Throwdown Lowdown – Wild @ Blues, 02-11-11

Staubitz ducks and Sestito looks too happy to have missed him. Image via Zimbio

Surprisingly, there WAS a fight in the Blues’ 2-1 regulation road victory over the Florida Panthers.  Possibly sensing the team was dragging a bit, BJ Crombeen went at it with Bryan Allen.  The fight was alright, but easily it was no more than a draw (video here). So that brings the Blues to 51 fighting majors on the season. Exciting times, right? Well, of course, but . . . the Boston Bruins collected six fights on Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens, putting them in first with 55, and the Pittsburgh Penguins fought three times on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, putting the Pens at 52.  So those 51 fights are only good for third place now!  The Blues’ fight record now stands at 20-15-16.

So now, it’s a home-and-home with a team very close to the Blues in the standings –the Minnesota Wild.  Truth be told, I’d rather play a home-and-home against a division rival than a mere conference rival.  But I digress . . . .  We start in St. Louis in a contest that will be the first meeting between the two clubs this season.  In the past, this club relied on a slower pace of play and the propensity for occasional fisticuffs behind the likes of Derek Boogaard.  Now, however, the departure of Boogaard in free agency seems to have affected how this team plays hockey (which is to say . . . it’s not fun for people like me).  Currently, the Wild are tied for 23rd in the NHL with those “Fightin’ Habs” from Wednesday night, each with 21 fighting majors on the season.  Their fight record?  Well, it’s a bit more impressive – a cool 9-5-7.

Brad Staubitz (6’1”, 210lbs, 5-1-3), with nine fights, is the unquestioned team enforcer, although a bit undersized for the role.  He is followed by five guys with two fights each – Matt Kassian (6’5”, 245lbs, 2-0-0, currently with the AHL’s Houston Aeros), Brent Burns (6’5”, 219lbs, 0-0-2 including one fighting major where he broke a guy’s orbital bone with the butt end of his stick), Eric Nystrom (6’1”, 193lbs 1-1-0), Clayton Stoner (6’3”, 225lbs, 1-1-0) and Kyle Brodziak (6’2”, 209lbs, 0-1-1).  Two solo fighters round out the squad – Chuck Kobasew (6’0”, 192lbs, Draw) and former Blackhawk Cam Barker (6’3”, 215lbs, Loss).

While it would not be hard to imagine that there would be some fighting in the next 120 or so minutes of Blues hockey, you’d like to think they’d lay off just a touch tonight, knowing there’s a game tomorrow.  But I would assuredly expect a Cam Janssen bout with Staubitz at some point.  Also, Burns and Brad “F.” Winchester would be a great matchup size-wise.  And Crombeen tends to fight the Wild a lot.  Other than those items, this looks like a real crapshoot on the fighting front.

I would really like 3 or 4 points out of this home-and-home set.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights