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GDT: Rnd 2, Game 7, Blues vs Stars 7PM NBCSN

1 by CaptSMRT
LINK

Blues don't reveal goalie for Game 7
Hitchcock says he'll tell Wednesday whether Elliott or Allen will start against Stars
by Louie Korac / NHL.com Correspondent
May 10th, 2016 Share

Game 7: BLUES at STARS

Western Conference Second Round

Best-of-7 series is tied 3-3

TV: 8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports

If Ken Hitchcock knows who his starting goalie will be for the winner-take-all game Wednesday, the St. Louis Blues coach isn't letting on.

"I'll let you know tomorrow," Hitchcock said Tuesday before the Blues boarded a flight for Dallas.

It could be a ploy to keep the Dallas Stars guessing, but Hitchcock did say after a 3-2 loss in Game 6 on Monday that he wanted to sleep on his decision of whether to start Brian Elliott, who was pulled in the first period after allowing three goals on seven shots, or Jake Allen.

But to the players, it's a unanimous choice: Elliott, who has started all 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games for St. Louis.

"[Elliott's] been the MVP of our team for the first two rounds," Blues captain David Backes said Tuesday. "We've given up some glorious chances that he's bailed us out on. Even the goals last game, I think it's the timing of it, three goals on seven shots to start the period. ... Jake comes in and does a heck of a job, but Brian Elliott's been our best player and if it's not him tomorrow, I'd be surprised. But those aren't my decisions; that's [Hitchcock's] decision. He's been awesome for us. He has no faults in those goals yesterday."

Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo agreed.

"[Elliott's] been unbelievable for us," Pietrangelo said. "Jake filled in great yesterday. ... He's been standing on his head the whole playoffs. I've said to you guys before, we can stand here all day and talk about how great he's been down the stretch and in the playoffs. Everybody sees, everybody knows he's been lights-out for us.

"... I haven't heard anything about [who starts]. It's a question for [Hitchcock]."

Stars coach Lindy Ruff said center Tyler Seguin (Achilles) is not ready to play in Game 7 after Seguin skated before and during an optional skate Tuesday.

"Tyler still remains day-to-day," Ruff said. "He's just working on trying to get back."

Seguin has played in one game (Game 2 of the first round against the Minnesota Wild) since March 17. The fact he skated Tuesday seemed to indicate he might be available for Game 7, but Ruff said he doesn't expect him to be.

"No, he's been ramping up the skating again and it's just all part of the process," Ruff said. "That's a good sign. That's a real good sign for us. It's just another step in his process.

"He's not available to play right now. I'm not going to try to deceive you, he's not ready to play yet. He's just hit his next step on the way back again. He's closer than he was a couple days ago."

Blues team scope: The Blues may make some lineup changes after losing Game 6. Defenseman Joel Edmundson could re-enter the lineup after being a healthy scratch Monday. Also, Steve Ott or Ryan Reaves could take Dmitrij Jaskin's forward spot on the fourth line. Hitchcock is 4-2 in Game 7s. Forward Troy Brouwer will be playing in a Game 7 for an NHL-record eighth straight playoff series; he's 3-4. Right wing Vladimir Tarasenko went five straight periods from the third period of Game 4 through the first period of Game 6 without a shot on goal. "I think there's opportunities for him probably to play a little bit more give-and-go," Hitchcock said. "I looked at the tape this morning. He had a number of attack chances that either got blocked or didn't hit the net. When you're a shooter, everybody gets in the lanes."

Stars team scope: Forward Travis Moen, who sustained a hand injury in Game 5, is out for the remainder of the playoffs. "[He] is going to be out for a good period of time," Ruff said. "That cast is on I believe for at least three weeks. I didn't even ask how it happened. It happened early in the game. He played the whole game with it." Forward Radek Faksa is OK after blocking a shot late in Game 6. Also, forward Patrick Sharp got a bit of a scare after a collision with Backes in the first period but is fine. "We've got some guys with minor bumps, bruises," said Ruff, who is 0-3 in Game 7s. "We've got some players that are hurt, and I think they might have some players hurt too. It's been a hard series so far, but all our bumps and bruises are available to play."

Re: GDT: Rnd 2, Game 7, Blues vs Stars 7PM NBCSN

4 by T.C.
On playing on the road:
“I think we just simplify our game,” Pietrangelo said. “We know we don’t necessarily have the matchups that we want. We play a simple game to make it more effective. It seems to make it more effective.

“It seems to give us the most success. It’s a little different at home when we have the matchups that we want. We’ve been able to play four lines and six (defenders) and have that success.”

so, i dunno, maybe quit trying to play chess at home, hitch??? you obviously aren't great at it. just put guys out, who gives a fuck who they are playing against, and let them do what they do. we will win. it has been written, so it shall be done.

Re: GDT: Rnd 2, Game 7, Blues vs Stars 7PM NBCSN

10 by Oates2Hullie450
Don't see it anywhere else so here's a few quotes from Hitch

"We're confident all year playing on the road. I think road and home's not relevant anymore. The size of the rinks are the same, buildings are the same. ... It's all the same now. I don't think it really matters. For us, we've played pretty much consistent all playoffs that's given us an edge. We took on the defending Stanley Cup champions and beat them. We're getting the No. 1 seed in the West and we've got them pushed right to the edge, so we've just got to push ourselves over the top here right now."

"We're a blue-collar team. We're really good at it. We're going to have to bring our best blue-collar effort forward and if we do it, them we're going to be in good shape, but it's got to be a great blue-collar effort."

"It's a very proud group. It's a group that's been resilient all year, it was built through adversity, a really proud group. I would be awful shocked if you didn't get our 'A' game tomorrow and our best game. If it's not good enough, it's not good enough. I think you're going to get our 'A' game tomorrow and that's what I'm looking forward to. This is what tests you, this is a chance, our guys should be excited. This is a chance to knock off some really good hockey teams to get a chance to play in the conference final. Our guys should be pumped up to do it."

Re: GDT: Rnd 2, Game 7, Blues vs Stars 7PM NBCSN

13 by insideout
Oates2Hullie450 wrote:Don't see it anywhere else so here's a few quotes from Hitch

"We're confident all year playing on the road. I think road and home's not relevant anymore. The size of the rinks are the same, buildings are the same. ... It's all the same now. I don't think it really matters."
Hitch on April 24: "You push as a coach in certain phases of the season to know you're going to need home ice or you think it might be a small advantage or it might be something you can really use. We pushed hard to stay ahead of Chicago when it was really close there the last month. We got the opportunity to do this at home."

Re: GDT: Rnd 2, Game 7, Blues vs Stars 7PM NBCSN

20 by UMSLBlues12
Dave's a mess wrote:
Jeremy Rutherford ‏@jprutherford 1m1 minute ago
It doesn't look like we're going to be able to draw any conclusions on #stlblues lineup based in practice. They're not running combos/pairs.
Oh Hitch, you sneak you.
JR speculated in another tweet that Ott will be in the lineup because he is smiling a lot or something. Korac said Elliott is in the starter's net

Re: GDT: Rnd 2, Game 7, Blues vs Stars 7PM NBCSN

21 by CaptSMRT
UMSLBlues12 wrote:
Dave's a mess wrote:
Jeremy Rutherford ‏@jprutherford 1m1 minute ago
It doesn't look like we're going to be able to draw any conclusions on #stlblues lineup based in practice. They're not running combos/pairs.
Oh Hitch, you sneak you.
JR speculated in another tweet that Ott will be in the lineup because he is smiling a lot or something. Korac said Elliott is in the starter's net
I don't get benching Reaves...he was terrorizing the Stars.

Re: GDT: Rnd 2, Game 7, Blues vs Stars 7PM NBCSN

22 by Doug Glatt
UMSLBlues12 wrote:
Dave's a mess wrote:
Jeremy Rutherford ‏@jprutherford 1m1 minute ago
It doesn't look like we're going to be able to draw any conclusions on #stlblues lineup based in practice. They're not running combos/pairs.
Oh Hitch, you sneak you.
JR speculated in another tweet that Ott will be in the lineup because he is smiling a lot or something. Korac said Elliott is in the starter's net
I'd be surprised if Elliott isn't the starter.

Re: GDT: Rnd 2, Game 7, Blues vs Stars 7PM NBCSN

23 by Dave's a mess
Doug Glatt wrote:
UMSLBlues12 wrote:
Dave's a mess wrote:
Oh Hitch, you sneak you.
JR speculated in another tweet that Ott will be in the lineup because he is smiling a lot or something. Korac said Elliott is in the starter's net
I'd be surprised if Elliott isn't the starter.
Yeah I'm sure Elliott is starting if he was off the ice first, they don't tend to mess around with that. I'm not sure which 4th liner I'd go with, and frankly I'm not sure there's a wrong choice. They all bring something different to the table that will bother the Stars in one way or another.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!
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