Re: GDT: St Louis Blues vs LA Kings - 7:00 2/22 - TV: FSMW Radio: 101.1espn

51
Dave's a mess wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:33 am
BillP. wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:10 am
Rivermanfan wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:53 am They have been playing a lot of dump and chase lately. I'm sure that is due to the fact many of their "skilled" players are out at the moment. This is a very boring form of hockey to watch, but it can be effective. However, at least last night, all they were doing was the dump part. There was zero forecheck last night. They would work their asses off to just get the puck out of their own end and then dump the puck in and just turn it over because nobody is digging the puck out. The fourth line was about the only one who actually sent some forecheckers in. Because of that, they generated scoring opportunities, but those guys are not the most likely to get the puck in the net. They just seemed asleep tonight, and it seems like they are that way about every other game.

This is feeling like '19/'20, but we are not going to have the time we had that year to gel and turn it around. We are currently in 2nd place, but that is deceiving as everyone has games on us except the Ducks, who are dead last anyway. If they don't really get it together and play like they can, it will be too late. I know we've had a lot of injuries, but I remember the same situation in our Cup year. Let's hope they get it together soon.
Yeah, they need to get back to basics and forecheck, forecheck, forecheck. Drop 4 back, cover the neutral zone, and create your offense via the counter rush off turnovers. And actually, this is similar to how they played in the Cup run. They played their best when they slowed the other teams down at center ice.......... They still got enough talent to fill out the top 6. The bottom 6 should be filled with guys wanting to play. Berube can right the ship, but it's up to him. I'm really getting the feeling he's in a rut. And I'm starting to think Larry Robinson would be a nice guy to have on hand again.
There are 5 regular forwards missing. They don't have the luxury of playing "guys who want to play", they can only play the guys that are left standing. There's a reason those 5 guys were playing ahead of the next 5 guys. This is an average or slightly below average group of 12 forwards at the moment. You can run any scheme you want, but players win/lose games. The Blues can't play like they did in the Cup run because the team is completely different than they were then. They just have to tread enough water long enough for the reinforcements to arrive.
You gotta turn it on!!!! Kidding...you are 100% right.

Re: GDT: St Louis Blues vs LA Kings - 7:00 2/22 - TV: FSMW Radio: 101.1espn

52
Dave's a mess wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:33 am
BillP. wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:10 am
Rivermanfan wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:53 am They have been playing a lot of dump and chase lately. I'm sure that is due to the fact many of their "skilled" players are out at the moment. This is a very boring form of hockey to watch, but it can be effective. However, at least last night, all they were doing was the dump part. There was zero forecheck last night. They would work their asses off to just get the puck out of their own end and then dump the puck in and just turn it over because nobody is digging the puck out. The fourth line was about the only one who actually sent some forecheckers in. Because of that, they generated scoring opportunities, but those guys are not the most likely to get the puck in the net. They just seemed asleep tonight, and it seems like they are that way about every other game.

This is feeling like '19/'20, but we are not going to have the time we had that year to gel and turn it around. We are currently in 2nd place, but that is deceiving as everyone has games on us except the Ducks, who are dead last anyway. If they don't really get it together and play like they can, it will be too late. I know we've had a lot of injuries, but I remember the same situation in our Cup year. Let's hope they get it together soon.
Yeah, they need to get back to basics and forecheck, forecheck, forecheck. Drop 4 back, cover the neutral zone, and create your offense via the counter rush off turnovers. And actually, this is similar to how they played in the Cup run. They played their best when they slowed the other teams down at center ice.......... They still got enough talent to fill out the top 6. The bottom 6 should be filled with guys wanting to play. Berube can right the ship, but it's up to him. I'm really getting the feeling he's in a rut. And I'm starting to think Larry Robinson would be a nice guy to have on hand again.
There are 5 regular forwards missing. They don't have the luxury of playing "guys who want to play", they can only play the guys that are left standing. There's a reason those 5 guys were playing ahead of the next 5 guys. This is an average or slightly below average group of 12 forwards at the moment. You can run any scheme you want, but players win/lose games. The Blues can't play like they did in the Cup run because the team is completely different than they were then. They just have to tread enough water long enough for the reinforcements to arrive.
I get what you are saying and there is some truth to it. While I understand that the guys that are playing now are not as skilled as the ones that we are missing, my problem is with the compete level. These guys should be taking this opportunity to shine and make a case to stay in the lineup. It doesn't take a lot of high end skill to get the puck deep an aggressively forecheck. They are playing like they are tired. I get that there are a lot of guys playing more minutes than they are used to, but we are only in the first quarter of the season. If they are tired now, they will be really screwed when we get in the later stages of the year and we have to make up our missed COVID games. There is something else going on other than injuries and they need to figure it out quickly.

Re: GDT: St Louis Blues vs LA Kings - 7:00 2/22 - TV: FSMW Radio: 101.1espn

53
Dave's a mess wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:33 am
BillP. wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:10 am
Rivermanfan wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:53 am They have been playing a lot of dump and chase lately. I'm sure that is due to the fact many of their "skilled" players are out at the moment. This is a very boring form of hockey to watch, but it can be effective. However, at least last night, all they were doing was the dump part. There was zero forecheck last night. They would work their asses off to just get the puck out of their own end and then dump the puck in and just turn it over because nobody is digging the puck out. The fourth line was about the only one who actually sent some forecheckers in. Because of that, they generated scoring opportunities, but those guys are not the most likely to get the puck in the net. They just seemed asleep tonight, and it seems like they are that way about every other game.

This is feeling like '19/'20, but we are not going to have the time we had that year to gel and turn it around. We are currently in 2nd place, but that is deceiving as everyone has games on us except the Ducks, who are dead last anyway. If they don't really get it together and play like they can, it will be too late. I know we've had a lot of injuries, but I remember the same situation in our Cup year. Let's hope they get it together soon.
Yeah, they need to get back to basics and forecheck, forecheck, forecheck. Drop 4 back, cover the neutral zone, and create your offense via the counter rush off turnovers. And actually, this is similar to how they played in the Cup run. They played their best when they slowed the other teams down at center ice.......... They still got enough talent to fill out the top 6. The bottom 6 should be filled with guys wanting to play. Berube can right the ship, but it's up to him. I'm really getting the feeling he's in a rut. And I'm starting to think Larry Robinson would be a nice guy to have on hand again.
There are 5 regular forwards missing. They don't have the luxury of playing "guys who want to play", they can only play the guys that are left standing. There's a reason those 5 guys were playing ahead of the next 5 guys. This is an average or slightly below average group of 12 forwards at the moment. You can run any scheme you want, but players win/lose games. The Blues can't play like they did in the Cup run because the team is completely different than they were then. They just have to tread enough water long enough for the reinforcements to arrive.
I get what you are saying and there is some truth to it. While I understand that the guys that are playing now are not as skilled as the ones that we are missing, my problem is with the compete level. These guys should be taking this opportunity to shine and make a case to stay in the lineup. It doesn't take a lot of high end skill to get the puck deep and aggressively forecheck. They are playing like they are tired. I get that there are a lot of guys playing more minutes than they are used to, but we are only in the first quarter of the season. If they are tired now, they will be really screwed when we get in the later stages of the year and we have to make up our missed COVID games. There is something else going on other than injuries and they need to figure it out quickly.

Re: GDT: St Louis Blues vs LA Kings - 7:00 2/22 - TV: FSMW Radio: 101.1espn

54
Rivermanfan wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 8:07 am
Dave's a mess wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:33 am
BillP. wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:10 am

Yeah, they need to get back to basics and forecheck, forecheck, forecheck. Drop 4 back, cover the neutral zone, and create your offense via the counter rush off turnovers. And actually, this is similar to how they played in the Cup run. They played their best when they slowed the other teams down at center ice.......... They still got enough talent to fill out the top 6. The bottom 6 should be filled with guys wanting to play. Berube can right the ship, but it's up to him. I'm really getting the feeling he's in a rut. And I'm starting to think Larry Robinson would be a nice guy to have on hand again.
There are 5 regular forwards missing. They don't have the luxury of playing "guys who want to play", they can only play the guys that are left standing. There's a reason those 5 guys were playing ahead of the next 5 guys. This is an average or slightly below average group of 12 forwards at the moment. You can run any scheme you want, but players win/lose games. The Blues can't play like they did in the Cup run because the team is completely different than they were then. They just have to tread enough water long enough for the reinforcements to arrive.
I get what you are saying and there is some truth to it. While I understand that the guys that are playing now are not as skilled as the ones that we are missing, my problem is with the compete level. These guys should be taking this opportunity to shine and make a case to stay in the lineup. It doesn't take a lot of high end skill to get the puck deep an aggressively forecheck. They are playing like they are tired. I get that there are a lot of guys playing more minutes than they are used to, but we are only in the first quarter of the season. If they are tired now, they will be really screwed when we get in the later stages of the year and we have to make up our missed COVID games. There is something else going on other than injuries and they need to figure it out quickly.
No argument there. Not everyone in the lineup looks locked in. We've been focusing on the forwards, but some of the D haven't looked great either. Outside of Krug/Faulk everyone's had more shaky moments than you'd like. At least with Parayko there was a reason. Thank goodness Binnington has been on his game.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!