Perron? In a NOT RED JERSEY?!?!

Hallelujah!

Let’s be real. A lot of people have already commented on this topic.

Can I just say that in the midst of being so excited about this (it was quite literally the highlight of my day), that I’m very cautious about that excitement.

Even though he’s been cleared for contact, like so many have already pointed out, he has a long way to go. Sidney Crosby was cleared for contact quite a while ago, and he still has yet to play an NHL game this year. Perron went down MONTHS before Crosby did.

Granted, yes, every head injury is different, but I can’t go on the naively optimistic train of “Yay, I’ll bet we see Perron before Christmas!” I just can’t see that as likely. I’ll love to see him come back whenever he can, but if we still have to wait until later in the season, that’s fine too.

Memo to Perron: Take all the time you need, sir. We want you healthy. We can wait.

Still though. Awesome.

Red Wings at Blues, airing at 7pm CST on FSMW.

I mean, besides the obvious seeing the color on Detroit’s jerseys thing. What I’m asking is whether or not this team will come out with whatever fire has been eating at their heels the last few games?

Given that this is Detroit we’re playing? I’d say yes.

The lines playing tonight are the same who showed up in the (very successful) game against the Lightning the other day, including having Elliott in goal to start the night.

I must say, having two goalies who are competing their asses off has definitely come to be something I love to see on the ice every day. Both men seem to realize that at any moment, that job could be taken away from them, and the entire team is reaping that benefit. Shutouts, huge saves, standing on their heads….beautiful.

The Wings are without question beyond streaky this year. Huge winning streaks, huge losing streaks. They’re not a team against whom the Blues will be able to slack. Somehow, some way, these division rivals always seem to find a way to win at the most inopportune times for those cheering against them.

So, to my boys. Shoot high on Howard. Crash that crease.

Give us ten again.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!

Lightning at Blues, airing at 7pm CST on FSMW.

Tonight Brew-Bot comes back into town, only this time his robotic self will be appearing with a bolt on his chest instead of a blue note. As no one seemed to care when he left, it seems logical to reason no one will be that concerned to see him back on the ice at the Scottrade Center. The biggest concern on the Bolts’ end is not so much who IS on the ice, but who isn’t. Forward Ryan Malone is out, which sucks for my fantasy team, but is a break for the Blues.

Our boys are certainly changing things up lately. With the exit of Nikitin and subsequent entrance of Russell, the defensive pairings are seeing quite the shift. Word is that Russell’s in, which leaves Cole as the odd man out. I can’t say I’m overly thrilled about that, as I’d rather see Cole getting ice time in Peoria than sitting in St Louis.

Not to mention that even after three outstanding starts from Halak, Elliott’s getting the start in the net tonight. This could be Hitchcock’s way of seeing which goalie he prefers, as he wasn’t around during the original decision making process.

As the team gets more and more used to a much different coaching style, I think we’ll see lineups even out, line pairings become more steady as Hitch finds out what works. Seeing Steen on the top line today is one of the differences that may or may not be more permanent, though I’m not a huge fan of seeing his line with Arnott and Langenbrunner shaken up.

It’s going to be a high intensity game tonight, that’s for sure. Bring it, boys!

LET’S GO BLUES!!!

If you’re curious about THEM, go check out Alexis at Sons of Andreychuk.

Two potential All-Stars and two badasses. Image flickr/Bridget Samuels

Our Blues lost to the Leafs last night. I’m really not mad about it. I’ll tell you why. That team skated harder and stronger, pushed to the goal, got in the dirty parts of the crease, did whatever they could to win, more than I have seen them do so in the last couple years. It is FUN watching hockey like that, knowing your team is battling hard.

Much credit has to be given to the Leafs rookie goalie Ben Scrivens. I’ll be honest. I had absolutely no idea who this kid was when the game started, yet I can guarantee you I won’t forget him any time soon. Hmmm, I wonder if he’s available in my fantasy league?

