GDT #8: 10/24/15 | 7:00PM CST | v Islanders | FSMW/KMOX

[Robb_K]

Parayko ties it up with a long slapper!!! 2-2!!!

[Robb_K]

Blues on the PP once again, with a chance to take the lead!

[Robb_K]

Greiss had 2 game-saving saves.

[Robb_K]

Backes loses his stick and soccer-kicks the puck with his skate out of danger in his own zone, all the way to deep in The Isles' zone. What a great play.

We go to 3 on 3 OT. Let's go Blues!

[Robb_K]

The Blues had better score. They've got no Oshie, no Shattenkirk, no Stastny and no Fabbri for the shootout.
Steen had the puck go off his stick with a wide open net on a great feed by Parayko, and, of course. The Isles score. Booo!

[Krigloch the Furious]

They NEVER look good after a long break.

[KrustyKevo]

Holy (Franking) Parayko, though. My god, he's the wonderboy

[cardsfan04]

They NEVER look good after a long break.

I thought they actually looked pretty good. 1st period was pretty lackluster, but wasn't a disaster or anything. 2nd period was mostly good. 3rd period was great.

[Robb_K]

They NEVER look good after a long break.

I thought they actually looked pretty good. 1st period was pretty lackluster, but wasn't a disaster or anything. 2nd period was mostly good. 3rd period was great.

Except for the last 4 minutes. They really should have finished off The Isles in regulation.

[WaukeeBlues]

They NEVER look good after a long break.

I thought they actually looked pretty good. 1st period was pretty lackluster, but wasn't a disaster or anything. 2nd period was mostly good. 3rd period was great.

Except for the last 4 minutes. They really should have finished off The Isles in regulation.

I was listening on sirius radio and yea it sounded like they had a grade A chance every 20 seconds or so. I was going crazy

Gotta finish those off when you can, especially when you have 2 of your top 6 forwards out of the lineup. Every win through this stretch is really valuable.

[glen a richter]

I was watching on the Islanders broadcast (obviously) and I could have sworn they kept referring to Steener by his dads name.

[theohall]

Frustrating things from this game....

The number of scoring chances that disappeared because guys couldn't actually hit the puck cleanly with their stick after being setup to fire at almost empty nets. Happened at least 4 times in this game.

As long as there is trade talk, can we please trade Ott, so Hitchcock won't put him on the ice for Gomez to repeatedly set up and fail to finish? Sadly, Ott got the most lumber on one of those set ups mentioned, but still missed by 5-6 feet.

[cprice12]

I'm very frustrated by Steen's play lately.
Yeah, he has 4 goals, 4 assists...but he is constantly mishandling the puck and not connecting on his passes.
And that one he should have buried in his sleep in OT where he just flubbed the one timer.
I haven't liked his play on the point on the PP either.

I'm a huge Steen fan...but he has been off his game lately. Same with Backes.
Those two need to focus and get their heads in the game...especially with Stastny and Schwartz out.

[cprice12]

Frustrating things from this game....

The number of scoring chances that disappeared because guys couldn't actually hit the puck cleanly with their stick after being setup to fire at almost empty nets. Happened at least 4 times in this game.

As long as there is trade talk, can we please trade Ott, so Hitchcock won't put him on the ice for Gomez to repeatedly set up and fail to finish? Sadly, Ott got the most lumber on one of those set ups mentioned, but still missed by 5-6 feet.

I think you are expecting too much from Ott.
I think he's been fine. He does what is expected of him.

