St. Louis Blues

(29-12-6)

at

Detroit Red Wings

(32-15-1)

at

Joe Louis Arena

Game Time- 6:30 pm CDT

TV- NBCSN(VS) Radio- KMOX

Blues Team Recap- The St. Louis Blues don’t seem to be slowing down in their quest for the top of the mountain. The Blues, led by Captain David Backes, trounced Buffalo on Saturday night 4-2. In the game Backes had two goals and 2 assists adding yet another line in the book of get this man a Selke. In the NHL today, what team has a player that does all of the things that David Backes can do and do them consistently better than he? That’s right folks, there is not a forward in the league that can do all of the facets of the game as well as Backes. Count the Blues fortunate and lucky to have his services for the next 5 years. The Blues look to continue their impressive 8-1 January with a game in the Motor City. Detroit has won 18 home games in a row, which is a franchise record for the Red Wings. Detroit also sits one point ahead of the Blues in the standings, so tonight we will either leap frog over them or be three points behind. Tonight is a very important game and will be a good test to see just how serious the Blues are about competing with the big boys in the league.

Blues Keys To The Game- Domination. Plain and simple the Blues need to be on top of Detroit every second of every moment in this game. Do not give them any time or space to think or move. Puck domination with an overpowering forecheck will be a second key. The Blues have to be the more physical of the two teams when the puck drops tonight. The Blues should look to be disciplined and stay out of the box, but push the envelope right to the edge with feisty, hard nosed checks. Jimmy Howard has been phenomenal lately and will test the Blues and their ability to score goals on a consistent basis. The Detroit Red Wings need to be taught who the big dog in town is now, and tonight would be the perfect time to place the tail of the Red Wings squarely between their legs and make them run home to mama. Stay out of the penalty box!!!!! Do not give Detroit the chance to use special teams against you. If they Blues loose their cool and give Detroit chances with the man advantage it will be a baddddddd night.

Detroit Red Wings Team Recap- The Wings are 8-2 this month and own a 18 game winning streak at home, which is a franchise best. The Wings are coming off of a shoot out victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets in a game where Henrik Zetterberg was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for a from behind push that sent defenseman Nikita Nikitin into the boards awkwardly, injuring his knee. After reviewing the video one can clearly see that Nikitins skate catches a valley and the slight hand placement on his back from Zetterberg is enough to send him sailing. Zetterberg is not known for being a dirty player and it was not his intent to injure Nikitin. The league decided to take no action against Zetterberg and, for once, the league got one right. That does not excuse them from the atrocities they have handed down to countless players and the countless suspensions and fines that have not be given out. Detroit will look to cool the jets on a red hot Blues team tonight when they come calling at the Joe. Detroit currently sits atop the Western Conference with 65 points and with a win tonight could pull out to a three point lead in the Central Division. If the Blues win they would trail St. Louis by 1 point in the standings.

Detroit Red Wings Keys To The Game- Find a way to get more shots on goal and traffic in front of the goal tender. Tonight the Red Wings will have a tough task on their hands. The Blues will be coming at them with a lot of physicality and speed in transition. The Wings will have to be able to match the physical play and keep the puck out of their zone. St. Louis will be hunting in front of Jimmy Howard tonight for any rebounds that may squirt away from his capable hands and bury them in the twine. If Detroit can lure the Blues into taking minor penalties and then capitalize on those man advantages, they will have a good chance at grabbing the two points from St. Louis. If Detroit allows St. Louis to get their game plan in action, which is tough defensive with quick transition and traffic in front of the net, its going to be all over but the crying in Detroit. Look for a strong effort from the Wings tonight as they are well aware of how hard this Blues team works. Do not think that Mike Babcock will let them forget just how talented they are.

Tonight’s Blues Line Up  (per Jeremy Rutherford)

Forward Lines  

Perron-Backes-Oshie 

 Sobotka-Berglund-D’Agostini

Langenbrunner-Arnott-Stewart

 Porter-Nichol-Crombeen

Defensive Pairings:

Colaiacovo-Pietrangelo

Jackman-Shattenkirk

Russell-Polak

Starting Goaltender- Halak

Game Night News- Blues forward Alex Steen did not accompanying the team on this one game road trip.  Only tomorrow’s night home game against the Penguins is left for the Blues prior to the All-Star Week break. Though Steen may return tomorrow at home, it is likely Steen will use this time to continue to rest and skate to get his legs under him as well as make sure he is fully ready to return to the line up when play resumes in a week and a half. Andy McDonald has not taken off the red jersey yet and, according to rumors, is closing in on that date in the very near future. With the long ALL Star break upon us, I would look for Andy to shed that red jersey in the very near future. Kent Huskins still has no definite time table for return but is headed in the right direction working on conditioning and getting himself back to game ready condition. Huskins has been out of the line up since blocking a shot in Calgary in October with an ankle injury that required surgery.

Tonight Detroit will be with out the services of Patrick Eaves as he remains on the IR. No additional players are listed on Detroit’s IR for tonight’s game.

