_blank" href="http://cityonthetake.com/">City On The Take</a>, a few questions, to refresh our collective memories of the team that won't get out of our heads no matter how much self-medicating we do. In exchange, I answered a few for him - be sure to check out them out over on his site, because that's how this shit works. (And by the way, a much better name for a blog about Chicago sports would be "City on the Lake," but hey, whatevs.)</p>
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<p><b>SLGT: Stan Bowman pulled off arguably the biggest heist of the summer by brainwashing <span>Brad Richards</span> to sign for only $2 million. How has he done filling that 2nd-line center hole you guys always keep bitching about as if it were an actual problem?</b></p>
<p><b>JK: </b> Brad Richards was a good and bad sign in my opinion. Good in that he is a quality player that Bowman signed for a very good deal. Bad in that it didn't help the Blackhawks salary cap situation and it forced Bowman to trade away a young capable defenseman (<span>Nick Leddy</span>) for scrap pieces. Richards has yet to play the actual "2nd line center" role for the Hawks. For the majority of the season he has been centering either <span>Bryan Bickell</span> and <span>Brandon Saad</span> or Bickell and <span>Ben Smith</span> . The 2nd line center problem is still a problem in that 3rd line Winger Andrew Shaw is currently centering Patrick Kane and Saad/Versteeg. Shaw absolutely does not belong on the 2nd line C with Kane. The answer for that position is still sitting and waiting in Rockford with <span>Teuvo Teravainen</span>. Of course I believe for defensive responsibilities the lines would look completely different with Teuvo at 2C. If he were there I believe the top two lines should look like Saad-Toews-Kane<br>Sharp-Teravainen-Hossa.</p>
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<p><b>SLGT: <span>Corey Crawford</span> has been out the last 2 games with an "upper-body injury." If he should miss again tonight, will <span>Antti Raanta</span> be hilariously bad or just disappointing?</b></p>
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<p><b>JK: </b>Antti Raanta is a backup goalie. More so than that, he is a 25 year old back-up goalie in his first full season in the NHL. The kid net-minder has shown flashes of excellence in this short season and last year. In his first NHL start this year he recorded a 32 save shutout. He is prone to make mistakes given his age and experience, but I don't believe there is anything he could do to disappoint Hawks fans. He hasn't exactly given anything to Hawks fans to get their hopes up to begin with. Again, he's a back-up. A 25 year old back-up.</p>
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<p><b>SLGT: 6 games is a small sample size for sure, but so far <span>Marian Hossa</span> has as many points as Dan Carcillo. What's up with that? Does this mean Hossa will start taking stupid penalties for trying to injure opponents and get himself suspended now too?</b></p>
<p><b>JK: </b> I believe you already answered this question in your own initial statement. 6 games is in fact a microscopic sample size. If we went with a 6 game season, <span>Darcy Kuemper</span> would be the NHL Vezina Trophy winner and the <a href="https://www.ontheforecheck.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Predators</a> would win the Central (HA!). I will be the first to admit I strongly dislike Dan Carcillo and the overall move to bring him back to Chicago. He has played well (surprisingly), but if his NHL career will show otherwise, this strong start will blow up in his face with Hindenburg like proportions. Hossa has always been a bit of a slow starter, like the Hawks captain Toews. He's 4 points away from 1,000 and I believe that might be weighing on his mind a bit while he plays. The otherwise robotic 2-way forward has shown great consistency with his play over the years so it's nothing to worry about for Blackhawks fans. Just remember, he is Marian Hossa and you are not.</p>
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<p><b>SLGT: Is this the year Patrick Kane finally wears enough Axe Body Spray to make opponents not want to get close enough to defend him, allowing him to challenge for the Hart Trophy?</b></p>
<p><b>JK: </b>After <span>Patrick Kane's</span> recent lengthy and robust contract extension, I highly doubt he uses Axe Body Spray. I wouldn't be surprised if he bathed in Chanel with as much money as that man is making. But to answer the question... Unless Crosby has another season ending concussion, Stamkos breaks his other leg and Giroux is suspended for man-handling a cop all in the same season, Patrick Kane will never win the Hart Trophy. Let's face it, Kane is an extremely talented player with insane skill. But as long as Coach Q is behind the bench, Kane won't ever see consistent playing time with a line-mate to rack up the points he would need to win that type of hardware. However, I believe all Blackhawks fans are more than happy seeing him win a few more Conn Smythe's to add to his trophy case.</p>
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<p><b>SLGT: And finally, what's your prediction for tonight? Will Brent Seabrook finally get drawn into a forced fight after the Wakey-Wakey Affair of 2014 that distracts from the actual game? Will the Hawks destroy the Blues' flu-ridden asses, or will the Blues recover to only lose a close, "moral victory" game?</b></p>
<p><b>JK: </b> I'm not sure how half your team developed flu like symptoms; Hitchcock with a bad batch of horse meat from Arby's? Reaves and Ott brought something "special" to the locker room from their dumpster homes? Too much time spent in prison by Backes and Jackman? Who knows? Regardless, the Blues and Blackhawks always seem to get the best of each other. Especially over the last few years 'NHL mandated rivalry' years. No matter who comes out on top I bet it will be a rough, emotionally exhausting game for fans of both ends. I would like to believe that the Hawks should skate passed the sluggish starting Blues. But with Raanta in net it would be hard to think that confidence is through the roof in the Chicago locker room. I wish upon you a moral victory, though, but unfortunately the NHL doesn't give 2 points for those.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><b>*********</b></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">There you have it! Send your hate mail to @JimKressJr. Be sure to check out the <a target="_blank" href="http://cityonthetake.com/?p=96697">other half of the conversation at City on the Take.</a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">And buy your rucking St. Louis Game Time papers tonight, people!</p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/10/25/7068533/blues-blackhawks-10-24-2014-an-un-hully-alliance-q-a-with-city-on-the-takeJ-Mill2014-10-25T11:00:03-05:002014-10-25T11:00:03-05:00Memorabilia Memories: Strange Bedfellows
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<img alt="St. Louis Braves jersey circa 1964 honoring #19, Alain “Boom-Boom” Caron, a 77 goal scorer." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/AjN4umLNL44Rh_douo4HZ0imN2w=/0x3:694x466/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42667692/unnamed.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>St. Louis Braves jersey circa 1964 honoring #19, Alain “Boom-Boom” Caron, a 77 goal scorer. | Rick Ackerman</figcaption>
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<p>You might recognize the "Memorabilia Memories" (formerly "Lighting the Lamp") feature from the Game Time paper. Rick Ackerman has been nice enough to send over his column for the website. "Memorabilia Memoirs" will be featured every home game day.</p> <p>Memorabilia Memoirs, with Rick Ackerman</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>No, the pictured sweater (for all you traditional purists) is not a Jonathan Toews <a href="https://www.secondcityhockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Blackhawks</a> jersey. Take a closer look at the shoulder patches and you will realize this beauty (even in black-and-white in the published edition) is actually a replica St. Louis Braves jersey circa 1964. And the number 19 is actually a tribute to one of the best minor league goal-scorers in hockey history, Alain "Boom-Boom" Caron. It completes my collection of professional hockey teams in St. Louis history, joining a (wool) Eagles circa 1935, a replica St. Louis <a href="https://www.broadstreethockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Flyers</a> circa 1948 and all 57 of my <a href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Blues</a> jerseys from 1968 to the present. The Braves, a farm team for the Blackhawks, were my hockey team as I grew up in the early and mid 1960s in St. Louis.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Of course I was raised as a Cardinal fan, following games on KMOX radio as Harry Carey and Jack Buck set a high standard announcing or taking the Redbird Express from Crossroads/Stix, Baer & Fuller in Clayton downtown to Sportsman Park and the first Busch stadium.