10.14.10-Week 1 (Quirin & Lorenz)

This week’s guest: Jeff Quirin

Blue Note Zone founder Jeff Quirin. In addition to running his own website, Jeff is one of the Blues writers for Hockey Independent. Follow him on Twitter (@618_STLBlues)

Q: General thoughts on the Blues’ first 2 games of the season:

Jeff: So many trends and deficiencies that held back the Blues last season have turned around. The team speed and pace of play has picked up greatly. Puck possession and transition have become strengths instead of weaknesses. The skilled players are playing with more confidence. Jaroslav Halak has looked as good as billed. Giving the Blues timely saves to keep the game tilted in their favor. The attitude and effort in the third period is finally where it should be.

Kevin: This certainly has the makings of a fun season.  Two things that stand out to me:

1. Jaro Halak has given up two flukey goals off of odd plays and after both goals he has shut the door.

2.  The Blues aren’t panicking and they aren’t letting up in the middle or end of games.  In an 82 game season you hope they will keep that up.

Q: Thoughts on the team’s defensive play so far this season:

Jeff: The numbers may be skewed since there have been so few games played, but the Blues are tops in the NHL with the fewest Shots on Goal Against per Game (22.0) and 8th in Blocks (21). Add in the 8-for-9 penalty kill and the defensive play has picked up where it left off. I had concerns with the Colaiacovo-Pietrangelo pairing, but they have held their own so far. Steen, McClement and Crombeen continue their impressive checking line play.

Kevin: So far so good.  It’s easy to forget the 3rd defenseman Jaro Halak when talking about team defense, but in a small sample size you can’t take credit away from a defensive unit that held Anaheim to only 14 shots.

Q: The Blues open the season with 2 pretty impressive wins at home, now they head on the road for 3 games in 5 days against some pretty good teams including the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, what do you expect to see out of the Blues going on their first road trip of the season?

Jeff: Three hard fought games as the cohesion they started building in the melee against the Ducks continues to grow. There seems to be a realization of just how important the first month to six weeks of the season can be. They’ll bring the home effort level on the road trip and outwork three groups of defensemen who have seen better days.

Kevin: I would expect a lot of the same that you’ve seen so far.  Davis Payne emphasizes a game by game approach so every game is as important as the team prepares.

Q: Are there any changes in terms of the style of play between home and away games?

Jeff: To an extent there is. Shifts are shorter, less risks are taken, players try to reduce chances to take penalties. In short the game is simplified to minimize the various advantages that come with being the home team.

Kevin: Because the home team gets the last change, the road game for some coaches can actually be less complicated since they are not able to match lines as effectively.  Other than that, like I said previously Davis has the same home and road approach.

Q: Last year the team got off to a 2-0 start in Sweeden against Detroit then came back to the states and immediately fell into a slump. Is there a difference between this year’s 2-0 start compared to last year’s?

Jeff: I wrote about this exact issue Wednesday. There is an eerily similar scenario playing out between the 2009-10 and 2010-11 versions of the Blues. Both teams feature younger rosters than their predecessor, winning two emotional games in a season full of high expectations.

Kevin: The team confidence is the same, but the biggest difference is the awareness that things can change so quickly.  I am confident that the Blues will not fall into the same pattern.

Q: Despite all the positives this season, one glaring problem so far has been the powerplay which sits at a resounding 2-18. Is this something to be concerned about or is it too early in the season to be fretting about a weak powerplay?

Jeff: In a perfect world you would want to see at least a quarter of the season to judge the trends. However, in today’s NHL, if a team isn’t playing well by their 20th game they are likely out of the running. There has to be concern right away. The 9 missed opportunities on the power play in the home opener allowed the Flyers to score just one goal in the third period to force Overtime. A second of third power play conversion puts that game out of reach before the Flyers tie the game.

Kevin: I think it’s a little too early.  You can see the changes on the power play being effective in terms of puck possession and shot totals; the goals will come.

Q: In addition to the home woes last season, the Blues did not fare well in the third period, do you notice any changes in play during the third period?

Jeff: David Backes talked about their late game play in the Town Hall meetings at FANFest. He said one of the biggest problems was “locking down” and altering their flow of play to be “safer”. In the two games to date they haven’t done that. They are playing the final period like its the first. Pressing their play up ice, hungry to score til the final horn blows.