Red Wings Line Up (per Daily Faceoff)

Forward Lines:

Franzen-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi

Filppula-Zetterberg-Hudler

Miller-Helm-Cleary

Emmerton-Abdelkader-Holmstrom

Defensive Pairings:

Lidstrom-White

Kronwall-Stuart

Ericsson-Commodore

Starting Goaltender- Jimmy Howard

Tonight is a big night for St. Louis. I know we keep saying that the next game is the most important game yet. Tonight it holds true once again and will take maximum effort for the Boys in Blue to secured two more points and the top spot in the Western Conference! LET’S GO BLUES!!!

Laying on the ice to stretch is one thing, but the Inglorious Captain cannot let him troops relax the night (and two points) away.

It’s been a while since the Blues and Sabres squared off in St. Louis. The last time was on Sunday, December 27th, 2009 the Blues fell 5-3 to the Buffalo based hockey club. It was the first game of what would become Andy Murray‘s final home stand. Just a few days and two more losses later he was replaced by Davis Payne. Former Blues forward Jochten Hecht scored. Local boy Chris Butler had two assists for the visitors in his first game NHL game “home”.

What types of random hockey trivia come from tonight’s game is unknown. However, I do have a few random thoughts heading in to the festivities.

- – -

Tonight is an important test of the team’s killer instinct. For all the things that have gone wrong in Buffalo this season, there are no easy assignments. On any given night, at any given rink, any team can beat another. The Sabres come to town hungry and in desperate need of points to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference race to the top 8. For them being on the road is about the worst place to try to claw their way back having lost a franchise record 11 straight away from their friendly confines. As Tomas Vanek said, “It’s embarrassing”. When key players feel that way, you can tell they’ve hit or are just about to hit rock bottom. Once they do, the only way to go is up. Such movement means their victory.

If this Blues team is for real and has finally arrived at the potential so many have been waiting for, then there can be no let down tonight. No easing off the gas. Pour it on and prevent this contest from becoming a trap tilt. Where the effort is mailed in and a team with nothing to lose gains it all. There is likely no team who wants to knock out the starting goalie and run it down the Blues’ throats than the Sabres. The confidence boost and rediscovery of lost mojo from beating one of the stingiest squads in the league is their goal. The pressure is on. Can’t let the gloves dip down.

Speaking of the pressure to succeed, Blues fans best be careful what they wish for relating to payroll. When Terry Pegula bought the Sabres last year the parades down their main streets were already being prepared. A longtime fan of the team (and the sport) comes home to empty his deep pockets in to a dried up budget. In a weak free agent market they spent and spent and spent some more. Going from the basement to the penthouse in terms of personnel salary.

The grass hasn’t been greener on the other side of the cap hit fence. Descending down the standings to a team sliding off the playoff bubble. Whether its chemistry or philosophy changes, something relating to the increase in payroll has adversely affected their record. So when praying to the hockey gods that the Taylor Family brings their checkbook to Tom Stillman‘s ownership group, temper your excitement. More is not always better.

Alex Steen still isn’t ready to play and will not tonight. I’m not worried. For all the worrywarts concerned that the Blues aren’t scoring and they need to address the problem… and Steen would help fix the problem… stop worrying. All the convincing needed is in the team’s record. Steen’s last game was on December 27th vs. Detroit. Since that time the Blues are 7-1-2 in his absence. They had a stretch of four straight games from January 1st through the 10th where they scored three goals or more. Overall they’ve scored 22 goals or a 2.2 per game pace. They have given up 13 goals (1.3 per game) and more than two goals only twice in that span.

Translation: Many more times than not the ability to win the game will be within their scoring capacity.

As far as Steen’s health and fitness levels go, missing the remaining three games leading to the All Star Game gives him a ton of time to rest before the schedule gets nasty in February and March. The Blues play last on Tuesday the 24th before the ASG and their next game after is on February 3rd. A total of nine days between games. We’ll all be grateful in a month or so when his legs are fresher than a few others.

Please, be kind to Brad Boyes. Yes, the guy lost his scoring tough and left the Blues with an albatross of a contract. Yes, he wasn’t willing to grind and battle. No, he didn’t posses an Energizer Bunny inspired motor that St. Louisans love. What he did do was score 76 goals and record 137 points in 162 games in his first two full seasons with the Note. He was a key figure in the late season push to make the 2009 playoffs. He was not traded for Chris Pronger. There is no reason for the Eric Brewer treatment. Thank him for his service and leave it at that.

Lay off Patrik Berglund. It’s clear that many out there still hold on, with a sliver of hope, that the big Swed will still turn out to be the next Zetterberg, Sundin or Forsberg. He is just isn’t. However, that belief in a future rapidly fading away has lead to much criticism. What he has proven to be, at least under Ken Hitchcock, is a fairly reliable two way center who can score 20 goals and post a 40+ point season. His skating has improved and his more physical than he has ever really been throughout his career. When you look at that he has the 5th most shifts per game of the Blues forwards (at least he was a few days ago when last I checked) and look at the team’s record, it’s an indication that he really isn’t a problem. That his current style of play is a positive. The points will come if he continues down the path he is on. But the most important stats are wins and losses. Right now he’s a part of more “Ws” than “Ls”. That’s all that matters at the end of the day.

