Let’s set the scene here: the St. Louis Blues are a very good team -- first place in the Western Conference good. And while they were no doubt playoff-bound long ago, they came into Friday night’s game a highly-motivated squad, as a win would mathematically clinch the postseason.
Their opponent? This year’s Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Canucks, the worst team in hockey from nearly every angle, on a six-game losing streak, on the verge of being eliminated from postseason contention, shut out three times in their last four games. Oh, and did we mention that Blues’ goaltender Brian Elliott is nigh unbeatable right now? Yeah. You didn’t have to watch this game to know how it was going to turn out. And yet, I watched this game.
- And with that, the Cancks are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Again, I said mathematically. Never mind that this team's playoff dreams died some time ago -- save for those of Jim Benning, who still believes, because he doesn't trust fancy numbers -- he trusts his gut. And Jim Benning's gut says the Canucks are still in it, dammit.
- Although one imagines even Jim Benning's gut had to turn at the sight of this one. The Canucks were abysmal from start to finish. I mean, you could argue that they were playing on tired legs, since this was the second night of a back-to-back, but unless the Canucks have been on the second night of a back-to-back for about a month, this is pretty consistent with who they are. Outscored 4-0. Outshots 37-15. Heck, the Canucks even got outhit 35-14, which is amazing, since the Blues had the puck the whole night. Although I guess it's possible that the Canucks' hits were so ineffective, they were all awarded to St. Louis.Ìý
- Even the B story dried up tonight. For the past several games, the play of Nikita Tryamkin has been a bright spot in an otherwise dark time. Tryamkin's been seeing nearly 20 minutes a night, and playing excellent shutdown hockey since he arrived from Russia. To what does he owe his early success? Well, even Willie Desjardins has admitted some of Tryamkin's best moments came because he didn't know the system and was winging it. That's probably not the best endorsement of Willie's coaching. "Hey, why's Tryamkin look so good out there?" "He can't understand my instructions." Anyway. apparently, tonight Tryamkin figured out the system. He was terrible. Way to assimilate, big guy. Â Â Â
- Speaking of disregarding the coaching staff, Canuck fans have yet to join Willie Desjardins in falling truly, madly, deeply in love with Linden Vey, and it's hard to know exactly why they're so reluctant to embrace him. Actually, wait. .Ìý
- I'm not sure what to make of Emerson Etem's mic's up clip. Normally, when you mic a guy up, he says or does interesting things. But in Etem's segment, he drew up a couple plays that obviously didn't turn out -- Â we'd have noticed if they had -- and then he took a puck to the back and writhed around, cursing, in a ton of pain. Was that supposed to make us like Etem? I mean, I guess it made me feel sort of bad for him. I feel like I'd be more in his corner if it wasn't so easy to take the puck from him once he gets there.
- Alex Burrows played his 1000th pro game tonight, which was something special. Who'd have thought the former ECHLer would see so many games? It was a nice night for Burr, who didn't score, but he got in several shots. Not on goal. On Kevin Shattenkirk, who looked about as comfortable fighting as I would. I liked that he kept trying to hug it out. Diplomacy is never a bad idea.Ìý
- I'll tell you what I hate the most: that the Canucks put no effort into tonight's contest, but I'm still supposed to give it my all. Well you know what? I'm tired of it. If the Canucks can't even play for pride, then neither can I. Heck, I shouldn't even have to finish writing thÂ
- Happy Easter weekend, everybody. We'll be back next week with some very angry columns and podcasts. Rage in the comments.
