Round 2 : Dallas v St. Louis

[glen a richter]

Jesus H Christmas. I like Allen but seriously at this point the only way I start him is if Ells gets shelled AND loses 2 in a row. I'm talking we lose 6-0 not win 7-4.

[ibldbl]

Not that anyone from Dallas actually knows anything about hockey, but I do like their predictions.....

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas- ... oing-happy

Thanks Gaijin for the help in making the link.

[gaijin]

Not that anyone from Dallas actually knows anything about hockey, but I do like their predictions.....

sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-stars/stars/2016/04/27/stars-blues-predictions-dmn-experts-make-picks-stars-fans-going-happy

Can't seem to make it a link.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas- ... oing-happy

[cprice12]

Always funny reading the comments AFTER articles like these...because you get commments like this:

Jason80 1 hour ago
@aDallasStarsfan @Randy_Moore The Stars will win they just are not going to get any respect until they win the cup again I guess. The Blues goaltending is not as good as ours overall. If we can get Niemi playing better we got this.

[ecbm]

Sweet Jeebus, we're all talking about the same Brian Elliott, right? The guy who faced more shots and made more saves than anyone so far and sports a .929 sv%? That's the guy we mean, right?

[cardsfan04]

I haven't heard the quote yet. But, I refuse to believe that Hitch was serious, because of course we're not switching to Allen. Doesn't pass the common sense test.

[Portland Blues]

I'm trying to find any clips from the show. After Hitch hung up they talked about how he was "opening the door for Jake Allen in Game 1 or 2."

[Portland Blues]

Found the video - he says he's sure we'll see both goalies in the next series.

https://www.nhl.com/video/nhl-live-hitc ... c-43747403

[theohall]

This is like that comment from the Chicago series that some of us (read me) got ticked off about, but had Q and the Hawks thinking about that instead of the game. When saying this, he was commenting how they've needed both all year and when one was hurt the other stepped in. IMO, it's about if Elliott falters or gets hurt, there are no worries about starting Allen. Kind of a confidence thing with Allen.

[Portland Blues]

This is like that comment from the Chicago series that some of us (read me) got ticked off about, but had Q and the Hawks thinking about that instead of the game. When saying this, he was commenting how they've needed both all year and when one was hurt the other stepped in. IMO, it's about if Elliott falters or gets hurt, there are no worries about starting Allen. Kind of a confidence thing with Allen.

I agree. I wish the video would have continued as the 2 show hosts completely ran with the idea that Elliott was wearing out and we needed to have Jake in.

Good to hear how fired up over that TV show Hitch is though.

[gaijin]

[glen a richter]

Always funny reading the comments AFTER articles like these...because you get commments like this:

Jason80 1 hour ago
@aDallasStarsfan @Randy_Moore The Stars will win they just are not going to get any respect until they win the cup again I guess. The Blues goaltending is not as good as ours overall. If we can get Niemi playing better we got this.

On the season, the Stars gave up more GA than any other playoff team at 230. Philly was 2nd at 218. Maybe the Dallas goaltending is good and they're just being hung out to dry by the defense, who the hell cares? Statistically, 230 GA over 82 games is worse than 201 goals against in the same time frame. The stat I'm concerned about, though, is that Dallas also outscored the entire league by a good margin, including topping Washington by 15 goals. Their defense may be bad enough, but is our defense good enough to neuter the Dallas offense over up to 7 games? You have to assume a high scoring series here. As solid as our D is, I wouldn't count on any shutouts no matter how strongly Elliott plays.

[Misc. Blues]

We played Dallas 5 times we were 4-1

Dec 12: Stars 0 Blues 3
Dec 26: Stars 2 Blues 3 SO
Dec 27: Blues 0 Stars 3
Feb 16: Stars 1 Blues 2 OT
Mar 12: Blues 5 Stars 4 OT

I think we can take them if we play our game. If we let them play their game then we lose. Our defense is better. Remind me again how many goals did Kane and Toews get?

[cardsfan04]

We played Dallas 5 times we were 4-1

Dec 12: Stars 0 Blues 3
Dec 26: Stars 2 Blues 3 SO
Dec 27: Blues 0 Stars 3
Feb 16: Stars 1 Blues 2 OT
Mar 12: Blues 5 Stars 4 OT

I think we can take them if we play our game. If we let them play their game then we lose. Our defense is better. Remind me again how many goals did Kane and Toews get?

That's exactly it. The team that dictates the play will win the series. They can't beat us at our game, so that's how we need to go at the series. If we try to outscore them, might as well make golf reservations.

[big d note]

Hitch's comment about Allen reminds me of his quote about "75 hits" after Game 1 vs. the Hawks. Then they went on to hit less instead of more in the next few games.

[ecbm]

I think it's being criminally overlooked that Dallas' second-leading goal scorer is going to be missing for at least the first 2 games if we can believe his coach (and I know we can't sometimes but this one doesn't feel like BS to me).

Also, Dallas' goaltending was somewhere between mediocre and shit in the first round-16 goals on 156 shots (.897 collective sv%) is atrocious. This against a team whose corps of forwards averaged 1.59 goals per game in the regular season (subtracting contributions from Parise and Vanek ). Blues' currently available forwards averaged 2.01 goals per game this season.

I will say this: the Blues need to generate more shots against Dallas than they did against Chicago. Hmmmm...is there anyone who could maybe be given more minutes to help with that? Hmmm...

[glen a richter]

Seguin being out is a definite boost. If they can maybe put a legal but nasty check on Benn too, we're cooking with gas. Nothing deliberate, just legal and awkward.

[KrustyKevo]

Not that anyone from Dallas actually knows anything about hockey,

I am hurt deeply

[WaukeeBlues]

I just hope the adrenaline and euphoria of beating the Hawks has wore off. You gotta believe it has. I'd be way more concerned if we were doing like the Preds and only getting one day off in between series.

For this one they got to have a lot more time to hit the high of winning and come back down to earth in time to get back into game mode.

Game 1's are always funny things. As long as we split in Dallas I'll be happy.

[theohall]

I think it's being criminally overlooked that Dallas' second-leading goal scorer is going to be missing for at least the first 2 games if we can believe his coach (and I know we can't sometimes but this one doesn't feel like BS to me).

He's out. They tried to rush him back, completely without reason in Game 2, and he hasn't skated since. I doubt they make that mistake again, because furthering an Achilles injury would mean losing him for a year.