If you watched Game 3 between the Blues and the Wild, you probably have a pretty strong opinion about how the Blues played. I aired most of my grievances on Twitter, but what better place to rant about that miserable game than on the blog dedicated to the team that failed to show up in an important road playoff game?
Lines and Chemistry
Ken Hitchcock does not believe in line chemistry. At least, that’s what I gather when I see the lines constantly changing. Why ditch the lines that worked for the majority of the year? Where was the STL line, the Steen-Backes-Oshie line and the usually effective Reaves-Goc-Ott line? These didn’t appear until the third after the Blues played 40 minutes of horrible hockey.
Instead, Hitchcock opted for Reaves to start the game with Backes and Oshie. If you’re not a fan of that combination, you’ll be thrilled to know Ott later subbed in and joined Backes and Oshie. What?
The only time the Blues looked anywhere close to threatening (they never truly threatened the Minnesota net) was when Hitchcock went back to the STL line and other combinations which worked all year long. Funny how that works.
Speaking of Steve Ott …
Full disclosure: Ott was my least favorite hockey player for quite a long time. His tenure with the Dallas Stars was infuriating. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt when he joined the Blues, but tonight was too much to stomach.
First, he played over 11 minutes. That’s simply insane and wouldn’t make sense even if the Blues were leading 11-0 after the first period. Ott should never see that much time on the ice.
Second, he jumped the Wild in the final moments of the game completely away from the puck. That stuff is completely uncalled for and won’t help you climb back in this series.
There may in fact be a spot on the team for Ott, but he should be seeing 5-6 minutes of playing time and he needs to cut the dirty play.
$7 Million Contract
You’d think $7 million a year would buy you more than zero points, three shots and a (-1) through three games. Paul Stastny’s name is only mentioned in the faceoff circle and that’s a big problem.
Timid Hockey
Why do the Blues back away when the opponent approaches their zone? Why is the team’s style of play so timid and weak in the playoffs? Why don’t we ever have any answers to these questions?
Free Bortuzzo
Bortuzzo was brought in because he’s a physical defenseman who punishes opposing forwards. Sounds like the perfect guy for a playoff series, right? Apparently the Blues are content to let him ride the pine and ignore the reasons why they traded for him in the first place.
Final Thoughts
If you’re going to lose a game in the playoffs, at least make it look like you care. The efforts shown in Game 1 and Game 3 are inexcusable.
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