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18-12-5 (41 points)
3rd in Central
8th in Western
20-14-3 (43 points)
2nd in Central
7th in Western
TM
pressure to win every night.
―These are the kind of games, if you‘re on the wrong end of
them, you look back in April and say those two points were critical
at the time,‖ Backes said in the postgame video. ―It‘s back-to-back
wins against division opponents and three in a row. It‘s been a
battle with the guys in here. We‘ve been putting 20 guys on the ice
who are giving their all and we need that kind of effort here during
the dog days during the middle of the season. We need
nothing different every single night. It‘s always big to
get two points every single night, and if you‘re not
in the Western Conference, you‘ll be sliding down
the standings.‖
Unfortunately for the fans in blue tonight,
the Hawks are suddenly getting healthy.
Patrick Kane said after practice Monday that
he expects to dress for tonight‘s game. The
Blackhawks‘ website had the snappy headline
―Kane is Able‖ on Monday night. The Hawks
were boosted by the return of Marian Hossa on
Sunday. Viktor Stalberg is also back from the
injured list giving Joel Quenneville lots of
different options for who dresses and what the
lines look like. Reports from Hawks practice on
Monday have Kane playing with Captain Serious, Jonny Toewes,
and Troy Brouwer. Blues killer Patrick Sharp practiced with Hossa
and Wings‘ castoff Tomas Kopecky. Those are the guys the Blues
will have to key on tonight.
Whenever the ‗Hawks come to town, somehow the conversation
almost always turns to a hope that the rivalry between the two
teams will grow into something close to what it was back in the
(Continued on page 26)
By Brad Lee
The Blues are hoping to extend their three-game winning streak.
The Blackhawks are hoping to extend a four-win streak of their
own. Something‘s got to give.
Here in the last week in December, I‘m not going to say any
one game is crucial for the Blues. There is still more than three
months left on the schedule. So many games are left, so many
chances for injuries, so many chances for players to
return, get injured again. Who knows what the
future holds for this team? They can only control
the present and that‘s a win tonight against the
‗Hawks.
The Blues enter tonight‘s game in eighth
place in the Western Conference with 41
points. The ‗Hawks have 43 points, the
same total as the Avalanche and Sharks but
in seventh thanks to the tiebreaking system.
Doing the math for you, that‘s the final three
playoff spots separated by one win. Behind the
Blues, Nashville and Anaheim are just one point
back and Phoenix and Columbus just two back.
That means of the 14 other teams in the conference,
seven of them are within two points of the Blues. At this point
in the season, that‘s crazy. And the situation adds importance to
any game against one of those eight teams, like tonight.
But don‘t believe me about how big these late December
games are, take if from David Backes, the number two star from
Sunday‘s game (speaking of No. 42, how rare is it for the guy who
scores all the goals in a game not get number one star?). In
speaking to the media after the game, Backes talked about the
Four Dollars Of Short Words For ‗Hawk Fans The Program That Gives More Than It Takes Established in 2005
Today’s Records, Injuries & News Today’s Team Records:
Blues: Blackhawks:
Last Ten Games:
Blues: Blackhawks:
6-3-1 6-3-1
Season Series: All-Time Series:
1-1-1 108-120-40-4
Today’s Injuries:
Blues: F T.J. Oshie (broken ankle),
F David Perron (concussion), LW/C
Andy McDonald (concussion) and C
Dave Scatchard (knee) are out.
Blackhawks: RW Patrick Kane (left
ankle, sandy vagina) is probable. G Corey
Crawford (illness) missed Sunday‘s
game.
Today’s News & Notes:
Blues sign Marek Svatos to two-way
contract. He first needs to first pass
through waivers in order to play here.
Possible rain and warmer temperatures
could push back game time of Jan. 1
Winter Classic in Pittsburgh.
Game Time staff glad this is a holiday
week so we can do some serious
drinking on a Tuesday. Ah, who are we
kidding? We drink every Tuesday.
CAUTION: St. Louis Game Time contains extreme sarcasm and less-than-gentle language. But it is a hockey paper, so you should just fucking get over it.
Volume 6, Issue 19
December 28, 2010 GAME TIME St LOUIS
St. Louis Game Time Established: November 6, 2005
St Louis, Missouri
Phone: 314-402-2266
www.StLouisGameTime.com
www.twitter.com/StLouisGameTime
Godfather
Jeffio
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Sean Gallagher
Coppy Editer
Maggie Ryan
Distribution
John Nicolay
Amy Benoist, Becky Benoist, Clarence Walker
Columnists
Rick Ackerman, Nate the Great, Chris Gift, Brad Lee, Answer Man & Brian Weidler
Contributors Jeffio, Joe Barker, Jeff Browning,
Childhood Trauma, Melvin & Chris Reed
Photographers You
Video Coach
Patrick Shaw
Mission:
To rock your fucking world. Failing that we hope to talk hockey and
crack a couple jokes.
Rights & Permissions:
All material printed herein is copyrighted and protected. Do not reprint without
expressed, written permission from St. Louis Game Time, LLC.
Logos & Photos
Team logos and pictures used herein are the property of the individual teams
and/or the NHL and are used solely for identification and editorial purposes.
Today’s Weird Reference:
―Boys, you gotta learn not to talk to nuns
that way.‖
Today’s Fake Name For The Post-Game Call-In Show:
Clint Taurus
This Blues-Blackhawks rivalry makes for some
interesting experiences. I know that for some
fans, this is the biggest rivalry while for others,
the Blues-Red Wings games are bigger. Myself,
I became a fan literally at a Blues-‗Hawks
game at the Arena, so these are the games I
really love. I hate the Wings with passion, but
that rivalry is more one-sided than this one.
The other big difference is that while I find
most of the Blackhawks fans to be
funny, I have yet to meet a Wings fan
who was funny intentionally.
But I never thought that fans of
the enemy would be people I‘d look
forward to seeing. Sure, I‘m totally
going to make fun of the guy here tonight
wearing the headdress and fringy Indian
booties, but if I didn‘t see him or he stopped
coming to these games, I‘d miss him. Same
goes for the crusty old codgers wearing
Chicago equivalents of the Red Berenson
Cowboy‘s throwback jersey – those things
weren‘t purchased last year and look like old
jerseys, those jerseys were acquired back in
the days when fans didn‘t even wear jerseys to
games. The old school ‗Hawk fans, for my
money, are the best opposing team fans out
there. They‘ve been through the bad times and
they‘ve been through the near-misses. Now
they‘ve even been through a good time or two.
But the old ‗Hawk fans have the perspective
to talk some trash, take some trash talking and
continue to laugh and drink (and likely) smoke
right through all of it. When their team is up,
they‘re gonna let us know about it. When our
team gets up, they‘ll sit there and take it. Hell,
most of them can read this paper and laugh
about it without getting all butthurt and whiny
like their Detroit counterparts do. I like those
guys a lot – their trash talk actually hurts the
most because it‘s usually pretty good, but it‘s
earned. I‘d miss those guys if they stopped
coming around too.
I‘m even starting to get used to the new
school Blackhawks fans. The college aged kids
who don‘t even remember the days of Jeremy
Roenick and Eddie Belfour and Chris Chelios,
never mind the years of Denis Savard and
Steve Larmer and beyond. They show up with
their bright red Kane and Toews jerseys and
they‘re ‗vintage‘ and ‗distressed‘ Blackhawks
hats that belie the fact that they were
purchased less than a year ago and they
talk trash that just misses the mark.
These guys‘ garbage shooters spew
forth with nothing but ripped-off
Detroit retorts that usually revolve
around a Stanley Cup win and our
lack of such accolades.
On the plus side, they‘re shitty trash talkers,
so they have no recourse but to sit back down
when someone yells, ―Sit down, Bandwagon!‖
or to just sit there and take it when someone in
the seats in front of them turns around and
celebrates a Blues goal by pretending to wack
off in their faces. I‘ve seen both of those
happen and they were hilarious. But these
guys will get it eventually. If they can stick
with the team when they take their inevitable
dip and struggle through some of the rough
times, they‘ll figure out how to roll with the
figurative punches a little better. Besides, if
they stopped coming, I‘d really miss laughing
at all of their sideways-cocked trucker hats.
The weirdest experience has been becoming
friends with the guys who run a paper like this
one up in Chicago for those ‗Hawks. But the
guys who put together The Committed Indian
are a lot like the guys who do the work here at
Game Time. Except that they follow an
annoying team full of midget, shirtless,
blue-collar-worker-punching children and
too-serious-at-age-20, non-superstar,
vomit-after-fights crybabies while we follow a
hockey team. But we‘ve gone up to Chicago
and seen them and bought their paper and
they‘ve come down here and seen us and
(Continued on page 10)
Volume 6 , Issue 19
December 28, 2010
On The Concourse by Sean Gallagher
What happened with that
‗Hawk fan?
He was pissed that I said
Patty Kane is a cocksucker.
I showed him the pictures
on my cellphone.
How‘d you get him to
shut up?
Top 11 Conversations In
The Blues Front Office
11. Just got a text from Perron. He wants his sticks to be made out of frog legs.
10. I talked to Brett Hull‘s representative. He‘s staying retired. Plus, he‘s fat.
9. The guy in the big blue bear suit, he seems kind of athletic. How are his hands?
8. If you squint, it looks like a sellout. Put down 19,150.
7. Just got a text from McDonald. He wants to legally change his name to Burger King.
6. You get Pleau‘s latest e-mail? During our regular staff meeting, he‘s scheduled his second nap of the day. Bastard.
5. So we recruit guys who are playing in fucking Siberia in the middle of winter and all we get is Marek Svatos? Let‘s move on to Plan N.
4. Jeremy Roenick‘s agent just laughed at me and then hung up.
3. We need another actor to do commercials this season. But we have no budget. I hear Carrot Top is cheap.
2. So I think we‘re all in agreement that the pay half your season tickets after we make the playoffs was in fact not a good idea. Lesson learned.
1. You know Mike Danton is a free agent.
From the Empty Beer Cup of Brad Lee
GAM E T IM E Page 3
Game Time would
like to apologize in
advance for spilling
our beer on the
‗Hawks fan in front
of us. Twice.
Game Time printed
the wrong picture
of fans watching
those boring ass
Predators on
Sunday in the last
issue. The correct
picture is shown
here.
First Period (True or False):
1. The incumbent Stanley Cup champion General Manager was named after the Stanley Cup.
2. A Sutter is the most recent person to have been both a captain and a head coach of the Blues and the ‗Hawks.
First Intermission (T/F):
3. George Bailey‘s removal from life in ―It‘s a Wonderful Life‖ had a weather ―butterfly effect‖.
Second Period (Multiple Choice):
4. Which player was not a Fighting Sioux teammate of Jonathan Toews and T.J. Oshie: Chris Porter, Drew Stafford, Travis Zajac or Zach Parise?
5. Jonathan Toews is the third-youngest captain in NHL history. Sidney Crosby is the youngest. Who was second youngest: Gary Unger, Vincent Lecavalier, Alex Ovechkin, or Rick Nash?
Second Intermission (Multiple Choice):
6. In the movie ―Heaven Can Wait‖ Warren Beatty played a quarterback who was removed from life too soon. What team did he QB: Rams, Cardinals, Bears, or Raiders?
Third Period (Know It or Blow It):
7. The Blues and the Blackhawks both have a first overall pick on their roster. Which first overall pick is the most recent to have played with both teams?
8. Which Blues alumnus did the ‗Hawks bring up and then send back down this week?
9. The Wirtz family previously co-owned which NHL team before the Blackhawks?
Overtime!
10. The ‗Hawks ended the second-longest Cup drought ever last season. Three teams now share the current active drought, which is already the third-longest in NHL history. Name all three teams currently tied for third.
1. True. Scotty Bowman promised to name his son Stanley his Canadiens beat the ‗Hawks in the 1973 Finals.
2. False. Denis Savard was the most recent head coach to have been a Hawk player. For the Blues it was Brian Sutter.
3. True. It is snowing when George lives, and not snowing when he never was, which is, by definition, a butterfly effect.
4. Zach Parise played with Chris Porter, but not Oshie and Toews.
5. The second youngest captain was Vincent Lacavalier.
6. He was the Los Angeles Rams QB.
7. Joe Murphy, who was Detroit‘s first overall pick in 1986.
8. Hannu Toivonen.
9. Original partner of James E. Norris and his Red Wing ownership group, the pair would eventually take over the Blackhawks who had been run, under the table, by the Red Wings for years.
10. The Kings, Blues and Leafs. The Leafs last won in 1967 and neither the Kings nor Blues have ever won it.
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GAM E T IM E Page 5
Brad Boyes has disappeared. David Perron hasn‘t played
since the first week of November. T.J. Oshie‘s fractured
ankle has had him out since November 10. The team has
also been without Andy McDonald since the beginning of
December.
The Blues rank 20th in the league in goals per game
(2.12), and 25th in power play efficiency (15.8%). The team‘s
81.6% on the penalty kill is around the middle of the pack.
David Backes leads the Blues with 28 points. Entering
Monday‘s games, that was only good for a tie for 43rd in the
scoring race. Twenty-one teams have players with more
points than Backes does. Alex Pietrangelo‘s 17 points leads
the Blues defensemen, but only ties him for 30th among
defensemen.
Jay McClement is still the team‘s shut down center, and I
have all the confidence in Silent Jay to stifle the opposition‘s
top line or power play in any situation, but his minus-14
rating is the worst on the team by five (Brad Winchester is
minus-9). His five goals this season are somewhat deceiving
since he is the only Blue with a hat trick this year, potting
three at home against Atlanta back on October 30.
At one time the Blues were 9-1-2 and atop the NHL
standings. Including this three-game winning streak, the
Blues are 9-10-4 since the inferno of a start. The 12-4-2
record at home is pretty damn good, but the 6-8-3 road
record has to improve. After this homestand ends on
Sunday, the Blues will have played half of the home
schedule, but have 24 road games left. Places where the
Blues don‘t usually play all that well still loom. The Blues
still have to go to San Jose, Colorado and Los Angeles twice,
plus the normal Western Canada trip.
From time to time, we run ―The List‖ on Page Six, listing
all the players who have ever played in a game for the Blues.
This year, we‘ve added such household names as Adam
Cracknell, Dave Scatchard, Stefan Della Rovere, Nikita
Nikitin, Nicholas Drazenovic and Ryan Reaves.
Want to guess which team holds the eighth spot in the
Western Conference?
I spent all these words dooming and glooming as much as
possible about the state of the team. But I can‘t help but be
confident about where this team is and what might be
happening around these digs this spring.
I‘ll be a little bit of a homer here and say that Jaroslav
Halak has to be the best off-season acquisition in the league.
While Chris Mason backs up Ondrej Pavelec and has a 7-6-2
record with an awful GAA of 3.69, Halak sits at 14-10-4 with
four shutouts and, assuming he starts tonight, he‘ll go over
the 1,700 minute mark. Those four shutouts tie him for
third in the league with ex-Hab teammate Carey Price and
Blues killer Tomas Vokun of the Florida Panthers.
With maybe the coolest middle name going, Lars
Fosgaard Eller has played in 35 of Montreal‘s 36 games.
With two goals and four assists, his six points put him 16th on
the Canadiens. If he were still a Blue with those numbers, he
would have a point more than Barret Jackman, as many
points as Winchester and one less than McClement.
After the past two trades the Blues have made with
Montreal, I‘m wondering if Francophone Pierre Gauthier will
start answering the phone in French and say he doesn‘t speak
English the next time the Blues come a-calling.
Last March 3, the Blues sent Aaron Palushaj to Montreal
for Matt D‘Agostini. D‘Agostini is tied for third on the Blues
with eight goals. Palushaj has five goals for the Habs‘ AHL
affiliate.
The past two deals have netted the Blues Halak and
D‘Agostini in exchange for Eller, Palushaj and Ian Schultz.
Like Palushaj, Schultz is in Hamilton. He‘s played in 20
games for the Bulldogs and hasn‘t scored yet.
(Continued on page 10)
The Jeffio Joke of the Day
Patrick Kane boarded an airliner, took his seat, and
was surprised to find a large purple parrot in the seat
next to him. After the plane took off, a pretty flight
attendant walked down the aisle past Kane and his
seat mate.
―Hey, bitch,‖ said the parrot, ―Bring me a shot of
bourbon, and make it snappy!‖
The stewardess looked annoyed, but said nothing. A
minute later, she came back up the aisle, and the
parrot piped up again: ―Hey, you lazy whore; where‘s
my whiskey? Hurry it up!‖
Visibly flustered, the stewardess hurried up the aisle
and returned quickly with the parrot‘s drink.
Impressed with the parrot‘s technique, Kane decided
to get some quick service himself.
―Hey, slut,‖ said Kane, ―Get me a dry martini. And
don‘t drag your sorry ass. I want it right now!‖
The stewardess turned red with anger and ran to the
front of the plane. In a moment she came back with the
First Officer and two burly male flight attendants. The
crewmen seized Kane and the parrot, jerked open the
emergency door, and threw them both out of the
airplane at 20,000 feet.
As the two hurtled out the door, the parrot said to
Kane, ―Ya know, for someone who can‘t fly, you got a
lotta balls.‖
With Chris Gift
Bla
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GAM E T IM E Page 7
There is no point in talking about the Blackhawks without
talking about Joel Quenneville. Face it, Chicago people, your
team would be nothing without him. Coach Q—paired with
his newly reunited assistant coach Mike
Kitchen—is arguably the best coach in
Blues‘ history, posting a record of 307-191
-77-18 (.598 winning percentage) in 593
games. Those are all Blues records. Now
he is on his way to setting some Blackhawk
coaching records in only his third season.
Thankfully for him, none his predecessors set much of a
benchmark. The last coach only lasted four games.
Now he has a Stanley Cup ring following last year‘s 52-win
season. In 1999-2000, he won 51 games with the Blues (plus
11 ties which wouldn‘t exist now), so we had a championship
team right in front of us. If only, if only, if only. . . We can‘t
even blame Roman Turek anymore, because look at the
craptasic duo the Hawks had last year.
Q isn‘t the only great coach who just wasn‘t great enough
with the Blues. Forty years ago, Scotty Bowman took the
Blues to a couple of Finals in his first coaching job. St. Louis
dropped him thinking he would never amount to much, and
the Blues would be right back in the Finals the next year.
Today, Bowman is the assistant GM to his son in Chicago,
and with last year‘s win, he now owns 12 Stanley Cup rings
between being a coach and an executive.
The Blackhawks recently added both a former Blue to their
roster, and a dagger to my heart. Ryan Johnson was signed as a
free agent on December 19th. Although the 34-year-old has
only broken double-digit points five times in his career, he
always put out 200% on the ice. In 2007-08, his final season
with the Blues, he led all forwards in the league in blocked
shots with 123 (the runner-up only had 70), and he was always
towards the top in that category in his five seasons with
St. Louis. The Hawks likely signed him because their entire
team was depleted by injury, but R.J. broke every bone in his
body the past two years in Vancouver, most of them in one play.
Speaking of injuries, T.J. Oshie (also Chris Porter, don‘t
forget about him) played college hockey with Jonathan Toews
at the University of North Dakota, also Ryan Johnson‘s alma
mater. And Patrick Kane (also Jack Skille, don‘t forget about
him) has a lot of international juniors
experience with Erik Johnson.
You know it‘s been a bad year for football
when da Bears are one of the best teams in the
league. Seriously, have you watched them play
this year? If the playoffs started now, Chicago
would have the first round bye, and the Rams
will be taking on someone. We don‘t who, but we do know they
will be the better team (we also all know Seattle doesn‘t stand a
chance next week). So in the second round, after they steal one
at home, it‘s the Rams versus Bears. My early pick for MVP: Jay
Cutler, for his four touchdown passes to St. Louis‘ Bradley
Fletcher. It‘s time to believe, Rams fans.
With Jeff Browning
With Melvin
Playing at HawksSuckCentre 12-4-2 Duncan Keith is Barely Breathing 18-12-5Playing on the road 6-8-3 Leading after the 1st 7-1-3Needing more Backes & Steen 18-12-5 Tied after the 1st 9-5-2They score first 14-3-3 Trailing after the 1st 2-6-0The other team scores first 4-9-2 "Accidentaly" spilling beer on 'Hawks fans 1-0-0They score 4 or more goals 8-1-0 Leading after the 2nd 11-2-0They score fewer than 4 goals 10-11-5 Tied after the 2nd 6-1-5They score on the PP 9-5-2 Trailing after the 2nd 1-9-0FTBH 18-12-5 Wearing the Thirds 5-2-0They score shorthanded 3-1-0 Fight! Fight! Fight! 9-8-3A Blues players has multiple goals 7-1-1 Concussed 18-12-5An opposing player has multiple goals 0-8-1 They are called for 7 or more penalties 6-5-0Vote For Silent J; He'd Vote For You 18-12-5 Other team called for 7 or more penalties 6-5-0They played the day before 6-2-1 They take 30 or more shots 5-8-3Playing on Sunday 3-0-0 They allow 30 or more shots 8-4-1Playing on Monday 1-2-1 Jaroslav Halak starts 14-11-3Playing on Tuesday 1-1-0 Ty Conklin starts 4-2-1Playing on Wednesday 1-4-0 Playing the Eastern Conference 8-1-1Playing on Thursday 5-1-1 Playing the Atlantic Division 4-0-0Playing on Friday 2-1-0 Playing the Northeast Division 2-0-0Playing on Saturday 5-3-3 Playing the Southeast Division 2-1-1Playing in October 6-1-2 Playing the Western Conference 10-11-4Playing in November 6-7-1 Playing the Central Division 6-5-2Playing in December 6-4-2 Playing the Northwest Division 1-2-1Blowing a 2 goal lead 2-0-2 Playing the Pacific Division 3-4-1Happy RJ is back in the NHL 3-2-0 "Sorry that we hurt their feelings." ~Jackman 18-12-5
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 8
by billy pilgrim
St. Louis hockey fans have truly enjoyed a very happy
holiday season with superb home victories over divisional
archrivals Detroit and Nashville before and after a white
Christmas. Patrik Berglund, David Backes and Jaro Halak
were Santa‘s primary helpers, gifting Blues Nation with
timely goals and unbelievable saves to tough out those two
hard-earned wins. The undermanned, hard-working Blues
have found a way to hold third period leads, execute a
disciplined game plan and triumph over the
adversity of injuries. They can complete the
divisional trifecta with more of the same
against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks
tonight.
The Hawks are currently one of the
NHL‘s glamour teams due to their Stanley
Cup championship last year and a potent
offense led by Patrick Kane, Jonathan
Toews, Patrick Sharp, and defensemen
Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith. ―The
Madhouse on Madison‖ is packed for every
home game and tickets are hard to come by
nowadays. It wasn‘t always like this in
Chicago, though. For most of their history,
the Blackhawks were the league‘s perennial
doormat, only winning four Cups in their
long history. When the NHL expanded into
the U.S. in 1926, the owner, Chicago coffee
tycoon Frederic McLaughlin, named the club the Black
Hawks after the 86th Infantry Division in which he served
during World War I. It took his expansion team eight years
to win the Stanley Cup, which they did again in 1938, but
from there, it was all pretty dismal for more than twenty
years until 1961. That was the year Bobby Hull and Glenn
Hall led the Hawks to a Stanley Cup championship In Old
Chicago.
