Game Thread: St. Louis Blues(2) vs. Chicago Blackhawks(3) | WCQF

[KennyBanyeah]

Blues are a joke

That might a bit extreme. They lost a 6 game series to the defending champions, a team who is one Cup victory away from being a dynasty.

 

[Darkstone42]

The Blues simply lack a true first line. There isn't any one line that a team absolutely must key on and shut down to beat them. They have four capable lines, but having that true top line forces the opponent into a matchup game and frees up some of the grinders for better scoring chances, which is why we see some small name guys have big offensive performances (by their standards, at least) so often in the playoffs.

The Hawks have that, and they also have scoring depth and a pretty good defense to boot. It's why they keep winning in the playoffs. You have to key on Toews and Kane, but that frees up Sharp, Hossa, etc. Unless you can roll four capable lines against them and spread the Hawks thin, too, they're tough to beat. The series they've lost in recent years have been to teams who could do just that.

 

[Cobiemonster]

The Blues simply lack a true first line. There isn't any one line that a team absolutely must key on and shut down to beat them. They have four capable lines, but having that true top line forces the opponent into a matchup game and frees up some of the grinders for better scoring chances, which is why we see some small name guys have big offensive performances (by their standards, at least) so often in the playoffs.

The Hawks have that, and they also have scoring depth and a pretty good defense to boot. It's why they keep winning in the playoffs. You have to key on Toews and Kane, but that frees up Sharp, Hossa, etc. Unless you can roll four capable lines against them and spread the Hawks thin, too, they're tough to beat. The series they've lost in recent years have been to teams who could do just that.

#ShouldHaveGottenVanek

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Congrats on the win but I do find it mildly amusing you are asking where this poster is when you never posted in this thread when you were losing.

I don't see any reason to rub it in.

. . . . says the Red Wings fan

 

[Clayton]

That might a bit extreme. They lost a 6 game series to the defending champions, a team who is one Cup victory away from being a dynasty.

Nah, its totally legit.

I just pretend hockey doesn't exist and I wait for the yearly 'i can't believe the Blues got crushed again' from various people. Its really easy to ignore hockey when your team doesnt have playoff success

 

[dare2be]

The Blues simply lack a true first line.

I dunno, DS, I can poke holes in that theory.

Look at the Pens...they have lacked a true first line this entire series yet lead the series 3-2.

 

[forty_three]

Nah, its totally legit.

I just pretend hockey doesn't exist and I wait for the yearly 'i can't believe the Blues got crushed again' from various people. Its really easy to ignore hockey when your team doesnt have playoff success

I completely disagree with this statement.

I dunno, DS, I can poke holes in that theory.

Look at the Pens...they have lacked a true first line this entire series yet lead the series 3-2.

Oh, you.

The Pens have two first lines. And a fifth line with stripes.

 

[dare2be]

Oh, you.

The Pens have two first lines. And a fifth line with stripes.

Oh, you.

And yet their ineptitude knows no bounds.

 

[forty_three]

Just looking at the UFA list and see both Miller and Elliott are UFA.

Blues fans, next year is going to be... different.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Just looking at the UFA list and see both Miller and Elliott are UFA.

Blues fans, next year is going to be... different.

They'll end up with Jonas Hiller or someone like that

 

[dash]

Goalies hitting the market, sounds like the Oilers will be sniffing around.

 

[forty_three]

Goalies hitting the market, sounds like the Oilers will be sniffing around.

NHL Free Agents

Some decent choices. And some REALLY bad ones.

I desperately want someone to put Thomas with Bryz or Nabokov.




perhaps I should start an UFA thread...

 

[The Q stache]

Goalies hitting the market, sounds like the Oilers will be sniffing around.

Yea but who is going to want to go there and play behind that mess of a team.

 

[Cobiemonster]

NHL Free Agents

Some decent choices. And some REALLY bad ones.

I desperately want someone to put Thomas with Bryz or Nabokov.




perhaps I should start an UFA thread...

I'd wait a little while for that

 

[dash]

Yea but who is going to want to go there and play behind that mess of a team.

Hey, they're building something special up there, one of these years it's all going to come together.

 

[The Q stache]

Hey, they're building something special up there, one of these years it's all going to come together.

Yea, I'm sure they'll never regret taking Yakupov.

 

[dash]

Yea, I'm sure they'll never regret taking Yakupov.

That was a mistake (should have taken Ryan Murray) and he might be headed to the KHL one of these days.

/The rumour is that Oilers scouts wanted to take Murray, but owner Daryl Katz stepped in and said take Yakupov.

 

[The Q stache]

That was a mistake (should have taken Ryan Murray) and he might be headed to the KHL one of these days.

/The rumour is that Oilers scouts wanted to take Murray, but owner Daryl Katz stepped in and said take Yakupov.

If that is true then that sucks, I hate when owners, in any sport, tell their executives who to pick. You hired these guys for a reason let them make their own pick. Besides theyre the ones who will get fired for his bad decision.

 

[forty_three]

That was a mistake (should have taken Ryan Murray) and he might be headed to the KHL one of these days.

/The rumour is that Oilers scouts wanted to take Murray, but owner Daryl Katz stepped in and said take Yakupov.

So, now we have to build a statue of Katz next to the one of Holmgren outside Nationwide?

Lose the lottery, but win the draft.