Throwdown Lowdown – Blues @ Stars – 11-26-10
I have no clue what Krys Barch is doing here. Image via NHL.com via Defending Big D
So that’s now SEVERAL Blues games in a row without a fight. I’m getting ANTSY here! However, the Blues were able to pull off the 2-1 shootout win over the slumping Nashville Predators on Wednesday night, so that’s something good. Methinks the Preds wouldn’t be struggling so much if they didn’t have their gloves glued to their hands . . . but I digress, and I don’t want to give a division rival any ideas. The New York Rangers have pulled into a tie for fourth in the NHL with the Blues with 20 fights, and their fight record remains at 9-6-5.
Of all people to thank for the rugged turn the Dallas Stars have taken in the last three-plus weeks, the primary one may be Sidney Crosby. When the Blues and Stars matched up on October 16th (T-L Report here), Dallas had yet to fight on the young season. Before the Stars met the Penguins on November 3rd, the total was a paltry TWO fights. Then the Stars took it to the Pens on the scoreboard, followed by the Pens taking it to the Stars on the fight card . . . to the tune of FOUR fights, including a Crosby scrape with Matt Niskanen where Niskanen pretty much got destroyed (Niskanen is smallish for a defenseman but about the same size as Crosby, so it should have been an even fight). Since that four-fight game, the Stars have fought a total of 17 times on the season, putting them at a tie for eighth place overall in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators (oddly, they just played them) and Edmonton Oilers. Their fight record is a very paltry 3-8-6.
You expect Krys Barch (6’1”, 222lbs, 0-2-1) to lead this team in fights, but also with three fights on the season is young up-and-comer Jamie Benn (6’2”, 207lbs, 1-1-1). Brian Sutherby (6’2”, 204lbs, 0-1-1) and Mark Fistric (6’3”, 234lbs, 0-1-1) have each fought twice. Others with one fight each include captain Brenden Morrow (6’0”, 205lbs, Win), former Blackhawk Adam Burish (6’0”, 189lbs, Win), “Super Pest” Steve Ott (6’0”, 194lbs, Draw), James Neal (6’2”, 205lbs, Draw), Nicklas Grossman (6’4”, 226lbs, Loss), Brandon Segal (6’2”, 209lbs, Loss) and the aforementioned Niskanen (6’0”, 204lbs, Loss).
If a fight between Barch and Cam Janssen doesn’t happen tonight, it might happen tomorrow night – provided both are suited up. Otherwise, I’d love to see Brad Winchester fist-bump some faces. We’ll see what happens.
I like winning streaks. I like keeping winning streaks going as well!
LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!
Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights
