NHL 2018-19 Season

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by molson

It's crazy to me that Chara has a broken jaw and the word is still that he "could" miss the rest of the series. Can one play hockey with a freshly broken jaw?

I guess he could wear that contraption on his head, but man one high hit and I just cringe thinking about it. He's a tough one though, so if anyone could do it, I'm guessing Chara could.

[molson]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I guess he could wear that contraption on his head, but man one high hit and I just cringe thinking about it. He's a tough one though, so if anyone could do it, I'm guessing Chara could.

He was skating around today, but it will be a doctor's call. Both he and Gryzelyck are game time decisions.

The Bruins have struggled when down a defensemen so there's been a lot of talk of them dressing an extra one tonight because either they're going with these injured players, or players replacing them who haven't seen much time the last few months (or ever in the NHL).

Neither were in a no-contact jersey, but then I learned that they don't actually have a no-contact jersey that fits Chara.

It's been a lot of fun watching this series. It's very, very rare these days for me to sit and watch a full game of anything, and I've seen almost all of these 4 games - including one in a bar in Mexico, and one on my balcony in Mexico over a twitch stream.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I guess he could wear that contraption on his head, but man one high hit and I just cringe thinking about it. He's a tough one though, so if anyone could do it, I'm guessing Chara could.

I haven't delved too deeply into it - is there any chance of making the injury worse? I figured broken jaw was more just pain tolerance, being able to breathe well enough, and the chance you'll re-break it and delay surgery up to a week, which who cares? I'd worry more that Grzelcyk is being rushed back from a concussion, and while he took a couple weeks instead of days Kevin Dunn coming back & playing without a face shield seems unnecessarily dangerous too.

[MizzouRah]

I don't see Chara playing.. I've never had a broken jaw but I'm guessing it's wired shut so he wouldn't be able to communicate, plus any kind of hit to the body would further aggravate it I would think? Although I guess they would shoot him up with pain killers but playing like that would still be tough.

Gryzelyck will probably get cleared to play and I agree that it seems like a rush due to the impact of a game 5.

Hockey is such a fast, hard hitting game... would be dangerous for either to play. What happens if a Blues player his Gryzelyck hard and he's hurt again, do we get a game misconduct if he's laying on the ice? I know that sounds arbitrary but I could see it happen.

Maybe it's just smoke and mirrors to throw off Berube and the Blues game planning?

[tarcone]

I had a broken jaw. Wired shut for 6 weeks. I couldnt talk very well. Or eat unless stuff was pureed.

It wasnt wired shit for a few days, they doctor wasnt in a rush.

He could pay I guess, but he will hurt and not be able to talk, which from what I understand, is very important for Dmen.

[tarcone]

1-0 after 2. I predicted the Blues in 6. The Blues wear teams down. This could be it.

Holy smokes, I am just stoked about this. And Im as fair weather fan as you can find.

[tarcone]

There is a guy in St Louis who was in Vegas in January. He bet $400 on a 250-1 bet for the Blues to win the cup. Dude is on the news.

[BishopMVP]

Fans are dumb for throwing stuff, but that's two blown non-calls that led to a St. Louis goal and the Krejci save at the end of the 2nd period. (I agree that the possible Boston goal was not one, whether it was actually blown dead or the official just had the "intent" to blow it dead.)

[Lathum]

the missed call was terrible. That moron with the 100K ticket on St Louis should send the ref a gift basket.

[tarcone]

Too bad on the no call. Happened to the Blues the entire playoffs. Is it wrong? Yep. But the Blues have overcome. Suck it up, buttercup.

LET GO BLUES

[Arles]

After the San Jose series, it was nice for the Blues to finally catch a break. The refs did miss the call on the second goal, but the Bruins have gotten 19 power plays against a team allowing the fewest penalties per game going in.

That said, it sucked when we had to deal with the hand pass OT goal. While this call didn’t decide the game like that one, it still sucks to have it go against you.

[tarcone]

I am abuzz. Im a fair weather fan. But I have suffered with the Blues the last 25 years that I have lived in St Louis. To the end that I could see the Blues losing the next 2.

But this is a special team. One of a character I have never seen.

One more to go.

[Lathum]

Benjamin Hochman on Twitter: "This was sent to me from the stands - this fight escalates ... all between Bruins fans.… "

[Galaril]

Sorry but Blues no way should even be here ( probably not the Bruins either) but if they win this it will be as tainted as a few of those Patriots SB with the shot they were accused of . I guess it all evens out with the Sox losing to the Cards in the olds days.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Benjamin Hochman on Twitter: "This was sent to me from the stands - this fight escalates ... all between Bruins fans.… "

Austin 3:16 says fans gonna fan

(breaking glass elevates this clip to a whole 'nother level)

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by Galaril

Sorry but Blues no way should even be here ( probably not the Bruins either) but if they win this it will be as tainted as a few of those Patriots SB with the shot they were accused of . I guess it all evens out with the Sox losing to the Cards in the olds days.