That edition of the Blackhawks would turn out to be
something very special. The regular season was nothing
much as the Blackhawks finished third, a distant 15 points
behind Toronto and 17 behind Montreal. They had an
excellent foundation on defense led by Pierre Pilote, Moose
Vasko, Al Arbour and goaltender Glenn Hall, yet had
problems scoring. That would change late in the schedule as
young guns Hull, Stan Mikita and Bill Hay would propel the
team into the playoffs, upsetting the favored Maple Leafs.
They would meet Gordie Howe and the Red Wings, who had
stunned the defending Cup champion (five years in a row)
Canadiens. Led by Mikita‘s six goals, Chicago won the series
in six games, embarrassing Detroit 5-1 to take the Cup in
front of a stunned Olympia crowd. Hull had a stellar series
as well, scoring four goals and ten assists in 12 games.
All-Star defenseman Pilote led Chicago scoring with three
goals and an amazing 12 assists. Veterans Murray Balfour,
Ab McDonald and Kenny Wharram provided solid
secondary scoring and Hall was spectacular in goal, only
allowing an average of two goals a game against.
These two glamorous teams would meet up again four and
a half years later at the old St. Louis Arena in an exhibition
game on Sunday, October 3, 1965. It would be the first live
NHL game this young high school junior ever attended. It
filled my head with grand visions of flashing skates and
clacking sticks, speedy figures in colorful uniforms propelling
a rubber biscuit with amazing dexterity at a small net
protected by a stodgy, armored guardian. At
the same time, these knights of the ice would
hit and bash each other with their bodies,
creating a cacophony of grace and violence
unmatched by any other sport this young
hockey pilgrim had ever witnessed. It was
mesmerizing, as well as addicting. Oh, yes, I
had seen Chicago‘s farm team, the St. Louis
Braves, for several years, but this was an NHL
game. Naturally, I rooted for the Blackhawks,
and was not disappointed as Bobby and
Dennis Hull each scored spectacular goals, as
did Wharram and Len Lunde. Detroit‘s Roger
Crozier was amazing in goal, making 37 saves
for the losing Red Wings. Glenn Hall and
Dave Dryden only allowed goals to the Red
Wings‘ Norm Ullman and Billy Harris. Gordie
Howe was a goal short of a ―Gordie Howe Hat
Trick‖ as he roughed it up with Hawks‘
defenseman John Miszuk and set up Ullman‘s goal. The
occasion also marked my first autographs from NHL players,
those of Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe on the program I still
treasure.
Of course I made it to a couple of games In Old Chicago at
the Stadium during the 1970s, yet they did not measure up to
that first game at the Old Barn in St. Louis. And I attended
games in both St. Louis and Chicago during the 1990s when
the rivalry became a lot more frenetic and intense, especially
in the playoffs. That heated atmosphere is long gone, though.
It‘s just that Patty Kane is no Bobby Hull, Jonny Toews is no
Stan Mikita, and certainly Marty Turco is no Glenn Hall in
my eyes. Nor are Bob Probert, Jeremy Roenick, Chris Chelios
or Eddie Belfour around anymore to razz and curse. It‘s just
not the same today.
Nonetheless, this should be a pretty entertaining game.
The Blues are on a three-game roll, playing tight-checking
playoff-type hockey, scoring just enough to win games behind
superior goaltending from the Halak-ness Monster. Chicago
has also been playing well, currently on a four-game roll,
outscoring Detroit, Los Angeles, Nashville and Columbus 15
to 5 in those victories.
Hoping to see the Blues blow by the Blackhawks on the ice
and (technically) in the standings tonight, I am:
billy pilgrim, time and space traveler
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 9
Hey, ShitCockOh, wanna know how
big my Johnson is?
My Johnson is so big, it was once the
ambassador to China.
My Johnson is so big, it rigged
mayoral elections for years.
My Johnson is so big, I have to cook
it breakfast in the mornings.
The Big Johnson Joke of the Day
One night Roman Polak called Brad Boyes in total
exasperation.
―You‘ve got to come over here and
help me,‖ he pleaded, ―I‘m working
on this puzzle and it‘s making me
crazy. None of the pieces fit together,
the edges are all crooked and it
doesn‘t look anything like the
box.‖
―What‘s it a picture of?‖ asked
Boyes.
―A big rooster,‖ said Polak.
Boyes wanted to help his friend so he drove over to
Polak‘s place. He walked in, took one look at the table
where the puzzle was laid out and said, ―Polak, put the
corn flakes back in the box.‖
The Roman Polak Joke of the Day
One day in the ‗Hawks locker room, Patrick Sharp had a
dare for his teammates. He knew a keeper at the
Chicago Zoo and he dared Jonathan Toews to get a BJ
from a gorilla for $5,000 cash.
―I don‘t know,‖ said Toews, ―I‘ll
have to think about it.‖
The next day Toews came into
the locker room and said he‘d be
willing to do it on three conditions.
―First, I don‘t want to have to
kiss the gorilla. Second, you guys
can‘t tell anyone about this.
―And third, you‘re gonna have to give me another
week to come up with the $5,000 in cash.‖
The BJ Crombeen Joke of the Day
Pick a numbered puck and read your fortune below!
1. You will learn that security always
believes the Blues fan’s story after a fight
with a ’Hawks fan.
2. Lucky numbers for today: $9, 16
ounces, 6 and .08.
3. You should have worn your vomit-
resistant clothing tonight.
4. Nope, you’re reading the signals
right. Bluie is fucking asking for
some trouble tonight.
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 10
NHL Leaders
bought ours. We compare notes about how shitty the weather is
when we‘re out trying to make $17 on a Tuesday against
Nashville and about how funny it is when you make Red Wings
fans upset with something you‘ve written.
A lot of the reason we continue to do this paper every season
is because of the experiences it brings to us. The great readers we
get to meet who would do anything for us and the great fun it is
to make someone laugh every once in a while. We‘ve met some
great people because of this ridiculous hobby, even if some of
them are Blackhawks fans.
So, tonight we hope once again to see a Blues win over our
biggest rival. Along the way I plan to laugh at some new jacks,
joke around with some old fans and ask them to please, please
help the kids with the too-tight Kane shirts and stupid trucker
hats figure it all out. But if the Blues lose, somehow I think it‘ll
still be a fun night at the rink. At the very least, I know I‘ll have a
funny email waiting for me from The Committed Indian.
-Sean “No, Chelios used to play for you guys”
Gallagher
(Continued from page 2) Was Eller overhyped? I‘m not so sure about that;
remember that Eller is still only 21, and still has a long way to
go before his career is all said and done. I‘m not sure where
Eller would have fit on the Blues. When all players are
healthy, he wouldn‘t have been a top six, or even a top nine
forward on this team. He sure doesn‘t fit the mold of a fourth-
line player. On these 2010-2011 Blues, Eller wouldn‘t have
had a spot. He was billed as a flashy, top six forward. Top six
forwards score more than six points in 35 games.
But the Blues would be absolutely screwed if Mason was
the team‘s goalie, or if Ben Bishop or Jake Allen was
promoted to the Blues to tandem with Ty Conklin.
Funny how a three-game winning streak puts confidence in
everyone associated with the team. But I‘m not satisfied with
three. If the Blues win tonight it will be four in a row, with the
last three coming within the division. It will also put the Blues
even that much closer to the top of the conference. When
healthy, the Blues are good enough to be at the top of the
conference.
When McDonald, Oshie and Perron come back, look out.
Anything is possible.
Contact: [email protected]
(Continued from page 5)
NHL Leaders
Points Goals Against Average Shootout Goals
1. Sidney Crosby, PIT 61 1. Tim Thomas, BOS 1.68 1. Brad Richards, DAL 4
2. Steven Stamkos, TB 50 2. Jonathan Quick, LA 1.86 2. Alex Tanguay, CGY 4
3. Martin St. Louis, TB 47 3. Ondrej Pavelec, ATL 1.96 3. Brad Boyes, STL 3
4. Henrik Sedin, VAN 44 4. Brian Boucher, PHI 2.11 4. Thomas Vanek, BUF 3
5. Daniel Sedin, VAN 43 5. Carey Price, MTL 2.27 5. Cal O'Reilly, NAS 3
Goals Save Percentage Rookie Points
1. Sidney Crosby, PIT 30 1. Tim Thomas, BOS 94.9% 1. Logan Couture, SJ 25
2. Steven Stamkos, TB 28 2. Ondrej Pavelec, ATL 93.9% 2. Jeff Skinner, CAR 25
3. Patrick Sharp, CHI 20 3. Jonathan Quick, LA 93.2% 3. Jordan Eberle, EDM 22
4. Corey Perry, ANA 19 4. Cam Ward, CAR 92.5% 4. Derek Stepan, NYR 22
5. Daniel Sedin, VAN 18 5. Carey Price, MTL 92.3% 5. Taylor Hall, EDM 21
Plus/Minus Wins Defensemen Points
1. Andrej Meszaros, PHI 20 1. Jimmy Howard, DET 19 1. Dustin Byfuglien, ATL 37
2. Sidney Crosby, PIT 18 2. Carey Price, MTL 19 2. Nicklas Lidstrom, DET 33
3. Dustin Brown, LA 18 3. Jonathan Quick, LA 18 3. Kris Letang, PIT 31
4. Kris Letang, PIT 18 4. Tim Thomas, BOS 17 4. John-Michael Liles, COL 29
5. Toni Lydman, ANA 18 5. Jonas Hiller, ANA 16 5. Tobias Enstrom, ATL 28
Team Comparisons
Adam Cracknell is new to Missouri, playing his first
professional games. Poplar Bluff‘s Tyler Hansbrough
left Missouri for college and is now playing
professional basketball in Indiana
Blues Lookalike
Sometimes you just look like an old lesbian and
sometime you are an old lesbian. Maybe someday
Ellen Degeneres will have Marian Hossa on her show
and really push the creep factor to 10.
Blackhawks Lookalike
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 11
Blues All-Time Leaders
Games Played Bernie Federko 927
Goals Brett Hull 527
Points Bernie Federko 1,073
PIM Brian Sutter 1,873
Goalie GP Mike Liut 347
Wins Mike Liut 151
GAA Jacques Plante 2.07
Shutouts Glenn Hall 16
Because Everyone Loves Looking At Numbers
www.stlouisgametime.com
Blackhawks All-Time Leaders
Games Played Stan Mikita 1,394
Goals Bobby Hull 604
Points Stan Mikita 1,467
PIM Chris Chelios 1,495
Goalie GP Tony Esposito 873
Wins Tony Esposito 418
GAA Charlie Gardner 2.02
Shutouts Tony Esposito 74
Blues Leaders
Goals Alex Steen 11
Assists David Backes 19
Points David Backes 28
Plus/Minus Brewer/Backes 10
PP Goals Three tied 3
Wins Jaroslav Halak 14
GAA Jaroslav Halak 2.34
Save PCT Jaroslav Halak 91.6%
Blackhawks Leaders
Goals Patrick Sharp 20
Assists Duncan Keith 21
Points Patrick Sharp 36
Plus/Minus Brian Campbell 12
PP Goals Sharp/Toews 7
Wins Corey Crawford 11
GAA Corey Crawford 2.30
Save PCT Corey Crawford 91.6%
Blackhawks Probable Fighters
John Scott – This guy, simply put, is an absolute monster.
He‘s 6‘8, 260, and when he throws ‗em down, you just pray he
doesn‘t kill you. Just ask Kevin Westgarth about that. His last
fight loss was last year, as a member of the Wild(s), to Brad
Winchester.
Jacob Dowell – He leads the Blackhawks with seven fights
on the season, and in one of those fights, he got his shit
absolutely knocked in by B.J. Crombeen. Take from that what
you will, but he‘s actually NOT that bad a fighter.
Nick Boynton – I noted in the October 22nd issue of Game
Time that Boynton likes to throw fists, but is not particularly
good at it. Well, he‘s fought a whopping TWO times this
season. TWO! Grow a pair, Nick.
St. Louis Blues Probable Fighters
Chris Porter – He wants to prove his worth on this team,
and he‘s doing so by playing a good checking role and being
defensively responsible. But the dude can fight and hang with
‗em, when he wants to. I like him for PRECISELY that reason.
Barret Jackman – I was thinking yesterday that I had not
seen SIR JAXX fight in a while. This needs to change, and
soon. Go to it, Barret!
David Backes – Maybe tonight instead of just potting two
goals, he‘ll go ahead and go for the Gordie Howe Hat Trick:
goal, assist, fight. I would fucking love it if this happens. But
you knew that already.
Best bet of the night: Crombeen-Dowell rematch? Sure, why the fuck not, eh? – Donut King
Tonight’s Matchup: It still irks me that we have to refer to the Chicago Blackhawks as the ―Defending Stanley Cup Champions.‖
So I try not to say anything about it. One of the main reasons it irks me is because this team is a shell of what they were LAST year
at this time. Not even half as good, and certainly no more pugilistic. Yet, they‘re still ahead of the Blues in the standings. And that
pisses me off.
One thing the Blackhawks WILL do is fight against the Blues, while not really fighting against anyone else in the league. That
makes my job a bit easier, thankfully. But seriously, the Blackhawks could rot in hell and die in a flaming pit of ashes and I
wouldn‘t miss them.
Date Combatants Battle Decision
11/30/2010 Chris Porter vs.
Jeremy Morin
All of these fights come from the nationally-televised
November 30th blowout in Chicago. This fight was quick and
dirty with lots of punches and not many hugs. In other words,
it was a good fight. The edge here COULD be given to Porter
for landing more punches, but I will call it a draw because it
was a pretty even bout between an AHL lifer and a hot young
prospect.
Draw
11/30/2010 B.J. Crombeen vs.
Nick Boynton
Honestly, Boynton didn't have much of a chance in this fight
as "The Beej" pretty much kept him at arm's length at all
times in this fight. As Crombeen likes to do, he spun round-
and-round with his opponent, getting punches in from time
to time and preventing the opposition from getting close. An
easy win for Beej.
Win: Crombeen
11/30/2010 Cam Janssen vs.
John Scott
What a mismatch this one was. I mean, Janssen had
absolutely NO shot at winning this fight. But to Cam's credit,
he DID hang right with the big man to the bitter end. Just
like in the Crombeen-Boynton tilt, though, Scott was able to
keep Janssen beyond arm's reach at just about all times,
getting a charity punch in occasionally. An easy win for the
massive one.
Win: Scott
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 12
By Donut King
“The first rule of Fight Club is...”
Fight ClubFight Club twitter.com/KingDonutI
Franchise Foundations
What’d McGrath Trade For These Guys?
St. Louis Game Time
Year Player1999 Barret Jackman ~ Drafted 1st rd (17 overall) by STL
2001 Jay McClement ~ Drafted 2nd round (57 overall) by
2003 David Backes ~ Drafted in 2nd rd (62 overall) by STL
Nikita Nikitin ~ Drafted in 5th rd (136 overall) by STL
Roman Polak ~ Drafted in 6th rd (180 overall) by STL
T.J. Oshie ~ Drafted in 1st rd (24 overall) by STL
Eric Brewer ~ Acquired from EDM with Jeff Woywitka
and Doug Lynch for Chris Pronger
Erik Johnson ~ Drafted in 1st rd (1 overall) by STL
Patrik Berglund ~ Drafted in 1st rd (25 overall) by STL
Brad Boyes ~ Acquired from BOS for Dennis
Wideman
Ian Cole ~ Drafted in 1st rd (18 overall) by STL
David Perron ~ Drafted in 1st rd (26 overall) by STL
Chris Porter ~ Signed as Free Agent (CHI)
Andy McDonald ~ Acquired from ANA for Doug
Weight, Michal Birner and a 7th rd pick in 2008
Tyson Strachan ~ Signed as Free Agent (CAR)
Cam Janssen ~ Acquired from NJ for Bryce Salvador
Alex Pietrangelo ~ Drafted in 1st rd (4 overall) by STL
Brad Winchester ~ Signed as Free Agent (DAL)
B.J. Crombeen ~ Claimed off waivers (DAL)
Alexander Steen ~ Acquired with Carlo Colaiacovo
from TOR for Lee 'Dutchie' Stempniak
Carlo Colaiacovo ~ Acquired with Alexander Steen
from TOR for Lee 'Dutchie' Stempniak
Ty Conklin ~ Signed as Free Agent (DET)
Adam Cracknell ~ Signed as Free Agent (CGY)
Matt D'Agostini ~ Acquired from MTL for Aaron
Palushaj
Jaroslav Halak ~ Acquired from MTL for Lars Eller and
Ian Schultz
Vladimir Sobotka ~ Acquired from BOS for David
Warsofsky
Dave Scatchard ~ Signed as Free Agent (NAS)
Brad Shaw - Assistant Coach
Ray Bennett - Assistant Coach
Davis Payne - Head Coach
Scott Mellanby - Assistant Coach
Doug Armstrong - General Manager
Corey Hirsch - Goaltending Coach
2010
2010
2006
St. Louis Blues
2005
2008
Management / Coaching
2007
2006
2004
2009
Year Player2002 Duncan Keith ~ Drafted in 2nd round, 54 overall by CHI
Brent Seabrook ~ Drafted in 1st round, 14 overall by
CHI
Corey Crawford ~ Drafted in 2nd rd (52 overall) by CHI
Dave Bolland ~ Drafted in 2nd rd (32 overall) by CHI
Bryan Bickel ~ Drafted in 2nd rd (41 overall) by CHI
Jake Dowell ~ Drafted in 5th rd (140 overall) by CHI
Troy Brouwer ~ Drafted in 7th rd (214 overall) by CHI
Jack Skille ~ Drafted in 1st rd (7 overall) by CHI
Niklas Hjalmarsson ~ Drafted in 4th rd (108 overall) by
CHI
Patrick Sharp ~ Acquired with Eric Meloche from PHI
for Matt Ellison and a 3rd rd pick in 2006
Jonathan Toews ~ Drafted in 1st rd (3 overall) by CHI
Jordan Hendry ~ Signed as Free Agent (undrafted)
2007 Patrick Kane ~ Drafted in 1st rd (1 overall) by CHI
2008 Brian Campbell ~ Signed as Free Agent (SJ)
Marian Hossa ~ Signed as Free Agent (DET)
Tomas Kopecky ~ Signed as Free Agent (DET)
Jassen Cullimore ~ Signed as Free Agent (FLA)
Nick Boynton ~ Acquired from ANA for future
considerations
Viktor Stalberg ~ Acquired with Philippe Paradis and
Chris DiDomenico from TOR for Kris Versteeg and Bill
Sweatt
John Scott ~ Signed as Free Agent (MIN)
Marty Turco ~ Signed as Free Agent (DAL)
Fernando Pisani ~ Signed as Free Agent (EDM)
Ryan Johnson ~ Signed as Free Agent (VAN)
Mike Haviland - Assistant Coach
Joel Quenneville - Head Coach
2009 Stan Bowman - General Manager
2010 Mike Kitchen ~ Assistant Coach
Management / Coaching
2008
2009
2010
Chicago Blackhawks
2006
2005
2003
2004
St. L
ou
is B
lue
s R
os
ter
s
an
d S
tatis
tics
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 14
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Page 15
Ge
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Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 16
NHL Referee Statistics
NHL Linesmen # Name # Name # Name # Name # Name
47 Schachte, Dan 65 Racicot, Pierre 74 Cameron, Lonnie 84 Sericolo, Tony 93 Murphy, Brian
50 Cherrey, Scott 66 Gibbs, Darren 75 Amell, Derek 86 Lazarowich, Brad 94 Pancich, Bryan
54 Devorski, Greg 67 Champoux, Pierre 76 Cormier, Michel 88 Cvik, Mike 95 Murray, Jonny
55 Heyer, Shane 68 Driscoll, Scott 77 Nowak, Tim 89 Miller, Steve 96 Brisebois, David
56 Wheler, Mark 70 Nansen, Derek 78 Mach, Brian 90 McElman, Andy 97 Morin, Jean
57 Sharrers, Jay 71 Kovachik, Brad 80 Nelson, Thor 91 Henderson, Don
59 Barton, Steve 73 Rody, Vaughan 82 Galloway, Ryan 92 Shewchyk, Mark
Blues
Games
Blues
PP
Blues
PKW L
O
T
L
Blues
Games
Blues
PP
Blues
PKW L
O
T
L
3 Leggo, Mike North Bay, ON 1997 2 4 6 1 0 1 21 84 79 11 7 3
4 McCauley, Wes Georgetown, ON 2003 8 23 29 4 3 1
5 Rooney, Chris Boston, MA 2000 1 3 5 0 1 0 20 82 92 6 9 5
7 McCreary, Bill Guelph, ON 1984 1 4 4 1 0 0 15 67 67 6 8 1
8 Jackson, Dave Montreal, PQ 1990 4 19 21 3 1 0 16 66 72 10 6 0
9 O'Rourke, Dan Calgary, AB 1999 2 12 5 1 0 1 12 60 44 4 4 4
10 Devorski, Paul Guelph, ON 1989 2 6 9 0 2 0 13 57 59 4 7 2
11 Sutherland, Kelly Richmond, BC 2000 3 9 10 1 2 0 14 46 50 4 9 1
12 St. Pierre, Justin Dolbeau, PQ 2003 3 12 8 3 0 0 14 59 55 11 1 2
13 O'Halloran, Dan Essex, ON 1995 2 11 7 0 1 1 18 87 98 9 7 2
14 LaRue, Dennis Savannah, GA 1991 3 14 12 2 1 0 17 68 66 7 6 4
15 Auger, Stephane Montreal, PQ 2000 2 7 8 0 1 1 19 91 102 9 8 2
16 Pochmara, Brian Detroit, MI 2006 4 24 17 3 1 0 20 86 97 11 5 4
17 L'Ecuyer, Frederick Tois Riveres, PQ 2007 2 5 7 0 2 0 5 16 16 1 4 0
18 Kimmerly, Greg Toronto, ON 1996 2 4 8 0 1 1 21 73 86 8 9 4
19 Dwyer, Gord Halifax, NS 2003 2 4 6 1 1 0 19 77 70 9 9 1
20 Peel, Tim Toronto, ON 1999 4 10 11 3 1 0 23 82 85 11 9 3
21 VanMassenhoven, Don Parkhill, ON 1993 15 66 79 10 3 2
23 Watson, Brad Regina, Sas 1996 1 3 4 0 1 0 17 72 85 6 8 3
24 Walkom, Stephen North Bay, ON 1990 1 4 4 0 0 1 4 18 17 2 1 1
25 Joannette, Marc Verdun, PQ 1999 3 11 12 2 0 1 15 60 66 6 6 3
26 Martell, Rob Winnipeg, MB 1996 1 5 6 1 0 0 18 78 89 12 5 1
27 Furlatt, Eric Trois-Rivieres, PQ 2001 4 14 12 3 1 0 18 70 78 8 8 2
28 Lee, Chris St John, NB 2001 3 16 11 2 0 1 21 97 97 7 11 3
29 Walsh, Ian Philadelphia, PA 2000 2 7 10 2 0 0 15 56 67 7 8 0
30 Hasenfratz, Mike Regina, SK 2000 6 19 20 3 2 1
32 Kowal, Tom Vernon, BC 2000 3 12 10 0 3 0 17 66 73 6 8 3
33 Pollock, Kevin Kincardine, ON 2000 1 6 4 0 0 1 17 64 70 8 7 2
34 Meier, Brad Dayton, OH 1999 2 3 10 0 2 0 19 74 71 8 8 3
36 Morton, Dean Peterborough, ON 2000 1 3 8 1 0 0 13 54 63 8 4 1
37 Rehman, Kyle Stettler, AB 2008 1 4 4 0 0 1 5 19 18 3 0 2
38 St Laurent, Francois Greenfield Park, PQ 2006 2 13 7 2 0 0 10 48 43 5 3 2
40 Kozari, Steve Penticton, BC 2006 3 9 15 2 1 0 19 84 85 12 7 0
41 Ciamaga, Chris Buffalo, NY 2008 2 8 10 1 1 0
43 Jean Hebert Bouctouche, NB 2010
44 Banfield, Steve Halifax, NS 2008 1 4 4 1 0 0 4 20 16 3 1 0
45 Marcus Vinnerborg Ljungby, SWE 2010
46 Charron, Francis Gatineau, PQ 2010 1 6 6 1 0 0
49 Hebert, Ghislain Dieppe, NB 2009 2 6 7 1 1 0 3 9 15 2 1 0
TOTALS 35 134 136 18 12 5 1056 1118 122 ## 34
No.
2010-2011 Since 2007
1st
GameBornOfficial
St. Louis Game Time Scorecard
St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks; Tuesday, December 28 2010
Referee: ________________________ Referee: ________________________
Linesman: ______________________ Linesman: ______________________
Shots Team
Hawks
Blues
1st
2d
3rd
OT
SO
F
Score Team
Hawks
Blues
1st
2d
3rd
OT
SO
F
Blues Starting Lineup
C:
LW:
RW:
D:
D:
G:
Blackhawks Starting Lineup
C:
LW:
RW:
D:
D:
G:
Three Stars of the Game
1st Star:
2nd Star:
3rd Star:
Other Stars of the Game
GWG:
GW Goalie:
Hard Hat:
Per. Time Team Goalscorer 1st Assist 2nd Assist
Per. Time Team Penalized Player Penalty
Goal Scoring
Penalties Called
Game Notes:
GAM E T IM E Page 17
This HBO show can do this for us, right? So when there is
finally the chance to have an incredible vehicle to showcase
talent, characters and operations of an actual NHL team, the
mamby pamby players take issue because they are
―distracted.‖ This makes me throw up in my butt a little.
I can hear you bellyachers now, ―Answer, we need to
respect the players‘ game day preparation because it could
cause the product to suffer.‖ This lack of mental toughness is
a problem. And, none of this should be up to the players. It‘s
their job. They don‘t write the checks, they cash them. The
product will suffer? Puh-lease. Do you think I tell Fat Russell
that it is too late at night for me to come to his house, pick up
a garbage bag of ―none of your business‖ to drop off at some
obscure dumpster in North Co behind a strip mall? Hell no, I
don‘t. I say, yes sir, and on the first and the fifteenth of every
month he thanks me with a check. If I didn‘t do this, there
are 100 other North Co tough guys who would do this. I gotta
stay fresh, tight and let everyone know I‘m all about getting‘
down and rockin‘ hard.
I think this idea of the HBO special is a great idea. I‘m
bummed that we don‘t have HBO at the Answer House. Just
like Answer Mom tells me, people who get HBO live on their
own, don‘t get to take up a whole basement with their friends
and have sit-around-fun-time chest bumping. People with
HBO can be all fancy and not spill paint in the garage or
probably don‘t take their dogs on float trips or get their dogs
sugar gliders and name the glider after a 1980s mega pop
star (El Debarge for you not in the know).
I just hope that HBO puts this show out on DVD so I can
have my mom buy it for me for my birthday. This is one of
the greatest things the league has ever decided to do. The
players should be damn happy that an opportunity like this
has presented itself. Stuff your sorries in a sack and let the
cameras role. Bababooey to you all.
Send your questions: [email protected]
Follow him on Twitter: @GTAnswerManNoCo
Dear Answer Man,
I was listening to Hockey Night in Canada Radio the other
day. They were talking about the HBO 24/7 special that is
putting together the run up to the Winter Classic.
Apparently since the Capitals are in a nose dive right now,
some of the players have been complaining about all of the
access the HBO crews are getting. There are also rumors
that the players didn’t want to wear microphones during
their game against the Rangers when they got beat 7-1.
Apparently the microphones and prep took away from their
pregame focus. With all of that being said, is this potentially
a union issue for the players? Does it seem as though the
league is telling them to march in line
and take it?
-Collin (Hannibal-MO)
Collin, I had no idea this was even an
issue. Let me get this straight. These
―professional‖ athletes feel as though
putting a microphone in their
equipment will distract them? You
mean to tell me that these grown ass
men are that easily distracted? Well, looking back maybe
they were distracted when you look at how the team played
as they got ―penetrated‖ by the Rangers that afternoon. I
don‘t buy it though. Seems to me like these players are
looking for any excuse to explain a ridiculous losing streak.
There is more at play here though. I have gone on record
many times before that a players‘ union is absolute garbage
and such a dated idea. These guys need to realize they are
employees, first and foremost. I know this notion flies in the
face of my/our punk rock ethos around GT/Answer Nation
but the players‘ union can suck it as far as I‘m concerned.
The NHL is the worst marketed major professional sports
league out there. At one time televised poker had higher
ratings. Even the insultingly lowbrow NASCAR markets itself
and its drivers better than any hockey team ever has. The
NHL seemingly will never, ever, get it. The league agreed to
bring in the HBO dudes and why not, right? Unobstructed
access to all things locker room. This is a fan‘s wet dream; to
be ―in the room‖ is what we have hard-ons for. Just one
glimpse of what happens in there. One little morsel to let us
feel like we could potentially belong to the ―cool kids‘ club‖.
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 18
We’re Not Locked In Here With You...
www.stlouisgametime.com
GAM E T IM E Page 19
GAM E T IM E Page 19
By Nate the Great
Good to hear that Patrick Kane has recovered from
injuring his ankle falling off the B-holes bandwagon.
Hopefully the rest of Chicago can heal just as fast. Get it?
You‘re all bandwagon fans, Shitcago! Ba dum, cha! God,
you‘re pieces of shit, and so‘s your hockey team.
Once upon a time, I attended a Blues-Hawks game in
Chicago, wearing my Blues jersey. We shut them out, and I
jumped up after every goal the Blues scored (keep in mind,
this was when we were still pretty crap-tacular post-
lockout). On the second goal of the game, I leapt up and fist
pumped, only to be hollered at my
some inbred douchenozzle
Chicagoan up farther in the section:
―Siddown, y’asshole!‖ Special in-print
shout out to that guy: Suck on my left
fucking nut, dude. Not too hard,
though. Daddy doesn‘t like it rough.
And watch the teeth.
In the spirit of Chicago suckitude, I
wanted to try a new take on the Fantasy
Factor today, instead talking to you
about the Brad Fucking Winches-
ters of the Blackhawks‘ roster. Yep, I‘m
going to break down this team‘s
complete wastes of space and pieces of
shit. Why not just print the roster, you
say? Good point. So I‘ll pick out their
ESPECIALLY SHITTY pieces of shit.
Big ol‘ piece of shit number one:
Marty Turco. Marty Turco has been a
complete fantasy waste for several seasons now, even
though you might not have realized it until he started really
blowing dicks for the Hawks this year. He was a waste of a
draft pick his past couple of years in Dallas, too. Now with a
defending Stanley Cup team in front of him, including the
Norris-winning defenseman, the sieve has nine wins in 21
starts. NINE WINS. Let‘s put that in perspective. Nine—
that‘s two more wins than there are WONDERS OF THE
WORLD. Also to put that in perspective, Turco has six
penalty minutes—notice: three fewer PIMs than he has
wins. What a complete waste of air. Not to mention dollars.
Big ol‘ piece of shit number two: Niklas Hjalmarsson.
A. Learn to spell your own fucking name correctly, asshat,
and B. Do something besides net yourself three points and
an even rating if you‘re going to play in 35 games.
Big ol‘ piece of shit number three: Fernando Pisani.
What a piss-poor, piss ant name. Fernando is a perennial
fourth-line body filler, and he‘s performing up to ability so far
this year, with a measly five goals and five assists in 29 games.
How terrible.
You know who‘s actually good for the ‗Hawks? That
Dustin Byfuglien kid. He‘s got a booming slapper and is
scoring like a motherfucker, hits like a bull and is solidly in
plus territory as a great defender. Oh? What‘s that? You guys
hated him when he was a Blackhawk, your coach played him
in the wrong position and you guys sent
him packing when you needed to shed
salary? Stan Bowman, you aren‘t very
good at this, are you? How‘s Marty
Reasoner looking? OH WAIT! You
traded him for JEFF FUCKING
TAFFE? Raise your hand if you
remember Jeff Taffe, Blues fans. He was
the Blues‘ first-round pick in 2000! Is he
any good, you ask? He posted one goal
and one assist in 21 games with the
Panthers last year. So in a word: no.
Meanwhile, for the Blues, I think it‘s
time to go on T.J. Oshie watch in fantasy
circles. We all saw the video of him
making some nice cuts on skates with
both feet. Reports are that he skated
about an hour. You tell me if you could do
that just weeks after having a plate
screwed into your ankle. His movement
looked pretty fluid. If you‘ve got an extra
injured-reserve spot for stashing a high-energy Oshie, you
might look at stashing him there soon if he‘s been dropped in
your league—and I‘m guessing he has, since everybody seems
to think he‘s out until March. Granted, that may still be the
case—the Blues and Osh haven‘t said anything to the
contrary—but it can never hurt to keep him on your radar in
case word starts filtering out that he might be ready sooner
than expected.
But for tonight, the focus is on bringing down the B-hawks.
Given the effort Captain Backes put into the last game
against the Preds, combined with his propensity for
pummeling Jonathan Toews, who then subsequently barfs,
I‘m really excited to watch the game you‘re about to see. I‘m
calling a Gordie Howe Hat Trick from the artist formerly
known as Chuck Norris.
There are no fantasy points
awarded for vomiting, Toews.
...You’re Locked In Here With Us.
St. Louis Game Time
By Brian Weidler
as part of Team USA‘s USHL schedule, and Gibson is 2-3-2
in those games with a 2.84 GAA and 91.7%.
Gibson has signed a letter of intent to skate for Ohio State
of the CCHA in 2011-12, which would suit the Blues to a ―T.‖
With 25-year-old Jaroslav Halak in tow, the Blues are set at
the NHL level for the foreseeable future. They also have two
quality prospects at AHL Peoria in Ben
Bishop and Jake Allen, plus a solid
collegian in Paul Karpowich at
Clarkson. Gibson would slot in as Ohio
State‘s number one, and the Blues
could afford to allow him all four years
to develop there, using the time to sort
out the depth chart above him.
Round 2
Recent trends: Only one full-time
NHLer has emerged from this draft
class in recent years (Michal Neuvirth,
Washington, 34th overall 2006), but
several of the league‘s top prospects—
Jake Allen, Ottawa‘s Robin Lehner and
Florida‘s Jakob Markstrom—were
recent second-round picks by NHL
clubs. A total of 14 goalies have been
chosen in the second round since
2006; seven Canadians, six Europeans
(four Swedes, one Czech, one Finn) and one American.
Our prediction: As of Christmas, neither of the two Mock
Drafts posted at NHL.com, nor the International Scouting
Services (ISS) December Top 30, lists a goaltender as a
potential first-round selection. McKeens Hockey Prospects
ranks John Gibson 16th overall in their December Top 30.
This leaves wide open the possibility that Gibson, his
namesake in the QMJHL, or Perhonen may be available to
the Blues in the second round.
We at ―Tomorrow‘s Blues‖ would strongly consider any of
these players with the Blues‘ second-round pick, especially if
the first-round selection adequately addressed the organiza-
tion‘s long-term need for size and elite-level scoring ability
on the wing. If the American Gibson is left on the board after
the first round, we would make every effort to trade up and
draft him as early in the second round as possible.
After the top three, none of the other 2011 draft-eligible
goaltenders are, in our estimation, worthy of serious
consideration by the Blues before the third round. There are
more pressing short- and long-term organizational needs to
be addressed, and higher-quality athletes available to
address them.
Round 3
Recent trends: Columbus starter Steve Mason is the only
noteworthy goaltender of the 15 drafted in the third round—
eight Canadians, three Americans, two Swedes, a German
(Continued on page 21)
In the last few issues, ―Tomorrow‘s Blues‖ has focused on the
top goaltending prospects available for the 2011 NHL Entry
Draft. Tonight, we‘ll take the wraps off of our crystal ball and
reveal our thoughts regarding the best of these prospects,
and how potential draft scenarios are likely to unfold.
Round 1
Recent trends: Since 2006, NHL
teams have tended to skip a year
when it comes to drafting goaltenders
in the first round. Four goalies were
chosen in 2006, including two of the
better young starters in the NHL
right now in Jonathan Bernier (LA)
and Semyon Varlamov (Washington).
None were chosen in 2007, two in
2008, none in 2009 and two in 2010,
leaving 2011 as a likely ―skip‖ year if
the pattern is followed. Of the eight
goaltenders chosen in the first round
since 2006, four were Canadians, two
Americans, and two Europeans (one
Russian, one Finn).
This year’s model: There are, as we
see it, three elite goaltending
prospects for the 2011 NHL Entry
Draft. Two are of Finnish origin, although one is playing
major junior in the QMJHL, and one is American.
Christopher Gibson, Chicoutimi (QMJHL), 6‘1, 193,
catches left, born Dec. 12, 1992.
John Gibson, USNTDP U-18 (USHL), 6‘2.75, 205, catches
left, born Jul. 14, 1993.
Samu Perhonen, JYP U-20 (FIN Jr), 6‘3, 172, catches left,
born Mar. 7, 1993.
Our prediction: The Blues will most likely not buck trends—
neither the league-wide trend nor their own—and select a
goaltender with their first round pick in 2011. . . unless they
are able to obtain another first-round pick through trade.
If this scenario unfolds, we see the Blues using the latter
of their first-round selections to draft the American, John
Gibson. The failure of highly touted Marek Schwarz to pan
out is fresh in the minds of the Blues‘ scouts and staff, so
Perhonen is an unlikely pick for the Blues in the first round
no matter how well he‘s playing in Europe.
Movement is Gibson‘s forte in the net, and his agility on
skates and post-to-post movement are strong. ESPN.com
concurs, giving Gibson an ―A‖ grade for his size and position-
ing. His glove, rebound control, hockey sense and athleticism
all grade out at an A-minus.
In 15 total games with the U-18 squad, the Pittsburgh
native has posted a 6-6-2 record, 2.89 goals-against average
and 91.7 save percentage. Eight of those games were played
2011 Draft: Goaltenders
The failure of 2004 first-rounder Marek
Schwartz (shown in his last North
American pro game with Alaska) is likely
to have long-term implications for
European goaltenders in the Blues’
drafting and development plans.
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010
GAM E T IM E Page 21
and a Russian—since 2006. Indeed, third-round goaltender
selections have been almost ―throwaway‖ picks in the last five
drafts, with only Mason having made ―The Show‖ and only four
of the other goalies selected in the third round since 2006 even
advancing as far as the AHL by this season.
The Blues, for their part, have had mixed success in the third
round. They have drafted more goaltenders (five) in the third
round than any other round in their draft history, but only one of
those picks—John Garrett in 1971—has made any impact in the
NHL. Ben Bishop was a third-round pick (85th overall in 2005),
as was Konstantin Barulin (84th overall in 2003), but only
Bishop is expected to play in the NHL; Barulin has good
numbers in Russia‘s elite leagues (50-30-18, 11 SO, 2.12, 91.7%
for his career), but his insistence on a ―guaranteed‖ NHL roster
spot has kept him out of the Blues‘ plans.
This year’s model: We expect both Gibsons and Perhonen to be
long gone by the time the Blues select in the third round. We
expect at least one to be taken in the first round, at least three in
the second round and another three in the third round, so we‘re
looking at essentially the numbers five, six and seven prospects:
Jordan Binnington, Owen Sound (OHL), 6‘ 1.75, 160, catches
left, born Jul. 11, 1993.
Stefan Steen, Skellefteå J-20 (SWE Jr), 6‘ 1.5, 169, catches left,
born Jan. 6, 1993.
Adam Wilcox, Green Bay (USHL), 6‘ 0, 171, catches left, born
Nov. 26, 1992.
Our prediction: John Gibson is our priority goaltending target at
―Tomorrow‘s Blues‖ Draft Central, and will be all year unless he
(Continued from page 20) experiences the mother of all collapses, but the more realistic
expectation is that one of these three goaltenders will be hearing
his name called by the Blues somewhere around 75th overall.
Binnington, a tall and lanky butterfly goalie with a quick glove
hand and mature puck-handling skills, has an 11-8-2 record in
22 games played with a 3.07 GAA, 89.4 save percentage, and a
25-save shutout at home versus Sudbury on Nov. 27. McKeens
Hockey Prospects noted that Binnington has an ability to make
numerous saves in succession while maintaining a cool
demeanor and expending little energy in doing so.
Steen moved over from the Leksand organization to Skellefteå
over the summer, and in Superelit play this year has managed to
place himself in the top five in goals-against average (2.58), save
percentage (90.4) and wins (9) through this point of the season.
An athletic goalie with good side-to-side movement and butterfly
technique, Steen gets low to the ice and plays his angles well, but
is not an accomplished puckhandler.
Wilcox, a native of South St. Paul, Minnesota, has posted a 7-3
-1 record in 11 games with a solid 2.15 GAA and 92.7 save
percentage. McKeen‘s Hockey Prospects notes that Wilcox
―maintains a compact butterfly (and is) able to go down and up,
and close the five-hole, quickly.‖ His rebound control on low
shots is good, as he has an ability to direct kick saves and
butterfly saves to the corners; high shots off of his chest
protector can handcuff him, however.
Next time in ―Tomorrow‘s Blues,‖ we‘ll look at how Blues‘
prospects are doing at the World Junior Championship and at
other holiday tournaments. Until then, remember. . . ―If we do
not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will
nothing left but that of the anvil. Auf wiedersehen.
Bryan Bickell
Shoots: Left
Height: 6’4
Weight: 223
Birthdate: Mar 9, 1986
Birthplace: Bowmanville, ONT, CAN
Bickell was a second round pick of the Blackhawks
back in 2004, and if they hadn‘t completely dicked
up their salary cap situation over the last couple
years, he‘d probably still be playing in Rockford,
Illinois, rather than in Sweet Home Chicago.
Bickell presumably had a hard time making the big club all
these years because he was a bit of a bridge player. Drafted in
2004 when the NHL was a big-body, clutch-and-grab league,
Bickell had the prototypical NHL big body that was coveted.
However, in the post-lockout, post-―Dollar‖ Bill Wirtz NHL,
the Blackhawks built a team based on speed and skill with
virtually no thought given to size or toughness (their flirtation
with Big Country Matt Walker as an exception).
However, with the post-Cup ‗Hawks suddenly
in need of lots (and lots) of cheap youngsters to fill
their roster, Bickell finally got a legitimate shot at
joining the club.
He has made the most of his opportunity,
posting 10 goals and 20 points in just 34 games,
doubling his career NHL total in goals and tripling
it in points. On top of that, he has managed to
limit his penalty minutes to just 17, fitting in with
the Chicago model and well below the PIM
numbers he had been putting up in the AHL.
Bickell has bridged a gap once in his
professional career. The question is whether he
can do it again and go from lunkhead who could score to
power forward who will get rough.
By Sean Gallagher
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 22
By Chris Gift
First worn by Frank Spring
Currently worn by Carlo Colaiacovo
Notable Blues who have worn 28: Greg
Paslawski, Ralph Klassen, Bob Bassen, Steve
Duchesne, Keith Osborne, Ricard Persson,
Brad Shaw, Todd Rierden, Matt Walker
Other notable 28s: Philadelphia‘s Claude
Giroux, Washington‘s Alex Semin, Boston‘s
Mark Recchi, Dallas‘ Mark ―The Bird‖ Fistric
Famous 28s: Steve Larmer, Kjell Samuelsson,
Reed Larson, Tie Domi, Donald Audette
Want to make it to the Hockey Hall of Fame?
How about getting your number retired? You
do? Then don‘t wear 28.
Looking back on the numbers that have
appeared in this feature, the ―Famous‖ part is
usually reserved for players who are either in the Hall, or
have had their numbers retired.
Steve Larmer is about as close as it‘ll come to either of
those happening. Larmer appeared in 1,006 career games,
884 of them consecutively—take that, Cam
Janssen.
As far as Blues are concerned, Matt
Walker was the toughest 28, Greg
Paslawski was the highest scoring, Keith
Osborne was the one with the most
promise and the most disappointing.
Yes, the Brad Shaw who is behind the
Blues bench is the same one who played
for the Blues. His career as a Blue
was 12 regular season games with the
Blues in the 1998-1999 season, and four
more in the 1999 playoffs. He didn‘t have
any points in any of the games, and took
two penalties. He isn‘t a candidate for
Remember Me? because we don‘t.
Heading South: Not Much
Going North: You get what you pay for
The Blues‘ first transaction happened back on June 6,
1967. In the 43 and a half years that the
Blues have been in existence, there
have only been 11 transactions
involving the Blues and the
Blackhawks. While big trades with one
of the team‘s archenemies isn‘t
completely taboo, they are just harder
to do. For example, the Blues sent the
original Red Berenson and Wayne
Connelly to Detroit for Garry Unger
and Tim Ecclestone. However, none of
their deals with Chicago have had the
type of pizzazz that trades with Detroit
have featured.
The Blues plucked Glenn Hall, Bill Hay and Gerry
Melnyk from the Blackhawks in the expansion draft. It
would be another six years before another Blues-
Blackhawks swap. The Blues sent Chris Bordeleau to
Chicago in exchange for Danny O‘Shea. Six months later,
Bordeleau was purchased by the Blues from Chicago.
The NHL Waiver Draft is a thing of the past, as is its
precursor the Intra-League Draft. The Blues took Brian
Ogilvie from the Hawks in 1974. Three
seasons later it was Dick Redmond
coming in exchange for Pierre Plante
going.
Eddie Johnston was sold to Chicago—
Dollar Bill Wirtz probably got a price he
couldn‘t turn down. Rik Wilson was
acquired for Craig Coxe, Bobby Bassen
was claimed in the 1990 Waiver Draft,
while Richie Sutter was lost in the 1993
Waiver Draft. Most recently, Hannu
Toivonen and Danny Richmond were
sent to the Blackhawk organization in
exchange for Joe Fallon.
Fallon played goal for the Rivermen last year with Ben
Bishop. He is now a member of the San Antonio Rampage
where he is 2-1 in four games after starting this year with
the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL.
By Chris Gift
Hannu Toivonen was the last Blue to
be sent to Chicago in a trade. You’re
welcome, dickheads.
Top 11 Signs You’re Drunk
At A Hockey Game
11. You lament the fact that the Blues didn‘t draft that Toes guy from the Hawks.
10. Your name sounds a lot like Bobby Plager.
9. You tried spending your Best Buy gift card with the beer man.
8. You already called in sick tomorrow telling your boss you plan to be throwing up by 2 a.m.
7. You insist on celebrating New Year‘s Eve Eve Eve Eve tonight.
6. You think Sucky McSuck is a misunderstood comic genius.
5. Your ―I Bleed Blue‖ tattoo is starting to fade.
4. Every time the beer man stops by you say, ―Well there goes the Christmas bonus.‖
3. You‘re wearing an Indian headdress and buckskin booties with fringe on them.
2. You try starting the chant ―Bellll Four.‖
1. You just signed Marek Svatos and his seven goals scored last year to help the Blues.
From the Empty Beer Cup of Brad Lee
St. Louis Game TimeSt. Louis Game Time
Shirts are Shirts are
overrated.overrated.
GAM E T IM E Page 23
Keith Osborne
DOB: April 2, 1969 in Toronto, Ontario
Played for the Blues: Five
games in 1989-1990
The Blues were in dire need of a
power forward entering the 1987
NHL Draft—some things never
change, do they? When they drafted
12th overall that season, with only
their second first-round selection
since 1981, Toronto native Keith
Osborne was selected from the North
Bay Centennials of the Ontario Hockey
League.
Still available in that draft were
Bryan Marchment, John LeClair,
Stephane Matteau, Mathieu Schneider and
Andrew Cassels. Quebec drafted somebody named
Joe Sakic three spots later. Sakic hasn‘t entered the
Hall of Fame just yet, but his 1,378 games played,
625 goals, 1,016 assists, two Stanley Cups, one
Conn Smythe Trophy, one Hart Trophy and eighth-
overall ranking on the NHL all-time scoring list probably
won‘t hurt his chances of making it.
But, alas, the Blues took Osborne. The idea was to
have Osborne become the gritty, hard-working third
fiddle on the Brett Hull and Adam Oates
line. Plus, he had the name to match the
―Rock ‗n Roll‖ line. Hull and Oates and
―Ozzy‖ Osborne formed the Blues‘ top line
entering the 1989-1990 season.
The line lasted all of five games.
Because of injuries and, frankly, not being
very good, Osborne played in Peoria for
two more years until being shipped to
Toronto for Darren Veitch.
He was an original Tampa Bay
Lightning, and wasn‘t very good in the
eleven games he played in Florida.
His NHL numbers can be counted on
the hand of a four-fingered cartoon character: a goal and
three assists.
The Swiss Elite League was where he made his last
stop, playing for the Zurich Grasshoppers.
Rk Team GP W L OL PTS GF GA TG/G PP PPO PP% PPA PPOA PK% SH
1 Detroit Red Wings 36 23 9 4 50 121 100 6.14 34 151 22.52 25 138 81.88 2
2 Pittsburgh Penguins 37 24 11 2 50 119 86 5.54 26 155 16.77 20 157 87.26 6
3 Philadelphia Flyers 35 22 8 5 49 117 87 5.83 24 144 16.67 26 155 83.23 6
4 Tampa Bay Lightning 36 21 10 5 47 112 116 6.33 37 155 23.87 21 139 84.89 0
5 Vancouver Canucks 34 21 8 5 47 115 88 5.97 33 138 23.91 18 124 85.48 2
6 Washington Capitals 38 21 12 5 47 114 105 5.76 27 138 19.57 24 153 84.31 5
7 Dallas Stars 36 21 11 4 46 102 96 5.50 25 145 17.24 26 139 81.29 4
8 Los Angeles Kings 35 22 12 1 45 106 78 5.26 23 137 16.79 18 129 86.05 2
9 Atlanta Thrashers 38 19 13 6 44 120 111 6.08 29 138 21.01 26 132 80.30 6
10 New York Rangers 37 21 14 2 44 115 97 5.73 24 135 17.78 23 127 81.89 8
11 Chicago Blackhawks 37 20 14 3 43 119 105 6.05 33 132 25.00 26 120 78.33 3
12 Colorado Avalanche 36 19 12 5 43 125 117 6.72 29 126 23.02 34 141 75.89 4
13 San Jose Sharks 36 19 12 5 43 106 100 5.72 34 152 22.37 22 125 82.40 2
14 Boston Bruins 34 19 11 4 42 96 71 4.91 21 117 17.95 14 108 87.04 5
15 Montreal Canadiens 36 20 14 2 42 93 83 4.89 23 121 19.01 19 144 86.81 3
16 St. Louis Blues 35 18 12 5 41 92 96 5.37 21 133 15.79 25 136 81.62 4
17 Anaheim Ducks 39 18 17 4 40 99 115 5.49 28 133 21.05 32 156 79.49 3
18 Nashville Predators 35 17 12 6 40 85 87 4.91 17 125 13.60 20 125 84.00 1
19 Phoenix Coyotes 34 16 11 7 39 91 97 5.53 21 125 16.80 29 140 79.29 3
20 Columbus Blue Jackets 36 18 15 3 39 93 105 5.50 17 139 12.23 30 154 80.52 3
21 Minnesota Wild 35 16 14 5 37 86 100 5.31 29 132 21.97 27 144 81.25 3
22 Ottawa Senators 37 16 17 4 36 86 108 5.24 23 115 20.00 28 143 80.42 2
23 Calgary Flames 37 16 18 3 35 100 107 5.59 25 154 16.23 30 151 80.13 4
24 Carolina Hurricanes 34 15 15 4 34 94 105 5.85 22 142 15.49 27 122 77.87 4
25 Florida Panthers 34 16 17 1 33 93 89 5.35 11 117 9.40 17 110 84.55 2
26 Buffalo Sabres 36 14 18 4 32 94 106 5.56 23 141 16.31 27 143 81.12 2
27 Edmonton Oilers 34 12 16 6 30 89 116 6.03 20 124 16.13 36 129 72.09 4
28 Toronto Maple Leafs 34 13 17 4 30 79 103 5.35 23 141 16.31 25 107 76.64 1
29 New York Islanders 34 9 19 6 24 78 114 5.65 22 142 15.49 28 146 80.82 4
30 New Jersey Devils 35 9 24 2 20 61 112 4.94 18 113 15.93 19 123 84.55 1
League Average 36 18 14 4 40 100 100 5.61 25 135 18.28 25 135 81.72 3
Eastern Conference GP W L OL PTS PTS% Western Conference GP W L OL PTS PTS%
Atlantic Division Central Division
Pittsburgh Penguins 37 24 11 2 50 67.6% Detroit Red Wings 36 23 9 4 50 69.4%
Philadelphia Flyers 35 22 8 5 49 70.0% Chicago Blackhawks 37 20 14 3 43 58.1%
New York Rangers 37 21 14 2 44 59.5% St. Louis Blues 35 18 12 5 41 58.6%
New York Islanders 34 9 19 6 24 35.3% Nashville Predators 35 17 12 6 40 57.1%
New Jersey Devils 35 9 24 2 20 28.6% Columbus Blue Jackets 36 18 15 3 39 54.2%
Northeast Division Northwest Division
Montreal Canadiens 36 20 14 2 42 58.3% Vancouver Canucks 34 21 8 5 47 69.1%
Boston Bruins 34 19 11 4 42 61.8% Colorado Avalanche 36 19 12 5 43 59.7%
Ottawa Senators 37 16 17 4 36 48.6% Minnesota Wild 35 16 14 5 37 52.9%
Buffalo Sabres 36 14 18 4 32 44.4% Calgary Flames 37 16 18 3 35 47.3%
Toronto Maple Leafs 34 13 17 4 30 44.1% Edmonton Oilers 34 12 16 6 30 44.1%
Southeast Division Pacific Division
Washington Capitals 38 21 12 5 47 61.8% Dallas Stars 36 21 11 4 46 63.9%
Tampa Bay Lightning 36 21 10 5 47 65.3% Los Angeles Kings 35 22 12 1 45 64.3%
Atlanta Thrashers 38 19 13 6 44 57.9% San Jose Sharks 36 19 12 5 43 59.7%
Carolina Hurricanes 34 15 15 4 34 50.0% Anaheim Ducks 39 18 17 4 40 51.3%
Florida Panthers 34 16 17 1 33 48.5% Phoenix Coyotes 34 16 11 7 39 57.4%
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 24
Legend: GP: Games Played; W: Wins; L: Losses; O: Overtime/Shootout Losses; PTS: Points; PTS%: Points Percentage (points divided
by maximum points); GF: Goals For; GA: Goals Against; G/G: total goals scored per game (GF and GA); PPG: Power Play Goals; PPO:
Power Play Opportunities; PP%: Power Play Percentage; PPGA: Power Play Goals Against; PPA: Power Play Opportunities Against;
PK%: Penalty Kill Percentage; SHG: Short handed Goals; SHA: Short Handed Goals Against; *: Clinched playoff spot.
