Jeff Quirin: Blues Clinch 8th Division Title With Loss to Columbus The Blues fall 5-2 to rival Columbus, but still clinch the Central Division title thanks to Chicago. Does Hitch deserve criticism for his lineup choices?

Jeff Quirin: Blues Clinch 8th Division Title With Loss to Columbus
The Blues fall 5-2 to rival Columbus, but still clinch the Central Division title thanks to Chicago. Does Hitch deserve criticism for his lineup choices?
- Jeff Quirin

Still think Pietrangelo is a better Calder candidate than Karlsson?

I had the same gut feeling I had when the ducks won the cup that the blues would win this year. Lets see how they do for me. Hopefully well since I'm family friends with Hitch.

Still think Pietrangelo is a better Calder candidate than Karlsson?
- _Zippy_

He's a better player that's for sure.

Its like this, if THESE Blues continue to play like this, the season is for nothing. one and out no matter WHO we play.

The first period I saw no heart. The only players who showed up for the game was Langs, Arnott, and Backes. Other than that, it was a waste of skates.

On a PP we actually ran 5 fwds out there? REALLY???

Do we even want to win?

This is not the same team of 2 weeks ago.

Oh but hey I got 2 team posters....nice!!

It's not all on Hitch. If you want to field a team like this (aka #1/Red Wings style) you have to see how it will respond in a hard hitting afair as many playoff games are, even against a team with a little bit of talent (CBJ has none). I have no issue with the timing or the lineup he fielded. Just the effort of the guys on the ice. If you can't play against hard checking teams, Hitch needs to know that to reserve a spot in the pressbox for you come playoff time. That is not to say that D'Ags (as an example) needs to go out there and crush guys. But if he is hesitatnt in the physical aspect of the game, see you in 2012-13 brother.

It's not all on Hitch. If you want to field a team like this (aka #1/Red Wings style) you have to see how it will respond in a hard hitting afair as many playoff games are, even against a team with a little bit of talent (CBJ has none). I have no issue with the timing or the lineup he fielded. Just the effort of the guys on the ice. If you can't play against hard checking teams, Hitch needs to know that to reserve a spot in the pressbox for you come playoff time. That is not to say that D'Ags (as an example) needs to go out there and crush guys. But if he is hesitatnt in the physical aspect of the game, see you in 2012-13 brother.
- BerglundsGrundle

In my copy of the Standings, I see Detroit barely holding on to a #4 spot. The Blues have their own style, and there's no reason to want the Wings style unless they have a golf tournament to go to.

In my copy of the Standings, I see Detroit barely holding on to a #4 spot. The Blues have their own style, and there's no reason to want the Wings style unless they have a golf tournament to go to.
- BleedBlueSTL

Great. Well I was talking beyond 2012, as in the last couple decades when, you know, the Wings were the class of the league. I am not advocating the Wings style. It's hard to pull off without the right personnel (a mix of super-stars and hall of famers)

I agree that if the Blues are going to win in the postseason, it will be though hard work, dirty hands and ugly goals. No reason to try and do otherwise when it has them this far. I really don't see room fro D'Ags or Schwartz in the playoffs as it stands, at least not in additon to the skill we already have dressed:

Steen-Backes-Oshie
Perron-Berglund-McDonald
Stewart(or D'Ags or Schwartz)-Arnott-Langenbrunner
Sobotka-Nichol-Porter

Pietro-Cola (i serverely dislike Cola but Huskins and Cole dont look very good)
Shattenkirk-Jackman
Russell-Polak

And for the love of God, no back to back starts for goalies except for shutouts or stolen wins. It has worked for 78 games, don't stop now (see: Hitch getting cute after 3 straight Elliott shutouts)

Glad to see I'm not the only one questioning the coach with this game. Right off the huff I agree with the concern about who showed up in this game, and I also felt some deep concerns with the penalty calling from start to finish, but I felt this game was just as much a coaches loss as a players loss.

-The effort was flat, just as it has been the last couple of games. I think just making the playoffs has been a long, hard road, and maybe a few of these guys are backing off the throttle as this season comes to an end..hopefully they are just trying to save some gas for the playoffs, but it has been very obvious that some guys are running low these last few games.

-Officiating has gone from playoff atmosphere to pre-season. Last week there were countless calls let go, including several high sticks to the faces of Blues players. The team didn't lose their cool, they sucked it up and played on. But in this game, the whistles were out early, and I think this is just as if not more frustrating as no call, because the consistency is moot. For the last few weeks, the ticky tack stuff has been let go, and all of a sudden, the refs felt a need to get involved again, so yeah, I'd be a bit pissed on the ice as well.

-Coaching. Someone else already mentioned one of the obvious concerns. Five forwards on the PP. 5th ranked home PP and now it needs to be changed? Why? The big concern, the 4th line. 100% agreed that you cannot look at the series history between these two teams and think that Scott Nichol was "the guy" that was going to step in if the game got too rough. I'm sorry, there are guys on the ice that can and will step in if 100% necessary, but you can't risk a Backes hand injury or one to Jackman or Polak for that matter. Perron is a feisty little guy and Oshie will step up the hitting, but these aren't the guys for the job either. Crombeen or Reaves should be on roster, as these guys play that role. Nichol, as big as he thinks he is, isn't going to strike fear into the opposition.

In addition, looking back to the Blues last playoff berth, one of the biggest areas this team was lacking was the grit. A lot of these guys were young and in their first post season NHL experience. They weren't ready for the hitting and the increased physicality of the game. This year, I think they have a better idea of what to expect, but Hitch is crazy if he thinks his 4th line is going to do well with both Crombeen and Reaves absent. This team needs these guys to be aggressive and pound the opposition. Make them rush their passes, get them off their game, and create chances. All season long this 4th line has created chances by wearing out the opposition, and they have proven time and again they can create zone pressure via puck possession, and that in itself is invaluable. Hopefully this was an experiment just to see what would happen in a physical game, but let's leave the experimenting for next pre-season.

Now, one last thing. I am very concerned with the concentration of this team. Turnovers on both blue lines, players falling and losing an edge in every zone, and the timing in the passing game is way off. Pucks are getting lost in the skates while skating as well as on the pass. D-D passes are going out of the zone. The timing and passing is off. I don't know where the problem is, maybe it is just the fact that everyone is just getting back and the timing will be off. If not, then our problems with motivation and coaching efficiency are back burner compared to the execution of basic hockey plays. Let's hope 3 days off is enough time to get those kinks straightened out.