Interesting statement. These are the teams that survived and flourished in the post season. They are the 2 best teams in the league right now.

No one thought the Blues would be here in the 1st week of January. No one. The Blues were talking about trading Tarasenko, it was that bad.
Yet here they are, doing something that has never been done in NHL history, going from the worst record in the league in January to not only winning a game or series or multiple series in the playoffs, but winning the whole damn thing.

The city is just on fire right now.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Galaril

Sorry but Blues no way should even be here ( probably not the Bruins either) but if they win this it will be as tainted as a few of those Patriots SB with the shot they were accused of . I guess it all evens out with the Sox losing to the Cards in the olds days.

Are you crazy? Blues were the best team in the league after January 1st and the Bruins definitely earned their right to be here.


If we win, nobody here in STL is going to care about a non-call. It's been 49 years since we have been to a cup and the first time we have even won a game in the SC finals.


It's been poor officiating throughout these whole playoffs but it is what it is. Marchand interfered with Tarasenko late in the game, also a non-call.


It sucks that no call turned into a goal, but us Blues fans lost a game in OT on a no call, so it familiar territory to us.


The city is alive, people are coming together under the Blue note and it's been the best playoffs I've ever been a part of. No way in hell would I even give a second thought to referee calls/non calls. We want the CUP!

[Arles]

The Bruins got an extremely favorable whistle in the first three games. They had 14 power plays in the first 3 games (4.7 per game). That's more than the Blues gave up in a 6-game series against San Jose (13) and a 7-game series against Dallas (12). For the entire playoffs, the Blues have averaged 2.0 power plays allowed per game (39 in 19 games). In the last two games, the Bruins have had a more reasonable 5 PP chances (still more than the Blues 4). These things ebb and flow. The Blues got screwed in the OT loss against San Jose and got a gift against Boston on a no-call. Boston got a gift roughing call against Carolina (and got the game winning goal on that PP), but got screwed in the St. Louis game:

This is the Hamilton roughing penalty pic.twitter.com/TVwy3f5O3P

— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) May 10, 2019

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Arles

After the San Jose series, it was nice for the Blues to finally catch a break. The refs did miss the call on the second goal, but the Bruins have gotten 19 power plays against a team allowing the fewest penalties per game going in.

That said, it sucked when we had to deal with the hand pass OT goal. While this call didn’t decide the game like that one, it still sucks to have it go against you.

Agreed, officiating has been bad and St. Louis had their version of this with the hand pass, but using penalties against as a metric is odd. If you can point to specific weak calls sure, but the Bruins are a faster team than the Blues have played, it includes things like delay of game for shooting the puck in the stands and Berube losing an offside challenge, the Blues just had a(nother) player suspended for a head shot that wasn't even called on the ice, the only complete flop I can think of that was called a penalty was Tarasenko, and no other missed calls like the Marchand tabletop or that Kuraly one from an utterly forgettable sweep would change the fact that that was a brutal blown call on the puck and in front of the official that led directly to the game winning goal. (I actually think that linked Hamilton play is a penalty in today's environment. He's not protecting himself, he's leaving his feet and leading with an elbow at Nordstrom's head.)

That said, no idea what Galaril is talking about. Barring another egregious call if the Blues win they'll deserve it and it's a shame that right now officiating is overshadowing it, and luckily just like the Blues vs the Sharks at least it didn't end the series and we still have a chance to win. But Berube whined about the officials earlier in the series and it probably did help the Blues, Cassidy whined about them after last night's game and it'll probably help the Bruins in game 6. The more encouraging thing is that after 3 games (including the 7-2 "blowout") where the Blues dominated puck possession and shots on net the Bruins were much better in those categories last night. Having 6 (or more!) healthy defensemen for the whole game apparently helps with puck possession, who could've guessed?

[tarcone]

A non-essential Blues player suspended for a non penalized hit as a make up for the missed trip.

GO NHL!!!!

[Arles]

Yeah, still no suspension for this head shot or charge (take your pick) against Thomas that knocked him out for games:

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Arles

Yeah, still no suspension for this head shot or charge (take your pick) against Thomas that knocked him out for games:

EXACTLY.. but NBC said that was a great hit! That should have been a suspension for sure.

[Galaril]

[MizzouRah]

Robert Thomas back in the lineup tonight, what a huge lift with Barby out!

