Throwdown Lowdown – Kings @ Blues 11-22-11
Kevin Westgarth fighting old friend, DJ King, who seems to be enjoying himself. Image via BridgetDS/Flickr
The boredom of the Twin Cities strikes our favorite club once again. The St. Louis Blues looked poised to win Saturday over the Minnesota Wild, but during the course of the action at some point, things went awry. A goal was scored late by Minnesota to tie, then the game went to the shootout, and the Wild won the shootout taking the 3-2 victory and leaving the Blues with one point from the contest. The Wild, despite coaching and personnel changes, still play a style that bores the living hell out of everyone watching, so maybe it was a good thing I didn’t get to see the game. I thought there would be a fight in the contest, but again I was wrong. So the Blues hang tight at six fighting majors on the season, now good for a big tie for 23rd in the National Hockey League in that category, and yes, the team’s fight record remains at a very robust 3-0-3.
The Los Angeles Kings were thoroughly dominated on the ice last year by the Blues, who took all four games from LA. That will not be happening this year, as all-world goaltender Jonathan Quick recorded a shutout in the City of Lost Angels en route to three consecutive shutouts in a week (I know, because I had to play against him in one of my fantasy leagues that week . . . let’s just say it didn’t end well). We covered possible fighters in that October 18th contest here. There were no fights in that contest, and currently the Kings are “mired” in the same tie for 23rd in the NHL (for the record, the other two teams in that tie are the Montreal Canadiens and Phoenix Coyotes) that the Blues are currently in, but their fight record is a less-robust-than-the-Blues 1-0-5.
Kings players that have fought this year include Kyle Clifford (6’2”, 208lbs, 1-0-2) with three fights and Dustin Penner (6’4”, 242lbs, Draw, on IR with a hand injury), Kevin Westgarth (6’4”, 234lbs, Draw) and former Flyers Captain Mike Richards (5’11”, 199lbs, Draw) each with one fighting major. Current Kings that fought last year include Clifford (7-5-6) with 15 and Westgarth (6-3-6) with 12. Colin Fraser (6’1”, 191lbs, 0-3-1) fought four times last season, while Richards (5’11”, 199lbs, 0-1-1) and Matt Greene (6’3”, 232lbs, 0-1-1) each fought twice. Those with one fight each last season include Justin Williams (6’1”, 191lbs, Win), Willie Mitchell (6’3”, 208lbs, Draw), Davis Drewiske (6’1”, 220lbs, Draw) and Penner (Draw).
While I love the fire and intensity the Blues have played with since the big coaching change, it’s getting somewhat tedious to watch these games without seeing a fight. So I would imagine soon that things would turn around on that aspect. Look for Ryan Reaves to go at it with someone like Clifford (who, I am sure, would not mind the rematch) or Westgarth (one tough hombre). But I will not hold my breath. PLEASE, SOMEONE FIGHT SOMEONE, BLUES! I BEG OF YOU!
Back home for one. Can the Blues continue their winning ways at “The DrinkScotch”? I sure hope so.
LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!
Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights
