Aethernum

I don't think the story has any validity to it, but if it does wouldn't the knowledge that Datsyuk is leaving after this season be an enormous motivation to the rest of the team to send him off with one final playoff run? Just saying, if it is true I don't think it being out there is a bad thing for the team.

Philly could say the same thing about their eight shootout losses. Well...not the same thing, they wouldn't be tied with Boston, but a similar thing... Right. If anything, I'd say this isn't Babcock throwing us a bone - this is him playing deliberately into the stupid things he knows we always do.

They mentioned it on the broadcast - apparently he got cut and needed some minor repairs. He seemed okay, though, once he returned.

Technically we are 1 point up on Boston right now.

This was all the team could do tonight. If Boston wins, that's fine. Still means we have our shot on April 7th to decide our fate.

I guess the Blues feel like they'd have better luck in the first round against Chicago. No need to try and win the division. Because we all know how that has gone the last few years.

The goaltending tandem that got 4 straight shutouts would give up five goals to the one team we need them to beat. Sheesh. This team gets no help from anywhere.

Blues getting no help from their goaltending today. Just brutal. 4-2 Boston, but doesn't matter so long as we keep pace.

Some good news if we can squeak into the postseason: our Power Play has caught fire as of late.

Stupid mental mistakes killing us early. Story of the season, I guess.

Yup, just about every playoff game will be nationally televised, so there's no seeing them on Gamecenter/NHL.tv. I, too, just discovered that my game will be blacked out - and I don't even live in Michigan. Apparently FS-D+ broadcasts nationally tonight, so even though there would be no hope of finding that channel where I live, I have to find a stream in order to watch. At some point in the very near future, major sports leagues and media companies are going to wake up to the reality of the internet and have to realize how inane blackout restrictions are, before their broadcasts go the way of newspapers and letter writing. If somebody wants it, they're going to find it, so you may as well let them pay you for it instead of encouraging them to go elsewhere. Whoever figures that out first is going to get a big pay day. Too bad nobody with any sense is making these decisions. Okay, rant over. Jimmy in net is the right call tonight. What I'll be looking for is whether the team gives up any soft goals early in periods - in the last ten games I think there have been five or six goals in the first minute of a period. Have to be dialed in and focused at this point in the season, and with this much on the line. Tonight could be big for us. Go, Wings, Go!

Minnesota has been playing desperate lately to try and lock up their playoff spot. Now that they basically have (five points above Colorado with one more game played) hopefully Detroit will be the team that wants it more tonight. If the Blues play like they have been lately, tonight could be a big night for us.

What a blown opportunity. That said, all we have to do is match Boston's record and then win our game against them. We're still technically on track to do that. But wow.

Glendening with the delay of game. Stupid penalty (the rule, not Glendening's particular infraction). I know nobody is in love with Glendening's offensive skills, but he and Datsyuk are basically tied for the best face-off percentage on this team. Not having him on the PK just bit us in the butt.

Don't think Brown interfered with Howard while the shot was headed in...but he does take a random swipe at Howard with his stick when he first rushes the crease. Doesn't affect the goal, but should have been called a penalty. Maybe? Edit: OH, he pushed the pad. That's interference. Edit 2: Boston loses!

That 15 second overhead shot contains more grit than this team has shown all season long. There we go, boys! Edit: Kronwall showing perfect restraint. Love it.

If we pull off two consecutive penalty kills and can get a goal before this period is out, all the momentum will be in our favor. Just have to weather this admittedly awful display. I'm still not sure how that was interference on DK - my initial instinct was that Howard got run over and the penalty was going the other way.

You know, I'd love for the law of averages to kick in hard and really, really soon with this team and bad bounces.

Eh, it's fine that Detroit let things get interesting at the end. They just wanted to keep themselves mentally engaged the whole time, right? ...right? ... RIGHT!? (That was terrifying don't do that ever again please thanks)

Tatar is second on the team in goals. Richards is the top point getter for our bottom two lines - which is where he plays. For a team that is lacking offense, maybe getting rid of those guys isn't a great idea.

Richards and Tatar assisted on the only two goals for today, but alright.

Still plenty of time, but the goals we give up in the first 90 seconds of periods are really starting to be a glaring problem. It's all mental - that and the playing 60 minutes. Just have to focus, and I can't believe it's almost the end of the season and that is still an issue.

Watching a Pittsburgh feed, they were talking about how Crosby deserved a Selke since, you know, Pavel Datsyuk got some back in the day so obviously our golden boy should get some, right? Then AA scores to shut 'em up. Hah! That's what speed does in this league - creates chances out of nothing.

Yeah, I don't mean to suggest I think that is what is going on...just that it wouldn't surprise me because that dynamic is a difficult one for any rookie coach to navigate.

The time it took for them to challenge the goal was a timeout for the team. It just had the extra benefit of maybe, possibly getting them to reverse a goal. I agree with you that I would have taken a TO after the second goal, but if he was doing it after the third goal you may as well do it by using your challenge. Same effect for your guys as far as giving them a break, but you get an outside shot at having the goal disallowed entirely.