(15-9-1)

vs

 St. Louis Blues

(16-9-3)

at

Scottrade Center

Game Time- 7:00 pm CDT

TV- FS-MW(HD) Radio- KMOX

FOR FANS DRIVING TO TONIGHT’S GAME- BE ADVISED THAT 64 EB WILL BE CLOSED FROM JEFFERSON TO 6TH STREET! INFO AVAILABLE HERE.

St. Louis Blues Team Recap- O when the Blues, Go marching innnn, O when the Blues go marchinggg innnn. That was the opening ditty by Charles Glenn on Tuesday night when the Blues Hosted the Detroit Red Wings. Scottrade Center was full of Blues fans eager to see their team put a whoopin’ on the boys from the motor city. You can feel the tension in every fan when the Wings comes to town. The recent decade is a testament as to the torture we have felt year in and year out as they have had their way with us like a cheap prom date.  When the Wings played the Blues you never knew what was going to happen or which blues team was going to show up. The tides in St. Louis have changed. In the last three meetings between these two teams, the Blues have not only played well but they have dominated the majority of the play. A three game sample set is by far not a scientific data set by any stretch of the imagination. That being said, when was the last time the Blues truly dominated the Wings in three straight games? The score of the last game only looked close due to yet more horrific officiating and weak calls (admittedly on both sides of the ice).

The Blues ride high in to tonight’s game sitting 4th in the Western Conference. With a win tonight, they could pull 2 more points closer to Minnesota and Chicago who sit ahead of them in points. The dismal Pacific Division Phoenix Coyotes sit third because they are first in their division with on 33 points (the Blues have 35 points). David Perron has 2 points (1g 1a) headed into to tonight and he will be looking to get his dangle on against the team that put him on the shelf for 97 games. If Ryan Reaves gets into the game against the Sharks, I would look for some large hits to be laid on “Ol’ Jumbo.” Hitchcock continues his impressive reign with the Blues and the fans are falling in love with the portly, white haired coach, What ever he is doing we do not want him to change it!

St. Louis Blues Keys To The Game-  The Blues will look to play a very physical game tonight against the Sharks. San Jose is still a big team with guys like Brad Winchester, Joe Thornton, and Patrick Marleau. Don’t get away from the game plan that the Blues have used for the last month and a half, 200 ft fast defensive quick transition hockey. Keep the puck out of the St. Louis zone tonight is key as the Sharks thrive on grabbing rebounds and putting them in the back of the net quickly. You can’t allow the Sharks to get set up in the offensive zone and get the cycle going. If they can camp in front the the Blues net it will spell disaster for our Notes. The Blues need to get on the Sharks early and out hustle them to the puck and out number them in as many places as they can.  Make smart decisions with the puck tonight: turn overs have lead to many of the goals against for the Blues this season and those are preventable goals. Take that extra half second and make sure that your passing lane is open and the you put enough steam on the puck so that it makes it to its recipient. Goad San Jose in to taking bad penalties tonight and capitalize on their mistakes could prove to be the Blues best friend. Two power play goals against the Detroit Redwings shows us that the Blues are in fact capable to score PP goals. While most fans clamor to decline the power play, I say give them as many chances as they can get. Someday they will have to figure out how to convert more times then not right?

San Jose Sharks Team Recap- The San Jose Sharks come to Scottrade Center 2-2 in the month of December. Coming off a 5-2 win at home against Dallas on Thursday night. Former Blues winger Brad Winchester had a goal in the game and is on a line with Joe Thornton. The Sharks have played cold hockey this season and it shows as they sit in the middle of the pack in the standings in the Western Conference. You can always bet that they will be in the middle of everything when it comes to the action in the NHL. Over a year ago Joe Thorton came out of the penalty box and laid a hit on Blues Winger David Perron, knocking the talented forward out for 97 games with a concussion. Thornton has since tried to make amends with Perron, sending him a congratulatory text prior to his first game this season. Many Blues fans, however, have a very large hatred for Jumbo Joe. Not much in the way of sending a message was done by the Blues in any of the following match ups with the Sharks. In fact the Sharks dominated the Blues last season in physicality, scoring, and wins. It will be interesting to see how these two teams interact on the ice tonight when they meet for their first go around this season in St. Louis.  Will the Sharks continue their dominate play over the Blues? Or will St. Louis stand up and take back some of the respect from the Sharks that they seemed to have lost when Thornton steam rolled Perron blind-sided? The Sharks are a proud team with a proud fan base, and I would expect nothing short of a physical fast moving hockey game from this talented team.

San Jose Sharks Keys To The Game-   The Sharks are going to have a very tough time tonight in St. Louis. The Blues are riding high and playing very well. They have matched up against and beaten a lot of very good teams this season. Not only have they beaten good teams, They have dominated against good teams. If the Sharks want to come into St. Louis and not get served up like appetizers, then I would suggest that they put on their game faces and bring the pressure. The Sharks will look to control the flow of the game tonight. Keeping the Blues hemmed into their zone has been shown to produce mistakes that lead to bad turn overs that in turn lead to the puck being in their net. The Blues are notorious for not being able to get the puck out of their own zone this season when a lot of pressure is applied. Time and time again we have seen where the Blues were not able to lift the puck out of the zone to let off the pressure and it ended up in the net. Big saves at key times have kept the Blues in the game and lead to them eventually grabbing control of the flow and making other teams pay. The Sharks can’t let St. Louis pressure the offensive zone. St. Louis has done a very good job keeping teams on their heels this season. San Jose is not a team that likes to spend time in their own zone. The Sharks will have to be smart with the puck as the Blues have shown that they can pick off passes and force turn overs with their physical, always on the puck play. Getting a few first period goals will help the Sharks quiet the loud St. Louis fans and gain them some much needed momentum in a building that this season is hard to win in. If the Sharks do in fact take control early they had better not let up on the gas pedal. The Blues have found ways to get it together and come back against teams that have let up their play. Will the Sharks come in to St. Louis with their “A” game tonight? If they want two points they had best not take St. Louis lightly.

Blues News- Defenseman Kent Huskins remains out on IR while nursing a fractured ankle. Huskins has not been seen on the ice at practice yet but should be just a few weeks away from getting back into the action with the Blues. Forward Andy McDonald has been reported as ” feeling better” by Andy Strickland. It is encouraging news to hear that Andy Mac is feeling better. The Blues will only become more of an offensive threat when speedy number 10 gets back into the game for St. Louis. BJ Crombeen continues to skate with the Blues in practice wearing the red no contact jersey. BJ is looking for an early January return to the line up with the Blues. BJ brings some grit and grind back to the line up that head coach Ken Hitchcock loves to have available. With the team playing so well right now will Crombeen find it hard to get back into the line up? Only time will tell as he gets closer to a return.

It’s Saturday night and the Blues are on the ice… Get up on your feet and cheer on our Blues to another two points and a continuation of awesome play this season! LET’S GO BLUES !!!

My favorite NHL Newf. Image via Dimur/Flickr

A great showing from the Home Six on Thursday led to an easy 4-2 St. Louis Blues win over a reeling Anaheim Ducks squad. The likelihood of a bout was significantly lowered when it was learned that Ryan Reaves would be a healthy scratch, which he was. So no fights on the game means the Blues are tied for 13th in the National Hockey League with six other teams (the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets), sporting a record of 5-1-5.

The San Jose Sharks are relatively even in the fight standings with the Blues, but just like the Blues, the fight record does not tell the full story. Both teams have veterans to lean on, and they’re both physical at the point of attack. The Sharks have one fewer fight on the season – 10, if you’re scoring at home – than the Blues. But because of ties, the Sharks are tied for 21st on the season in fights with the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders. They carry a fight record of 3-4-3. I covered these guys on a previous report, October 5th, to be exact. That’s where you can find info about the Sharks and their fight work from 2010-2011.

Newfoundland native Ryane Clowe (6’2”, 225lbs, 0-1-2) leads the team with three fights this season. Old friend Brad Winchester (6’5”, 230lbs, 2-7-0) and Jim Vandermeer (6’1”, 210lbs, 0-1-1) each have fought twice this season, and Jamie McGinn (6’1”, 210lbs, Draw), Andrew Desjardins (6’1”, 210 lbs, Loss) and Douglas Murray (6’3”, 240lbs, Loss) each have fought once.

I’m not going to say that the chances of this game not having a fight are spectacular, but the chances of a fight in this one are so slim even the die-hards of both teams wouldn’t even anticipate it.

FINISH THEM.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

Newfoundland native Ryane Clowe is not afraid of a fist battle. Image via Zimbio

Well, that was not exactly what I liked to see. An uplifting win at home is followed by a lackluster start against the Dallas Stars, partially to blame for the 3-2 loss the St. Louis Blues took in Dallas. The one good note, though I am not sure it really IS that good, was that Chris Stewart squared off with Sheldon Souray in the contest (video evidence here). While I immediately declared Souray the winner in this bout after seeing it live, Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights voters gave a slight edge to a draw in the vote count. Being a man of democracy order, I will go with that decision. This pushes the Blues to an early third place slotting in the National Hockey League with two fighting majors on the young 2011-2012 season. The Blues’ fight record for the season now stands at 1-0-1.

Let’s go to California, shall we? The San Jose Sharks – for a club that was considered an elite force in the NHL last season – sure fought a lot in 2010-2011. This is more a credit to their physical style of play and their position as one of the top dogs in the Western Conference more than anything else. This pugilistic bunch fought 48 times last season, good for 12^th place in the NHL. And they were incredibly good at fighting last season – 20-5-23, to be exact. Thus far in 2011-2012, the Sharks have not fought. Expect that to change tonight as the Blues roll into town.

Among players on the current Sharks top-level roster, Sharks top-six forward Ryane Clowe (6’2”, 225lbs, 7-0-5) leads the team having fought 12 times last year. Old friend Brad Winchester (6’5”, 230lbs, 2-3-5) finished last season with 10 fighting majors. Those who fought four times each included Swedish pugilist Doug Murray (6’3”, 240lbs, 3-0-1), Frazer McLaren (6’5”, 250lbs, 1-1-2) and former Oiler Jim Vandermeer (6’1”, 210lbs, 1-1-2). Newcomer Brent Burns (6’5”, 230lbs, 0-0-2) only fought twice last year. Those who fought once each last season were Jamie McGinn (6’1”, 210lbs, Win), Colin White (6’4”, 215lbs, Win), Dan Boyle (5’11”, 190lbs, Draw) and Logan Couture (6’1”, 195lbs, Loss . . . to Petro).

Again, I doubt the Sharks leave this game still having not fought once on the season. Winchester, if he plays, will likely be ready to square off against anyone on his former team. McLaren, if he plays, would be a dangerous matchup for any Blues fighter. And Scott Nichol, who played for the Sharks recently, may want to square off with his former teammates. The book is wide open.

Stop the skid at one? That would be awesome if it happened.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

In which Dowell was introduced to “The Church of Engelland”. Image via Zimbio

Who said there was no animosity between the Blues and the Colorado Avalanche?  You can count out the two contestants.  FOUR fights and one “incident” made the Blues 3-1 win all that more sweet for this reporter to tell you about.  Unfortunately as of this writing, Fried Chicken had not uploaded the fights to his site, and due to my refusal to shill for anyone else’s services on such a matter, I will have these videos for you before Saturday’s game but not right now.  This is a pinky promise.  But to recap, there was a rare “Two for the price of one” fight, where Ryan Reaves appeared to defeat Cody McLeod at the exact time Cam Janssen and David Koci worked what I thought was a draw.  I have been waiting three years to see what TJ Oshie could do in a fight and . . . well, quite frankly, I wish he hadn’t taken THAT one.  He lost soundly to Ryan Wilson.  And in a fight I really didn’t catch so I will assume it was a draw until I review the clip from the late-game Barret Jackman-induced melee, Kevin Porter and BJ Crombeen went at it.  I will classify Ryan Stoa vs. Jackman an “incident” as the two DID go at it, but by the point it happened it was quite one-sided toward Jackman, and neither received a fighting major.  Wow, that was complicated but quite fun to type out . . . anyway, this brings the Blues to 78 fighting majors on the season, still leading the NHL by a good distance.  I will update the fight record as soon as film is available.

On five occasions have we covered our “lovely” rivals from the Windy City, the Chicago Blackhawks (October 18th, October 22nd, November 30th, December 28th and February 21st).  Full disclosure, if I haven’t done this before: I truly despise the Chicago Blackhawks, and have done so for A VERY LONG TIME.  This dates back to their Mike Keenan Era (especially the incident called the “St. Patrick’s Day Massacre” from 20 years ago, which explains every reason needed as to why I called Keenan a scumbag BEFORE his tenure with the Blues).  Sure, a lot of Blues fans have animosity toward Detroit, and I really can’t say as if I blame them (and trust me, I don’t like that team either).  But whereas Red Wings fans fail to reciprocate the Blues’ rivalry with them, Blackhawks fans seem not to mind allowing us being called their rivals.  I like that, actually.  And it’s funny . . . I have plenty more Blackhawks fan friends than Red Wings fan friends.  GO FIGURE!  All that said, the Blackhawks are one of the lower-tier fighting teams in the league with 28 fighting majors collected on the season.  Their fight record is not bad at 13-8-7, but if you take away eight wins from one fighter, it looks a LOT worse.  Also of note: out of those 28 fights, seven have been contested against the Blues.  It’s goin’ down, baby!

Jake Dowell (6’0”, 199lbs, 3-4-2 including a loss to Crombeen) leads the Blackhawks with nine fights.  Second behind him is the team’s best fighter, John Scott (6’8”, 258lbs, 8-0-0 including a win over Brad Winchester and two wins over Janssen) with eight.  Troy Brouwer (6’2”, 214lbs, 0-2-1, out with a shoulder injury) has fought three times on the season.  Two fights each have been contested by Bryan Bickell (6’4”, 223lbs, 1-0-1 including a draw with David Backes) and Nick Boynton (6’1”, 218lbs, 0-1-1 including once getting destroyed by Crombeen).  In the one-fight-each club, you have Brent Seabrook (6’3”, 218lbs, Win), Jack Skille (6’1”, 215lbs, Draw, traded to Florida in the Michael Frolik deal), Jeremy Morin (6’1”, 190lbs, Draw . . . with Chris Porter, currently with Rockford of the AHL) and Viktor Stalberg (6’3”, 210lbs, Loss).

With the Blackhawks fighting for their playoff lives, it would be hard to imagine the Blues NOT trying to get into the head of the Indian Heads this evening.  Maybe sending out Reaves to square off with someone like Scott (assuming Scott would suit up) would be a bit much, but how about a scrap between Janssen and Dowell?  Maybe Boynton wants a rematch with Crombeen?  The possibilities, as they say, are endless.  And after seeing SEVERAL interesting fight matchups last night . . . the possibilities get even more endless as the number of games count down to zero.

It’s a chance to play spoiler against a bitter rival . . . GET.  THIS.  DONE.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

Eeej still has the locks. Still losing fights, though. Image via Yahoo

What an IMPRESSIVE win by the Blues over the despised Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.  Yes, the season is over, but a 6-1 victory over a divisional opponent NEVER gets old to watch.  And there were two scraps!  First, Ryan Reaves and Derek Dorsett went at it in a fight that Reaves made close, but Dorsett clearly won (video here).  Then, of all people, Vladimir Sobotka had a go with Kris Russell and defeated him (video here).  The two fights move the Blues to 74 fighting majors on the season, still good for tops in the NHL.  Their fight record moves to 31-22-21.

This is the fourth and final meeting between the Blues and the Colorado Avalanche on the season.  In the previous three meetings (November 15th, January 24th and February 22nd, a make-up game from a February 1st “ice-out”), the Blues fought four times with the Avs.  All of those fights came in the first two match-ups . . . in other words, before the blockbuster trade that gave the Blues Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk and gave the Avs Erik Johnson and Jay McClement.  Coincidence?  Actually, I do think so.  The Avs have garnered 38 fighting majors on the season, and while that’s not nearly as many as the Blues, it’s not bad in today’s NHL.  In fact, they are good for 16th overall in the NHL with those 38 fights.  Their fight record, though, is not spectacular at 10-12-16.

Cody McLeod (6’2”, 210lbs, 5-1-7 including a draw with Brad Winchester) leads the team with 10 fights.  Following him is former Blue David Koci (6’6”, 238lbs, 0-3-4, including a draw with Cam Janssen) with seven fights.  Ryan Wilson (6’1”, 207lbs, 2-1-1) follows with four fights.  Also included in this list are new Blue Stewart (6’2”, 228lbs, 1-0-1 with the Avs and 2-0-1 overall), Brandon Yip (6’1”, 195lbs, 1-0-1) and recent call-up Cameron Gaunce (6’1”, 203lbs, 0-2-0, Day-to-day with a hand injury) with two fights each.  The rest of the Avs fighters have fought once each as Avs, and they are David Liffiton (6’2”, 210lbs, Win, currently with Lake Erie of the AHL), veteran Adam Foote (6’2”, 220lbs, Draw), Daniel Winnik (6’2”, 210lbs, Draw), John-Michael Liles (5’10”, 185lbs, Loss), Phillipe Dupuis (6’0”, 196lbs, Loss), Matt Duchene (5’11”, 200lbs, Loss . . . to Sobotka), Ryan O’Byrne (6’5”, 234lbs, Loss . . . to BJ Crombeen) and former Blue Johnson (6’4”, 236lbs, Loss with the Avs and 1-1-0 overall).

Seriously, neither team has much to play for, so I will be clearly disappointed if there is not at least one fight in this game.  I would love to see McLeod square off with someone like Crombeen or Reaves.  That would make my night.

Second-to-last home game.  MAKE IT COUNT!

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

My man-crush with Derek Dorsett. I bet Iginla won. Image via Yahoo

I was honored to be witness to the Awesome That Is Jarome Iginla in the Blues’ 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Friday.  And yes, I do have a BIT of a man-crush on Iginla.  While that’s true, I do still wish he had not single-handedly beaten my team like that.  Oh well, some things are unavoidable.  But what I wish WERE avoidable were the lack of fisticuffs, which Friday’s game definitely included.  There WAS some testiness, but no fights came of it.  So the Blues remain at 72 fighting majors on the season, still leading the pack in the NHL.  Their fight record holds steady at 30-21-21.

The Columbus Blue Jackets seem to hate the Blues.  The Blues seem to not really care, except when a Blue Jackets player decides they want to fight another Blues player, and then things get cool.  See, the Blue Jackets are to the Blues what the Blues are to the Detroit Red Wings: Yeah, we don’t really like you, but you really don’t matter to us.  It’s an odd thing, and something I’ve noticed over the years.  And then there was the whole thing with Samuel Pahlsson carelessly dropping TJ Oshie awkwardly and breaking his ankle in the first meeting between the two clubs on the season, and confusion further sets in.  Anyway, we’ve covered the Jackets on several occasions this season (November 10th, December 9th, January 22nd, March 7th and March 9th).  The Jackets have collected 51 fighting majors on the season, currently earning them a tie for seventh place in the NHL with the Dallas Stars.  Their fight record is not terrible but not terrific at 13-19-19.

Jared Boll (6’3”, 210lbs, 6-8-9 with a draw to Cam Janssen that really should have been a Janssen win, a virtually unanimous win over BJ Crombeen and a loss to Janssen) is one of the top fighters in the NHL with 23 on the season.  Derek Dorsett (5’11”, 187lbs, 4-9-3 with a loss to Crombeen, a draw with Brad Winchester and an EPIC LOSS to Chris Stewart) also is one of the top fighters in the NHL with 16 on the season.  From there, it gets a bit thin . . . .  Tom Sestito (6’5”, 228lbs, 3-0-1, traded to Philadelphia at the deadline) has four.  Chris Clark (6’0”, 196, 0-0-2 including a draw with Nathan Oystrick), Mike Commodore (6’5”, 245lbs, 0-1-1, currently with AHL Springfield) and Marc Methot (6’3”, 230lbs, 0-1-1 including a loss to Tyson Strachan . . . yes, he LOST TO TYSON STRACHAN WHO NEVER WINS FIGHTS) each have fought twice.  Derick Brassard (6’1”, 190lbs, Draw) and Derek MacKenzie (5’11”, 178lbs, Draw) each have garnered one fighting major this season.

I would be naïve to think Janssen-Boll won’t happen again.  I would also be naïve to think that there would be no fights in this game, as these teams have squared off eight times thus far this season, and this is the last game between the two teams in the 2010-2011 campaign.  I have a good feeling that if Ryan Reaves plays, he will get involved as well, but I’m not sure with whom.