[glen a richter]

I expect everyone on this team to contribute offensively while still being defensively responsible. It's the wave of the NHL today. You see it with the Hawks, you see it with the Lightning, you see it with every successful team. Ott is a stereotypical useless fourth liner and there's no room for guys like him on a team intent on winning a Cup anytime soon. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

[cprice12]

I expect everyone on this team to contribute offensively while still being defensively responsible. It's the wave of the NHL today. You see it with the Hawks, you see it with the Lightning, you see it with every successful team. Ott is a stereotypical useless fourth liner and there's no room for guys like him on a team intent on winning a Cup anytime soon. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

Ott has played some of his best hockey with us in the playoffs.
And I'd love for everyone to contribute offensively. Every team would. Easier said than done though.
And to be fair, Ott has a bit more offensive skills than what he has shown here. He was good for about 10 goals or so before he came here with Miller...but in Buffalo his role was a bit different than it has been with us.
With Brodziak/Upshall on that line this year, they have generated some better scoring chances than in years past. You should see the 4th line pot more goals this year than last. I expect Ott to net at least 7 or 8 goals. And I expect/hope Brodziak & Upshall to do get into double digits. If Reaves gets the 6 he had last year, I'll be ecstatic. I think the goal would be 30 goals out of those 4 guys. I would consider that a good season offensively from them.

But with all of the injuries and guys getting shuffled around...who knows where guys will be playing and what they will end up with.

[ecbm]

I think you are expecting too much from Ott.

Not sure how "less time on ice" can be translated as "too much".

He does what is expected of him.

Still have no idea what that is. If it is exactly what he's always done-if that is actually what Hitch wants, my response is:

If he expects him to do something different at this point in his career, my response is:

Same with Backes. Those two need to focus and get their heads in the game...especially with Stastny and Schwartz out.

Agree with that. Backes has another reason to focus this season as well.

As for Steen, I feel like he's had his feet up to a greater or lesser extent ever since he got his extension. Expecting max effort from him in his next contract year, not before, if I'm honest.

A player can't just lie atop the puck forever.

Love your meticulously correct syntax, Robb. First line stuff!

[theohall]

Frustrating things from this game....

The number of scoring chances that disappeared because guys couldn't actually hit the puck cleanly with their stick after being setup to fire at almost empty nets. Happened at least 4 times in this game.

As long as there is trade talk, can we please trade Ott, so Hitchcock won't put him on the ice for Gomez to repeatedly set up and fail to finish? Sadly, Ott got the most lumber on one of those set ups mentioned, but still missed by 5-6 feet.

I think you are expecting too much from Ott.
I think he's been fine. He does what is expected of him.

It's not what I am expecting of Steve Ott. It's what the current head coach seems to expect of Ott.

Hitch is trying to build scoring around Gomez. So he adds OTT to the line with Rattie and Gomez? Yes, we all got what we expected from that happening. Why in H E Double Hockey Sticks is Hitch putting him in that situation.

Better options to ice with Gomez and Rattie - Jaskin, Brodziak, Brouwer. As long as Backes isn't playing well other than faceoffs, let his line suffer with Ott, since the Blues are currently skating two checking lines due to injury.

And as long as Ott is on this team, Hitchcock will continue to use him in situations where Hitch is seemingly looking for scoring, but we all know Ott cannot provide.

This was one of the criticisms about Hitch from last season. Putting Ott on scoring lines and us watching them flounder. Ott isn't a golden ticket to make lines work the way Hitch seems to think it works based on what's going on right now and past history.

[dmiles2186]

Frustrating things from this game....

The number of scoring chances that disappeared because guys couldn't actually hit the puck cleanly with their stick after being setup to fire at almost empty nets. Happened at least 4 times in this game.

As long as there is trade talk, can we please trade Ott, so Hitchcock won't put him on the ice for Gomez to repeatedly set up and fail to finish? Sadly, Ott got the most lumber on one of those set ups mentioned, but still missed by 5-6 feet.

I think you are expecting too much from Ott.
I think he's been fine. He does what is expected of him.

That's the thing, though, I expect nothing from Ott. In fact, I just assume the worst...and he usually surpasses that. Example: last week in Montreal, we're down 3-0 with 2 or 3 mins left in the game and he's out there trying to start fights against a team we're going to see one other time this year? I can't stand that kind of garbage. There is being tough and standing up for teammates and then there is being an idiot. Ott falls into the latter category time and time again.

[ecbm]

There is being tough and standing up for teammates and then there is being an idiot. Ott falls into the latter category time and time again.

And when the Blues do need someone to stand up for a teammate-it's Scottie "Been Here 45 Days-Glad To Be Getting A Check" Upshall.