[Chief Rum]

Too soon: Ads Celebrating Blues Mistakenly Run

I mean, karma's gotta run up on this right?

[BishopMVP]

I don't think the Krug one or the hit that concussed Grzelcyk were suspendable offenses, I did think the one in Game 5 was. Grzelcyk stumbled a little and I don't think there was malicious intent on that one, this one was clearly an intentional drive by hit to the head after the puck was gone. Shurg, YMMV, should be a good game 6!

[Galaril]

Game 7. Best team wins..... talking to you refs!

[MizzouRah]

Our PP is HORRIBLE! That being said, I like us going on the road to win the cup.

[Galaril]

Good luck!

[BishopMVP]

It took 6 games, but after those last few minutes yeah I think I hate the Blues now. Win or lose Wednesday should be fun, just like 2011 vs Vancouver there's nothing like a Stanley Cup game 7 between two great teams! (And hopefully it ends the same way.)

PS I didn't think there was something that would take the lead on the Boston news outside of the Bruins forcing a game 7, but holy shit I hope David Ortiz is okay after getting shot (in the leg?) in the Dominican Republic.

[molson]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

but holy shit I hope David Ortiz is okay after getting shot (in the leg?) in the Dominican Republic.

They're saying shot in back now, damn.....he was just sitting at a restaurant.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by molson

They're saying shot in back now, damn.....he was just sitting at a restaurant.

I'll switch to the MLB thread to streamline it, but video is out on Twitter... That ain't no robbery. Idk if it's a temp murder or a crazy person, but hopefully the reports the bullet went through & Ortiz is "out of danger" are correct.

(There's also allegedly videos of the shooter being detained by citizens, but I don't speak Spanish well enough if those are real or a meme. I fully believe Ortiz is that well liked by people, idk if DR police are as bad and non-existent as the videos make it appear. Just hope Papi is okay.)

[MizzouRah]

Game 7 it is... what a series.

[Arles]

Yeah, this team has really struggled on non-"must wins" at home. Game 3 and 6 were pretty rough. All playoffs they have come to play in must win road games, let's hope Wednesday continues the trend!

[molson]

I have to go to my girlfriend's father's birthday dinner during game 7.....

Fortunately it's not at a bar, and I'm not in St. Louis or Boston, so I can strategically sit not facing the TVs (of which I think there's one or two at this place) and hopefully watch it clean on DVR later.

I've tried this with Patriots games, but it tends not to work because when people start clapping (or booing) you know exactly why - regardless of where you are in the country outside of New England....The Bruins aren't quite as hated, but I will still assume that any claps mean goals for the Blues. If that kind of thing is going on, I'll just have to pull a 180 and watch the game myself there as much as I can....fortunately the parents know and like me enough to get away with that, I think.

[MizzouRah]

I'm doing my best to stay positive. I knew it could very well go to 7 games, but it would have been really awesome to win it at home last night.


I still feel we can win another road game, even with the stakes this high. Play our game, stay out of the penalty box and stay physical.

[Galaril]

Wednesday is my birthday so hoping for the Bruins to provide me a bday present! This game is going to quite the battle.

[tarcone]

Blues are 13-2 after a loss under Binnington.

And the Blues play really well after laying a turd.

LETS GO BLUES!!

[BishopMVP]

This is great. I figure in any 6 game NHL series you can easily find 20 missed calls or cheap little shots in scrums after the whistle, instead they go with 2 minor penalties that were called, one clean hit by Kuraly, and one missed minor penalty

The Bruins being dirty: a compilation.#StanleyCup #Stlblues pic.twitter.com/WxX2KZlEsO

— STLSportsCentral (@stlsportscntrl) June 10, 2019

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

This is great. I figure in any 6 game NHL series you can easily find 20 missed calls or cheap little shots in scrums after the whistle, instead they go with 2 minor penalties that were called, one clean hit by Kuraly, and one missed minor penalty

The Bruins being dirty: a compilation.#StanleyCup #Stlblues pic.twitter.com/WxX2KZlEsO

— STLSportsCentral (@stlsportscntrl) June 10, 2019

Yeah St. Louie calling us dirty is a fucking J-O-K-E! Well, guess it will be settled tonight on the ice.

[MizzouRah]

All NHL teams are dirty, especially in the playoffs..



Hopefully it's a good game tonight! At least I don't hate the Bruins like I do some other teams.


Good luck Boston fans and LET'S GO BLUES!!!

