GDT Rd 1 Gm 2: 8/14/20 | 5:30 PM CT | vs Canucks | NHLN/FSMW/101ESPN

[glen a richter]

Well that sucked.

[JCShutout]

Damn. No magic this year. /season

[theohall]

Binnington has become human.... He's let in goals the past two games which Allen would be crucified for allowing.

[flyingnote38]

bad goal all the way around
binnington has to stop that
both d on left side of ice
the one guy who is fricking killing us this series and we leave him all alone

[Robb_K]

A Lousy way to lose this one after that great comeback.

[theohall]

bad goal all the way around
binnington has to stop that
both d on left side of ice
the one guy who is fricking killing us this series and we leave him all alone

With what happened between Petro and Tank, Schenn way overcommitted with the puck coming up ice and wound up on the wrong side of Horvat. It's on all of them. The Canucks top 6 players are finishing their chances. The Blues top 6 players are making mistakes at key times, resulting in goals against, while not finishing most of their chances.

[Portland Blues]

Damn. No magic this year. /season

Sure feels that way.

[Robb_K]

The Blues are just not playing their game consistently. They don't rely on young, fast legs and lots of natural skill. They rely on tough backchecking, positional play, physical game, and need to be in sync with their linemates and shiftmates, and playing with a lot of energy (including sending players without the puck to the net, because they don't have anyone that regularly creates his own offence, without any help. Only Tarasenko is capable of doing that, but he only does it once in a while lately, and not at all since his last injury. The Blues, like the other teams, have had very little time to practise playing together, to get back into their game. The teams that run and gun, and have offensive creators have an advantage over the teams that use mostly teamwork to defend well and score well. When you add to that that The Blues are less "hungry" to win, because they won The Cup last season, you see they have a big problem. Now, against the wall, they've really got to play with determination, and get some breaks, too. I can't see them going all the way, but, I'd like, at least, to see them come back and win this series.

[Toasted Oates]

Vancouver, for a young team, has played almost mistake free in these two games. The players would know for sure obviously, but I wonder how much the empty arena helps that. When you’re at a playoff game, or even watching/listening to one, the crowd adds a layer of intensity that would favor the team that’s used to it—the Blues.

Having said that, they’ve dominated special teams and Binnington doesn’t look like himself (he was their best player in the round robin, though). Start Allen Sunday and I bet he plays well. Now Hitchcock would probably start Allen again in game 4, but Berube has been a more practical thinking lineup coach. Throw 50 back out there Monday and I bet he responds. Brand new series.

Bortuzzo for Faulk, Mac for Brouwer.

Stay out of the sin bin and give 49 a chance to get back.

Blues in 6.