GAM E T IM E Page 25
October January (continued)
DATE OPPONENT SCORE RECORDWINNING/LOSING
GOALIEDATE OPPONENT SCORE RECORD
WINNING/LOSING
GOALIE
Oct 9 Sat Flyers 2-1 OT 1-0-0 Halak/Boucher Jan 12 Wed @Ducks
Oct 11 Mon Ducks 5-1 2-0-0 Halak/Hiller Jan 13 Thu @Kings
Oct 14 Thu @Predators 3-4 2-1-0 Lindback/Halak Jan 15 Sat @Sharks
Oct 16 Sat @Stars 2-3 SO 2-1-1 Lehtonen/Conklin Jan 18 Tue Kings
Oct 18 Mon @Blackhaw ks 2-3 OT 2-1-2 Turco/Halak Jan 20 Thu Red Wings
Oct 22 Fri Blackhaw ks 3-2 3-1-2 Halak/Turco Jan 22 Sat Blue Jackets
Oct 23 Sat Penguins 1-0 OT 4-1-2 Halak/Johnson Jan 24 Mon @Avalanche
Oct 28 Thu @Predators 3-0 5-1-2 Halak/Rinne Jan 26 Wed @Flames
Oct 30 Sat Thrashers 4-3 SO 6-1-2 Halak/Pavelec
November February
DATE OPPONENT SCORE RECORDWINNING/LOSING
GOALIEDATE OPPONENT SCORE RECORD
WINNING/LOSING
GOALIE
Nov 4 Thu Sharks 2-0 7-1-2 Halak/Niemi Feb 1 Tue Avalanche
Nov 6 Sat @Bruins 2-1 SO 8-1-2 Halak/Rask Feb 4 Fri Oilers
Nov 7 Sun @Rangers 2-0 9-1-2 Conklin/Biron Feb 6 Sun @Lightning
Nov 10 Wed @Blue Jackets 1-8 9-2-2 Mason/Halak Feb 8 Tue @Panthers
Nov 11 Thu Predators 2-3 SO 9-2-3 Rinne/Halak Feb 11 Fri Wild
Nov 13 Sat @Coyotes 3-5 9-3-3 Bryzgalov/Conklin Feb 12 Sat @Wild
Nov 15 Mon @Avalanche 3-6 9-4-3 Budaj/Halak Feb 14 Mon Canucks
Nov 17 Wed @Red Wings 3-7 9-5-3 How ard/Halak Feb 18 Fri @Sabres
Nov 19 Fri Senators 5-2 10-5-3 Conklin/Elliott Feb 19 Sat Ducks
Nov 20 Sat Devils 3-2 11-5-3 Halak/McKenna Feb 21 Mon Blackhaw ks
Nov 24 Wed @Predators 2-1 12-5-3 Halak/Rinne Feb 24 Thu @Canucks
Nov 26 Fri @Stars 2-3 12-6-3 Lehtonen/Halak Feb 25 Fri @Oilers
Nov 27 Sat Stars 1-2 12-7-3 Lehtonen/Halak Feb 27 Sun @Flames
Nov 30 Tue @Blackhaw ks 5-7 12-8-3 Craw ford/Conklin
December March
DATE OPPONENT SCORE RECORDWINNING/LOSING
GOALIEDATE OPPONENT SCORE RECORD
WINNING/LOSING
GOALIE
Dec 1 Wed Capitals 1-4 12-9-3 Varlamov/Halak Mar 1 Tue Flames
Dec 4 Sat @Oilers 1-2 OT 12-9-4 Khabibulin/Halak Mar 3 Thu @Capitals
Dec 5 Sun @Canucks 3-2 13-9-4 Halak/Luongo Mar 5 Sat @Islanders
Dec 9 Thu Blue Jackets 4-1 14-9-3 Halak/Garon Mar 7 Mon Blue Jackets
Dec 11 Sat Hurricanes 1-2 SO 14-9-4 Ward/Halak Mar 9 Wed @Blue Jackets
Dec 15 Wed @Red Wings 2-5 14-10-4 How ard/Halak Mar 10 Thu Canadiens
Dec 16 Thu Kings 6-4 15-10-4 Conklin/Quick Mar 12 Sat Red Wings
Dec 18 Sat Sharks 1-4 15-11-4 Niittymaki/Halak Mar 16 Wed @Ducks
Dec 20 Mon Canucks 1-3 15-12-4 Luongo/Halak Mar 17 Thu @Kings
Dec 21 Tue @Thrashers 4-2 16-12-4 Conklin/Mason Mar 19 Sat @Sharks
Dec 23 Thu Red Wings 4-3 17-12-4 Halak/Osgood Mar 22 Tue @Coyotes
Dec 26 Sun Predators 2-0 18-12-4 Halak/Rinne Mar 24 Thu Oilers
Dec 28 Tue Blackhaw ks Mar 26 Sat @Wild
Dec 31 Fri Coyotes Mar 29 Tue Wild
Mar 30 Wed @Red Wings
January April
DATE OPPONENT SCORE RECORDWINNING/LOSING
GOALIEDATE OPPONENT SCORE RECORD
WINNING/LOSING
GOALIE
Jan 2 Sun Stars Apr 1 Fri Flames
Jan 6 Thu @Maple Leafs Apr 3 Sun @Blue Jackets
Jan 8 Sat Rangers Apr 5 Tue Avalanche
Jan 10 Mon Coyotes Apr 6 Wed @Blackhaw ks
Apr 9 Sat Predators
day when the Blues were making
the playoffs every year and fans
could sing ―Belllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Four‖ when Chicago was in town.
Back in those days, the Blues and
‗Hawks had a lot of similar players.
St. Louis had Brendan Shanahan, the
‗Hawks Jeremy Roenick. Now I
know they weren‘t carbon copies
of each other, but for the sake of
comparison they were both natural goal
scorers who weren‘t afraid to
play a physical brand of hockey.
They banged, they fought a little,
they used the physical part of the game
to create space and chances for
themselves. While I hated
Michel Goulet and Steve Larmer, if
they had Sutter stitched on the
back of their jerseys, they might
have been just as ugly and played
a similar brand of hockey. They
matched up well, these two teams. And
they hated each other. Each
team knew they had to get past
the other to advance in the
playoffs. That led to some epic games
with fans fighting fans, players
fighting players and a buzz that
couldn‘t be matched.
So when this generation‘s Blues and
Blackhawks get together, I‘m
not certain the matchup leads to
the same intensity. While the Blues
don‘t have an answer for Kane or Hossa
(maybe a healthy David Perron and
Andy McDonald on their best days), the
Hawks don‘t have a response to David
Backes or Barret Jackman.
The Blues have the goaltender
of the future in Jaroslav Halak
while the Hawks have stop-gap
Marty Turco. Chicago is the
defending Cup champion, the
Blues not so much. I will say that
if Dustin Byfuglien was still a
Hawk, there might be
something there. Sure the
‗Hawks have the towering John
Scott, but it‘s not like he‘s a part of the
game often. He‘s out-sized his
competition in the NHL with
fewer teams fielding heavyweights
much less many guys who will go
toe to toe with a guy who is listed at 6‘8
and nearly 260 pounds. The
Blues had a giant enforcer in D.J.
King and they traded him away for a
(Continued from page 1) minor league agitator. So Scott may
look cool on the ice, but his value is
questionable at best.
When I think of this year‘s version of
the ‗Hawks, I can‘t help but think how
inferior the team is compared to a
season ago. When the Stanley Cup
bonuses kicked in for players and they
pushed well past the salary cap, the
front office had no choice but to ship
some of the key players out of town
(mostly to Atlanta). And while people
who watch this team on a regular basis
have said the ‗Hawks don‘t have a
problem with depth, I didn‘t believe
them until I actually looked at the
numbers.
At the top are Sharp and Toews: 36
and 33 points. There are seven other
players 20 points or more. To remind
you, only three Blues have 20 points or
more with Backes leading the way with
28. Duncan Keith has 24 points. Brent
Seabrook has 21. Both of those guys are
defensemen. That sucks. Some guy
named Bryan Bickell has 20 points, for
fuck‘s sake. It‘s insane. Bickell has
played parts of three seasons before
this and had a total of 23 games and six
points. This year he‘s played 34 games.
I‘m thinking the ‗Hawks hoped to get
more out of Kopecky when they signed
him two years ago. His career high in
points in Detroit was 19. He only bested
that by two points last year, his first in
Chicago. This season he has 21 already.
It‘s all about the roles that have needed
to be filled this year with the offseason
talent dump. The worst part? He‘s still
only 28. So he could be just hitting his
prime. Dammit.
It‘s interesting how Marian Hossa
was such a lightning rod when he
forced a trade from Atlanta to
Pittsburgh where he lost in the Stanley
Cup Finals. Then he signed the one-
year deal to go to Detroit where he lost
again in the Finals, this time to his most
recent team, Pittsburgh. Then he signed
a long contract that helped question the
strength of the salary cap and collective
bargaining agreement, made the Finals
for the third year in a row and won his
first ring. While all that stuff is still at
the front of our memory with him, he‘s
kind of faded into a supporting role
with the ‗Hawks. This is Toews‘ and
Kane‘s team. The youngsters are
driving the bus and the others are
pretty much along for the ride. For
Hossa, that seems like the best possible
situation.
When the ‗Hawks were
dumping players in the warm
months, there was hope among
Blues fans that Sharp would be
one of the guys in a new uniform
this season. Some of us even
hoped he‘d land in St. Louis, as
odd as that sounds. Alas, Chicago
realized that he had the potential to
lead the team in goals, which he‘s
now doing. In 35 career games
against the Blues, he has 10
goals and 15 assists, which
according to my memory, is way
too low. During his career he has
15 shorthanded goals and 15
shorthanded assists. Three of
his shorty goals and assists have
been against the Blues. Bastard.
At the beginning of the game, turn to
the guy next to you and make a bet of
one stadium beer (high stakes, man!)
that Marty Turco will play the puck a
lot and turn it over to the Blues creating
a scoring chance by the middle of the
second period. And then enjoy your
beer.
There‘s no way that Quenneville
would have lasted through the rebuild
the Blues have gone through since the
lockout. He would have pulled his
mustache out whisker by whisker
before coaching guys like Mike
Zigomanis and Glen Metropolit. So
being all nostalgic and halfway wishing
for him to still be the coach isn‘t
realistic. But I still think it‘s odd when I
see him behind the Chicago bench. I
saw him going to a Rams game one
time with his family. At least I can take
solace in the fact that he probably now
has Cubs season tickets. The poor
bastard.
Let‘s Go Blues.
Volume 6, Issue 19 December 28, 2010 Page 26
Captain
Serious
still
gets
down
during
the
game.
Call me!
by Childhood Trauma
GAM E T IM E Page 27
Game Time Bingo! Red Berenson
Cowboy sends his
old lady on a beer
run.
Who‘s a girl gotta
blow to get an ‗A‘ on
her skirt?
You give another
GT-carrying guy a
knowing nod. I love Boyes!
Halak that
save.
Jonathan Toews
vomits again.
Boo the dick wearing
a Red Wing jersey. PTMFUS!
Beej crashes (into)
the goal.
Trade for Sobotka
looking pretty
good.
Horn.
Guy.
Sucks.
Backes goes for the
Gordie Howe Hat
Trick.
Towel Boy
gets an attention
boner.
Cam shows us
his tits.
Brad Winchester
does something.
A goal is scored in
the first minute of
any period.
Jay McClement
for Selke.
Someone asks Tom
Calhoun, ―How much
time is left?‖
PedoRat‘s eyes
betray his dead
soul.
The ―Ref You
Suck‖ chant is
required.
Another $200 stick
breaks at the wrong
time.
You tipped your GT
vendor today.
A goal is scored in
the last minute of
any period.
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Apparently ―wait
for a whistle‖ too
difficult a
concept.
Get five in a row in any direction and you win!
Find the 64 words or phrases in the two
grids. ‗Gold‘ and ‗Book‘ are used in each grid
and every letter will be used.
Words:
ANGELS, ANGUS, AND
DECKER, AND TAN,
ARK, ARMY, BALLS,
BAND, BEAN, BEAR,
BERRY HILL, BETTY,
BIRD, BLOOD,
BOARD, BOOK, BOOK,
BOY, BROTHERS,
BUNNY, CHRISTMAS,
CROSS, DEVIL,
DIAMOND, EYED
PEAS, FLAG,
FOREST,FRIDAY,
GOLD, GOLD, GRASS,
HAWAII, HAWK
DOWN, HERON, HOLE,
JACKETS, JAYS, JEANS,
KNIGHT, LABEL,
LAGOON, MOON,
NARCISSUS, OR
WHITE, OYSTER CULT,
PANTHERS, PLANET,
RAIN, RIBBON, ROSES,
SHEEP, SNAKE MOAN,
SWAN, TAILED SKUNK,
TANG, TOOTH,
TRAVELER, UGG, VAN,
VELVET, VIBE,
WALNUT, WHALE,
WIDOW
BLACKS AND BLUES
K W I D O W E L O H T S J A C K E T S T A N G N
O A L N B E T T Y A S R A E N R O S E S W R K O
O L E O A E Y S N W E E Y L A G O L D H A N L O
B N B M N A A O A K R H S C I N E S A S U L Y G
D U A A D E R N O D O T R H Y V S L S K I S N A
R T L I P W D B M O F N E R N A E L S H T R O L
A P R D H D S I E W L A L I N N L D Y E K E R I
O F E I E U A R K N A P E S U A E R R Y O H E I
B Y T C G O L D A O G E V T B L R C T O O T H A
E E K N I G H T N O G E A M I E U R I B B O N W
A E A N D T A N S M G H R A B L O O D Y M R A A
R A I N A R C I S S U S T S T E V L E V I B E H
Now with two locations!
1909 Locust St.
Just 3 blocks north of the Scottrade Center
314-241-9330
Open until 3 on Weekends;
Take Our Shuttle to the Game!
3157 Morgan Ford Rd.
2 blocks south of Tower Grove Park
314-865-3003
www.tincantavern.com
![Jokes SMS [Santa Banta Jokes]](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/56d6bff51a28ab3016985db5/jokes-sms-santa-banta-jokes.jpg)