[Arles]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

This is great. I figure in any 6 game NHL series you can easily find 20 missed calls or cheap little shots in scrums after the whistle, instead they go with 2 minor penalties that were called, one clean hit by Kuraly, and one missed minor penalty

The Bruins being dirty: a compilation.#StanleyCup #Stlblues pic.twitter.com/WxX2KZlEsO

— STLSportsCentral (@stlsportscntrl) June 10, 2019

Those were just a few plays from game 6 - kind of a silly title for the video. The Blues have clearly been the aggressor for most of the series, but dialed it back a bit in game 6. I think there is reason to believe they were a little scared of being suspended for game 7. So, when they were down 1-0, it may have taken a little aggressiveness out of them. Berube alluded to as much:

“I think we can be more physical than we were last game. That will help in penalty killing. Just being the player that [Ivan Barbashev] is, that line, we can use them against anybody and they can do the job,” said Berube, when asked about Barbashev drawing back into the lineup after serving his one-game suspension in Game 6. “Who knows what goes on, what goes through guys' heads, things like that?

“A lot of times you just don't get there in time to make the contact. You don't want to chase it, but when it's there, you're on your toes. I think a lot of it personally, just watching the game today, our puck placement wasn't great to make the hits, things like that. Also, too, I mean, maybe it runs through their head they don't want to take a penalty, making a bad hit. We got to be aggressive. That's our style. That's the way we have success.”

Well, there's no fear of suspension in a game 7 - so let's hope the Blues go back to aggressive hockey!

[Galaril]

Boston Bruins on Twitter: "Per #NHLBruins coach Bruce Cassidy:

Matt Grzelcyk has been cleared and is a game-time decision. But “looks like he’ll go in� for Connor Clifton.… https://t.co/Dh5GqbTODY"

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

All NHL teams are dirty, especially in the playoffs.



Hopefully it's a good game tonight! At least I don't hate the Bruins like I do some other teams.


Good luck Boston fans and LET'S GO BLUES!!!

I agree and good luck to you guys too. If we got to lose to someone better a team that has not won it yet.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by Galaril

I agree and good luck to you guys too. If we got to lose to someone better a team that has not won it yet.

Good luck to you as well.

Im stoked about this. Cannot wait.

Busch stadium is having a watch party. So Busch stadium, the Enterprise center and ball park village means there will be around 50k Blues fans in about a 3 block radius partying

LETS GO BLUES

[Arles]

Grant's Farm is too. The whole city of St. Louis will be out watching the game somewhere it seems.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Arles

Those were just a few plays from game 6 - kind of a silly title for the video. The Blues have clearly been the aggressor for most of the series, but dialed it back a bit in game 6. I think there is reason to believe they were a little scared of being suspended for game 7. So, when they were down 1-0, it may have taken a little aggressiveness out of them. Berube alluded to as much:

Yeah, the video/title is funny because it's obviously a non-hockey fan homer.

If they were afraid of being suspended I guess Bortuzzo forgot about that in the last minute, but shurg, it's more fun when there's some animosity between players & villains to root against instead of the opponent just having respectful hard working players like Bergeron or O'Reilly. (I think they're also very good players, but it's easy to see why opponents hate Marchand & McAvoy.) Here's to hoping Rask's sustained playoff excellence is the story after tonight instead of Binnington's Cinderella breakout narrative winning the day!

[BishopMVP]

Btw watch parties are a weird concept to me. Not necessarily knocking it, just wouldn't even cross anyone's minds for a Boston away game. There's a huge cluster of good sports bars right near the Bruins/Celtics arena, so those will all be pretty packed, but dealing with parking and crowds to sit in an arena with overpriced beers and watch on a Jumbotron at that weird sitting angle seems like such a weird move. Do they charge money for these or have assigned seating?

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Btw watch parties are a weird concept to me. Not necessarily knocking it, just wouldn't even cross anyone's minds for a Boston away game. There's a huge cluster of good sports bars right near the Bruins/Celtics arena, so those will all be pretty packed, but dealing with parking and crowds to sit in an arena with overpriced beers and watch on a Jumbotron at that weird sitting angle seems like such a weird move. Do they charge money for these or have assigned seating?

Remember... we have never won a Stanley Cup and haven't been to a SCF in 49 years, so STL is going nuts and for good reason.


The Enterprise Center has a brand new Jumbotron that can be seen perfectly from any seat and of course Busch Stadium has a nice big scoreboard.


They do charge $10 per ticket for the Enterprise Center and $20 for Busch Stadium with reduced drink and food prices. Since the Enterprise Center sold out in 20 minutes, they figured they would open up Busch Stadium. The cool thing is, all the proceeds go to charities.



We thought about going.. but we have some friends without a nice TV and little money, so we figured let's have a party at our house and we will cook food and have drinks. I just purchased a 55" LG 4K TV last year and hockey looks excellent on it. (plus I have surround sound)

[Johnny93g]

Go Blues!