(17-24-4)

vs

St. Louis Blues

(27-12-6)

at

Scottrade Center

Game Time 7:00 pm

TV- FS-MW(HD) Radio- KMOX

Blues Team Recap- The Blues are coming of a tough, hard fought game against the Dallas Stars in which forward TJ Oshie scored the games only goal on a pretty pass from David Perron. The win catapulted the Blues into a tie with the New York Rangers for the top spot in the NHL in points. Since that time, with the Blues sitting idle, the team has fallen to 5th place in the Western Conference and has not played a game to slide that far. The Western Conference proves to be a tightly stitched network of good teams that do not seem to be letting off the gas pedal. How will the rest of this season shake out for the Blues? If they continue to put forward the effort each night they should remain securely inside a play off spot for the first time in 2 years and only the second time since the lock out.

Blues Keys To The Game- Tonight the Blues face the young but talented Edmonton Oilers team. The Oilers have shown flashes of great brilliance this season and also some dismal failures. The Blues will need to keep track of the young stars like Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Jordan Eberle. Luckily, Hall will be sitting out tonight.  Tonight in front of the home crowd the Blues need to continue to push their fast defensive strong on the puck mentality and make the Oilers make bad plays. Puck posession has been the strong suit of the St. Louis Blues since Ken Hitchcock took over and will remain to be the sole focus for tonight.

Edmonton Oilers Team Recap- Taylor Hallhas been put on IR and is listed as “out indefinitely” after suffering a skate to the face in warm ups Tuesday. Hall received 30+ stitches to close the laceration. The Oilers are coming off  a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Oilers this season are confusing to watch: one game they absolutely dominate the opposition, and then the next night they get completely blown out. This seesaw battle of the mind should sounds very familiar to Blues fans as it was not all that long ago our very own team dealt with this exact issue. The issue of inconsistency is a sore spot that the Oil will have to figure out how to mend. Edmonton will remain a bubble team with the potential to slide well into the cellar of the NHL if they can not turn things around in a hurry.

Edmonton Oilers Keys To The Game- Puck Possession…. Can the Oilers keep the puck away from the St. Louis Blues? With as strong as St. Louis is playing right now it will be very hard for the Oilers to come in to Scottrade Center and sneak away 2 points. The Blues own the best home record in the NHL with 19 wins already in a season that has just crossed over the half way point. Edmonton will look to get the Blues to take bad penalties, put traffic in front of the net, and try and create some havoc in front of the Blues net minders. The Blues don’t give up very many odd man rushes anymore, so hard work on the end boards and lots and lots of pucks to the net with traffic are about the only way you will see your shot total rise above 20 when you play St. Louis. Can the young Oilers team keep pace with the soaring Blues? We will see tonight at 7:00 pm.

Blues News- Forward Andy Mcdonald will be shedding the red jersey in the very near future. A return of the nimble soft handed goal scorer will be a much needed increase to the Blues ability to pot goals. Forward Alex Steen may return to the line up tonight after missing several games with a concussion. The hard working Winnipeg native will look to lace up the skates on the Blues top line with David Backes and Chris Stewart. This leaves a ton of ran rumblings on who will sit out of tonight’s game. Lou Korac believes it will be Ryan Reaves, but fans on Twitter are speculating that BJ Crombeen or even Matt D’Agostini could be in the press box tonight.  Defenseman Kris Russel will be looking to get back into the line up tonight aw sell, and it appears Ian Cole will drop out of the top 6 defensemen if that happens.  Kent Huskins continues to skate and is likely to return in the coming weeks creating a bit of a log jam at the defense position.

The sale of the St. Louis Blues remains to be a mystery.  Tom Stillman the only perspective buyer left in the pool of potential has entered in to his exclusive window to buy the team according to the NHL front office. Rumors have been rumbling in the last few days the Stillman may be soon ready to sign a purchase agreement to buy the team. Details of the alledged agreement have not been verified.

Get up off your butts and get your hands up in the air! It’s time once again for some BLUES HOCKEY! LET’S GO BLUES!

- – -

A good bit of news came out Wednesday from the Blues beat writers and MSM folks. If you missed anything, here is what you need to know.

On Alex Steen…

The Blues’ Alex Steen is on the ice working with asst coach Scott Mellanby. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 11, 2012

Hitch says Steen will skate tomorrow too. Not out of realm of possibilty that he plays. “We’ll see how he feels,” Hitch said.

— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) January 11, 2012

Steen confirmed he passed baseline. Felt good after coming off ice today. #stlblues

— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) January 11, 2012

Steen said he’ll talk to docs in the morning about playing tomorrow night. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 11, 2012

On Andy McDonald…

I would expect Andy McDonald to shed red jersey at any time now. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 11, 2012

On Barret Jackman…

Jackman getting some rehab work done today. 50-50 for tomorrow. Depends on how today goes. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 11, 2012

Rivermen will lose rookie D-man Cade Fairchild to call-up by the Blues late this afternoon. Blues will send Evgeny Grachev down to Peoria.