<span> </span>My best remembered Cardinals game was in 1964 when Bob Gibson out-dueled Mel Stottlemyre and Kenny Boyer hit two home runs to win the World Series<span> </span>at the expense of Mickey Mantle and the Yankees. I paid a price for that thrill, though. I snuck out of the house the night before and spend the night at Sportsman's Park with friends in line for tickets for game seven, cutting school the next day, too. My punishment from my parents was much worse than the week of detentions handed out by the high school. Sadly, there was no mercy shown from anyone even though the game was the day after my birthday that year. Happy Birthday, Rick...</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>I attended my first game in 1963 after the Braves were relocated from Syracuse, New York. Coached by ex-<a href="https://www.blueshirtbanter.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Rangers</a> defenseman Gus Kyle, the Central Professional Hockey League (CPHL) St. Louis Braves featured high-scoring center Phil Esposito, veteran winger Duke Harris, slick center Ray Cullen and a relatively unknown right-winger from Quebec named Alain Caron. I was entranced by Caron's ability to score from anywhere on the ice at any angle, and he proved it by potting 77 goals (and 125 points) in only 71 games that season. He was dubbed "Boom-Boom" because of the boom he made when he shot the puck and the boom that resulted when he missed the goal and hit the back-boards. He obviously didn't miss that much that season, though, eh? The Boomer went on to score 46 goals the following season, yet was transferred to the Blackhawks' farm team in Buffalo, the AHL Bisons in 1965. Eventually Caron played in 60 NHL games (for the Oakland Seals and <a href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Montreal Canadiens</a>), scoring nine goals and 22 points. He also played for Quebec<span> </span>and Michigan/Baltimore of the WHA, scoring 82 goals in 195 games. At age 38, the Boomer suffered a massive heart attack and survived, only to suffer another ten years later in 1988 that proved to be fatal. And, yes, I was able to meet Mr. Caron and get his autograph in my Braves' scrapbook, which I proudly include in my memorabilia collection.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Other Braves players who went on to glorious careers in the NHL included Freddy Stanfield, brother Jack Stanfield, Dennis Hull, Lou Angotti, Gerry Melnyk, Wayne Maki,</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">defenseman John Miszuk and goaltenders Jack McCartan, Denis DeJordy, Roy Edwards and Dave Dryden. Seasoned veterans like Art Stratton, Camille Henry, Pierre Pilote, Pat Stapleton, Wayne Hillman and Johnny "Pie" McKenzie also played for St. Louis. Astute Blues' fans will recognize several names of players who also donned the Note after the Blues were birthed in 1967.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>The Braves barely made the playoffs that first season in 1964 and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the St.Paul Rangers, who had two memorable players in winger Gary Sabourin and tough-guy defenseman Bob Plager, who we loved to hate. St. Louis finished dead last the following season and missed the playoffs. The most memorable CPHL team for me personally was the Omaha Knights, led by the likes of Bill McCreary, Andre Boudrias, Claude Larose, Barclay Plager, Jimmy Roberts, Noel Picard, and goaltenders Ernie Wakely and Cesare Maniago. In 1966, the Braves once again barely made the playoffs and were<span> </span>bounced in the first round by the Oklahoma City Blazers, who were loaded with scoring talent including Jean-Paul Parise, Ted Irvine, Terry Crisp, Glen Sather, Billy Goldsworthy and a young, brash center named Derek Sanderson. The defense featured Dallas Smith, Harry Sinden, Joe Watson and John Arbour, while Gerry Cheevers, Doug Favell and Bernie Parent manned the nets. What a team! Alas, the last year the Braves operated in St. Louis, they missed the playoffs and then relocated to Texas in 1967 as the Dallas Blackhawks.</p>
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<p> <span> Despite never finishing first or winning a Jack Adams Cup championship in four seasons, the Braves were a lot of fun and introduced many young St. Louis hockey enthusiasts to the wonderful world of minor-league hockey, setting the stage for the arrival of the Blues, many of whom had played in the CPHL. My most memorable game was the night Braves' defenseman Gary Kilpatrick shot the puck through the chicken-wire (no glass in those days) and hit me in the shoulder. I bled like the proverbial stuck-pig! The worst part was that I was unable to recover that puck. </span></p>
https://www.stlouisgametime.com/2014/10/25/7068499/memorabilia-memories-strange-bedfellowshildymac