Either way, if this is the effect that having Hitchcock as a head coach is going to have, I think I’m going to be ok with it.

Apparently though, the front office wants to win, and are showing that by moving players who haven’t been particularly effective for the team this season. Right after the game it was announced that the Blues have traded D-man Nikita Nikitin to the Blue Jackets for Kris Russell. I didn’t know much about this Russell character, and that’s why I read other Blues sites. Both Game Time and Blue Note Zone have comments up about this trade, and I’d be willing to bet there will be more analysis come out as time goes on. I’m curious, though, to see who moves where, and wouldn’t be surprised to see Cole on his way back to Peoria.

Nikitin, I always liked you, and I wish you well. If I knew how to say “goodbye” in Russian without googling it, now would be the time that I’d say it.

If all that wasn’t enough for yesterday, there are three Blues on the All-Star Ballot for this year. Huge congratulations go out to Pietrangelo, Halak, and BaCkes for their nominations! PS, has Hitchcock figured out how to pronounce everyone’s names yet? Anyone know?

It feels like November has convinced our team to turn over some new leafs (just not the ones last night). It’s going to be an interesting month, that’s for sure.

One down, five to go. Well, at least against the Hawks.

Let me just tell you how much faster both of these teams played tonight than the last time I saw both of them on the ice. There was an electricity about this game that just felt….fun.

Normally, I like to stay on the naively optimistic side of thing. So much of me wants to say just how glad I am to see the effect of the new coach already showing, how Halak looked better, the skaters in front of him looked better, and how maybe this is the team we’ll see for the rest of the year.

But I really need to point something out. If this is how the Blues are going to be playing like they did, I’m ok with 98% of it. What I’m not ok with are the cheap shots and the lucky missed calls that will eventually have our team rack so many PIMs that it will make me sick. Some of the things that just don’t seem like our guys got under my skin, and I can’t say I won’t be incredibly disappointed if they go the route of becoming almost Canuck-esque. Do. Not. Want.

At least, like a friend said, they weren’t diving.

Either way, I’m glad to see the speed our boys brought to the ice today. I’m glad they showed up ready to play. I’m glad they finally put together a game in front of Halak.

And I’m glad I got to be there for it.

What’s the deal, Blues? I leave town for TWO DAYS, and everything falls apart. Thanks for that.

So much to cover. Where to begin?

Hitchcock in for Payne, eh? I’m….not sure how I feel about this. I think it’s pretty well a load of crap that the front office keeps blaming the head coach, yet changing the head coach hasn’t seemed to fix the problems that have been repeating themselves for the last couple years. Dear Army, dig deeper. Fix the problem, not the symptom.

Also, we get Ian Cole back with the big club as Kent Huskins Cares is still out with the ankle break bruise injury. I’ve liked Cole for a while now, and really think this could be his time to shine. Show us what you’ve got, young one.

And tonight. Blackhawks at Blues. Over the weekend, I was able to see both of these teams play against Vancouver. It’s difficult to say whether Vancouver just played better in Chicago, or whether what, but each team had good things and bad things. Which team did better varies based on aspect of the game. What I do know is that the Hawks are pissed, they’re getting Duncan Keith back tonight, and they know they’ve been able to light our boys up in the past. It would be an understatement to say that Halak and the men skating in front of him absolutely, without question, HAVE TO be on their game tonight. I do not like seeing the Blues lose when I’m there, and I will expect nothing but the best from every man out there who happens to be wearing a Blue Note.

Hint to the Blues: Forecheck and forecheck hard.

Also part of tonight’s game will be a ceremony to honor Pavol Demitra and Igor Korolev. I can only imagine just how touching this might be, as former teammates will be present. What an emotional game this will be.

If you’re curious as to what the other guys think, go check out Runs On Duncan’s take. As I met Kat over the weekend, there’s guaranteed to be some snark in there. Possibly some virtual rock throwing (Memo to Kat: Bring it).

Lots going on tonight. It’s going to be fun.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!

Well, that win was fun, wasn’t it?

Did anyone else notice how similar it was to the game last week though? Elliott in goal. Blues score three. One Blues player scores two out of those three. I yell “Suck it, Luongo” (yes, even when he wasn’t playing last week).

Similarities are fun.

So now we move on to tonight’s game.

Blues at Wild, airing 7pm CST on FSMW.

Anyone else still snickering at the title of the preview on the Blues site? “Wild will ride hot goaltender….”

Dirty.

Anywho, tonight’s game. If last night was any indication, the lines will be shaken up all over again. The only one that’s been stable has been the Steen-Arnott-Langenbrunner line, and given their production, I’m very ok with that. Our Captain seems to have caught a little bit of motivation as he’s now scored in back to back games. That trend needs to continue regardless of who’s on a line with him.

What I would really like to see, as so many others have already said, is Chris Goddamn Stewart return to the CGDS we fell in love with in February. It’s frustrating to watch a player we KNOW has the skills not use them. Though at this point, that statement applies to more than just Stew.

Coming off last night’s win, it shouldn’t be difficult to put another tally in the W column tonight. Here we go.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!

Canucks at Blues, airing at 7pm CST on FSMW.

Tonight’s matchup against the Canucks will be an interesting one. The last time these two teams met, the Blues easily held the Nucks to a shutout and took home the win. A big difference tonight? The Canucks are trusting their starter Luongo between the pipes. He’s already been chased this year (just before these two teams met last), and there’s no telling whether he’ll be the Luongo who leaves letting in four goals or the Luongo who holds other teams to shutouts, the one everyone always seems surprised to see.

On the opposite end of the ice, the Blues are once again going with Brian Elliott. The Moose has had the benefit of having the skaters in front of him bring their A games. It will certainly be interesting to see whether that happens again.

After four days off, one would assume that their legs will be fresh, and they’ll be ready to come screaming out of the gate. New month, newly focused team.

Tonight we’ll finally get to see Tyler Chorney on the ice, the blueliner who’s been scratched every game since he’s been signed. He’ll be on a line with Polak who I always love to see on the ice as it is.

And who could forget Alex Steen, Mr Canuck Killer himself. After the two goals he put up against the Nucks last month, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him repeat that feat.

Our boys have got to get out there and push hard today. Start this month of right with a win, and chase Luongo out of the goal so my fantasy team can have at least some points tonight.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!

All afternoon I’ve been going through a couple of posts commenting on Chris Carpenter of my beloved Cardinals hanging out and practicing with my beloved Blues today.

I can’t even begin to tell you how much that just makes me grin this obnoxiously giddy grin. I mean, yes, I’ve been smiling since Friday, but to hear about my two favorite teams interacting like this has quite literally made my day. I might have fallen over if I’d been able to be there.

My love for these two teams began in two drastically different places, during incredibly different times in my life, yet they both have grabbed hold of my heart and absolutely refuse to let go. They’re both integral parts of my daily life, and I couldn’t see it any other way.

I’ll bet it comes as no surprise then that I am beside myself with excitement about tomorrow night’s game where the Blues help celebrate the Cardinals World Series win. This is what it’s about. These two teams, in THIS city, supporting one another and reveling in the other’s wins. I think this is where part of the draw came from when I first started watching hockey. One city, my teams. MY teams.

Bleed red. Bleed blue. Every day.

More of this, please

No seriously. The more off days there are, the more time that’s available to sit around and speculate just what’s going on.

The fun thing about reading so many of the other Blues blogs is that you sometimes find that there’s someone else who articulated SO PERFECTLY what needed to be said. Today that someone was Gallagher over at Game Time.

I agree with that post one billion percent. Brilliantly put. Honestly, I couldn’t add a single thing to it, so I won’t even try.