St. Louis Blues 21-22
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pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
I just finished watching the rest of the game and it was a miserable performance .....seems the Blues already left for the 10 day vacation..
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Blues notebook: Power-play troubles stall Blues' comeback hopes
They had three power plays in the third period with a chance to get back in the game but couldn't score on any of them
As the Blues tried to catch up with Winnipeg on Saturday afternoon, the Jets kept offering them a helping hand. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Neal Pionk and Paul Stastny all were called for penalties in the third period to give the Blues a power play, and the Blues could do nothing with those chances.The Blues were one for five over 7 minutes 11 seconds with a man advantage against Winnipeg, and even the one they scored on was a battle. It took the Blues 90 seconds to finally get set up in the Winnipeg zone on that try before they scored. On their third period power plays, which amounted to 3:28 of playing with an extra man because of penalties on the Blues, they had four shots on goal but couldn’t score as they tried to cut into a two-goal deficit in what ended up being a 4-1 loss to the Jets.
“Overall,” said Brayden Schenn, whose cross-ice pass set up Vladimir Tarasenko for the one power-play goal the Blues got, “I just think what’s made us successful was obviously being aggressive recovering pucks and that usually leads to second or third opportunities. We got one early but had a chance for the power play to help the team and get back into it and just never capitalized on the opportunities.”
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Another poor performance , but this one was on home ice .................Embarrassing might be too much to say , but it seemed the Blues were ready for the break before the game ended..........jmho
The Blues next game is at home 02/10/22 against the New Jersey Devils @ 7 pm CT
LETS GO BLUES
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Rib injury finally behind him, Schenn's back on his game
Run of injuries, COVID, has limtied the veteran forward to 28 games this season.
Jim Thomas
Brayden Schenn has got fingers crossed that he’s exhausted his quotient of bad luck for one season.
“I sure hope so,” he said prior to his latest return to action — Jan. 17 against Nashville. “I’ve been pretty fortunate and lucky to stay healthy in my career. It’s one of those years where I feel like I can’t get in a rhythm.
“Down the stretch here, I’m looking forward to being a contributing factor to this team and help the team win hockey games.”
So as the New Year rolled around, Schenn remained out of the lineup and stuck on four goals. Some fans wondered if Schenn — an alternate captain, former all-star, and perennial 20-goal scorer — had lost his touch.
Turned out he had cracked five ribs in that original injury at the end of October/start of November. That will slow down just about anyone, don’t you think?
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I fell down 3 years ago trying to moonwalk after 5 shots of tequila and cracked 4 ribs.........very painful where breathing felt like a tortuous ordeal of the nth
magnitude.............
I'm really missing my Blues hockey right now , but i hope the layoff helps improve play as the last game was hard to watch .....A step slow , hesitant to mix it up on the lower boards and passes just off the tape made for a travesty of what we expect from the Blues , especially at home....
LETS GO BLUES
Pruman, on the plus side, you'll get to see Kyrou in fastest skater during the All-Star Skills Competition on Friday night.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Kyrou wins NHL fastest skater competition
The Blues foward's time of 13.55 gives him the win by .035 seconds at NHL All-Star Game skills competition
Tom Timmermann
Blues forward Jordan Kyrou came to the NHL fastest skater competition hoping to improve on his time from three years ago when he took part in the race at the AHL All-Star Game.He didn’t do that, but it didn’t really matter since he won the race anyway, making a lap around the ice at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in 13.55 seconds. Kyrou had a time of 13.52 when he came in second in the AHL competition in 2019.
“You don’t want to fall here,” Kyrou told ESPN after the race, “but you want try to give it your all so I just went out there and just moved my feet as quick as I could.”
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Blues at the midpoint: Armstrong likes where team is sitting
In a wide-ranging interview, the Blues GM discusses the Tarasenko trade request, Berube's contract status, the trade deadline, and much more.
Jim Thomas
Even before the season started, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong felt Colorado was the team to beat in the Central Division. At the midpoint of the 2021-22 NHL campaign, nothing has happened to change Armstrong’s mind.
In fact, he now goes a couple of steps further: “To me, they’re the No. 1 team in the league,” Armstrong said.
Of course, anything can happen in a seven-game playoff series; for all their talent and firepower, the Avalanche haven’t made it past the second round with their current nucleus of players. As for the Blues, Armstrong likes where his team sits at the All-Star break.
“It’s been a good first half,” Armstrong said. “I think we’ve learned a lot about our organization. With the injuries and COVID, we’ve had to test our depth and test our pro scouting and test our development. And I think those have all passed with good grades.
“When you bring up guys like (Nathan) Walker and he gets a hat trick. (Charlie) Lindgren gets five wins. And you see the growth in a (Dakota) Joshua, (Alexei) Toropchenko — there’s a real good feeling that those guys are getting good tutelage in the American Hockey League.
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I miss watching the Blues
LETS GO BLUES
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Blues notebook: Perunovich goes on IR, Joshua back again from Springfield
Young defenseman has played just once since Jan. 5 because of COVID and an upper-body injury
Tom Timmermann
The Blues put defenseman Scott Perunovich on long-term injured reserve on Tuesday with an upper-body injury and recalled forward Dakota Joshua from Springfield.
Perunovich has played just once since Jan. 5, on Jan. 15 against Toronto. He had missed the three games before that in the NHL’s COVID protocol and then the six games after with his injury. He had at times been joining the team on the ice at the end of practice during his time out of the lineup, but in the practices right before the All-Star break, he was not on the ice at all.
Notes
Line changes were inevitable after the Winnipeg loss, even if the next game is almost two weeks later. Berube moved Brayden Schenn from center to the left wing on Ryan O’Reilly’s line, with Pavel Buchnevich on the right. Ivan Barbashev will center Brandon Saad and David Perron. ... Berube liked the way practice went after nine days off for his team. “I thought the execution was really good,” he said. “I thought the effort was excellent. Good energy out there. It was good to see. The guys looked focused.” ... Jordan Kyrou, the newly crowned fastest skater at the NHL All-Star skills competition, was back on the ice with his team on Tuesday. “I was very happy with Kyrou winning that,” Berube said. “He had a real good All-Star weekend, scored a couple goals, made a couple plays. It was nice.”----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blues next game is tomorrow night 02/10/22 at home against the New Jersey Devils @ 7 pm CT....................
CAN'T WAIT
LETS GO BLUES
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Bortuzzo re-ups with Blues, reducing their UFA count to 3
Perron, Bozak and Husso are the remaining unrestricted free agents as the pieces for next season start coming together; Logan Brown also signs an extension
Tom Timmermann
When defenseman Robert Bortuzzo was acquired by the Blues on March 2, 2015, along with a seventh-round draft pick for Ian Cole, few could have foreseen that in 2022, Bortuzzo would still be with the Blues. Including Bortuzzo.
“No, not at all,” Bortuzzo said Tuesday. “It’s a weird feeling getting traded. A lot of weird emotions. But looking back, it was one of the best things that happened in my career. I ended up in a spot with a team that wanted me, and the biggest thing through this almost 10 years is the people, and it’s just been good.”
Bortuzzo, in his eighth season with the Blues, signed a two-year contract extension on Tuesday, with an annual salary cap hit of $950,000. The Blues also extended the contract of forward Logan Brown, who signed a one-year one-way deal (meaning he’ll make the same whether he’s in the NHL or AHL) for the league minimum of $750,000.
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I really like this signing of Bortuzzo......he is very underrated in what he does on the ice and it was refreshing to read about him taking a sizable pay cut to resign .......he talked about the team and the friends here .....he has never made it to free agency and sounds like he doesn't care if he ever does........
Usually all you hear is about players wanting that big $$ contract ....he really likes St. Louis and I'm glad he will be a Blue for another 2 years after this season...........
Blues are gonna be up against the cap again next season so it was good to get these guys signed now for relatively cheap.
Blues also agreed to extension with Berube. Extension is for 3 years.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Blues sign Berube to three-year extension as head coach
Contract of only coach to lead the team to a Stanley Cup was set to run out at the end of the season
The Blues dealt with maybe the most necessary of their impending free agents on Wednesday, signing coach Craig Berube to a three-year contract extension.
Berube, who guided the team from the bottom of the standings to the Stanley Cup in 2019, is signed through the 2024-25 season.
