Gameday 3-1-11: Release the Crackn(ell) on Kiprusoff!
Now that the dudline has passed, blue bleeding puckheads can refocus on what happens on the ice. The Calgary Flames (32-23-9, 73 Points) come to town for a delayed home and home set. Will the St. Louis Blues (28-25-9, 65 Points) win their first game without a pair of “Brads”? We’ll see what happens as the youngest team in the NHL tries to hold on to the slimmest of playoff hopes.
Here is the quick and dirty, nitty gritty details you need to know for tonight’s tilt.
- – -
- Ben Bishop will make his third consecutive start. In his last game he held the Flames to one goal on 28 shots. In his audition for backup next season Bishop has a 2-2-0 record with a 1.55 GAA and .948 save percentage.
- Miikka Kiprusoff gets the nod, as usual, for the Flames. In two games against the Blues this season Kipper is 2-0-0 with a .50 GAA and .982 save percentage. He’s stopped 55 of 56 Blues shots against this season. It’s not just the Blues the Finnish netminder is hot against, its everyone. In 13 games in February he posted a 8-2-3 record with a 1.97 GAA and .929 save percentage.
- Forward Adam Cracknell was recalled from the Peoria Rivermen(as “predicted”) and is set to appear in his 10th NHL game. Forwards Chris Porter and Ryan Reaves were recalled on Monday as well.
- Congrats to Forward Andy McDonald. He was given a day off from the morning skate to be with his wife who delivered their second child last night.
- Blues Injury Report: Goalie Jaroslav Halak remains out with a hand injury.Defenseman Nikita Nikitin will miss his third straight game with a lower body injury. Forward David Perron is out due to his concussion recovery. Forward Phil McRae was placed on IR yesterday with a lower body injury. Forward Vladimir Sobotka is also out with a lower body injury.
- Flames Injury Report: Defenseman Adam Pardy is on IR with a shoulder injury.Forwards Daymond Langkow and Raitis Ivanans are also on IR with a neck and concussion respectively.
Projected Blues Lineup per Lou Korac
McDonald – Backes – D’Agostini
Oshie – Berglund – Stewart
Steen – Porter – Crombeen
Reaves – Cracknell – Janssen
Jackman – Polak
Shattenkirk – Pietrangelo
Colaicovo – Strachan
- Don’t rule out TJ Oshie or McDonald seeing some time at Center if Porter isn’t working out.
-
As always, you are invited to follow @618_STLBlues and @BlueNoteZone on Twitter and on the BlueNoteZone Facebook Fan Page for in game updates and Blues news.
