Throwdown Lowdown -Blues @ Sharks, 01-15-11

I AM IRRITATED BY YOUR FACE! Image via NBC Sports

First, you get updates from the Anaheim game on Wednesday.  As mentioned, there were four fights in that game – George Parros overwhelmingly defeated Barret “SIR JAXX” Jackman, BJ Crombeen soundly defeated Maxim Lapierre, Eric Brewer and Luca Sbisa worked a draw and Matt Beleskey got a sound win over Vladimir Sobotka.  An updated fight record comes later in the report.

A very fun 3-1 Blues win over the Los Angeles Kings – mind you, the first Blues win in 2011 – was not made more fun by the fists as there were no fights in that game (although as in most Blues games, there were several near-fights that never came to fruition).  So the Blues stay at 42 fighting majors on the season, good for second in the NHL behind those Anaheim Ducks.  Their fight record – despite that less-than-stellar 1-2-1 fight performance in Anaheim – is still solid at 18-14-10.  That downward slide really concerns me . . . .  But I digress.

Who said the West Coast was all about finesse?  This may be the most rugged road trip – in sheer volume – that the Blues will face all season.  And it ends with a San Jose Sharks team that is not only ill-tempered from a bad losing streak, but has no problem shedding the gloves and throwing punches.  We’ve reported on the Sharks twice before this season (November 4th and December 18th).  There’s still some lingering bitterness from Joe Thornton’s hit on David Perron, even if the players on either side try to play it off.  And there were fights in each previous game (mostly in the second contest), so you can be sure the contestants will think about another go at it.  The Sharks have collected 31 fighting majors on the season, good for seventh in the NHL, holding a very impressive fight record of 13-3-15 in those bouts.  So it’s not all wine and cheese just north of Napa Valley.  I don’t mind this, as you should know by now.

Two-way stud and possible All-Star snub Ryane Clowe (6’2”, 225lbs, 4-0-5 including a draw with Crombeen) leads the team with nine fights on the season.  Former Blue and former hero of this reporter, Jamal Mayers (6’1”, 214lbs, 3-1-4 including a draw with Brad Winchester and a win over Winchester), has fought eight times.  Frazer McLaren (6’5”, 250lbs, 1-1-2, currently with Worcester of the AHL) and Scott Nichol (5’9”, 180lbs, 1-0-3 including a draw with Chris Porter) are drawn at four fights apiece.  All other Sharks fighters have only gone at it once each this season – Douglas Murray (6’3”, 240lbs, Win), Jamie McGinn (6’0”, 185lbs, Win), Mike Moore (6’1”, 200lbs, Win, currently with Worcester of the AHL), Devin Setoguchi (6’0”, 200lbs, Draw), youngster Brandon Mashinster (6’4”, 235lbs, Draw) and Calder candidate Logan Couture (6’1”, 195lbs, Loss – to Alex Pietrangelo, questionable with a knee injury).

I think Ryan Reaves – following his barrage of goals since his recent call-up – will throw down the gloves tonight with someone.  Clowe would be a good matchup for him, as would Mayers.  Crombeen could fight either of them.  And Winchester could fight Mayers like he did in both previous meeting.  Or, like last game, both Crombeen and Reaves could score goals.  Or Winchester could continue his recent hot scoring stretch.  You never know what might happen with this team these days.  And yes, I really do like this Reaves kid – he’s big, he’s strong, he plays hard and he fights.  And he wears an offensive lineman’s number.  KUDOS!

A two-game winning streak would be nice to come home to on Tuesday.  Let’s say you get it done, boys.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights