Our boys in blue have dug themselves quite a hole, haven't they? I'm sure this downtime has been used to watch a lot of game film, so the Blues should know what has to be done. The trick, though, is actually doing it. While the Blues haven't shown us much in this series, we all know that they are fully capable of playing better, and beating the Kings today. Like Brad wrote, I just want a game 5 back in St Louis. The Kings are going to want to end this series today, obviously, but there may be some relaxation on their part that allows us an edge. Even if they don't let up a bit, the Blues are certainly able to avoid the sweep. If they play at the level that they were during most of the regular season, they can wreck those plans and force the game 5.

Sabotage / The Beastie Boys

RIP MCA

The Enemy: There's no lineup changes for the Kings. Why should they, when they've been winning so far? Kyle Clifford is on the road back from concussion, and is skating with the team. He may return whenever, but Coach Sutter seems likely to keep his current team together. Jonathan Quick continues his great run, now with a stat line of 1.62 GAA and .950 SV%. He's a tough nut to crack.

Meanwhile, the Blues have yet to score a Power Play goal in this series, while the Kings have scored 2 shorthanded goals. So, the the Kings have outscored the Blues on the Blues' power plays so far. Not so good.

Further Reading:

Jewels From The Crown

The Royal Half

Game Preview from Blues.com

Final Verse: The puck drops at 2 PM St Louis time, and the GDT should be along shortly before that. The broadcasts are on NBC for TV, and on ESPN Radio St Louis (WXOS) 101 FM. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, pray that the Blues had their Wheaties this morning, gear up for an emotional game, and try to resist any Courtnall references. Give us your thoughts on the Blues lineup changes: Carlo Colaiacovo is out, B.J. Crombeen is out, and Ian Cole and Ryan Reaves are in today.

This is one of the many (but a favorite) usages of Sabotage in a soundtrack. This is our first glimpse of the hero James T Kirk. Will our own Kevin Shattenkirk step up today? Will someone else step up to be the hero?

The little capitan Kirk star trek 2009 Sabotage by Beasty Boys (via iindigoo)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

The Blues face an uphill battle, taking a 0-2 record into the Staples Center for the next two games. The first step begins tonight and Game 3. Focus on winning this one, and then worry about Game 4 later. Throughout the season, the Blues demonstrated a pretty good ability to bounce back from bad games - they usually didn't stink it up for any long stretches. Hopefully, they can right the ship and get back at the whole winning thing. If there are any positives that I can take with me into Game 3, it's that 1) the Blues are getting under the skin of the Kings players, and 2) that Jonathan Quick was getting uncomfortable in the net as the game wore on. If the Blues can pick up where they left off, that should help their cause.

The alternative is dropping a third game to the Kings - and after what I saw amongst Blues fans following Game 2, things could get pretty ugly.

I Wanna Riot / Rancid & Stubborn All-Stars

(Programming note, I've actually had a "theme" to these for the playoffs. Round 1 was One-Hit Wonders, and for Round 2 it's songs from movie soundtracks. Tonight's song is from the Beavis & Butt-Head Do America soundtrack).

The Enemy: So far, I haven't seen any line-up changes for the Kings, so we'll likely see the same group of jackasses as Games 1 and 2. Among active teams, Jonathan Quick is leading the postseason with a GAA of 1.56 and a SV% of .952 (unless you count Jake Allen's 0.00 GAA). Dustin Brown is the King's scoring leader with 4 goals and 5 assists. The Kings are currently killing penalties at a 90.9% rate, including 2 shorthanded goals in this series.

Going back to round 1, the Kings are 5-0 on the road, so they are trying to bring a little of that mojo to their home set. They'll be staying at hotels the night before games in downtown LA, and practicing at the Staples Center when possible.

Further Reading:

(an entertaining non-SBN site) The Royal Half

Jewels From The Crown

The Y! Game Preview

The NHL.com preview

Final Verse:

Once again, we face a west coast team, so a late start tonight. The puck drops at 9:00 St Louis time, and the Game Day Thread should start shortly beforehand. The broadcasts are all national now, and tonight's contest will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network (formerly VS) for TV and KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. Until then, consider this your pregame warm-up. Gather here, get the kinks out from your pregame nap, put the coffee on, and pray to the hockey gods that the Blues win this in regulation (no OTs please). Also, in case you need to see a King slapped around to get revved up tonight, enjoy this video. Let me know in the comments below how long you watched it ...

Tyrion Slaps Joffrey For 10 Minutes To Achilles Last Stand (via WesterosTales)

LGB!!!

-CrossCheckRaise

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more

- Henry V

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but a win tonight would set up the Blues to clinch the series at home on Saturday. You thought the place was nuts before.. just imagine IF.

But first, the Blues must win tonight. While our friends at Fear The Fin have kept things pretty non-combative, we've gotten some heat from another SBN site, Battle Of California, which is all in fun. One of the things that they've tried to goad us with is that, apparently, the Mississippi River is just gross, and the San Francisco Bay is far superior in every way. Never mind that river traffic was key to the settling of California in the first place (your welcome, guys, by the way). While the Mississippi is admittedly muddy, I can't see it being any grosser than the SF Bay. Between the North Pacific Garbage Patch and the thousands of cargo vessels that pollute their way through that harbor, it's got to be one dirty place. Feel free to defend the Mighty Mississippi over on BoC or on Twitter; it shouldn't be hard. It's not just the history of St Louis, but the history of the United States that you're supporting. To hate on the Mississippi is to hate on America, and if you're going to to that, well.... we just can't be friends. The Mississippi Rules!

Mississippi Queen / Mountain

Musical Note: I can think of two songs about or mentioning San Francisco Bay. There's a metric shit-ton of songs about the mighty Mississippi. Take THAT Megalodon!

The Enemy: These are brief, because we already know more than we care to about these jackasses. Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi has played all 3 games, and has posted a stat line of 2.67 GAA and .910 SV%. Martin Havlat has scored 2 goals, the only Sharks player to do so, and 4 players are tied at 3 points each. Special teams have been, well, special for San Jose like in "special schools" and "special buses". The SJ power play has gone 2 for 11 during this series, and their penalty kill has allowed 5 goals on 13 opportunities.

At Wednesday's practice, coach Todd McLellan showed a new lineup. From the AP Preview:

The Sharks tinkered with lines and lineup changes at practice Wednesday in an indication of possible alterations for Game 4 on Thursday when they look to tie the series at two games apiece.

Patrick Marleau moved from top-line wing to second-line center, flipping spots with Logan Couture. Michal Handzus and Brad Winchester also were skating on the bottom two lines and could replace T.J. Galiardi and Dominic Moore if coach Todd McLellan decides to go with those moves.

(crosses fingers) Please play Winchester ... Please play Winchester .....

Further Reading:

Fear The Fin

Battle Of California

Blues vs Sharks coverage

Final Verse: The puck drops at 9:30 PM St Louis time, with the GDT coming along shortly beforehand. The broadcasts are on multiple outlets again: the St Louis area can watch this on Fox Sports MW as usual, and other markets can tune in on NBC Sports Network (the former VS). The radio call will be on KMOX 1120 AM. Until then, consider this your pregame warmup. Gather here, slurp your coffee, shake the cobwebs from your pregame nap, and buckle in. This is a big one.

Who here thinks that the Sharks have ... well, jumped the shark?

Fonzie Jumps the Shark (via carpalton)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

After splitting the first two home games with the Sharks, the Blues now travel to San Jose to play a pair at the HP Pavilion. The various previews that were written for this playoff series were quick to point out the advantage that the Sharks held in playoff experience. There is certainly a difference in playoff-level play, and being aware and prepared for that is definitely an edge. I believe that is a big reason for the outcome of Game 1.

Then Game 2 happened. The abilities of our youngsters, the influence of our veterans, and the capable coaching of Hitchcock bridged that gap in a hurry. They may not be on an absolute level playing field in this regards, but the discrepancy between the two is not nearly as marked as before.

In the words of Coach 'Cock:

"They pushed us hard," Hitchcock said. "We grew up to the level of what it takes to win against a team that knows how to do it. We have some more knowledge that we need to compete at this level at this time of year. I thought we really grew up."

On a similar note, the Sharks also got some education in Game 2. For one, watch how you clear a puck from the crease. Secondly, the Blues will not be pushed around or physically intimidated. Liberties taken with our players will be returned in kind. ... and will be backed up with whatever fisticuffs are necessary. In the regular season, Vladimir Sobotka had a grand total of 0 major penalties; Roman Polak had 3 (and one was for slashing). Despite not being known as scrappers, I believe that it's safe to say that Dominic Moore and Justin Braun will think again before throwing down with those two.

Whether you apply it to allowing the Sharks to take a game in your house by out-gritting you, or biting off more than you can chew in a fight, the lesson is the same:

Once Bitten Twice Shy / Great White

Musical note: although this cover tune is the only song of theirs to crack the Billboard top 20, the band Great White has listed on Amazon MP3 a "Greatest Hits" , "Absolute Hits" and an "Essential Collection". Really?

The Enemy: Nothing much to add here, as this is the same team we've already faced twice. The only injury that was reported was Moore's broken nose, from the fight with Sobotka at the end of the game. Per our friends (still !!) that run Fear The Fin, Moore says he's good to play. Coach Todd McLellan has hinted at lineup changes, however.

Further Reading:

Fear The Fin

Blues vs Sharks coverage

Final Verse: The West Coast start means the that puck drops at 9:00 PM St Louis time. The GDT should drop shortly beforehand. Your broadcasts are on multiple outlets: Local TV will be on FoxSports MW, and outside the St Louis market the coverage will be on NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus). The radio call is once again KMOX 1120 AM. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, place your over/under on PIMs, figure out a fitting sacrifice to the hockey gods for the healing of Jaroslav Halak and the continued health of Brian Elliott, and put on the coffee for a late one.

This same clip was shown on the Jumbotron at the games at Scottrade:

John Candy caught a shark (via bubbakushkardashian)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

Over postgame beers last night, there was a lot of concern expressed about our Blues. Is this a mental thing, where our boys have taken their foot off the pedal since clinching? Is it the new faces coming back from injury that throws off the chemistry? Is this Coach 'Cock tinkering with the roster (we were all lamenting the absence of Scott Nichol)? I don't know, but it is probably a little of all of those things. From the game recaps comes this gem of a quote:

"There's no more talking about it," Blues captain David Backes said. "We're Game No. 82 (Saturday), let's go out and do it."

Whatever the Blues were doing, there's No Time for this now. We've run out of regular season.. there's today, and the playoffs.

No Time / The Guess Who

The Enemy: The Dallas Stars were eliminated from playoff contention on Thursday, so they have the proverbial "nothing to play for". Like the Blues, they are riding a 4-game losing streak. This is the 4th year in a row that the Stars have missed the playoffs. Which team will the Blues be facing tonight? Will it be the losers playing the string out but without much conviction? Or will there be some sort of pride involved, and a sense of making a strong statement to finish the season?

Scoring is led by Loui Eriksson (26G 44A) , the first of 4 players with 60+ points on the year.. Jamie Benn (26G 37A) and Mike Ribeiro (18G 45A) each have 63 pts, and the goals leader Michael Ryder (35G 27A) has 62 points on the year. There's a dramatic drop-off after that, down to 39-point Steve Ott, their resident shithead. Also very telling, Dallas ranks dead last in Power Play percentage at 13.8%.

Goaltending has not been a big issue for Dallas. Starter Kari Lehtonen comes into tonight with 2.33 GAA and a .920 SV%. Backup Richard Bachman has served capably, putting up a 2.75 GAA and a .910 SV%. Since Lehtonen has been in goal for all 4 losses of this streak, it looks like Bachman will be in goal tonight.

Further Reading:

Defending Big D

SBN Blues vs Stars coverage

Game Preview

Final Verse: The puck drops at 7PM St Louis time, and the GDT should drop shortly beforehand. The broadcasts are back on Fox Sports MW (thankfully) for the TV, but the radio call has been shifted to Fresh 102.5 FM. If you don't have other plans, consider joining us at Cousin Hugo's in Maplewood for the watch party. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, practice jumping on and off the bandwagon, fix the Blues one more time in the comments, and make sure you have your stress balls, booze, and lucky charms all set up. To put folks in a better mood, here's a happy moment from earlier in the season:

Steve Ott vs Barret Jackman Dec 26, 2011 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

Let it never be said that I was ever ungrateful for BJs. Thanks to their efforts last night, beating Detroit 4-2, a regulation or overtime win tonight will clinch the Central Division for the Blues. There is never much trouble in getting revved up for a Chicago game, but any extra motivation is certainly a good thing. The Blackhawks are clinging to 93 points and the 6th seed in the Western conference. They hold a 6-point lead on the 7th and 8th seeds, but nothing is guaranteed for the postseason. They need every point that they can get, which could make them desperate and potentially dangerous. Remember, Anaheim didn't really have anything to play for, either. As long as the Blues keep to their own game, all should end well.

I've tried to keep the gloating down to a minimum, but when it's the BlackHawks, it's sort of a lost cause. I think this just about sums it up.

Jesus Just Left Chicago / ZZ Top

The Enemy: Boy, does Chicago have problems. Their captain Jonathan Toews has missed 17 games with a concussion. He has began skating, but has not been cleared for contact yet, which probably means he has a little ways to go yet. Also not appearing tonight is their best D-man, Duncan Keith. He's enjoying some time off as a reward for elbowing a Sedin in the head. Goalie Ray Emery has been out with an Upper Body Injury, but could be returning as soon as tonight. A sore spot all year for Chicago has been their Power Play. The good folks at Second City use the term "clown shoes" (frequently). The 'Hawks have converted 15.3% all year, but specifically at home it is at 13.9% - 2nd worse in the league. It's bad. They haven't even registered a Shot On Goal during their last 8 Power Play opportunities (including a minute-plus of 5-on-3).

Despite all of this, the BlackHawks have put up a 6-2-2 record in their last 10 games, and have points in 4 of their last 5. Somehow, they've been getting it done. Overall scoring is led by Marian Hossa (29G/ 45A), and next is the goal scoring leader Patrick Sharp (30G/ 34A). Patrick Kane is right behind with 60 pts. The next two scoring spots are the absentee Toews and Keith. As for goaltending, I would expect Corey Crawford to start; his numbers this year are 2.75 GAA and .900 SV%. If Ray Emery comes back, that stat line would be 2.77 GAA and .900 SV%. Not much difference, either way.

Further Reading:

Second City Hockey

Blues vs Blackhawks coverage

Final Verse: The puck drops tonight at 7:30 St Louis time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets, FoxSports MW for TV and KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. The GDT should drop shortly before the puck does. If it seems a little sparse in the GDT tonight, many of us are gathering at a Cousin Hugo's in Maplewood to watch the game. If you want to join us, come on down. We'll be easy to spot - look for the obnoxiously loud group. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, warm up the Chicago-hate machine, dust off the Patty Kane jokes, and talk playoff matchups. In the meantime, here's a funny story about Kane and Toews:

Jonathan Toews' story about Patrick Kane (via wwechikka)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

This has already been discussed in other threads and forums, but I also wanted to make sure we had this out there on the front page, too.

Tonight, a number of GameTimers (including yours truly) and some of your favorite Blues Twitterers are gathering to watch the Blues play Chicago at a bar in Maplewood, Cousin Hugo's. We've had some gatherings there before, and it is a great place to toss back a few cold ones, eat some good food, and chat with friends new and old. Feel free to come on down and join us tonight!

Cousin Hugo's is located at 3233 Laclede Station Rd, and is also a short stroll from the Sunnen Metrolink Stop.

MAP:

View Larger Map

If the embed fails, the link with the marker is HERE

The Facebook Event page is HERE

Cousin Hugo's website, if you need: http://www.cousinhugos.com/Home.html

Hope to see you there! LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

When the Blues started this road trip, I doubt anyone was cheering for a 2-2-2 record before the last game. Nonetheless, that's where we find ourselves tonight. While they didn't win, and had a few down shifts, the Blues did seem to bounce back during the LA game. If the Blues can keep things on the upward path, and gradually start getting healthier, there's no reason to worry about this bad stretch of games. One of the hallmarks of the Blues' success has been their depth, and that is being tested now. Hopefully, with some of the good news that's been reported lately, we should be seeing some of our boys gradually returning to the lineup soon. Grinding out wins with a depleted team, then getting healthier right before the end of the season, is a good way to enter the playoffs. Tonight, though, the Blues just need to keep on the path, and keep pushin' on...

Keep Pushin' / REO Speedwagon

The Enemy: The Coyotes have always seemed to be able to put up a fight and remain competitive since coach Dave Tippet took over. This year, they had an outstanding February, getting 23 out of a possible 24 points, not allowing a single regulation loss in that span. This has put them in the thick of the Pacific Division race. The top 4 teams in the Pacific are separated by 1 point, so there is no margin of error for any of those teams. You know they're giving it everything they can on every shift. They have cooled down in March. They have only gone 4-2-4 in their last ten games, and they will be missing their captain Shane Doan as he serves the last game of his suspension. Additionally, their Goals leader (30G/ 26A) Radim Vrbata has been day-to-day with an illness. This puts more pressure on overall points leader Ryan Whitney (23G/ 48A) to produce. So far he has, and he's currently riding a 7-game point streak. Others will also have to pick up the slack. Defenseman Derek Morris will be playing in his 1,000th career NHL game tonight.

Goaltender Mike Smith has been a pleasant surprise for the Coyotes this year. He played last night, a 4-3 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks. This season he's put up good numbers (2.36 GAA / .920 SV%) and has been a big part of their late-season drive. Despite playing last night, JR of the Post says that he'll be starting again tonight. Should things change, the backup is no slouch - Jason LaBarbera has put up a 2.45 GAA and a .910 stat line.

Further Reading:

Five For Howling

Blues vs Coyotes preview

Blues vs Coyotes coverage

Final Verse: The Puck drops 8:00 PM St Louis time, with the GDT dropping shortly beforehand. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets, Fox Sports MW for TV and KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. If you should happen to be watching the PHX feed, you'll hear former Blues forward Tyson Nash doing the color. In the meantime, consider this your pregame warmup. Gather here, express your fatigue about the Coyotes ownership drama, express your fatigue at the Blues ownership drama, adjust your Jaden Schwartz goals-scored forecasts, and hopefully we can conclude this road trip with a solid win. Whenever I think about desert showdowns, I think of this fantastic scene...

Antonio Banderas (via CCRR77)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

Our Blues certainly got a rude awakening last night. Uncharacteristically, they gave up the lead three times, when before they had been very reliable with a lead. But, this is what the boys need to learn to expect; the road isn't going to get easier to travel at the end of the season. Rather, it's going to get harder and harder. If last night's scenario wasn't proof enough, tonight's should drive the point home. Where Anaheim is already out of the playoff picture, the Kings are right in the thick of things. Currently, the Kings are in the 8th spot, but are only one point behind the division-leading Stars. If the Kings win tonight, they vault from the playoff bubble to home-ice advantage as a 3rd seed. The importance of these points mean that every team the Blues face from here on out will be motivated to the max. They will be gunning for the Blues, and be at their most dangerous. The Blues will need to match that intensity for the full 60 minutes.

Everybody Get Dangerous / Weezer

The Enemy: The LA Kings were the preseason pick for a lot of experts to be the team to challenge for the Cup out of the West. Instead of living up to that, they stumbled out of the gate, and had a coaching change in December. Side note, how ironic that it's the Midwest setting the trend for the West Coast to copy later (Ducks, Kings). Now, though, since the coaching change and the trade deadline (picking up Jeff Carter in exchange for Jack Johnson) they've turned things around. The Kings have been one of the best teams in the league since the trade deadline reunited Carter with Mike Richards (LEADERSHIP!). The Kings are on a 5-game winning streak and have gone 8-2-0 in their last 10 games.

Their offense is really clicking right now. Tops in both goals and points overall is Anze Kopitar (24G /41A), and he is followed by Justin Williams (18G /34A) and Dustin Brown (19G /28A). In the 12 games since joining the team, Carter has 9 points. Not only is the O a threat, but the goaltending can carry the load as well. Starter Jonathan Quick has had a terrific season with a 2.00 GAA and .930 SV%. and can steal a game at any time. He's backed up by Jonathan Bernier (2.33 GAA and .910 SV%), who is very capable. I'd expect to see Quick in goal tonight.

Further Reading:

Jewels From The Crown

Blues vs Kings preview

Blues vs Kings coverage

Battle of California

Final Verse: The puck drops at 9:30 PM St Louis time. The GDT should be along shortly beforehand. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets; Fox Sports MW for TV, and KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Wake up from your pregame nap, shake the cobwebs out, and get ready for another late one. Back-to-Backs on the west coast are the worst. How long can Jaden Schwartz maintain the Goal-per-game pace? Discuss below. In the meantime, here's another selection from tonight's band, celebrating a locale not far from the Staples Center.

Weezer - Beverly Hills (via WeezerVEVO)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

After a brief return home to St Louis, the Blues now take off to the Left Coast for the next leg of their road trip. The first stop is Anaheim and the Mighty Ducks. Like a few other teams in the league, the Ducks changed coaches midseason, Randy Carlyle being relieved of this duties and Bruce Boudreau (newly available from the Caps organization) assuming the head coach's position. They did not find the same success that the Blues had with Ken Hitchcock; despite the new coach, the Ducks are unlikely to make the playoffs. The Blues are well on their way, of course, but they cannot allow themselves the luxury of spending much time thinking on that. There is too much more hockey to be played in the regular season, yet, and still points to earn. The Blues are saying the right things, but it needs to be proven on the ice. Historically, the Blues have been a blue-collar team - they've relied on hard work, steady determination and a team effort to win. If they can keep that focus, that work ethic, then everything should work out fine.

Working Man / Rush

The Enemy: Coach Boudreau has juggled his lines somewhat, but the usual scorers are at the top: Teemu Selanne is leading the team with 62 points (23G / 39A), and next is the team goals leader Corey Perry (35G / 21A). They also have firepower with Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan. This has led the team to a 31-32-11 record, and the resulting 73 points put them in 12th place and 10 points behind 8th place. While not a mathematical certainty, they are essentially out of the running for the postseason. This is not to say they've given up on the season, though: they are coming off of a 5-3 win against San Jose on Monday. The game featured the Ducks backup goaltender Jeff Deslauriers in place of starter Jonas Hiller. Until then, Hiller had started 32 consecutive games, a franchise record. I'd assume that Hiller would be back to play the Blues. If so, the Blues will be facing a .910 SV% and 2.53 GAA.

Further Reading:

Anaheim Calling

Blues vs Ducks coverage

Battle of California

Final Verse: These late night west-coast games are killers; the puck drops tonight at 9:00 PM St Louis time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets: FoxSports MW for TV, and KMOX 1120 for the radio call. The GDT should be along shortly beforehand. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, make sure everyone's up from the pregame nap, revel in the Blues' ascension to the #1 spot a little more, and trade St Patty's Day drinking stories. Also , take a look at this "Know Your Teammate" segment with Happy Meal and legendary Finn Teemu Selanne.

Know your teammate: Selanne, McDonald (via streakypro)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

Tonight the Blues pay a vist to the Sunshine State and former captain Eric Brewer when they face the Bolts. There are a few storylines that converge tonight. Obviously, everyone here is excited to see our boy Jaden Schwartz make his Blues debut tonight. The Blues are also needing to rebound from this rough patch that we've hit lately. The Tampa squad is all but officially out of the playoffs, but cling to thin hopes. They've lost players to injury, but are riding Stamkos and Tokarski as far as they will take them. All of this is set on the backdrop of St Patrick's Day, one of the best drinking holidays around. Not that we Blues fans need much reason to drink. Fitting, then, that our greenest rookie starts on the greenest of days.

Sunshine Highway / Dropkick Murphys

The Enemy: The Lightning will be in desperation mode, where every game will be make or break for them and their postseason chances. They are likely to end up on the outside, looking in; they currently stand in 11th place with 71 points and 12 games left to play. That is 7 points behind 8th place Washington and 10 points behind division leader Florida. Making the stretch run even more difficult is the recent loss of goaltender Mathieu Garon, who had played himself into the starter's role. Enter the callup Dustin Tokarski, who has started the last 4 games and posted a 1-2-1 record and stats of 2.79 GAA and .900 SV%. That doesn't sound incredibly good, but that GAA leads the team, and the .900 is tied for best with Garon. Given their recent goaltending history, it is no surprise then that the Bolts lead the league in Goals Allowed with 237.

Offensively, the Lightning are obviously led by Steven Stamkos (50G / 34A), who leads the league in goals and is second in overall points. Next is Martin St. Louis (23G / 41A) and Teddy Purcell (Newfie!) (20G /36A). Besides the goaltender Garon, the Lightning are missing defensemen Bruno Gervais, Marc-Andre Bergeron and Mattias Ohlund, and forward Vincent Lecavalier.

Further Reading:

Raw Charge

Blues vs Lightning preview

Blues vs Lightning coverage

Final Verse: The puck drops at 6PM St Louis time, and the GDT should be along shortly beforehand. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets: Fox Sports MW for TV and KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, tell us how you enjoyed the sunshine, share your favorite St Patty's story, and predict the kind of night Jaden is going to have in Tampa. Also, here's a clip of one of my favorite Irishmen, comedian Ed Byrne:

Ed Byrne Emos and Goths (via SpiirytStarrchild)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

To borrow a biblical term, after the Chicago loss there sure was a lot of "weeping and gnashing of teeth" around Blues Nation. And this was not completely unwarranted - that was quite a fall from the performance level the Blues and their fans are accustomed to. However, if the worst thing we as fans we have to deal with right now is a sloppy game where St Louis only got one point instead of two ... things are still pretty damn good.

Preparing for this, I was struck by the number of NHL brotherly relationships that will be represented tonight. The obvious connection is St Louis' Chris Stewart and this brother Anthony Stewart of the Carolina Hurricanes. Kris Russell has a brother in the NHL, Ryan, who is breaking in this year with the Blue Jackets. On the Carolina squad, there is, of course, Eric Staal who has 2 brothers also in the NHL (Marc/NYR and Jordan/PIT). Carolina winger Tuomo Ruutu has his brother Jarkko, who played in the NHL. Another forward for CAR, Brandon Sutter, has almost the entire male half of his family in the NHL. He is the son of Calgary Flames head coach Brent Sutter, and has 5 uncles that have played in the NHL and now are working in league front offices. His cousin, Brett, was drafted by the Hurricanes but is now part of the Calgary organization.

The need to right the Blues' ship, to steel themselves for the road ahead, and the number of family connections that came to mind, all lead to a great tune:

Galvanize The Empire / (Chemical Brothers vs John Williams) Party Ben

The Enemy: The 'Canes are down, but not quite out; their playoff hopes are still alive. The team currently sits in 13th place in the Eastern Conference and 11 points behind 8th-place Washington. The window is closing rapidly, though, and they definitely need this game and the 2 points. Their record in the last 10 games (3-3-4) is making it even more difficult.

They are led in scoring by Eric Staal (19G /41A), but there is a sudden drop off after that. Second on that list is last year's Calder winner Jeff Skinner (19G /21A), and then it's Jussi Jokinen (10G / 27A). As for goaltending, it's Cam Ward's show with 2.82 GAA and a .910 SV%. His backup is Brian Boucher, who is 0-4-1 in his 5 starts and has posted a 3.27 GAA / .890 SV% stat line.

Further Reading:

Canes Country

Blues vs Hurricanes coverage

Final Verse: The Blues are back on Eastern time tonight, with the puck dropping at 6:00 PM St Louis time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets- Fox Sports MW for TV, and KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. The GDT should drop shortly beforehand, but until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, share your Sutter family memories, marvel at our warm weather, and get your drinks ready early. The "brothers" theme makes the video choice obvious; if you've had a chance to attend a Blues home game, this is the video that plays on the Jumbotron. Some of you out-of-town fans might not have seen this before.

2011-12 Opening Video (via stlouisbluesnhl)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

Welcome to the NHL, Jaden Schwartz. I'm assuming your first game will be spent in the press box. There's no better introduction to your new life as a professional hockey player than watching your teammates play a big game against one of their most hated rivals. Soak it in, kid... there's a reason why they call it the "Madhouse on Madison". It'll be easy to be overwhelmed with how things are different at the pro level - these are full grown men, the game moves faster, the hits are harder, and the preparation is at a much higher level. Take comfort in the familiar: skates on ice, crisp passes, the water bottle popping off the net after a perfect snipe. Gradually, the transformation will come along: no longer a Colorado College Tiger, you will be one of the St Louis Blues. It starts tonight.

Eye Of The Tiger / Survivor

The Enemy: At this point in the season, there's not much new to add that y'all didn't already know. Hawks captain Jonathan Toews has missed 10 straight games with a concussion. He's been skating with the team, but hasn't been cleared for contact, and will more than likely miss tonight's game too. In those last 10 games, the Hawks have gone 5-4-1 and have held steady at 6th place (82 points) in the Western Conference. Phoenix is not far behind in the 7th spot with 78 points. They have plenty of firepower still; no trouble in scoring goals with these guys. The usual names have been on hot streaks lately, but they miss their captain the most on the power play. The BlackHawks have scored just 3 times in their last 55 power play chances.

Ray Emery has usurped the starter's role in net, and has started the last five games straight. Assuming they play him again against a divisional rival, the Blues are facing a 2.66 GAA / .910 SV% stat line. If they should throw Corey Crawford out there, his numbers are 2.94 GAA / .900 SV%.

Further Reading:

Second City Hockey

Blues vs Blackhawks coverage

Final Verse: The puck drops at 7:30 PM St Louis time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets: Fox Sports MW for TV, and KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, start warming up the Chicago hate machine, celebrate the NHL's best damn team, and continue to scoff at the national media's spotlight (or lack thereof).

Finally, here's something that our boys won't need tonight to get revved up; but if you did have a band following you around, they'd make a good one.

Starbucks Commercial - Glenn and Roy (via jravary)

LGB!!

-CrossCheckRaise

The best damn team in the league travels to Columbus, OH for the last time this year, closing the second half of this home-and-home series. Considering how last night's game ran, there should be plenty of physicality in store for tonight. The BJs are aware of their mistakes in taking so many penalties, but I can't believe that all of that bad blood will be contained. I'm sure some will spill over into outright fisticuffs. In a similar manner, the Blues cannot be distracted by the rough stuff. Be ready for it, for sure, but don't lose focus on the ultimate objective: 2 points. Not just any two points, either. Hockey's conventional wisdom says that it will take 97 points to make the playoffs. The Blues now stand at 95, and these two will be, essentially, the clinchers. That's the important first step, and it's right here in front of them. The Blue Jackets won't give it away, the Blues will have to take it.

Come And Get It / Badfinger

The Enemy: We're going to see practically the same team as last night. I don't know if he'll be playing, but one difference is that RW Jared Boll has been activated from the IR, recovering from a broken foot. I'm assuming that Columbus will start Curtis Sanford again in goal (2.66 GAA, .910 SV%), since the alternative is call-up backup Allen York. He has 127 NHL career minutes in goal with a 3.79 GAA and .860 SV%. I wouldn't see them throwing the kid in against the league-leading Blues, but with these guys, who can say for sure?

Further Reading:

The Cannon

Blues vs Blue Jackets preview

Blues vs Blue Jackets coverage

Final Verse: Columbus is in Eastern Time, so the puck drops at 5:00 St Louis Time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets, Fox Sports MW for TV, and KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, discuss possible playoff matchups, laugh at Scott Howson one more time, and get revved up for another physical contest tonight. It could be a doozy. Also, after watching this, "Cotton-Eyed Joe Guy" doesn't seem so bad...

Columbus Blue Jackets Biggest Fan dances (via TheColumbusDispatch)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

This road trip finally comes to a end with a stop in San Jose to face the Sharks. You know the world has turned upside down when the Blues are challenging for the conference lead and the Sharks are fighting to just make the playoffs. The Sharks are in 7th place right now, but only 4 points separate 7th from 11th place Calgary. Right now, they need every point that they can get to hold that position. Not helping that cause, though, are the injuries that they have to contend with. I mean, you'd expect them to know what they're getting when they traded for Martin Havlat, but the others... Douglas Murray may or may not play tonight due to a fractured Adam's apple. I've never heard of such a thing. You can break that? And it's not just the players - head coach Todd McLellan will miss another game tonight while recovering from a concussion.

Instant Karma / John Lennon

The Enemy: The Sharks have hit a rough patch lately, having gone 3-6-1 in their last 10 games. Even through their injuries though, they still have enough talent to bite back. Their points leader is Jumbo Joe Thornton (14G / 45A) and the #2 guy is their goals leader Logan Couture (27G / 25A). Patrick Marleau also has 52 points, and Joe Pavelski is just under 50 points with 48. That's a lot of production for a 7th-place team. In the net, starting goaltender has Antti Niemi has a 2.43 GAA and .910 SV%. Backup Thomas Greiss has the same save percentage but a slightly better GAA at 2.36.

The Sharks made one of the bigger splashes at the trade deadline, sending Jamie McGinn, Michael Sgarbossa and Mike Connelly to the Avalanche in exchange for T.J. Galiardi, Daniel Winnik, and a 7th-round pick. Of particular interest is Galiardi; in just 9 games against the Blues in his career, he has 6 points.

Further Reading:

Fear The Fin

Blues vs Sharks coverage

Blues vs Sharks preview

Final Verse: The Blues are still on the west coast, so it's another late start. The puck drops at 9:30 St Louis time. The broadcast outlets are the usual: Fox Sports MW for TV, and KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Until then, gather here, speculate who scores first for the Blues, rev up the hate machine for Joe Thornton, and enjoy a little more British humor (humour?)..

Best Place to Punch a Shark - Qi - BBC One (via BBC)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

Well, would you look at that... another road power play goal, another road win, and the streak lives on. Obviously, once the Blues had the third goal last night, the temptation was to close the book on it and say "game over". That is usually an indulgence that is reserved for the fans only, but it sure seemed like the Blues let up as well. There were 0 shots on the 5-minute power play, and then the Blues allowed an even-strength goal just before the end of the second period. Fortunately, our Band of Brothers in Blue got their shit together during the intermission and came out determined in the third. You know when they say that a coach has "lost the team" ? Whatever the opposite of that is, that's what's going on right now in the Blues locker room. Something goes wrong, Coach tells them what to do to fix it, and the team actually listens, goes out there, and does it. They're loyal troops and capably led. That is a hard combination to beat. Believe that.

The Trooper Believer / DJ Schmolli

RIP Davy Jones.

The Enemy: The Canucks are still a damn good team, and one of the teams still ahead of the Blues, rather than in the rearview mirror. There's a much more thorough team statistical breakdown on the Nucks Misconduct preview, but what sticks out to me from that comparison is this: while the Blues are ranked 2nd in the league in 5on5 GF/GA differential at 1.43, the Canucks are ranked 2nd overall in PP% and 5th overall in PK%. In other words, we need to stay out of the box as much as possible. Special teams favor the Canuckleheads, but even-strength play is more to St Louis' strengths.

For individual stats, its the old familiar names: the twins lead in overall points (Henrik Sedin is 13G/ 53A) and in goals (Daniel Sedin is 28G/ 36A). The top 5 is rounded out with Ryan Kesler (43 pts), Alexandre Burrows (41), and Alexander Edler (41). Interestingly, number 7 on that list is Cody Hodgson, who was traded at the deadline. Other new faces include Sammy Pahlsson and Andrew Gordon. Tonight's starting goaltender is likely Roberto Luongo (2.34 GAA/ .920 %).

Further Reading:

Nucks Misconduct

Blues vs Canucks coverage

Final Verse: The only thing worse than late games are back-to-back late games, in my opinion. Tonight's match begins at 9:00 PM St Louis time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets, Fox Sports MW for TV and the mighty KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, wake up from your nap, practice your best Angry Bieksa face, and get revved up for tonight's challenge. Also, it's good to know that even Alain Vigneault has a sense of humor

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

To the surprise of only a few, the Blues decided to not make any moves at the trade deadline. While the front office is not exactly flush with cash, they probably had the ability to make some moves if they deemed it necessary. They didn't. Not only was it slim pickings across the league, but everyone that seemed available were inflated in value. On a team that is achieving already despite injuries, and by all appearances a tight-knit group, the front office was given some confidence that things were fine as is. This Blues team is good, and getting better: not just in continuing to win, but scoring power play goals, scoring in the shootout, and winning on the road... all things that the Blues weren't doing at the beginning of the season. To echo AverageJoe's thoughts, standing pat was the correct decision. We don't have to go all-in to win now: we've got plenty of time.

Time Is On My Side / The Rolling Stones

The Enemy: The Edmonton Oilers are full of talent, but it is still a very raw team. Once they gain some experience, they're going to be very formidable. That's what 3 straight years of top-10 overall picks can get you (including back to back first overall picks). In the meantime, though, Edmonton is plodding through another season with only the Blue Jackets keeping them out of the basement. In the last ten games, the Oilers have posted a 4-5-1 record, and they are coming off a tough come-from-behind win over the Jets. The kids are leading the way: 2008 draft pick Jordan Eberle leads with 61 points (28G/ 33A), and is followed by Taylor Hall with 23G /25A. The only player in the top 5 that is older than 22 is Captain Canada Ryan Smyth. Likely Calder nominee Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has lost time to injury earlier this year, but still has respectable numbers (14G / 23A).

The original starting goaltender is Nikolai Khabibulin, but he's been on the shelf with a groin injury. He is close to coming back, and is now considered day-to-day. His numbers are 2.60 GAA and .910 SV%. Filling in during his absence is young backup Devan Dubnyk (2.88 / .910). They've played about the same number of games and have put up pretty similar numbers. Watch the twitterverse to see who's getting the start tonight.

Further Reading:

The Copper & Blue

Blues vs Oilers coverage

Final Verse: It's another late start tonight, folks - the puck drops at 9PM St Louis time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets, FoxSports MW for TV and the mighty KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, bitch about late starts, celebrate Ben Bishop's win in his debut with the Binghamton Senators, and get a chuckle off this web find ...

TSN - Jordan Eberle, Who does he think he is? (TSN Joke Story) (via mkwanster07)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

The Blues are in strange territory right now. No, not Alberta, but rather riding a 2-game winning streak on the road. But before we get too cocky about that turn of events, both of those wins were of the thinnest of margins: Shootouts. While I'm glad we can win those now (after so many SO loses earlier in the season), I'd really much rather not need those to win. Let's not call it so close, eh?

Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames have pretty much staked their entire season on making the playoffs. Their GM has practically guaranteed it. As Steve Dangle puts it in his trade deadline video about Calgary, there is no plan B for the Flames. Considering the fight for that last spot, it's far from a sure thing. And the Flames record in the last 10 games, 4-1-5, is relying pretty heavily on the charity point to get them there.

For both teams, then, it could be said that they are

Walking On A Thin Line / Huey Lewis & The News

The Enemy: These are the same Calgary Flames that have lingered around the playoff bubble for years now. Despite a change of GMs, and one time flirting with the idea of "blowing up the team" for a rebuild, not much has really changed. The core is still there: Jarome Iginla once again leads in goals (23) and is second on the team in overall points (48). The top spot in points is Olli Jokinen (19G /31A), who is having a remarkable year. Alex Tanguay (36 pts) and Curtis Glencross (33 pts) are next, and rounding out the top 5 is old friend Lee Stempniak (12G/ 12A). The goaltending is headed by the old workhorse Miikka Kiprusoff. He has started 52 of the 62 games the Flames have played. Despite the heavy workload, he is also putting up some big numbers for the year: 2.34 GAA and .920 SV%.

Not that it means much, but there could be some foreshadowing here. The Blues' farm team defeated the Calgary farm team (the Abbotsford Heat) 4-3 in the shootout last night.

Further Reading:

Matchsticks and Gasoline

Blues vs Flames coverage

Final Verse: Keeping with west Canada road swings, it is a late start folks. The puck drops at 8PM St Louis time. The broadcasts are on your usual outlets: FoxSports Midwest for TV, and the mighty KMOX for the radio call. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, talk more about the Bishop trade, talk about everything else that went down today, and mull over Olli Jokinen's solution for busting a slump:

Olli Jokinen and The Big Mac Meal - Feb 3, 2012 (HD) (via HockeyWebCaster)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

Only in the NHL: The Blues leave Nashville and fly 1000+ miles Northwest to take on the Southeast Division-leading Winnipeg Jets. Fortunately, lengthy travel should be a little easier after a win. The Blues gritted out a tough win against the Preds, and can now take some confidence into their only meeting this year with the Jets. This is the second game of a 6-game road trip, one that should set the tone for the rest of the season. The best-case scenario is that the team achieves their "Road Warrior" goals, rally around each other, and experience a little team bonding. This team certainly has it in them to do just that. And if they do, they'll be alright for the last month of the season.

Doing Alright With The Boys / Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

The Enemy: Do not adjust your sets, there really is such a thing as a team called the Winnipeg Jets. In reality, though, it's just the Atlanta Thrashers with a new wardrobe. In a quirk that could only happen in the Eastern Conference, a Jets win over Tampa Bay resulted in the Jets leap-frogging over the Panthers to take the division lead. This lifted them from the fight for 9th place in the conference to suddenly 3rd place.

The Jets have come on strong as of late, going 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. They have been particularly good at home, posting a 19-9-3 record at the MTS Centre this season. The goaltending for the Jets has been fairly dependable: starter Ondrej Pavelec has a GAA of 2.78, and backup Chris Mason has a GAA of 2.30. Both have the same SV% of .910. I have no inside information yet on who's starting for WPG, but I seem to recall that Mason used to play especially tough as a Blue when he took on his old team, the Preds. I could see him starting today as well.

As for scoring, its the usual suspects in the lead. Blake Wheeler leads in overall scoring (11G / 38A) and is riding a 5-game point streak (including a whopping 10 assists). Evander Kane leads in goals with 23 (40 pts overall) and captain Andrew Ladd is right behind with 21 goals. Also, there is Dustin Byfuglien and former Blue (kinda) Kyle Wellwood to watch out for on the ice.

Final Verse: It's an early one today, with the puck dropping at 1 PM St Louis time. The game will be will broadcast on the usual outlets, Fox Sports MW for TV, and KMOX 1120 AM for radio. Until then, this is your pregame warmup morning skate. Gather here, bitch about early starts, contemplate the travel for a WPG playoff series, and enjoy a little number from the old Chris Rock show....

Biz Markie Performing "Bennie and the Jets" (via wwazza)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

Last night's game sure took a lot of steam out of the Blues Bandwagon. The post-game comments on Twitter were chock-full of "if only" claims. If only Jamie Langenbrunner was healthy. If only we had that magical sniper that finishes the offensive rushes. If only Alexander Steen was back with the team. Maybe if we had a playmaker that could set up the shooters that we already have. We'd be OK if only the team just played to their potential. Trade Chris Stewart. Trade Patrik Berglund. Trade Barret Jackman. Save Ferris. If only.... If only. I don't know what that One Key Move is. Thankfully, I don't need to; Armstrong is on the case.

(I Got Everything I Need) Almost / The Blues Brothers

The Enemy: This is the 5th meeting between these two teams, so there's not much that I need to tell you. I would recommend a 5th of your own, though, if you know what I mean. The Preds have really turned things around since the new year began. In the month of January, their record was 11-2-0, winning both on the road and at home. In February, they have cooled off somewhat, with a 4-3-2 record. Still though, they are a well-coached and formidable team to play against, and as long as they keep Pekka Rinne (currently 2.37 GAA and .920 SV%), they will have a chance to win most games. They are led in goals by Mike Fisher (18G / 19A) and in overall points by Martin Erat (13G / 31A). The only new face on the team of significance is the SS Hal Gill. The Preds traded Blake Geoffrion and Robert Slaney to Montreal for Gill and a conditional 5th-round pick. Gill is 6' 7" and 244 pounds, and beefs up an already solid blueline for Nashville.

The Preds have taken each of the previous 4 games this year, and they've all been 1-goal games (not counting empty-netters). Rinne has been amazing - his numbers for those games: 1.20 GAA / .967 SV%. A win tonight would be very timely: An important division win, a defeat of a nemesis defense/goalie, and an important rebound after a tough loss to Boston.

Further Reading:

On the Forecheck

Blues vs Predators coverage

Final Verse: The puck drops at 7 PM Central time, with the broadcasts on the usual outlets: FoxSportsMW for TV, and KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. Until then, this is your pre-game warm-up. Gather here, lament the loss to the Bruins, talk your fellow Blues fans off of the ledge, mock the bandwagon, and speculate what fixes the Blues need. Of course, there's another musical answer to that dilemma...

Tina Turner - We Don't Need Another Hero (via IchnosX3)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

Rise and shine campers! In order to fit as many games as possible into the Hockey Weekend Across America event, the Blues are starting at 11:30 AM today. There is more info at Spectr17's fanshot HERE (including a link to the NBC website's stream) and also at the informative Puck The Media website. This is the first Blues appearance on network TV in a long, long time. Appropriate, then, that it is with a longtime rival like Chicago. Both teams are coming off of Saturday afternoon games and traveling, so we're all on equal terms there. I imagine they'll be arriving at the rink at about the same time, and greeting each other over morning coffees.

Good Morning Little Schoolgirl / Junior Wells

The Enemy: The Blues have only played 2 games against the Hawks this season so far, so we're going to see a lot of them in the upcoming weeks. They've just bounced back from a 9-game losing streak (all but one on the road) by beating the Rangers Thursday 4-2 and the Jackets 6-1 yesterday. That bad run has caused them to fall to 6th in the Western Conference, 10 points behind St Louis and within reach of the teams still fighting for a playoff spot. Both goaltenders have struggled; nominal starter Corey Crawford (the CBJ winner) is sitting on a 2.97 GAA, and backup Ray Emery has a 2.82 GAA. Both have a save percentage of .900. The scoring leaders are who you'd guess: Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, and Patrick Kane.

Further Reading:

Second City Hockey

Blues vs Blackhawks coverage

Final Verse: Puck drops at 11:30 AM St Louis time. The TV broadcast is on NBC today, or you can still listen on the mighty KMOX 1120 AM for the radio call. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Pour yourself another cup of coffee, pop an aspirin or two for your Mardi Gras hangover, and get ready for more Bloozocky. If you need help waking up, maybe this video will help. Norwegians are weird.

NO(R)WAY ! (via totallyRandomHD)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

The Blues keep racking up wins at home, then hit the road again tonight in Columbus, OH. They were already there last night, and apparently up to shenanigans. Good to see that the mood's light. In recent years, games in C-Bus have had a grudge-match type quality to them, seeds perhaps of a burgeoning rivalry. This year... not so much. A big part of that is, for a change, the Blues are not competing with the BJs for a playoff spot. St Louis is well on their way, and the BJs don't have a snowball's chance in hell of making the postseason. Right now, the BJs have 38 points on a record of 16-34-6. For comparison, the Blues got their 39th point in the 12/15 win over the Rangers. Suffice it to say, it is a tough year to be a Blue Jackets fan. Our Blues just need to keep their focus and not overlook these guys. The BJs can beat you if you take them too lightly. Stick to the gameplan, and don't let the BJs slow you down.

Break My Stride / Matthew Wilder

The Enemy: The Blue Jackets, as bad a season as they are having, are not without some firepower. As usual, they are led in goals and overall points by Rick Nash (18G/ 21A), with Vinny Prospal not far behind (10G/ 25A). As a team, they have scored 8 fewer goals than the Blues - but have allowed 74 more goals. Their top 5 in points are a collective -76 in +/-. The goaltending burdens have been shared by Steve Mason (3.49 GAA / .880 SV%) and Curtis Sanford (2.52 / .910). Sanford has been gimpy lately (officially DTD), so there is also a callup from the ECHL Allen York. Interesting that they skipped over Manny Legace, who is playing for their AHL affiliate. The Blue Jackets are dead last in PK, killing only 25.1% of their penalties.

Further Reading:

The Cannon

Blues vs Blue Jackets coverage

Final Verse: Another Eastern Time start, so the puck drops 6:00 PM St Louis time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets - FoxSportsMW for TV, and KMOX 1120 AM for radio. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, share stories about driving in the snow, exchange valentines, and enjoy a bonus tune for today:

J. Geils Band - Love Stinks (via emimusic)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

Tonight the Blues stay in the Eastern Conference and take on the Devils. Unfortunately, these Devils are going to present a tougher challenge than the Sens did. They are one of the hottest teams going right now. Scoring a couple of goals early, like Tuesday, will help a lot. Hell, scoring goals -period- is a big bonus. No matter what happens, the Blues need to stand tall, take what the Devils dish out, and keep coming at 'em.

I Won't Back Down / Johnny Cash

Musical note: as much as I enjoy the Tom Petty original, no one sings this with as much conviction as The Man In Black.

The Enemy: This is probably the worst time to be pulling into East Rutherford, NJ to play the Devils. They are on a hell of a hot streak, having won 5 in a row including 2 against the current Conference-leading NY Rangers. In 4 of those games, NJ scored 4 or more goals. In the last 10 games, their record is 7-2-1. Their PK is second in the league, killing 88.7% of opponent power plays.

No surprise, the players to watch are familiar names Ilya Kovalchuk (10 pts in the last 5 games), Patrik Elias (currently riding a 6-game point streak) and Zach Parise (also on a 6-game point streak). Add to that David Clarkson, who has 5 goals in the last 5 games. Suffice it to say, their offense is clicking right now. Also, one new player to watch out for is rookie center Adam Henrique (13G/ 21A), who is one of the leading candidates for the Calder Trophy this year.

As for goaltending, the venerable Martin Brodeur has put up a stat line of .899 SV% and 2.66 GAA. According to the Twitterverse, backup netminder Johan Hedberg will likely get the start tonight. His numbers are .909% / 2.52.

Further Reading:

In Lou We Trust

Blues vs Devils coverage

Final Verse: An early start once again, as the puck drops at 6:00 PM St Louis time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets, Fox Sports MW for TV and KMOX 1120 AM for radio. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, vent just one more time about the Stevens deal, laugh at the redonkulous Kovalchuk contract, and enjoy this two-for-one special, as two fights broke out at the same time in NJ's last game with the Rangers:

Eric Boulton vs Brandon Prust & Cam Janssen vs Michael Rupp Feb 7, 2012 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

There was no time to savor a victory against LA, but the Blues have had plenty of time to chew on the loss to Nashville. Not a moment too soon though, the Blues can now work to rebound against the Ottawa Senators tonight. Of course, the big story will be Billy ,er Brian Elliott's return to his old team. Just a couple of weeks ago, he had a chance to play in Ottawa as part of the All Star Game. Of course, that's all about having good things to say about his old team and fans, and making nice with everyone. Tonight, on the other hand, is a game that actually means something. Surely there's an extra motivation in playing the team that sent you away in a trade. When the same opportunity came for Jaroslav Halak, it yielded a shutout win. Let's hope that Elliott does something similar. Not that Elliott can be too mad with the Ottawa front office - I'd think it is safe to say that he's

Better Off With The Blues / Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown

The Enemy: The Sens had a pretty good first half of the season, and were one of the surprises of the league. Lately, however, they've gone winless in their last 6 games, with only an OT Loss to the Islanders to show for their recent efforts. Their last game was a 5-0 shutout loss to the rival Toronto Maple Leafs. They are led in scoring by Jason Spezza (20G/ 30A), although he's gone without points since 01/19 (6 games). Right behind is youngster Erik Karlsson with 8G /40A. Milan Michalek is tops in goals with 23G / 10A, and captain Daniel Alfredsson is also in the thick of things (17G / 22A).

As for goaltending, the return on Ottawa's trade of Elliott was Craig Anderson. He's started 48 of 55 games for the Sens, a heavy workload, and has turned in stats of 2.95 GAA and .910 SV%. If they do not start Anderson, then expect to see Alex Auld in goal (3.57 GAA / .880 %). The Sens are in the middle of the pack in both PP and PK%.

Further Reading:

Silver Seven

Blues vs Senators coverage

Final Verse: East Coast again, so it's an early start. The puck drops at 6:30 PM St Louis time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets: FoxSports MW for TV and KMOX 1120 AM for radio. Until then, consider this your pregame morning skate. Gather here, laugh at Craig Anderson-ogling-ice-girl pics, wonder why "Senators" are depicted as military helmets, and enjoy one of the better Bloge Salming / Down Goes Brown videos:

How To Be An NHL Defenceman (via blogesalming)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

As fantastic as last night's win was, the Blues must immediately put it out of their minds and focus on tonight's match-up with the Nashville Predators. The Preds have come out on top in each of the three games they've already played thus far, but those were all 1-goal games. The Blues could have won any or all of them. Anything less than 100% concentration could easily lead to another disappointing finish. One thing that works in our favor- there will be plenty of Blues fans in attendance tonight. This will probably be as close as it gets to having a home game on the road. We're going to need every edge we can get. With all of these road games ahead, and how close the Central Division is packed at the top, it's going to be a stressful second half of the season. Be prepared -

Thank God For Jack Daniels / Sex Slaves

The Enemy: Having already played them thrice, there's not a lot that you don't already know about the Preds. They play a tight defensive game, and rely heavily on their goaltender. Tonight Nashville is starting Pekka Rinne (46 starts, 2.40 GAA, .920 SV%) who has stolen games from us in the past. The Preds aren't known for getting a lot of goals, but they are actually 9th in the league for Goals For scoring. They are led by Martin Erat (11G/ 25A) in overall points and Patric Hornqvist in goals (15G /9A). As a team, they are 2nd in the league on the PP, converting 21.8% of the time. It would behoove the Blues to put on their halos and stay out of the penalty box tonight. Everybody is healthy on the Nashville roster, so expect the usual faces like Suter and Weber on the blueline and Legwand and Fisher up front. The newest addition is former Av Brandon Yip, who Nashville picked up on waivers Jan 19th. In 3 games with Nashville, he's registered 1 goal and 1 assist, after going without points all year in Colorado. In his career against St Louis, he has 5 goals in 6 games. Yeah, THAT guy.

Further Reading:

On the Forecheck

Blues vs Predators preview

Blues vs Predators coverage

Final Verse: The puck drops a 7PM St Louis time, with the broadcasts on the usual outlets (FoxSports MW for TV, and KMOX 1120 AM for radio). Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, get your drinks settled, and prepare for a stressful couple of hours for your heart and liver. I've been on a British humor kick lately, so enjoy a clip from the brilliant BBC show "QI". Here, they discuss the "Durable Mike Malloy"

QI XL - An Irishman Can't be Killed with Alcohol (via Akfilm92)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

I like to read a lot of hockey sites, when I can, and the one kind of article that I hate the most are the ones that tell you how you're supposed to act as a fan. Those drive me up the walls. Everyone has their own way of supporting the team, and who are you to tell me how to act?

That being said, I'm about to tell you how you should act as a fan of the Blues. Or, at least, how you shouldn't act.

On Saturday night in Detroit, an incident occurred in a game between the Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg was given his first-ever 5-minute major and game ejection for a play where he knocked BJ defenseman Nikita Nikitin off balance while the two were racing back for an icing call. Nikitin fell into the end boards awkwardly, and seemed to be in a great deal of pain immediately after the hit. Despite the on-ice call for a major and a game misconduct, the NHL deemed this as unworthy of anything further. No fine, no Shanaban.

And that's OK. Really. Don't fall into the tin-foil hat crowd - "Shanahan refuses to discipline his old team" "Holland has the league in his pocket" "Once again there's a different set of rules for Detroit".

Bullshit. And don't just take my word for it- Kelly Chase has much more cred than I do:

@Chasenpucks39 Look everyone knows my dislike for the red wings even as far back as I played bu Zetterburg hit is not suspendable or even a major penalty

So, Blues fans, can we put it to rest? Puh-lease? Its just another play gone wrong, not a conspiracy to protect the Red Wings. There's plenty of other reasons to hate Detroit ... this just doesn't need to be one of them.

And for obvious reasons, tonight's song is

What's The Frequency, Kenneth? / REM

The Enemy: There isn't much happening with the Red Wings that we haven't already heard about. Overshadowing the Blues amazing run of late, the Wings have won 16 home games in a row, and also are on a 6 game winning streak overall. A win for the Blues tonight shuts down both streaks. Most notable about the Wings' recent wins is that several of them have come in OT or a shootout. In comparison to the Blues' record, it would seem to be in our interests to finish this in regulation.

After a slow start, Pavel Datsyuk has returned to form and now leads Detroit in scoring with 51 points (13G /38A). The goals leader, and 2nd in points, is Johan Franzen with a stat line of 18G /22A and 40 points. No real surprises there. As important as this game is, expect the Wings to start goaltender Jimmy Howard tonight. Through 40 starts this year, he's put up remarkable numbers: 1.98 GAA and .930 SV%. Even if the Blues get their scoring chances, Jimmy Howard is a tough nut to crack. The more shots the Blues get on Howard, the better our odds of getting one past him.

Further Reading:

Winging It In Motown

Blues vs Red Wings coverage

Final Verse: It's an early start tonight, as the game is in Eastern time. The puck drops at 6:30 St Louis time. The broadcasts are NBC Sports Network for TV (the network formerly known as Versus) and KMOX 1120 AM for radio. Dave Strader and Pierre McGuire will be calling the national TV broadcast. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, celebrate that the Blues are deemed worthy of national coverage, lament that it also brings McGuire with it, and also know that ol' Dan Rather has a sense of humor:

REM & Dan Rather - What's The Frequency Kenneth? - 1995 (via heidigretel)

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise

The obvious headline for tonight's game is the return of Jaroslav Halak to his old stomping grounds in Montreal. Also making a return is Matt D`Agostini, but that is less reported. Additionally, David Perron is from Sherbrooke, Quebec, so this is a homecoming for him, too. There's no shortage of ink on what this means to them. There's an extra source of motivation in playing your old team that traded you away, or in front of friends and family. Hopefully, that doesn't cross the line into distraction. Jaro's composure has been one of his strengths so far, so I have faith that he can keep it all in perspective. Jaro, D'ags, and Perron just need to channel that into their efforts.

The Boys Are Back In Town / Thin Lizzy

Due to technical difficulties, I was not able to upload an .mp3 as usual, so instead you'll be treated to the live version via YouTube below.

The Enemy: The Habs are last in the NorthEast Division, and 12th in the Eastern conference; the kind of results that led to the 12/17 firing of Jacques Martin. Since taking over as interim head coach, Randy Cunneyworth has led the team to a record of 3-6-0. A rough start, to be sure, but that includes two wins in a row leading into tonight's game, where they hope to make it 3. Hopefully, Cunneyworth can speak *hockey* well enough to make speaking French irrelevant. Oh, right.

Their scoring is led by Tomas Plekanec and Erik Cole, each with 30 points. Cole also leads in goals, with 17. Seventh on the team in points is former Blues prospect Lars Eller, with 17. Although, weigh that against the fact that 5 of those points came in one game. The real duel will be between the pipes, where Halak will be facing his old teammate Carey Price. So far this year, Price has posted a 2.45 GAA / .910 SV% stat line and a 15-14-7 record.

Further Reading:

Habs Eyes On The Prize

Blues vs Canadiens coverage

Final Verse: The game starts at 6:30 PM St Louis time, with the GDT coming along around the same time. The broadcasts are on the usual outlets; Fox SportsMW for TV, and KMOX 1120 AM for radio. Until then, this is your pregame warmup. Gather here, talk French, talk Hockey, and make fun of nutty Habs fans, of which there are many.

Thin Lizzy The Boys Are Back in Town 02 Live @ The Rainbow Theater 1978 (via SeanDeRebel2008)

BONUS VIDEO: I dunno if Freddie had to take a French test before wearing this cap, but the song rocks:

LGB!

-CrossCheckRaise