How they're looking
It was all going swimmingly for Blues head coach Davis Payne, whose stingy chargers had won the first 2 games of a small 3-game east coast road trip. In the last 6 games they'd played they'd given up the grand total of 4 goals. That's right... four. Then came the Blue Jackets and the floodgates opened. The Blues were inexplicably smashed that night in Columbus, 8-1. Since their 7-game win streak, the white hot Jaroslav Halak has gone 0-2-1 giving up 12 goals in 64 shots, as opposed to his 15 goals on 239 shots that preceded it. Perhaps he won't be a lock to start the game in Detroit, with back-up and ex-Wing, Ty Conklin displaying in the past he is quite capable of getting a "W" against his former team.
Detroit's recent form has been decidedly better.
The Red Wings have won 9 of their last 11 but will be looking to buck an early trend in the 2010/11 season, of winning streaks peaking at 3 games. Twice this season Detroit has won three games only to lose the fourth.
With the Man Advantage
An interesting factor in this game could be special teams.
Neither team has particularly remarkable stats down a man, Detroit 9th overall and St. Louis 17th and each team's success is even less remarkable on the powerplay (Detroit - 14th, St. Louis - 25th). Chances are however, that Detroit might get a good opportunity to improve their PP% against a team that averages the most PIM/game in the NHL. Take it for what it's worth, but each game the Blues give up 9 minutes of penalties more than the Winged Wheel per game. If that trend holds against in this game, Detroit could ride a win from a strong PP alone.
Every time I see the name "Davis Payne" I can't help but remember the old arcade game Cyberball. Wasn't Davis Payne the name of one of the coaches in it?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, LGRW and time to take advantage of a St. Louis team which has been on the skids since the injury bug hit 'em.