GDT Game 2: 5/17/16 | 7:00PM CST | v Sharks | NBCSN/Y98

[cprice12]

We were taken to the woodshed last night.
No real excuse for how they played.
I'm not mad...just disappointed in how they played in the biggest game in 15 years.
I'll be mad if they come out and play like ass again in game 3 and lose.
If they get their heads out of their asses and play like they can play and play well in game 3, I'll feel better, even if we lose.
We just need a split in San Jose...so losing game 3 kind of makes game 4 an almost must win...but either way, just get at least a split AND PLAY GOOD HOCKEY...and we'll be fine...hopefully.

[midgensa]

As good as the Sharks played last night ... We were just as bad.

It was ridiculous watching our lousy, lazy passing and receiving all night long. I cannot remember watching a worse four minutes of hockey than that double-minor when we had a chance to get a rally going.

I was severely disappointed. We do not seem to have the ability to step on throats. We do, however, seem to be able to perform with our back against the wall. I suspect we will come out very solid in Game 3, but if puck luck is not on our side we could get in a lot of trouble.

[ecbm]

Well that was a raging dumpster fire.

Really, though-the problems are obvious and can certainly be addressed. Need more, far more, energy and willingness to chase and battle for loose pucks. Also, obviously, stay the (Frank) out of the box, yeah? Here you have a game where the Blues played like a steaming pile of shit and still it came down to: one even strength goal, two PP goals and an ENG. And the two penalties for the PP goals against-dumb, dumb stuff. Ott being Ott has to run the guy from behind really, really obviously because hey, at this point he's not going to actually square up and fight anyone; then we have Bouwmeester deciding this is the one night a year to add some grit to his game, apparently by slashing guys in the neutral zone.

So yeah, if they continue to play with no energy and take lots of penalties they're going to lose this series. Nothing too dire there.

One last thing: I really think Ott's presence is bad for this squad. It brings indiscipline into the team in exchange for no more production than you'd get from Reaves, Jaskin or even Pajaarvi. I find it to be BS that the rotation in that spot comes to an end...why? Because Ott happened to be in the team when they eliminated Dallas? Nonsense.

[abc789987]

I'd be surprised if Ott plays again this series. He added nothing to the games he played.

[cprice12]

Oh...and Brouwer's penalty was complete horseshit.
If you call that slash, you need to call 100 other slashes in the game.
That was some weak ass shit...and Burns sold it, embellished it badly.
If you want to get picky...you give Burns a penalty for embellishment there.
Burns scored on that PP to make it 2-0 too...that was a big deal.

[Kerfuffle]

I'd be surprised if Ott plays again this series.

I agree - I don't see a role for him in this series. He's the 'agitator' but really San Jose seems to play a disciplined game and the agitator thing doesn't seem to fit this series - so far at least.

[Kerfuffle]

What's the word on Berglund hitting that door on the bench? Was it just a bruise that he had to shake off or is it something more serious? Freaky timing that it happened when it did.

[cardsfan04]

The only positive I can come up with is that it was just one game. This kind of had a feel of playoffs past though. It was like the Sharks knew what we were doing all game. That's concerning going forward.

1-1 isn't end of the world, but gotta win 1 in SJ. Hard to imagine overcoming 3-1 deficit, especially if games 3 and 4 look anything like last night.

[Kerfuffle]

I can see where you guys get stressed with this team - sometimes they are firing on all cylinders and other times it's like wtf? Game 6 against us I noticed it too but then you guys recovered and had a strong first period in game 7 and played well the rest of the game and never looked back. Seems to be something mental with confidence at times rather than anything physical with this team. But with the ghosts of first round misses now in the rear view mirror I'm not sure why the lack of confidence creeps back in and out still at times. Playoff hockey can always be odd - I still enjoy watching all this even though my team is golfing.

[dmiles2186]

It doesn't help that the Blues are the team with the most postseason losses left in the playoffs. It's just the crazy roller coaster of emotions from day to day. Feeling supremely confident after game 1 because the Blues didn't play their best and still won. Now after a thumping in game 2, it's more of a 'Blues have been outplayed in both games and are lucky to be 1-1' kind of narrative.

The Blues have yet to play 'their' game and they've played well on the road. Like Curt said, aim for a split in SJ and go from there.

As for the Ott thing, I pull him out and put Jaskin in. Jaskin can contribute some offense and that might be needed moving forward if goals are hard to come by (which they have been through 2 games so far).

[fargoblues]

(Frank).

This game better get the Blues' attention.
Hoping for better in game 3.

[Kerfuffle]

On the positive side it seems like there is widespread agreement both in the postgame shows and player interviews that they had an off game and didn't have the intensity they had in other games. I think it'd only be a problem if you had one half saying one message and the other half saying another.

[StL Dan]

I think this Blues team is still "finding it's way" as a top post season team and are achieving new heights the hard way, which explains the up and down we Blues fans are being treated so far.

When they are focused and playing confidently, they are playing instinctively within a proven system that they are extremely good at executing. The minute one or two guys , or one or two groupings decide to veer from that, then the Blues relapse into something less than great, much less very good.

Unfortunately, the Sharks run an unbelievably good defensive, neutral zone and offensive zone system. The winner of this series will be the team that imposes it's will on the other while displaying and maintaining their own system and identity.

Add in all the other intangibles too...excellent goaltending...some puck luck...etc.

[ecbm]

Oh...and Brouwer's penalty was complete horseshit.
If you call that slash, you need to call 100 other slashes in the game.
That was some weak ass shit...and Burns sold it, embellished it badly.
If you want to get picky...you give Burns a penalty for embellishment there.
Burns scored on that PP to make it 2-0 too...that was a big deal.

I feel the same about this as I did about DeBoer's talk. The Blues had 6 power plays and not only didn't score, but really didn't even threaten for most of those 12 minutes. You can't expect more from officiating than that.

[Kerfuffle]

Add in all the other intangibles too...excellent goaltending...some puck luck...etc.

The other exciting intangible about this series is that the Sharks have never been to the SCF and the Blues haven't been there since 1970 - so history will be made by one of these clubs advancing. Both teams are trying to shake the past and one will do so and I think that adds to the fun of this postseason.

[Kreegz2]

Reaves needs to play next game. Give him a bunch of early shifts and have him take runs at the defensemen in their own zone. Put the fear of being hit into them early and hard. The Sharks were way too comfortable in their own zone last night, which translated into fluid zone exits and speedy offensive zone entries. We need to force them to turn the puck over in their own zone and Reaves is the type that will set the example for everyone else to follow.

[Kerfuffle]

Reaves needs to play next game. Give him a bunch of early shifts and have him take runs at the defensemen in their own zone. Put the fear of being hit into them early and hard. The Sharks were way too comfortable in their own zone last night, which translated into fluid zone exits and speedy offensive zone entries. We need to force them to turn the puck over in their own zone and Reaves is the type that will set the example for everyone else to follow.

I don't agree - that was Ott's role and didn't work out too well and he kept taking dumb penalties. I don't believe a physical attack is the answer for San Jose which is not a physical team themselves. And the refs have shown they are quick with the whistle in this series and Reaves may be on a short leash and end up in the box like Ott. I would go with another player if I was coaching.

[StL Dan]

Add in all the other intangibles too...excellent goaltending...some puck luck...etc.

The other exciting intangible about this series is that the Sharks have never been to the SCF and the Blues haven't been there since 1970 - so history will be made by one of these clubs advancing. Both teams are trying to shake the past and one will do so and I think that adds to the fun of this postseason.

That's not lost on me. And, honestly, I get kinda bent when thinking that a relatively "new" franchise i.e. the Sharks might get to the Finals and win a Cup before the Blues.

Anyway...I still reflect on Backes' quote, "...why not us (the Blues)?".

[Oaklandblue]

Bench Ott, call up Ty Rattie.

[Kreegz2]

Reaves needs to play next game. Give him a bunch of early shifts and have him take runs at the defensemen in their own zone. Put the fear of being hit into them early and hard. The Sharks were way too comfortable in their own zone last night, which translated into fluid zone exits and speedy offensive zone entries. We need to force them to turn the puck over in their own zone and Reaves is the type that will set the example for everyone else to follow.

I don't agree - that was Ott's role and didn't work out too well and he kept taking dumb penalties. I don't believe a physical attack is the answer for San Jose which is not a physical team themselves. And the refs have shown they are quick with the whistle in this series and Reaves may be on a short leash and end up in the box like Ott. I would go with another player if I was coaching.

That is a reflection on Ott, not the role. Ott isn't a particularly strong hitter, he's just a shit-disturber. The hits he does make are often mistimed or downright stupid. Reaves is a hard hitter, but he is also a smart hitter. He needs to lay 2 or 3 solid checks while forechecking in the first 10 minutes and it will put fear into the Sharks defense when they are moving the puck the puck in their own zone.