If they don’t win, I won’t be sorely disappointed as long as the Blues play hard and play with pride.  I’ve gotten to that point.  So what will it be, boys?

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

Stoner even looks high when he’s getting hit. What a name. Image via Zimbio

I didn’t see much of the game on Saturday due to bowling obligations (and by the way, my right arm frickin’ hurts), but I heard it was a pretty epic time during the Blues’ 6-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild.  Well, when you score six goals and all six are by six different players, that will ALWAYS be fun.  What was NOT fun to find out was that there were NO fights in the game.  That was disappointing to this reporter, to say the least.  So the Blues stay steady at 72 fighting majors and remain tops in the National Hockey League in that category.  The fight record remains at a very good 30-21-21.

And here we go again, with the same team.  I really don’t know why it was pertinent to schedule, essentially, two home-and-homes with two teams that don’t even share a division.  But whatever, I guess.  We have covered the Wild on three occasions (February 11th and 12th and, obviously, this past Saturday).  With no fights Saturday, the Wild slid to a tie for 20th in the NHL with 30 fighting majors.  The Atlanta Thrashers fought over the weekend, so they broke free from the tie between the Wild and the Montreal Canadiens.  And of course, Minnesota’s fight record still stands at a very solid 14-8-8.

We’ll go ahead and recap the fighters again . . . Brad Staubitz (6’1”, 215lbs, 7-5-2 including a loss to Brad Winchester and a draw with Cam Janssen) leads the team with 14 fights on the season, obviously almost half of the team’s fights.  Following him is Clayton Stoner (6’3”, 225lbs, 3-1-1 including a bloody victory over David Backes) with five.  Following him are five guys with two fights each: Matt Kassian (6’4”, 232lbs, 2-0-0, currently with Houston in the AHL), Eric Nystrom (6’1”, 193lbs, 1-1-0), Cam Barker (6’3”, 215lbs, 1-1-0 including a loss to Matt D’Agostini), Brent Burns (6’5”, 219lbs, 0-0-2) and Kyle Brodziak (6’2”, 209lbs, 0-1-1).  Chuck Kobasew (6’0”, 192lbs, Draw) has only fought once and is the only Wild to fight only once this season.

After getting NO fights on Saturday, it’s hard to imagine these two would lay off each other this time.  Maybe this time, Ryan Reaves DOES go at it with Staubitz.  Maybe this time, Stoner and someone like BJ Crombeen go at it.  Maybe there’s a rematch between D’Agostini and Barker.  Really, who knows?

I will be in attendance for this one. Meet Jeff, Kelly and I (at least . . . there may be more) before the game!  And maybe we’ll also bring home a winner!

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

Looks like Subban wants Staubitz to leave. Image via Zimbio

Sure, the Edmonton Oilers are probably the worst team in the National Hockey League, but that doesn’t make the dominating 4-0 Blues win over them any less sweet.  “Dominating” may not be the right word, but the absolute correct word might be one I won’t mention on this blog (but I probably would at Game Time).  And guess what?  There were three fights in the game!  And how different these three fights were to each other, I say.  First, it was a mini-epic dance fest between Jim Vandermeer and Cam Janssen that was rightfully scored a draw (video here).  Then, Ryan Reaves and Theo Peckham went at it with Reaves taking it quite decidedly (video here).  Finally, after a questionable hit from behind by Jean-Francois Jacques to Chris Porter, BJ Crombeen sparred with Jacques and despite giving inches and pounds to him, Beej was determined the winner (video here).  The Blues slide up to 72 fighting majors, and in so doing, slide into first place by themselves in fights.  The two wins and a draw move the fight record up to 30-21-21.  That record is starting to turn back to the good side!

Why is it, exactly, that we (technically, anyway, this time) play TWO home-and-homes with the Minnesota Wild?  Sure, they are a Western Conference foe, but why not do this more often with the likes of Chicago or Detroit or Columbus or Nashville?  You know . . . DIVISIONAL OPPONENTS?!   I digress, though.  So as you know, we HAVE covered the Wild on two occasions (February 11th and 12th).  If you ask me, THAT was probably the weekend where the Blues were put in the can for the season, with playoff dreams flushed down the toilet.  The Wild are not a huge fighting team, but in that weekend home-and-home they fought the Blues four times (you’ll find video links in the next paragraph).  The Wild are currently tied for 19th in the NHL with 30 fighting majors, sitting level with the Atlanta Thrashers and Montreal Canadiens.  For a team that doesn’t fight much, they do a good job when they do, as their fight record on the season shows – 14-8-8.

Brad Staubitz (6’1”, 215lbs, 7-5-2 including a loss to Brad Winchester and a draw with Janssen) leads the team with 14 fights on the season, obviously almost half of the team’s fights.  Following him is Clayton Stoner (6’3”, 225lbs, 3-1-1 including a victory over David Backes with plenty of “Inglourious Blood”) with five.  Following him are five guys with two fights each: Matt Kassian (6’4”, 232lbs, 2-0-0, currently with Houston in the AHL), Eric Nystrom (6’1”, 193lbs, 1-1-0), Cam Barker (6’3”, 215lbs, 1-1-0 including a loss to Matt D’Agostini), Brent Burns (6’5”, 219lbs, 0-0-2) and Kyle Brodziak (6’2”, 209lbs, 0-1-1).  Chuck Kobasew (6’0”, 192lbs, Draw) has only fought once and is the only Wild to fight only once this season.

With the makeup of the Blues team markedly altered since the last meetings with the Wild, it’s hard to tell if the bad blood from the first two games will spill over here.  But if you’re the betting type (and believe me, if I had money, I WOULD be one), I would go with Reaves and Staubitz.  But as with the last set of games with the Wild, A LOT of things are possible here.

Can the boys get a modicum of redemption on the Wild?  We shall see.  Also, thanks for the birthday wishes yesterday, all.  It is much appreciated.  DIRTY THIRTY!

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

Anyone with the stones to wear #72 on a hockey sweater kicks ass. Image via Wikipedia

Talk about your epic turn-arounds from one day to the next.  I missed most of the Blues’ 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings, but learning the shot differential was +18 in favor of the Blues usually tells the story, and I’ve heard it was about that dominant.  Not only that, there were two fights in the game – one which led to a Blue knocking a King silly.  First, it was Cam Janssen against Kevin Westgarth, a fight that Westgarth won relatively easily (video here).  Then, Ryan Reaves knocked Kyle Clifford into next season with two punches (video here, and I really DO hope Clifford turns out to be OK because that looked SCARY).  So the Blues, with those two fights, move to 67 fighting majors on the season, moving into second place in the NHL.  With the win and the loss, their fight record shifts to 28-20-19.

The Blues have a history with the San Jose Sharks this season.  We’ve covered them on three occasions this season (November 4th, December 18th and January 15th).  And there was some incident involving Joe Thornton and David Perron.  The bad blood has resulted in seven fights between the two teams this season.  And it’s not like the Sharks don’t know how to fight . . . they do so a LOT.  Right now, the Sharks are tied for 12th in the NHL with the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers, each with 41 fights on the season.  And their fight record?  Well, let’s just say it’s one of the best in the league . . . 18-4-19.  Quite impressive.

Your old friend and mine, Jamal Mayers (6’1”, 214lbs 3-2-6 including a draw with Brad Winchester and an overwhelming win over Winchester) leads the team with 11 fights on the season.  A close second?  Ryane Clowe (6’2”, 225lbs, 6-0-4 including a draw with BJ Crombeen) with 10 fights.  Frazer McLaren (6’5”, 250lbs, 1-1-2, currently with Worcester of the AHL) and Scott Nichol (5’9”, 180lbs, 1-0-3 including a draw with Chris Porter, on IR with an upper body injury) each have fought four times.  Ben Eager (6’2”, 235lbs, 2-0-1 as a Shark and 3-0-3 overall, acquired from the Thrashers near the deadline) has three fights as a Shark.  Douglas Murray (6’3”, 240lbs, 2-0-0) and Brandon Mashinter (6’4”, 235lbs, 1-0-1 including a win over Reaves) each have fought twice.  The rest have fought once each: Jamie McGinn (6’1”, 200lbs, Win, currently with Worcester of the AHL), Mike Moore (6’1”, 200lbs, Win, currently with Worcester of the AHL), Devin Setoguchi (6’0”, 200lbs, Draw), Benn Ferriero (5’11”, 195lbs, Draw . . . with Ian Cole, currently with Worcester of the AHL) and Logan Couture (6’1”, 195lbs, Loss . . . to Alex Pietrangelo) each have fought once.

