Blues Gameday: Saturday November 7th, 2009 vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Game Info
Location: Wachovia Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Game-time: 6:00 pm Central
TV: FS-MW
Radio: KMOX 1120 AM
Previews:
ESPN Preview
Blues Official Website Preview
Flyers Official Website Preview
Food for Thought
The Blues are back to the grind as they face the Philadelphia Flyers tonight. Not only will the see former Blue and Hart / Norris Trophy winner Chris Pronger, but possible the highest volume of young talent on a roster in the NHL. The Blues will have their hands full containing Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, James van Riemsdyk, Claude Giroux, Matt Carle and Brayden Coburn. Luckily the Flyers are without Simone Gagne and Danny Briere has been hampered by an injury lately as well.
The Flyers play a physical; up-tempo game that can get ill prepared chasing. The addition of Pronger gives them very good depth on their blueline and a top-4 that as good as any other elite team. The Blues have been caught out of position leading to goals many times this year. That cannot happen tonight. The Flyers are very opportunistic and will force a turn over and take advantage. All good teams should do that, but the Flyers are good at making you pay for the smallest mistakes. The Blues are also prone chasing the other team under early pressure. This happened in both Sweden games versus Detroit. The Blues need to find a way to match the energy of the Flyers and be very smart with the puck. Those are the two easiest ways to keep you from getting out of position and chasing.
The Blues do have a solid 3-1-1 Road record this season. However, the Flyers are second in the NHL Home Goals Scored (33) and are 5-2-1 at the Wachovia Center. I can tell you as a Penguins fan, that Wachovia is not the nicest of places to play. Not because of the ice conditions or locker rooms, but the atmosphere. Flyer fans are are some of the harshest around (if you get my feeling…), I wouldn’t expect anything less from them just because it’s the Blues and not a Eastern rival. It just won’t be as bad.
Even after Lars Eller’ power play goal Thursday, the Blues are still converting at a wimpy 14.6%. They have fallen from a Top 10 to 25th? Yes, its been that bad. The Flyers love to gamble and go for the SHG. The Blues will need to pay attention and keep on the defensive side of the puck when they don’t have support. Who wins the battle between the improve Blues penalty kill and the NHL’s best power play? I don’t think you want to know my pragmatic answer.
Speaking of support, the Blues have been not so hot working the puck on the forecheck. This is partly to do w/ lack of support and partly to do with lack of effort. The Blues will be going against some very strong and solid defensemen in Pronger, Kimmo Timonen and Coburn. The Blues offensive game is going to rely upon the board work of David Backes, David Perron, Oshie, Brad Winchester, and Keith Tkachuk. Not to mention everyone else getting in on the play and supporting those guys as they work the pucks free.
Player Notes
Blues Center Andy McDonald will not play versus the Flyers.
There are no expected changes in the Blues line up from Thursday’s game. Fans should expect Chris Mason between the pipes, Eller skating with TJ Oshie and Patrik Berglund, and Alex Pietrangelo skating for the injured Carlo Colaiacovo. This should also mean that Cam Janssen will play. Hopefully it will be for more than two minutes. Anyone else wanting a Janssen vs Carcillo throw down?
Andy McDonald is still recovering from his injury when he fell in to the boards an October 31st. Carlo Colaiacovo is expected to return soon, Andy Strickland is reporting he will return for the game in Atlanta Sunday. I would expect Pietrangelo to be the odd man out in a back-to-back game scenario. Coach Andy Murray’s history of managing young players like Alex makes this a logical conclusion. If Alex plays well and someone else plays a poor game, then Carlo could be replacing someone else.
A quick FYI on Mason’s history versus the Flyers. In 3 career games he is 2-1 with a 2.02 GAA. His last match was last season where he picked up a shutout in a 4-0 victory.
Lars Eller will replace Paul Kariya on the power play Saturday.
UPDATE 2:57pm: Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post Dispatch just put up his Morning Skate blog. Rutherford mentions that Paul Kariya has been removed from the power play and Lars Eller has been added to the power play group.
Here is what Rutherford said the units should look like:
- Brad Boyes, Keith Tkachuk, Lars Eller, Darryl Sydor and Alex Pietrangelo
- David Perron, David Backes, Patrik Berglund, T.J. Oshie and Erik Johnson
Who To Watch For?
Mike Richards
As much as I don’t “care for” Richards, he is an exceptional player. Like I said, I’m a Pens fan, too. I am also a closet Panthers fan. So his past history with the two teams isn’t that great. I will beg for your pardon if my point of view is a little skewed. He leads the Flyers with 8 goals and is tied with Carter with 15 points. He is a future Selke winner and is an amazing special teams asset. The guy is just that good of an overall player. His play style should remind Blues fans of TJ Oshie. Just that Richards is more mature and has much more natural talent than TJ does. Richards will hit, take a hit, score, and set up his teammates. One of the best Centers few hear about because of the other big names. Think of the Eastern Conference’s version of Ryan Getzlaf.
Prediction
Blues – 3 (Perron, Backes, Eller)
Flyers – 2 (Richards, Pronger (PP))