Berube, 56, took over as interim coach of the Blues after Mike Yeo was fired on Nov. 19, 2018 and staged one of the great turnarounds in NHL history as the team went on to win its first Cup. Berube has a 133-72-30 regular-season record, the fourth-most wins among Blues coaches behind Joel Quenneville (307), Ken Hitchcock (248) and Brian Sutter (153). His winning percentage of .630 is second only to Hitchcock’s (.650).
Berube and general manager Doug Armstrong will address the media to discuss the extension on Thursday.
“I’ve enjoyed working with Doug Armstrong and (chairman) Tom Stillman, working with the coaching staff and training staff and all the players we have here,” Berube told the team’s website. “Why would I want to go anywhere else? I love it here.
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great news.......................Love the "" Chief ""..........................He was so good bringing the 1st Cup to St. Looie...........................
LETS GO BLUES.................
So excited to see the Blues back in action tonight !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Break time is over: Blues about to enter a frantic scramble to the finish
February gives them time to work, but March and April will be game after game after game.
Tom Timmermann
Since the Blues’ Christmas break abruptly began on Dec. 20, four days ahead of schedule thanks to COVID concerns, they have played just 13 games. In that time, there was a nine-day break before the team resumed play af subhed ter Christmas and now 11 days without a game since they began their extended All-Star break.
Rest time is over.
The Blues begin the second half of their season on Thursday night against New Jersey at Enterprise Center. The rest of February goes slowly, with seven more games added into what was supposed to be an off month because of the Olympics, and then March comes in like a lion and April doesn’t get any better. Starting March 2, the Blues play 30 games in 59 days to close the season.
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good article
Hochman: Husso is who the Blues should ride in goal, but Binnington must improve in second half
“Both goalies are going to be huge for us down the stretch, especially with the amount of games that we're playing in March and April," Brayden Schenn said.
There are three things that must happen for the Blues to make the playoffs — and make noise in the playoffs:
• Trade for a top-four defenseman.
• A different top-four defenseman, Colton Parayko, becomes a more-imposing and more-important factor.
• Goalie Jordan Binnington returns to his reliable and relevant self — even if it’s as a backup.
The first two will be discussed often in the coming weeks (the trade deadline is March 21), but as the Blues play their first game Thursday in a dozen days, the goaltending question looms like the word “Colorado” atop the standings.
Ville Husso should get the start Thursday. He’s the No. 1. It’s his net. Set the tone that way for the second part of the season. But Binnington needs to get a start soon — like, say, Saturday. The Blues host Chicago (16-23-7) then in what seems like a perfect opportunity for “Binner” to get back in there.
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another good read
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pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
NJ leads 2-1 after 1st period,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The 2 goals by the Devils were ......
A wrist shot that went right over the top of Binnington's glove
A goal that was there to be sticked out by binnington in the crease as it traveled all the way across the goal crease then tapped in ......I really believe Husso would of stopped both shots .........JMHO
Blues looked unorganized and uninspired ......This is the Devils third game since the break ended and they were sharp, whereas the Blues had a lot of trouble sustaining pressure in the N J zone.....
Kostin scored for the Blues on a wicked wrister with the main assist to Oscar S. on a pretty feed from the left wing.....
The 2 goals by the Devils were ......
A wrist shot that went right over the top of Binnington's glove
A goal that was there to be sticked out by binnington in the crease as it traveled all the way across the goal crease then tapped in ......I really believe Husso would of stopped both shots .........JMHO
Blues looked unorganized and uninspired ......This is the Devils third game since the break ended and they were sharp, whereas the Blues had a lot of trouble sustaining pressure in the N J zone.....
Kostin scored for the Blues on a wicked wrister with the main assist to Oscar S. on a pretty feed from the left wing.....
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Now game is tied 2-2 midway through the 2nd period.........B. Schenn with an acrobatic goal jumping headfirst to tap in the puck jus toutside the goal line...
David Perron is bringing little to the Blues game right now ......bad passes and lack of sustained effort.....JMHO
David Perron is bringing little to the Blues game right now ......bad passes and lack of sustained effort.....JMHO
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
end of second period .............Blues lead 3-2.........................
I think Chief had some choice words for the lads at the 1st intermission break.......Blues skated much better , and had more offensive ice time in the devils zone ......
Justin faulk with an unassisted seeing eye goal that barely crossed the goal line to give the Blues the lead for the first time in the game .....3 straight Blues goals and they are skating 50 % faster than the first period....Binninngton made some great saves also.....
guess it took the Blues some time to get the mojo going ..........
LETS GO BLUES
I think Chief had some choice words for the lads at the 1st intermission break.......Blues skated much better , and had more offensive ice time in the devils zone ......
Justin faulk with an unassisted seeing eye goal that barely crossed the goal line to give the Blues the lead for the first time in the game .....3 straight Blues goals and they are skating 50 % faster than the first period....Binninngton made some great saves also.....
guess it took the Blues some time to get the mojo going ..........
LETS GO BLUES
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Devils lead now 4-3 with 8 minutes left in game ............
last devils goal was soft soft soft going under Binnington's right arm....he is flailing away with little clue on stopping pucks .....such a retreat in his skills during blues Cup year.....
Devils with 2 goals in third period and Blues back to chasing the puck instead of controlling puck.....
Blues are now going on a power play ...
last devils goal was soft soft soft going under Binnington's right arm....he is flailing away with little clue on stopping pucks .....such a retreat in his skills during blues Cup year.....
Devils with 2 goals in third period and Blues back to chasing the puck instead of controlling puck.....
Blues are now going on a power play ...
Blues definitely looked like a team tonight that had been off for 11 days.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
I turned it off when it went to 7-4 Devils........
Binnington is not the answer this year in goal.....
Husso leads the league this year in save % , GGA ........Lindgren is first Blues goalie to ever win his first 5 Blues starts and he is in the AHL......
Either put Binnington on IR or send him down for conditioning and mental reset and bring Lindgren up........If the season ended today the Blues would face the Av's and that's not what they want to do....
Binnington is not the answer this year in goal.....
Husso leads the league this year in save % , GGA ........Lindgren is first Blues goalie to ever win his first 5 Blues starts and he is in the AHL......
Either put Binnington on IR or send him down for conditioning and mental reset and bring Lindgren up........If the season ended today the Blues would face the Av's and that's not what they want to do....
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
More struggles for Blues, Binnington in 7-4 loss
Binnington has now allowed 18 goals in his last three games.
Hockey – yes, hockey – returned to Enterprise Center on Thursday night. And so did Jordan Binnington.
Despite the stellar recent play of Ville Husso, coach Craig Berube made the surprising move of opening the unofficial second half of the season with Binnington in goal against the New Jersey Devils.
The move backfired in a 7-4 loss to the New Jersey Devils. At 26-14-5, the Blues are in a battle for playoff position in the ultra-competitive Central Division. The appearance of New Jersey began a stretch in which seven of the Blues’ first eight games coming out of the All-Star break are against teams that are currently out of playoff position – and not expected to make the playoffs. So this is a time to bank points, as many points as possible, as the hockey intensifies. It didn’t happen Thursday.
Given Binnington’s struggles, having him start the Blues’ first game in 12 days was a calculated risk by Berube. Since returning from the COVID list Dec. 19 against Winnipeg, Binnington had been 3-4-0 with a 4.44 goals-against average and a .878 save percentage.
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numbers don't lie....terrible decision by Chief to start Binnington.......
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Blues notebook: Scandella might miss his first game of the season
He didn't skate Friday because of a lower-body injury; oft-scratched Walman would step in.
Tom Timmermann
It looks as if defenseman Marco Scandella, the only Blue to have played in every game this season, will see that distinction end on Saturday.
Scandella was not on the ice for practice on Friday at Enterprise Center, and coach Craig Berube said Scandella was having a lower-body injury looked at. Berube said it happened Thursday in the Blues’ 7-4 loss to New Jersey. Scandella was on the ice at the final horn, though he played very sparingly over the final six minutes of the game.
It was a rough night for Scandella in general. He was on the ice for three of New Jersey’s five even-strength goals.
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line changes and other stuff discussed
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Blues vs. Blackhawks: Chicago has played the Blues tough
DeBrincat, already closing in on 30 goals, is the Blackhawks' top threat.
Jim Thomas
Blues vs. Blackhawks
When: 7 p.m. Saturday 02/12/22
Where: Enterprise Center
TV, radio: BSM, WXOS (101.1 FM)
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