fun fact: Mueller has 11 points with the Avs, pulling him ahead of Svatos (10) on the season

Ok, the Blues are done…NOW WE SHARPEN THE DAGGERS…TIME TO KILL THE FLAMES.

Other games tonight…The Islanders had a 3-0 lead on the Nucks, who then came back to score 2 only to have the Islanders score again before the end of the second. Unfortunately Tavares has contributed on each of the Islanders 4 goals (1G 3A).

btw…we jumped the Kings tonight

still 5 back of the Pups.

Good hockey teams find a way to win. End of story.

I know people are going to complain about Budaj, but in all seriousness he had a decent game and a great third period.
When you realize that he hadn’t played a game in over 9 weeks, you have to imagine he was going to be rusty. I didn’t see the first goal, but the second goal was in no way his fault, Johnson fed a beautiful pass across the crease to a wide open Berglund who had beat Hendricks easily to the net. The third I’m sure he wants back, but Perron beat Hannan like a rented mule. Then Budaj got his game going in the third period, yes he got some lucky bounces as well, but most of the period looked like a power play for the Blues and he stopped all 14 shots (36 saves on 39 shots for the game for a .923 SV%).
The Avs played a terrible game, and Budaj bailed them out in the third period.

You know, for all the worry about Mueller slipping back into his old ways, I really don’t see it happening any time soon. I mean, the guy’s playing on a line with Matt Freaking Duchene and Milan Freaking Hejduk. You don’t think he’s thrilled about that, especially with the way the two of them set up such sweet scoring ops and bury biscuits so well from his passes?

I thought the no-goal call was definitely legitimate. The Blues player made very obvious, intentional contact.

Also, I’m glad we won because if we had lost all the blame would be on Boots and it wouldn’t really be fair. I am not the guys biggest fan by any means but he was as cold as a goalie could get and he absolutely saved us in the third period. That was some straight up Anderson action going on. However, we also got lucky that 1) we have a capable offense and 2) the Blue’s had more than one ding.

I for one want to thank you for an honest recap. I don’t get to see very many of the games, being out-of-market and far too poor to pay for center ice or anything of the sort, and I have come to trust MHH more than any other site for honest, analytical discussions of my favorite team. All wins (and all losses) are not created equal, and there is no one I would rather have pointing out the differences to me than the terrific writers who put in their time here.

Duchene needs to get busy and start scoring some points (yes I know he had 2 assists tonight). Tavares just scored his 2 goal of the night and has 5pts against the Canuckleheads. The score is 5-2 with 1:40 left

Islanders score an empty netter to go up 5-2 on Canucks. Bad news, Tavares with the EN goal for his 5th point of the game.

I’ve got a new edit!

Need a Star Wars action figure.

and a Jibble…

“Now I rarely if ever put a real bounty on a player’s head, but if Cam Janssen doesn’t mind risking another suspension…well let’s just say Chris should probably keep his head up tonight. Every second on the ice. Even during warmups.”

Maybe I’m being sensitive but that’s pretty messed up thing to say. I’m glad Stewie didn’t get run tonight. Trying to hurt someone just because they score against your team is like, the epitome of classless and effed up.

It was a bad call in my opinion, one of several tough breaks to the Blues in the season series against the Avs

It was a bad call…but I only agreed with that statement after seeing the slo-motion replay. At regular speed it certainly looked like interference. And since the ref is seeing it at regular speed, I can see where the call was made.

when Darcy Tucker fought for just the 2nd time this year, did anyone else feel that he’s suddenly realized he may have a hard time finding an NHL job next year? where has that passion been these last 2 years?

He was pretty much a non-factor tonight. I said this with Crosby during the olympics, so it bears repeating here: It’s a testament to him that he’s still able to put up points on off nights and contribute to the team.

Here’s hoping there’s a little effort to be found under the rainbow tomorrow.

heh

I hope the Avs learned something last night about how hard a team can play when facing elimination/backed into a corner. I thought they played a good game for much of the first and second, especially considering how much effort the Blues were putting into containing Stewart.

The Blues REALLY turned it up in the third though, and I don’t think the boys were prepared to match it. Budaj got his groove back at the right time, or else this would’ve been a very ugly result.

sportsclubstats and the playoff hunt: http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Western.html

a few interesting bits:

to have a < 50% chance of making the playoffs, the Avs would have to go 2 – 10 – 1 or worse the remaining 13 games. to have 90% chance or better chance of making the playoffs, they Avs need win only 4 of their next 13.

If the Avs merely go .500 over the next 13 games, they’ll have 99 points and a 100% chance of the playoffs. If they play at their seasons pace of 8 – 5 – 0, they’ll have 102 points.

Kariya didn’t get his benchmark goal.

Huzzah!!

(He should get sick more often; seems to have softened him some)

I was not at all convinced Peter Budaj would come through in the third period like he did tonight, but Boods stuffed my mouth full of crow – and I’m only too happy to do it. Pass the salt.

But anyway, that win was unexpected, and Budaj deserves a lot of credit. So, too, does Peter Mueller, whose two goals gave him four in seven games for the Avs – as many as he had in 54 games for the Coyotes.
Here’s video of Mueller talking about it (teammates kiddingly yelled "savior" his way as the press descended, all three of us)