Odds are that there WILL be a fight, but whom?  Most of the regular participants seem to have left the building.  I would think Reaves would be good for a rematch with Mashinter.  Otherwise, Janssen is ALWAYS a good bet to throw down.  Maybe against Clowe?  We’ll see.

Two good games in a row?  That’d be nice.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

“I got Dukes, do you?” Image via AOL News by way of Getty

The way I saw it, you can’t really fault the Blues’ effort in their 5-3 loss to the despised Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.  They played hard, they scared the crap out of a veteran team AND they did so with a bunch of folks from up the Illinois River.  There were no fights in this game, as I anticipated, so the Blues hang tight at 65 fighting majors on the season, which is still good for third place in the NHL.  The Blues’ fight record stays steady at 27-19-19.

From past reports, you may be able to tell that I really love to write about this Anaheim Ducks team.  They are the type of violent that a self-proclaimed drunken Irishman like me can truly appreciate (even though I’m not a violent person . . . go figure).  We have covered the Ducks three times this season (October 11th, January 12th and February 19th), and they sure as heck do NOT shy away from a fight.  They also do not lack toughness or scoring touch.  This team is TRULY one of my favorite hockey teams to watch AND to see the Blues play against, since I’m almost assured there’s going to be at least one fight.  The Ducks currently sit at fourth place in the NHL with 60 fights on the season.  Their fight record, much like the Blues, is pretty even at 20-15-25.

George Parros (6’5”, 222lbs, 11-3-9 with wins over Barret Jackman and Cam Janssen) is not only the team leader in fights with 23, but the individual league leader as well.  He is followed by Sheldon Brookbank (6’1”, 200lbs, 2-1-3) and Kyle Chipchura (6’2”, 206lbs, 0-2-4 including a loss to Ryan Reaves) with six fights each as Ducks.  Aaron Voros (6’4’, 215lbs, 2-2-1 including a win over Eric Brewer, traded to Toronto) and Luca Sbisa (6’2”, 204lbs, 1-1-3 including a draw with Brewer and a loss to Matt D’Agostini) have each fought five times as Ducks.  Andy Sutton (6’6”, 245lbs, 0-1-2) may not be an expert, but has fought three times.  Matt Beleskey (6’0”, 204lbs, 2-0-0 with a win over Vladimir Sobotka, in the AHL with Syracuse), Ryan Carter (6’2”, 200lbs, 1-1-0 as a duck and 1-2-1 overall, traded to Carolina) and Corey Perry (6’3”, 206lbs, 0-0-2) have each fought twice as Ducks.  The rest of the fighters all have fight experience but have only one fight each as Ducks, and they are Bobby Ryan (6’2”, 208lbs, a non-fight Win over David Perron that yielded only one fighting major to Ryan), our old friend Brad Winchester (6’5”, 231lbs, one Draw as a Duck and 2-2-5 overall), Troy Bodie (6’4”, 214lbs, one Loss as a Duck and 1-5-5 overall, claimed by Carolina early in the season), Brendan Mikkelson (6’3”, 205lbs, Loss to Erik Johnson, claimed by Calgary early in the season), Ryan Getzlaf (6’4”, 220lbs, Loss) and Maxime Lapierre (6’2”, 207lbs, a Loss as a Duck to BJ Crombeen and 0-3-0 overall, traded by Montreal to Anaheim, then from Anaheim to Vancouver).  This team is QUITE violent.

You have the chance to see SEVERAL fights tonight, even with all the AHLers up for the Blues.  Parros, if he plays, will fight anyone that challenges him.  Brookbank and Chipchura are always good bets as well, but it’s hard to say whom with . . . although Janssen is a GREAT option for all of the above.  And I really would love to see Reaves fight again.

This is a chance to play spoiler to a whole bunch of West Coast opponents.  Why not start it at The Pond?

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights