Throwdown Lowdown – Blues @ Blackhawks, 02-19-12

Nope, STILL not used to this. Image via BridgetDS/Flickr

That seemed easy, yet difficult. The St. Louis Blues easily handled a team in full free-fall mode, dominating the Minnesota Wild 4-0 in a game where a frustrated Wild team decided to resort to cheap tactics against a team they will not play again this year. Being that it appears the Wild will fall outside of the playoff picture despite a strong start, they will not see the Blues again until next year, and they sure acted like it. Despite the antics (which I will not get into here), there were no fighting majors issued in the contest. So the Blues stay at 27 fighting majors collected on the season, good for a tie for 11th in the National Hockey League in the category with the Buffalo Sabres and today’s opponent in that category. The Blues’ fight record holds steady at a very solid 13-3-11.

Forward to Chicago for a “Hockey Day In America” matchup with the despised Chicago Blackhawks. After losing nine straight games and appearing that they were dead in the water, the Hawks have taken two straight – one over the New York Rangers, the East’s top team, at their building . . . and one over the Columbus Blue Jackets, who despite their effort on Tuesday in beating the Blues, are a friggin’ disaster. We’ve covered the Blackhawks for two home games previously (November 8th and December 3rd). The Blackhawks, as alluded to earlier, are tied with the Blues and Sabres for 11th in the NHL with 27 fighting majors collected on the season (two of which came yesterday afternoon in Columbus). Their fight record stands near perfectly average at 8-7-12.

14 of the Hawks’ 27 fights are shared between two players, one of which is done for the season. They are Jamal Mayers (6’1”, 222lbs, 3-1-5) with nine and Daniel Carcillo (6’0”, 203lbs, 1-3-1 including a Loss to Ryan Reaves, out for the season after blowing out his knee in hilariously illegal fashion) with five fights. Following them are John Scott (6’8”, 270lbs, 3-0-0) and Steve Montador (6’0”, 210lbs, 0-2-1, on IR with the dreaded “Upper Body Injury” with three fights and Andrew Shaw (5’10”, 180lbs, 1-1-0, recently reassigned to Rockford of the AHL) and Bryan Bickell (6’4”, 233lbs, 0-0-2) with two fights each. The Hawks have three solo fighters, and they are Dave Bolland (6’0”, 184lbs, Draw), Sean O’Donnell (6’2”, 238lbs, Draw) and recent call-up Jimmy Hayes (6’6”, 221lbs,Draw).

I have been saying all season that I want to see Mayers and Reaves fight, and why not? They’re both tough guys, they match up very well size-wise and one’s a wily vet while the other’s a youngster just making it on his own in this league. I say it finally happens today.

Beat Chicago.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights