2009

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WJC Update: Countdown to the Big Game

By Jeff Quirin on December 31, 2009

When I last left off I had taken in the first two US games and the second Canadian game for an update on four of the Blues prospects participating in the IIHF World Junior Championships.

I am now caught up on both teams through three games. Here is an update on all four players.

Team USA vs. Latvia

Team USA had a better first period than they had in the previous two. Overall eam USA was good, but not completely lights out like Canada has been.

Warsofsky has had a solid tourney, but has suffered from a few mistakes. He made more in the Latvia game than I think he has made in the previous two. In the third he allowed a player to get behind him for wide open chances on net. Grant it, they were up by about 8 goals at that point. However, you need to see players hold mental focus in those games. Warsofsky did lose a little in this game.

Where I was impressed with David was the same spots as before. He has good patience under pressure and seems to see the play forming in front of him. He likes to join the play and create weak side pressure. He has shown deft hands moving the puck off the offensive blueline to a player down in the slot. He seems to be able to find the open player from the point. Mainly because his hockey IQ is very high and he understands the play unfolding in front of him. He has shown a quick shot through on the point.

He made up for his mental lapse in the third by later taking a Latvian attacker one on one. He saw no one else but him and the forward. He cut off the forward and gave him no angle but to the wall. He was down low and prevented a pass to poen space and ended the scoring chance. The frame work is there for a mentally capable NHL player. I just worry about his size.

Phil McRae had his best game of the tourney. He was working hard again and seemed to find the holes and get pucks through the open lanes. Pass or shoot, he made the quick, smart play. I thought he worked well with Kristo who was on a new line after the “Original 6″ trio was split up. McRae also made a skilful move oan 2 on 1 break to create a chance that was rather impressive.

I continue to be impressed with the offensive “giddy-up” shown by Matt Donovan. He may not be the greatest defenseman out there, but he shows iniative with the puck. He wants it and he wants to take chances. The Islanders 4th Rd pick in 2008 is having a solid tournament.

US forward Jason Zucker

I really hope the Blues take a long look at Jason Zucker in the draft this summer. The kid has a knack for being in the right place. He plays hard and has a good shot. His style reminds me of Geoff Courtnall mixed with some David Booth. If he is available, I want this kid in our organization. John Ramage is doing well and he was not drafted in 2009. I would love to see the Blues add him as well. Think of Mike Weaver meeting Roman Polak. He can use his stick and body positiong very well to take players off the puck or protect it. I am really interested to see how Ramage and the other US defenders do against Canada.

Canada vs Slovakia

Jake Allen did not get the start in net. I am assuming to get time off before the big game tonight.

Alex Pietrangelo was what he has been, impressive. He shows what being with the Blues for extended periods the last two years has meant to him. When playing with skilled players, he can match their level and bring more. He stepped up for a big hit and was moving the puck well. Really just more of the same in regards to Canadian dominance. Pietrangelo now has 2 Goals and 6 Assist to go with his Plus-6 rating.

Team USA takes on Canada tonight for a New Year’s Eve rumble. This will be the best game of the WJC so far. Tune in on NHL Network at 7pm Central. Will it be more exciting than the Blues game? There is a strong possibility. At the very least, make sure this game is set to record on the DVR.

Posted in Articles, Prospects | Tagged Alex Pietrangelo, David Warsofsky, Jake Allen, Phil McRae, Team USA, WJC | 2 Responses

Tonight TJ Oshie fills in for David Backes as the center on the Blues

Gameday 12-31-09: Blues vs. Canucks

By Jeff Quirin on December 31, 2009

Game Info

Location: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO.
Game-time: 6 pm Central
TV: FSMW (HD)
Radio: KMOX 1120 AM

Stat Pack

St Louis Blues: 12th in Western Conference & 4th in Central Division – 39 Points

Vancouver Canucks: 7th in Western Conference & 3rd in Northwest Division – 47 Points

Power Play:
Vancouver (Road): 16.4%, (20th)
St. Louis (Home): 13.1%, (29th)

Penalty Kill
Vancouver (Road): 77.5%, (22nd)
St. Louis (Home): 83.8%, (13th)

Goals Scored per Game vs. Goals Against per Game
Vancouver (Road): 2.72 GF/G (T-14th) | 3.00 GA/G (18th)
St. Louis (Home): 2.33 GF/G (27th) | 3.14 GA/G (27th)

Hot & Cold
St. Louis: Alex Steen (5 Goals and 10 Points in last 10 games) | David Backes (No points and Minus-4 in last 5 games)
Vancouver: Henrik Sedin (3 Goals and 7 Points in last 5 games) | Jannik Hansen (1 Point in last 5 games)

Food For Thought

Happy New Year’s!

Hopefully the Blues can use the roll over in the calender to make some positive changes.

Are fans tired of losing at home yet? At some point will fans stop coming in? I get the feeling that the majority of fans are really not looking forward to coming down to Scottrade for a game. I can count myself in that grouping. I will still go and cheer for the team, but I can’t say I go in to the game with a positive attitude.

I really like the bidding rivalry between these two teams. It’s amazing how one playoff series can create some buzz. The players have followed it up nicely with some chippy games this year (and last). At least this game should have a little character to it.

Can the Blues stop another bottom ten road power play? Will their home power play be stymied by a bottom half road penalty kill? Once again, these two questions will determine the game.

This team needs a big confidence booster before taking on Chicago on the second. Losing 3 straight at home is not a way to go before heading to California for three in a row.

Difference Makers:

The new Backes line.

This version features the surging Alex Steen on Left Wing. In the 3-1 win last week in Vancouver Backes, TJ Oshie, and Steen combined for two goals and four points. They provided the offense that won the game. They need to find the same mojo and work it again against Vancouver. These three also see power play time, which is going to be a matter of life or death in this game.

Player Notes:

Not sure where we go with this game.

Kariya is on IR and will not play. DJ King is not expected to return yet. Derek Armstrong has been recalled from Peoria under Emergency Conditions. Jay McClement is questionable after taking a shot from Shea Weber.

Neither Mason or Conklin have had stellar performances lately. It’s a toss up, but I would assume the start goes to Mason at home.

Per Jeremy Rutherford’s Morning Skate blog on Wednesday, Coach Andy Murray did not commit to Erik Johnson returning to the lineup for this game.

I will be at the game and I am leaving early so I might not get around to an update once Rutherford, Strickland, Kerber, or Korac post the expected line ups. Check them out on Twitter. Go to our Links Page for more info.

Personally, I am pulling for a Winchester-Armstrong-Janssen line.

Vancouver’s Kevin Bieksa will likely miss this game due to a cut on his leg sustained in Vancouver’s last game against Phoenix.

UPDATE 2:35PM

Jeremy Rutherford got his Morning Skate up earlier than I thought so I am able to pass on updates. Please go give it a read at the link, but here are the highlights.

* Kid Line coudl be reunited tonight. That means Perron-Berglund-Oshie.
* McDonald was held out from practice, is expected to play.
* Forward Lines minus McDonald were:

Keith Tkachuk-David Backes-Brad Boyes
David Perron-Patrik Berglund-T.J. Oshie
Alex Steen-Jay McClement-B.J. Crombeen
Brad Winchester-Derek Armstrong-Cam Janssen

*Erik Johnson is expected back in the lineup to replace Daryl Sydor. Expect the pairings to go back to Jackman-Polak, Brewer-Johnson, and Colaiacovo-Weaver.

*Mason will be in net.

* JR clarified Armstrong status as an emergency call up. Basically as long as someone is inured or sick he can stay up on emergency. If no one is, he has to be changed to a regualr recall where if he plays they have 10 games or 30 days till he would have to clear waivers to go back to Peoria. My own thought is that he would play, but if McDonald is healthy (which he likely is) then Janssen will not play. Might see a Winchester-Armstrong-Crombeen line?

Keys to the Game

1. Better Goaltending
- The Blues are not going to win unless Mason (or Conklin) gives them a chance to win. The Blues also need to be mentally ready to do the work needed to give the goalies a chance to win. IF the goaltending is soft, its going to be a long night against a potent offense.

2. Special Teams
- Sorry for being redundant, but special teams play is gong to be so important. Vancouver, by the numbers, is weak on special teams on the road. The Blues must find a way to keep them off the score board on the power play and convert their own chances. If they don’t they will get man handled at even strength like they did by Nashville (and some extent Buffalo).

3. Shoot the Puck
- If there is a lane to the net…a Blues player better be moving in to it or shooting/passing the puck through it. Get rubber on net and you will score more goals.

Who to Watch for?

TJ Oshie

Why Oshie? He has a knack for big games against Vancouver and his hard work while the team has struggled will be rewarded. In 7 career games against Vancouver Oshie has 2 Goals and 6 Assists.

Posted in Articles | Tagged Alex Steen, Derek Armstrong, St. Louis Blues, TJ Oshie, Vancouver Canucks | 1 Response

Recap: 12-29-09: Blues vs. Predators

By Jeff Quirin on December 31, 2009

Hello Blues fans, sorry for the delay…sadly we’ve been down this road already.

Early lead lost on home ice. However, losing the lead in the first period, that is a little new.

I think there are some trends to this game we can look at to see what went wrong.

The Nashville Defensemen
Nashville was able to use their defensemen to pressure the play for long stretches in the forst two periods. Partially because they are so darn good, but also because the Blues forward pressure and North/South game were not up to standard. When a team is as deep on the blueline as Nashville, you cannot let them press the play. When you do you end up with little puck control of your own.

Lack of Control
The Blues didn’t make good puck decisions, which Murray alluded to in his post game presser. To win you need to control the puck. I hate to harp on Brad Boyes, but he missed many shots last night. One of which lead to the play going back down on Mason where Polak took a slashing penalty and that lead to a power play goal. Its small events like not getting a shot on net that turn in to goals against when you aren’t working hard enough. Players want the puck, they need to feel it to get a feel for the game. COudl the Blues ever get in rhythm when they cannot possess and control the puck?

Those two trends really break down the first period for me. Teh second was a little different.

Questionable Calls and Bad Penalties
While I really question the Oshie boarding, what ensued afterwards is what did the Blues in. The Predators basically spent the first 8-10 minutes of the second period on the power play due to a horrible high stick on the part of Jackman and a mental mistake on Weaver resulting in a delay of game. Do we have Jackman and Weaver penalties if the clean Oshie hit isn’t called? Probably not. Still, the Blues cannot let bad calls turn in to bad penalties. Tkachuck also had a lazy tripping call. At least Oshie’s was for being “over aggressive”.

Weak Power Plays at Home
The Blues allowed another poor road power play team to get many chances and score goals. Again, Nashville has a very underrated group of blueliners. However, the Blues couldn’t stop them on the power play. The Blues are supposed to be able to count on their team defense to hold them in games, it failed them again Tuesday. Case in point? Weaver not clearing the puck but trying to pass it to Backes who was in the slot about five feet in front of the crease. Lead to a huge chance and not a clear. The penalty kill was just not working hard.

Continued Lack of Control
The Blues did have a few moments of pressure, but those were mainly from the work of McDonald, Backes and Oshie. The Preds Defensemen got a lot of shots through and the team held the zone or at least the red line. For some reason the Blues face-off wins did not turn in to possession. Mental mistakes lead to turnovers and it happened again. The Blues inability to break forecheck pressure lead to a lack of essential puck management and control.

I will give some kudos to Eric Brewer for bringing the heat on the power play and getting shots through. Wa teh third different? Yes and No.

More of the Same and Not at the Same Time
The Blues one again were down at home in the third and cam roaring back late. More of the same.

The Blues tried again much too late and it wasn’t enough. More of the same.

The Blues moved the play and puck forward and created chances. Different from the rest of the game.

Boyes had weak offensive zone turnovers. One on a 4-on4 and the other on a 6-on-5. More of the same.

Backes makes a great physical play to create a turnover. Backes takes a dumb penalty on a lazy horse collar tackle a football player would be proud of. More of the same.

Colaiacovo and Jackman failed to hold the offensive blueline. More of the same.

Somethings I did Like
Polak showed more offensive ability than he ever has. He made a very nice near face-off circle to far side red line pass to McDonald to spring him for a chance and a penalty call against Nashville. He joined the rush and helped create pressure. One play the puck rotated to a high slot shot that Polak nearly banged in for a rebound goal about two feet from the crease. He also made a second stretch pass up to McClement from the top of the face-off circle to Jay at the offensive blue-line. The Polak rebound chance comes at about 3:40 of the video linked below.

What a crazy awesome nuts goal by Steen. He picked up the puck at the far side face-off circle in his own end to blaze up ice to beat Pekka Rinne between his shoulder and the crossbar. The ONLY place that puck could have gone in, it did. The goal is on the video linked below, it comes between 3:55 and 4:10. Steen also had a big shot off the point to create the third Blues goal. That highlight follows the seeing eye goal.

Blues vs Predators Highlights 12-29-09

Even after the heroics of the third period, the Blues come up short and lose 4-3 at home.

It really was another day at the Scottrade Office for the Blues. It’s frustrating and depressing, but it is what it is.

I have made issue recently the Blues inability or lack of desire to engage the defensemen in the creation of pressure and scoring chances. Here is what I came up with.

Total Pinches
1st – 2 from Sydor
2nd – 1 from Brewer & 1 from Sydor
3rd – 2 from Brewer, 1 from Polak, & 1 from Sydor
TOTAL: 8
* Defined as a defensemen leaving the point to come down the wall to keep the play moving forward or hold the zone.

Total Defensemen “Jumping in to the Play”
1st – 2 from Colaiacovo, 1 from Polak, & 1 from Sydor
2nd – 1 from Polak, 1 from Brewer, & 1 from Sydor
3rd – 4 from Polak, 1 from Jackman, 1 from Brewer & 1 from Colaiacovo
TOTAL: 14
* Defined as coming behind the net, joining the rush, coming in deep on net, etc.

I have postulated that the Blues are not trying to engage the defense unless the team is already losing. We cannot tell too much since the team was losing virtually the whole game. What bothers me is I really only saw one time where a Blues defensemen lugged the puck up ice, to the red line or further. The majority of the plays were the defensmen coming low on net or behind the net. Which is fine, but that’s not helping the Blues struggling transition. This is where Erik Johnson, Colaiacovo, and Polak need to be “free’d” to create more chances and pressure. It would give this team a whole other element they have been missing. An element Nashville used against the Blues to win the game Tuesday night.

Next up is the Vancouver Canucks on New Year’s Eve. See you all at the game. Let’s hope for a positive end to 2009 and a positive start to 2010.

Blues Player of the Game

Alex Steen

Steen notched a Goal and an Assist with a Plus-1 rating in a little over 15 minutes on the ice.

Posted in GameBlogs | Tagged Alex Steen, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues | 1 Response

Polak Named to Czech Olympic Squad

By Jeff Quirin on December 31, 2009

Image via blues.nhl.com

Per release from the St. Louis Blues Official Website, Roman Polak has been named to the Roster of his native Czech Republic for the 2010 Olympics.

This is a great chance for Roman Polak to grow as a player. He will be representing his country at the highest level of international competition. He is likely to fill in behind Tomas Kaberle and Filip Kuba, but playing an practicing with some of the best in the world will certainly help his growth and experience level.

Congratulations and Good Luck Roman!

Former Bluenote Petr Cajanek was also named to the Czech Roster.

Former Bluenote Michal Handzus will be representing Slovakia as well.

Team Canada announced their roster today. Team USA will announce theirs following the Winter Classic on January 1st. Blues Forwards TJ Oshie, David Backes and Blues Defensemen Erik Johnson are still in the running to play for Team USA.

Posted in Articles | Tagged David Backes, Erik Johnson, Olympics, Roman Polak, St. Louis Blues, TJ Oshie | 2 Responses

Blues Recall Derek Armstrong & Kariya on IR

By Jeff Quirin on December 30, 2009

Derek Armstrong recalled from Peoria - photo via blues.nhl.com

Per the St. Louis Post Dispatch and the Blues Official Website, the Blues have recalled Forward Derek Armstrong from their AHL affiliate Peoria Riverman.

It appears the Blues are trying to add a little bit of toughness and leadership to the roster. At age 36 Armstrong has 471 career NHL games played, many of which were with Andy Murray in Los Angeles. Murray was quoted in the Post Dispatch saying:

“I think he brings a Danny Hinote personality to our room, which is good for us. I think we miss Danny’s personality.”

“I think Army is a great addition and brings a lot of energy and so on, but Derek Armstrong is not going to ride in here on a white horse tomorrow and save the group. It’s up to the group itself.”

Important words from Coach Murray. With Paul Kariya on IR with a upper body (likely head) injury and McClement being banged up by a Shea Weber shot the Blues saw a need to recall Armstrong under Emergency Conditions. It is very likely that McClement could play so the interesting part is who sits out when Armstrong arrives? He isn’t be brought up to sit in the box (or work out w/ Nelson Ayotte). So who is out.

My hope is Berglund. Why?

This presents the Blues with a chance to dress a real, big, physical 4th line in Winchester-Armstrong-Janssen. A line that can go out for about eight minutes and just pound the other team. David Perron can go back on a line with McClement and Crombeen, a line he has had success with.

We shall see how this plays out for the Blues tomorrow night. However, this is a good move for the Blues today to help them win now. He is a player that fits in to Murray’s preferred style of play and inserts energy in to the team to light up the home crowd.

Posted in Articles, Transactions | Tagged Andy Murray, Derek Armstrong, Peoria Riverman, St. Louis Blues | 2 Responses

Looking For A Change

By Randall Ritchey on December 30, 2009

I think it goes without saying that the Blues fans are getting fed up with how this team has played on home ice.

How a team can be as dominant on the road sometimes, and be one pace for their best road record in team history, to go home and already have 13 losses, a total that equaled all of last season. Many questions are in need of answering.

The Blues road record is best of the NHL, their home record, the worst.

Why is the teams play so depressing at home compared to when they are playing on the road?

Why is Andy Murray still behind the bench?

Why is David Perron not playing on the power-play?

Why does Patrik Berglund averaging around 14 minutes a game while Paul Kariya is averaging 18 to 19 minutes a night?

Why is Erik Johnson sitting in the press box while Mike Weaver and Darryl Sydor continue to get ice time?

As much as I want to be able to answer these questions, I cannot. But there are a few things I can answer.

Like why did people think we should be battling for the top spot in the west this year. We are a young up and coming team. TJ Oshie just turned 23 while Berglund and David Perron are younger still. Erik Johnson, Alex Pietrangelo all yet to hit their mid 20’s. David Backes, Brad Boyes, Alex Steen, and Carlo Colaiacovo are starting to come into their prime. This team is a very young, very inexperienced team. They are going to make mistakes and they have to learn from them. But how can they?

Remember Lars Eller’s call up this season? Played two very good games. In his third game, he made a mistake, a bad turnover in the offensive zone which aloud the puck to be cleared. He sat on the bench pretty much the rest of the game. Why does this happen?

Keith Tkachuk, Andy McDonald, Paul Kariya ALL have had glaring turnovers in almost every game this season, but are they benched? No. Why is this?

You can say it’s because Andy Murray favors the veterans and you’d likely be correct. Andy Murray has strong double standards when it comes to young players and veteran players.

Another point of this is how David Perron has struggled to hit the net on the power play and has recently been taken off of it. But yet we continue to see Brad Boyes set up on the left side of the net and fan on pucks and miss empty nets, why is this?

I’ve left you with a lot of questions and if you can answer them, by all means, please do, because all the other Blues fans and I are dying to know.

Randall Ritchey

randallritchey@gmail.com

Posted in Articles, Prospects, Transactions | Tagged Alex Pietrangelo, Andy McDonald, Andy Murray, Brad Boyes, David Backes, David Perron, Derek Armstrong, Erik Johnson, Keith Tkachuk, Lars Eller, Patrik Berglund, Paul Kariya, Peoria Rivermen, TJ Oshie | Leave a response