— Dave Eminian (@icetimecleve) January 11, 2012

The Blues have assigned Evgeny Grachev to Peoria. Cade Fairchild has been recalled from the Rivermen. bit.ly/wN2XTR #stlblues

— St. Louis Blues (@St_Louis_Blues) January 11, 2012

On Kris Russell…

Also talked to Kris Russell, said he’s feeling better; probably another week or so with him. Hitch was encouraged by today’s skate #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 11, 2012

Impact & Analysis

Alex Steen is on IR per the Blues website, but no corresponding move would need to be made to accommodate his return. The lineup head count is currently at 22 and Steen woudl push them to the max of 23. Where does he fit back in? With his spot on David Backes‘ line filled nicely by David Perron he is candidate to take Matt D’Agostini‘s place on Patrik Berglund‘s left. Personally, I like the idea of Steen and Berglund with D’Agostini to provide a ton of speed and shooting ability down the side, but TJ Oshie provides the necessary playmaking tendencies to make the line click.

Make no mistake, the Blues will miss Barret Jackman if he is unable to dress tonight. Anecdotally he has had success containing the Sedin twins. Though the back pressure is usually strong, the defense will need to be prepared to handle the Canucks highly skilled attack. Jackman provides a presence that keeps the opposition on their toes, reducing their effectiveness. His absence also breaks up a strong pairing at Brad Shaw’s disposal. Who will Kevin Shattenkirk skate with? I’d bet Ian Cole.

How should we take the promotion of Cade Fairchild and demotion of Evgeny Grachev? As I’ve said before and will continue to beat like a dead horse, it means management (and the coaching staff) want to Grachev to play. They need to see how he reacts to the challenges presented to him and how he performs in game situatuions. This is a good thing for now. Peoria needs the help.

As far as Fairchild is concerned it means he continues to be the best healthy recall option on the blueline in Peoria. He will not see big minutes, save for a big injury or game misconduct to a fellow defenseman. Still, any recall is a good recall for a first year pro.

With Kris Russell still a week or so away from a return, what does Ian Cole need to do till then? Continue to prove he belongs in the NHL. That means better positioning, fewer mistakes and less time spent in the box. The front office wants him to see as much game time as possible. Just like Grachev. He may stay up when Russell returns, but if all are healthy when Kent Huskins does, Cole is destined for Peoria. A good showing now makes sure Fairchild doesn’t get the first recall after that.

- – -

Open Question: Who means more to the lineup upon their return? Steen or McDonald?

Alex Steen is not ready to return to the lineup.

Bluenotes is a dose of news and views from all around St. Louis Blues nation and the greater NHL beyond.

- – -

Yes, we know… Ian Cole was suspended, words from the Twitterverse: JR and Norm…

Army on Cole “I don’t think it was a wreckless play. I think it was a hockey player that was legal 12 months ago thats not legal today (1/3)

— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) January 2, 2012

I understand the sensitivity with hits to the head and we respect that, but I support Ian in the sense that it was a play that … (2/3)

— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) January 2, 2012

(Abdelkader) coming across middle has to be aware & unfortunately he wasnt. We accept decision cuz we understand importance of safety” (3/3)

— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) January 2, 2012

Blues GM DOug Armstrong talking about COle’s 3-game suspension: “To me, it’s a hockey play that at the end goes awry.”#stlblues

— Norm Sanders (@NormSanders) January 2, 2012

More Army on suspension: “The only issue I have is with the term reckless. I don’t think Ian Cole is a reckless player. ” #stlblues

— Norm Sanders (@NormSanders) January 2, 2012

Army:”It’s a hockey play that went awry in a difficult situation.” #stlblues

— Norm Sanders (@NormSanders) January 2, 2012

More Army on Cole: “There’s no sense getting upset over it, you just take it and move on.”#stlblues

— Norm Sanders (@NormSanders) January 2, 2012

Army: “The difficult part is I feel for Ian knowing that he had a chance to get in the lineup knowing he was going to be counted on.”

— Norm Sanders (@NormSanders) January 2, 2012

- – -

You want injury updates, Lou Korac has injury updates…

Forward Ryan Reaves (hip) skating here this morning. He was placed on IR last week. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 2, 2012

Andy McDonald also on the practice ice today wearing red jersey. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 2, 2012

T.J. Oshie skated pre-practice but left the ice & hasn’t returned. Not out here at all: Roman Polak. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 2, 2012

Alex Steen (concussion-like symptoms) also not on the ice. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 2, 2012

Polak & Oshie will be good to go tomorrow. Both did cardio today. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 2, 2012

Alex Steen status quo. Not ready to skate. Don’t expect him tomorrow. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 2, 2012

Hitch has an idea who he’d like to call up. Waiting for management to make the call. No callup yet after Peoria played 3 in 3. #stlblues

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 2, 2012

- – -

Chris Kerber on potential Cole replacement…

Fairchild played well on 1st recall this year. Blues need a call-up. Fairchild is a staggering +21. +15 better than next best total on team

— Chris Kerber (@chriskerber) January 2, 2012

- – -

It comes from #stlblues…

Transparency? Check. Consistency?Not so much… Ian Cole & his brand new 3-game suspension bit.ly/vFKY4n #stlblues

— Matt Reitz (@ViewFromMySeats) January 2, 2012

@NormSanders – If Cole’s hit on Abdelkader is worth 3 games, Datsyuk’s hit on Jackman should be at least 1 game. #stlblues #nhl #redwings

— Curt Price (@curtprice) January 2, 2012

@jprutherford Seriously, Shanny can do to himself what he did to Janney’s wife. #stlblues

— Mouse in catspeak (@Meouse) January 2, 2012

I bet Ian Cole feels the same way Craig Janney did:Shanahan took away something he loved. #StLBlues

— Kent Dragonfinger (@KDragonfinger) January 2, 2012

As of this second, I predict the #StlBlues finish __ in the Western Conference. Fill in the blank.

— David Rogers (@FrozenNotes) January 2, 2012

- – -

Links

Rutherford’s updated post on Cole’s suspension. [STLToday.com]

Norm sander’s post on the same topic. [BND.com]

Another is line role.

While teams are asking for more offensive production out of their plumber lines than ever, the top two are still expected to carry the load. To be the “go to” trios that score the majority of the goals. Ken Hitchcock, as updated as his system has become, hasn’t gone so far in to the nu-era to diverge from this norm. The system isn’t cute, so don’t expect him to bring cuteness anywhere.

He’ll leave that to Oshie…

For those paying attention to the Blues, or their fantasy leagues, their is a clear top line in St. Louis. Alex Steen, David Backes and TJ Oshie have combined to menace opposing teams with their relentless attack in all 200 feet. Again, no cuteness. No fancy suits. Just a blue collar and lunch pail. Registering a grand total of 28 goals, 28 assists and a Plus-26 in 29 games this season. Some of that success has come from shifts and games apart, but in general they’ve done the wrecking together.

With three players as dominant as those three have been and the Blues record sitting pretty (ok a little cuteness) at 17-9-3, surely the secondary unit is getting in on the action, right?

Wrong.

The Blues wrapped up the 2010-11 season 10th overall in scoring with a 2.88 GF/G rate. To date this season their dead last, 30th, in the NHL with 2.03 GF/G. Yes, you’re reading that right. Just two goals per game.

Don’t dwell on how bad that number looks. Then you’ll start thinking about where they’d be without Brian Elliott…

The numbers to look at are of those who aren’t getting their job done.

Chris Stewart: His torrid run following the late night blockbuster trade acquiring him has fizzled in to distant memory. Gone are the dreams of his 15 goal and 23 point in 26 game pace materializing in to an elite scorer. No, he doesn’t look like Jarome Iginla 2.0.

The reality is that 4 goals and 10 points in 26 games this season is not acceptable. Nor is his periphery play and deferral of the puck. As a goal scoring threat he has to have the puck in a favorable position. This season has been spent in the exact opposite place he should be.

Matt D’Agostini: For all the reasons why his 2010-11 season stood to be a breakout there were equally as many saying it was a flash in the pan. After netting 21 goals and 46 points last season expectations were high for a repeat. So far D’Agostini’s 6 goals and 11 points have him 15 points behind last season’s mark. Fortunately his well rounded overall game has been a continued bonus. At least if he isn’t scoring he’s working hard on both the fore and back check.

Can he get going again? Sure, anyone can, but the odds are not in his favor. A good chunk of his production came as a part of the top unit with Backes and Andy McDonald. With the captain steering his line in the right direction and McDonald on IR with post concussion symptoms, Dags just may not be the secondary punch the front office hoped he would be.

Patrik Berglund: The brass certainly consider the big Swede part of the secondary attack this campaign if he isn’t one of the primary threats. Especially following his strong second half of 10-11 and his performance at the World Championships. At least in terms of the figures on the score sheet, he hasn’t. His stat line runs the same as D’Agostini’s: 6 goals and 11 points in 29 games. The disparity in pacing between this season and the last is worse. Berglund is 21 points off last season’s mark.

Also like D’Agostini his play otherwise has not been adversely affected by his lack of pucks in the net. Berglund has become a solid two way center who is taking care of the details in all three zones perhaps better than he ever has before. Sadly his work is not paying off as well as it should be. Yet.

A reason for reduced concern (and optimism) regarding big number 21 is that most of his season has been spent with the at times apathetic Stewart and without the playmaking abilities of McDonald or David Perron. With Perron’s return Berglund is likely to get a boost and begin padding his stats once again. Stewart went south instead and has fallen down to the dirty work lines to rediscover his edge.

Credit the foresight of Doug Armstrong to bring in Jason Arnott, Jamie Langenbrunner and lockup Vladimir Sobotka. Not only for veteran presence, but for adding extra offensive depth. Arnott is 5th in team scoring with 4 goals and 10 assists. Langenbrunner has kept up with the kids. Potting a pair of goals and adding 10 points to the bottom line. Sobotka has provided speed, passing and playmaking ability (sorely missed McDonald traits) when called upon, leading to numbers that match Langenbrunner’s.

As thankful as Blues fans are, there is still a real problem the Blues must address with secondary scoring. The road to the playoffs is not going to be paved on the backs of the offensive efforts of Arnott. Too few pucks are going behind opposing goalies that don’t originate off the sticks of the SOB line. It’s surely something Armstrong will have to address because Ken Hitchcock’s efforts aren’t making a difference. The team is still winning, but by the skin of its teeth.