Kevin: The only test case so far would be the opener against Philadelphia, and the biggest difference you can notice is that after giving up the tying goal the Blues did not panic en route to an overtime win.

Q: How does the loss of Cam Janssen affect the team?

Jeff: Who is the spark plug? Who goes out with reckless abandon because his job is to stir the pot and amp up the energy level? Cam fills that role perfectly, especially at Scottrade. Momentum shifts come from special teams conversions, goals, fights and big hits. Losing Janssen means that half of the Blues game changing abilities are reduced.

Kevin: Cam brings a lot of intangibles to the game aside from his role as a physical deterrent, like energy play and constant encouragement on the bench.

Q: With Janssen out, who do you expect to step up and take over the role as team tough guy?

Jeff: Until Vladimir Sobotka returns, it’s likely Ryan Reaves. Then the combined efforts of Brad Winchester and BJ Crombeen take over till Cam is back. They need to step in as the agitator as well.

Kevin: In his absence you can expect to see Brad Winchester and Ryan Reaves to carry the slack should the Blues need someone to drop the mittens.

Q: Brad Winchester injured Cam Janssen during the team’s season opener against Philly, does it appear that, that incident has had any affect on his composure on the ice?

Jeff: Some might, but not Winchester. Players that fill the plumbers role understand the price that must be paid to do their job. Brad knows that if the situation was reversed he would want Cam to go back out for his next shift and not miss a beat because that’s how the team will win.

Kevin: You would hope not, but you never know.  I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to either Janssen or Winnie, but I would imagine Winnie has apologized and can move on.

Q: Despite having an average camp/preseason, Alex Pietrangelo has been playing with a lot more confidence out there and seems to have elevated his level of play. What are your thoughts on his performance so far this season?

Jeff: Whatever doubt was present in the preseason, is gone today. The “extra” development period has really paid off for Alex. The additional experience at the 2010 WJC and his OHL playoff run with the Barrie Colts helped put his mental game in the right place. Now he displays a poise and maturity level well beyond his 17 games of NHL experience coming in to the season. In those games he looked like a spectator. Now he is an active participant taking charge of each shift. Do not discount his physical growth. His body is more mature and in better shape and to handle the rigors of an 82 game schedule.

Kevin: I think the minute he found out that he had made the team a weight was lifted off of his shoulders and he finally relaxed.  You will see him make some defensive mistakes but his offensive poise is impressive early on.

Q: Alex Steen has been shooting pucks relentlessly, but just cannot find the back of the net. At what point does that start to affect his confidence?

Jeff: Never stop shooting the puck. It can’t go behind the goaltender if it’s not put in his direction. For many players the continual inability to finish a scoring opportunity can really bring down their game. Brad Boyes’ play last season is an example of that dynamic. Steen has so many other elements to his game that if the goals are not coming his impact is being felt elsewhere. That will keep him going till he starts finding the holes again.

Kevin: I wouldn’t say that at this point he is having any issues with confidence.  Already you have seen him bring so much more from his forechecking, defensive play leading to production.  The goals will come, and until they do he is still producing.

Q: What did you learn/take away from the game against Anaheim where there were some mini brawls and some sizeable hits?

Jeff: This Blues team will not be pushed around, by anyone. Such an early volatile test seemed to galvanize their efforts and really bring the team together.

Kevin: Simply put, this team doesn’t look like it can be intimidated.  Anaheim’s only chance at getting back into that game was throwing the Blues off of theirs.  The Blues answered the bell and kept piling on goals.

Q: Eric Brewer, despite standing up for his teammates against Anaheim, still draws a lot of criticism from the Blues fans. What does he have to do to get in the fans’ good graces?

Jeff: I have a pretty strong opinion on the “Brewer situation”. I don’t think he will ever be able to endear himself to the fans. I have seen many temper their stance and acknowledge that Eric really is a capable hockey player. Then I see someone complaining that Brewer’s fight with Aaron Voros in the third period killed a 3 on 2 rush and shake my head. At that point of the game sticking up for your teammate and pairing partner is vastly more important than one odd man rush when the Blues were up by three goals. It’s a situation where he is wrong no matter what he does.

Kevin: He just needs to play his game and not worry about the fans, not that he has worried before.  Brewer is what he is, a solid (not bad, but not great) defenseman.