As division rivals of Nashville, we’ve seen that dynamic produce positive results only for so long. More aggressive changes will need to be made to prevent it from traveling west to St. Louis. All eyes are on your Mr. Chris Stewart. Time to get it together. Everyone else is pulling their weight one way or another. If you can’t, it’s probably going to be time to move again.

Photo Courtesy of St. Louis Blues

Starting at last night’s game, the Blues are selling “Pucks for Paws” 2012 calendars.  The calendars feature a different player each month. The player is featured with his pets and an adoptable pet, or just an adoptable pet if his pet wasn’t in the area at the time of the shoot.  Obviously David Backes and Barret Jackman are featured in the calendar with their pets, but they are joined by Alex Steen, Christ Stewart, Jamie Langenbrunner, Jaroslav Halak, Scott Nichol, Patrik Berglund, BJ Crombeen, Carlo Colaiacovo , TJ Oshie, and Roman Polak.Thinking you’re set because you got the free Blues (Ford) Calendar at the home opener?  This calendar is way better.  The guys actually have on their jerseys in the pictures with adoptable pets, and you can tell they are on location and not photo-shopped onto a background.  Best of all: you get to see their personalities come out with their pets.  My personal favorites: Patrik Berglund with an adoptable kitten, Alex Steen and his two dogs (one is a Great Dane), and Carlo Colaiacovo with his two bull dogs (they all three look alike!).  The Blues held a special “Pucks for Paws” kick off event on December 4th at Scottrade; pictures from that event are available on the Blues site.  The proceeds from the calendars calendars will be going to Stray Rescue of St. Louis, Five Acres Animal Shelter, All Paws Rescue, St. Louis Senior Dog Project, and Operation SPOT.

If you are intersted in these calendars, they are $12 each or 2 for $20.  The calendars will be on sale at Scottrade (and you can meet cute adoptable puppies!) at the December 8th, 10th, and 15th games.  They are also available for purchase online- they are only charging and additional $2 for shipping (the site says they will be shipped within a week or the order being placed).

The Blues will soon be holding their annual Barkin’ for the Blues event at Scottrade.  This annual event offers discounted tickets to fans while giving back to Stray Rescue of St. Louis and Five Acres Animal Shelter.  This season, the event will be held on January 21, 2012 at the Blues vs Sabres game.  Tickets can be ordered online, and three different levels of discounted tickets, with three different donation amounts, are available for fans.  Fans can also choose which of the two featured charities to donate to with their ticket purchase.  You can find details on how to order for each charity on the Barkin’ for the Blues page.  The discounts and donation amounts are:
Club Corner: $95 (regularly $120); $20 goes to charity
Plaza Center: $80 (regularly $125); $15 goes to charity
Plaza End Low: $65 (regularly $76); $10 goes to charity

Barkin’ for the Blues will also feature in arena activities to benefit the shelters.  There will be an adoption area on the concourse with animals available to meet.  They will also have a special themed silent auction and “Doggie Bags” available for purchase (these bags are usually $25-$30).

If you are an animal lover, be sure to help out a good cause by either grabbing a calendar (they would make a great Christmas gift for a Blues fan!) or getting a ticket for Barking for the Blues!

(12-8-2)

vs

Columbus Blue Jackets

(6-13-3)

at

Nationwide Arena

Game Time- 5:00 pm CDT

TV- FSMW(HD) Radio- KMOX

Alex Steen has been a beast lately on the puck. One of the best two way forwards in today's NHL.

Blues Team Recap- The St. Louis Blues are coming of a 2-0 shout out victory over the Calgary Flames Friday night at Scottrade Center in which goaltender Brian Elliot stopped all 24 shots he faced. Elliott improved to 9-1 on the season with 3 shutouts and has been nothing short of amazing this season. “Ells” focus and positioning are out standing and he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. When a goalie is riding a streak like this its hard not to play him even if he is the “back up goaltender”. Ken Hitchcock has said he will play those guys who earn their minutes and give them more opportunities to shine as they earn the time.

Under Hitch the Blues are 6-1-2 and sit in a three way tie for 6th place in the ultra tight western conference at 26 points. This afternoon the Blues face off against his former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets who sit last in the NHL with a dismal 6-13-3 record. After replacing Steve Mason with Curtis Sandford the Jackets have gone 3-0-2 in their last 5 games and beat up on Buffalo 5-1 in their last outing. This afternoon’s game should be a good physical contest as these two divisional rivals have developed some tainted blood over the past few season going back to the  ”soccer gate” incident when in Columbus. RJ Umberger and others decided to interrupt the Blues pre-game hack-n-sack style warm up in the underbelly of Nationwide Arena which did not sit well with the Blues.

Elliot working hard in practice

Blues Keys To The Game – Hello Power Play.. Calling the Power Play… Kindly pull your head from between your cheeks and get this thing moving in the right direction.

The Blues man advantage crew sits dead last in the NHL. How bad is it? So bad that the note has scored more short handed goals in their last five games then they have power play goals. This aspect of the Blues game is a must fix. I do not care how good you are at even strength, special teams are crucial. The power play most of all. If a team doesn’t capitalize on those chances you leave the door open for the other team. It has been very scary to watch these one goal leads the Blues have played with lately and quite frankly they could have lost every one of those games had it not been for solid performances in net by the netminders of the Blues. Getting that next goal after scoring the first is a vital component to winning in today’s game. Against Columbus tonight it will be no different. Score a few early goals and get a team that has struggled gravely back on their heels. Take away their will to fight and 2 points will fall to the Blues like the apple fell for Newton. Treat the Blue Jackets with not enough respect and you will end up getting blown out like Buffalo did. Play hard nosed and get the early goals are the keys for this game against the Jackets.

Blue Jackets Team Recap –  Who would have thought that a change in goaltender could make such a difference? Who am I kidding.. Steve Mason was on most accounts playing worse then a rookie ECHL goalie on a good night. Coming out of the gate at 6-13-2 the Jackets are clinging to a tiny floatation device and praying the crashing waves are about over. The Blue Jackets have seemed to turn things around touting a new goalie in Curtis Sandford who is doing what any goalie in this league is tasked at doing each night. Giving his team the chance to stay in games and win them. With prolific goal scorers like Jeff Carter and Rick Nash in their lineup that is all you can ask for. Time will tell if they have turned the corner or if this is just a brief respite before they sink to the bottom of the well and stay there for good.

Blue Jackets Keys To The Game –  No fancy bull crap here folks.

The Jackets are too far down to get to creative. Good goaltending, hard work and determination in the offensive zone are all they have to rely on at this point. If they get away from any of these three points it will be lights out on the guys from Columbus this evening. The Blues and former Jackets head coach Ken Hitchcock come to town tonight playing a very physical checking game. They are very tough on the puck in the defensive zone and they are transitioning the puck as well as any team in the league right now. Tonight will be a tall order for the Cannon touters of Ohio but all is not sticks and stones. The Blues take a LOT of penalties because of their physical play. Forcing the noted to play a man short can lead to opportunities for a struggling team to take the reigns and drive wagon. Will Columbus be able to play a full 60 minute hockey game at Hitch’s 200ft? If they hope to continue their climb from the basement they had better bring their best effort and then some. When the Blues come calling you can count on a tough game. Jackets. Will you respond? We shall see.

Starting Goalies – If you couldn’t tell by the two goalies I talked about, the Blues are starting Brian Elliott in goal and Columbus will counter with Curtis Sanford.

Blues News – Reported as breaking news last night blues beat writer and sports columnist for the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Jeremy Rutherford stated he had sources that link former Forward Brett Hull to Tom Stillman’s collection of investors who are trying to buy the Blues. It was stated that he may have more aspirations then just becoming an investor and play some role in the Blues front office. I along with ever Blues fan in existence would love nothing more then for the Golden Brett to come home to St. Louis where he never should have been forced to leave. Stay tuned to Blue Note Zone for more information as it becomes available!

Crombeen with the red no contact jersey

Forward David Perron continues to fly around the ice in practice and look better and better every day. Hitchcock has indicated that David will be put into the line up the very instant he says he is ready to go. Most sources close to the team say David is most like 1-2 weeks away from his 2011-2012 debut with the Blues. Andy McDonald remains sidelined with a concussion and is not slated to return any time soon. Kent Huskins remains out while recovering from surgery to repair a fractured ankle. Husk is expected to be out another 3-5 weeks. Defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo is most likely ready to come off of IR in the near future. No date has been given for Colas return but it should be with in the next week. BJ Crombeen skated with the team in practice yesterday wearing the red no contact sweater and shot some pucks while participating in a few drills. Crombeen has been out since suffering a fractured shoulder blade in the teams last preseason game.

Get ready for a hot and heavy match up between two teams that do not like each other very much. Fully expect a good amount of PIMS tonight and a spirited debate after most plays. Most of all… LET’S GO BLUES!!!

A few days ago when I realized I would actually have time to write a little something for the blog (yours truly is a current student teacher, and if I would have 30 hours a day and 9 days a week, I still don’t think I’d be able to get everything done I need to do), I wanted to focus on the issue that Davis Payne and his assistants have had with the team thus far. Needless to say, that column idea was trashed on Sunday evening.

Instead, let’s focus on the whole team and organization. Recently, at a student teaching seminar, we were presented with a PowerPoint titled, “Portfolios, Cover Letters, and Resumes…O MY!” While that presentation was about preparing us for the real world life after college, let’s take a closer look at how the Blues sit right now in the same type of fashion.

The St. Louis Blues’ Portfolio:

For student teachers, our portfolio is a constant work in progress of ideas, plans, and other “artifacts” we have collected that are compiled in an online database for our future employers to see. For the BlueNote, I see their portfolio looking like this for the 2011-12 season:

No doubt a work in progress – no one, from the owners (or possible new owners) all the way down to the beer vendors and bathroom cleaners like the way this season started off. One of the biggest and best artifacts the Blues could add to their portfolio is the win in Hitch’s debut. They also had strong showings against Vancouver twice and an early season win in San Jose showed what this team is capable of doing long term.

The players, not the coaches, management, or otherwise, are responsible for this team and how they play. I find it hard to believe that grown men and professionally paid athletes need a change of voice behind the bench to perform better. Could the Blues have played as well on Tuesday if Payne was behind the bench? I would say they could – Hitch no way could have installed any kind of new system in less than 48 hours and be that successful in a short amount of time.

This team’s portfolio is kind of like mine right now – incomplete. Only problem is that mine is due for a final evaluation right after Thanksgiving, while the Blues have until April. I might be in trouble…but that’s my problem, not yours!

The St. Louis Blues’ Cover Letter:

We all know a cover letter is that “first impression” that all possible employers see when you send in an application. Right now, this team’s cover letter would cause the whole application and resume to be tossed into the trash can before anyone would even have time to take it seriously for an interview or job offer.

I have always been taught at my school of higher education that everything we do in teaching should “POP,” meaning it has some spunk and a great attention getter to get the students interested in the topic I’m about to teach. This team currently has very little of that. Maybe a grade of a D+ in “spunk” and a C+ in “energy.” And without the likes of TJ Oshie, Ryan Reeves, and a recovering David Perron, this team would be flunking in those categories.

The Blues only real “Poppers” have been Oshie, Alex Steen, Kevin Shattenkirk, Matt D’Agostini, and Brian Elliott. And when your backup goalie is on the list of top attention-getters, you know something hasn’t gone as planned.

The St. Louis Blues’ Resume:

The Blues resume, I’ll admit, is full of great accomplishments from individual players and coaches. But as a whole group, they haven’t done much, mainly because we’re only 14 games into the year. But the small sample size we have seen also doesn’t show a lot of promise for the future, if the trends we have seen continue (and with a new coach, hopefully this area will improve).

A resume should be a short but concise piece of paper listing your qualifications for the job and areas where you have potential to grow into a more complete person and/or employee. The Blues certainly have a lot of players with the room to become full blown NHL stars. So they do have that going for them.

If I’m an NHL executive or media type, I’m really excited about this team. They have plenty of potential to eventually become a powerhouse with a few shrewd moves (assuming the For Sale sign gets taken down from 14th and Clark sometime this season), a steady coach, and some extra bucks coming in from some new sources. The fans in this city obviously are excited about what could become of this team, and who’s to blame them? There IS talent on the ice and there ARE signs that we could be at the beginning of something special, even before the latest shake-up. Remember the end of last season? No playoffs, but lots of winning. And winning makes everything better.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to work on MY portfolio, resume, and cover letter.

After recording a victory in Ken Hitchcock’s debut, the St. Louis Blues continued their home stand against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Down early, the Blues rallied only to fall short in the shoot out.

Another slow start got the Blues playing catch up. Continuous first period penalties are difficult to over come and Toronto capitalized with the man advantage.

It is said by some that if you are not cheating, you are not trying to win. With this mantra in mind, the Maple Leafs were doing all they could to win this game.

Midway through the first period Clarke MacArthur was bumped by Patrick Berglund. Grabbing his head as if he was just clubbed, MacArthur drew a call that would make Cristiano Ronaldo proud. Shortly later on the power play, Dion Phaneuf set up a one-timer that John-Michael Liles buried past Jaroslav Halak for the first goal of the game.

Late in the first period the Leafs took a 2-0 lead on the power play again. Matt D’Agostini was whistled for an apparent trip away from the action and Toronto went back to work. Tyler Bozak tipped a puck on net that was swept aside onto the stick of Phil Kessel who chipped the puck over Halak.

The Blues dug deep and found some energy in the second period. Jason Arnott scored on the power play to bring St. Louis within one. The chip and chase that some believe never works provided the opportunity for Alex Pietrangelo to come in low and center a pass for Arnott who netted his fourth of the season.

The momentum shifted to St. Louis as they were in control for most of the second and third periods. But the goals eluded the team even after multiple opportunities.

With the clock ticking down toward another loss, the Blues pushed again. A great pinch by Ian Cole kept the play alive and Berglund got an open chance in the slot. After a couple bounces and a swipe by Chris Stewart, Berglund crashed the net hard and jammed in the rebound to tie the game at two.

Halak held down his own end stopping 20 of 22 to keep the Blues in the game even through a tough onslaught by Toronto in the closing minutes. He continued his success through the overtime period and only gave up one goal on the shoot out by the hands of Kessel.

The Blues failed to get any into the net in the shoot out. Alex Steen, TJ Oshie and D’Agostini were the representatives.

The shoot out should not have been necessary when the Blues had a fantastic chance with seconds left in the extra period.

An offensive face off to the left of Ben Scrivens was won by Arnott. The puck was dumped toward the net by Pietrangelo and ricocheted around sliding across the crease with Arnott skating for it. Scrivens, being completely out of position, saw two options; losing or grabbing Arnott illegally. The penalty was called but with only a couple ticks left. The young Toronto goaltender has already bought into the Maple Leaf winning mantra.

Up Next: Saturday vs. Tampa Bay Lightning