As a canuck fan I wanted to applaud both teams for a fantastic series. It isn’t over yet, I can see St. Louis coming back in game 4. There is no reason to single out either team for good and bad hits, they have both pretty even in that department. My only complaint was when the Canadian anthem was sung last night there was a lot of booing, even though people say it wasn’t a boo but they were saying blues, a lot of horn blowing as well, either way it was in bad taste to treat the visiting team like that. There was only cheering for the American anthem when the Blues were in Vancouver. I wonder if they will still cheer if the teams come back to Vancouver for a game 5, I sure hope not, I hope the fans in Vancouver continue being classy in these situations.

Susan, there’s a reason they call them Bluesiers, and class has nothing to do with it.

Canuck coach Alain Vigneault is one of the biggest cry baby coaches I have ever seen! Geez, every post I read, it always has him crying about something. I guess he never notices the cheap shots the Canucks put on the Blues? Good thing Bertuzzi still isn’t a Canuck, we’d have players in the hospital.. 7SEVEN7

I think the fans were saying BLUES at the end of the anthem.

Ahhh, too bad the Blues are blowing this series, I was hoping they would go far enough in the playoffs to play against the Wings so the Wings could show them how a real team plays playoff hockey.

Susan — as others have pointed out — those were not boos. St. Louis Blues fans are smart enough to know that our team is loaded with Canadian players…

Susan-

I attended the game Sunday night and I am glad you mentioned the booing and horn blowing. My wife and I were embarrased by the behavior during the Canadian anthem. There is nothing wrong with booing the other team and individual players during the game, but lets show a little class during the anthems. Please keep in mind that a good portion of the players from both teams are Canadian.

Every playoff series you will hear one of the coaches complain about cheap shots: the coach of the team with more skilled players. Vigneault is simply trying to gain an advantage, even a slight one. Murray whines as well, earlier in his career he was primarily known for it. Murray’s ranting on the bench at the end of game 2 was absurd given he had first change and put out Crombeen. This has been an entertaining first round series with two teams at different levels of development. The Blues have a great future to look forward to as the younger guys get a clue, but the Canucks may be on their last throw depending on who gets signed this summer.

Susan, it is well known locally that the Blues have the highest hoosier quotient among their fans.

Blues fans,
Please show some class and do not disrespect the anthem of another country. I am sure that it would be an ugly scene if the U.S. anthem were disrespected tomorrow night. No excuses!
Make me proud to be a St. Louisian and a Blues fan.
In peace.

the broom is coming,go canucks go,ha ha ha ha ha

I thought it was absolutely classless when the Fans in the stadium were Booing the Canadian National Anthem.
Karma is a Bitch eh !

I’m as frustrated as anyone, but that wasn’t game 4, it was game 3. The series is not over yet. Yes, it’s highly unlikely that we have a chance to win the series, but let’s not forget what this team is capable of.

I was also at the game Sunday night and was embarrassed by the behavior during the Canadian national anthem. Regardless of whether they were saying “Blues” or “Boo,” it showed a lack of respect for the Canadian players on both teams.

It was a very entertaining and fun game to attend, but unfortunately the result was just as frustrating as the first two games in the series.

I thought that this was a best of 7 series. However I guess that I was wrong since according to you the blues can’t win the series with 4 games left!!!! It may be improbable however it is not impossible. Maybe someone other than a canucks fan should write the blues articles

Jeff, You have to be delusional if you think Janssen’s 3 minutes had a positive impact on the game. First, he took Dan Hinote’s place on the roster - Hinote is a PK specialist, and lord knows the Blues could have used some help on the PK last nite.

Second, at this level, a guy like Janssen is not going to intimidate the Canucks. The Canucks could easily send out Darcy Hordichuk, but would rather Janssen take some foolish penalties. Turns out, BJ Crombeen took a few dumb penalties instead.

The Blues need to play with intensity, yes. But, all that matters in the end is the score - not the number of hits thrown, or the fights started. Those matter only to the losers.

I am just wondering why our reporters continually kick the blues to the curb. I remember reading a lot of articles from this same person that said the Blues wouldn’t be here in the playoffs. Some of those articles came as late as 4-5 games remaining in the year. Since when is a playoff series is only three games? Until I see the handshakes at center ice of this series, the Blues CAN still win this series!

Jeff,

Bernier may have scored a classic playoff goal, but he cheap-shoted Steen @ the end of the 2nd.

Sorry, but IT DEF WAS a cheap shot, which they’ve been doing to us @ the end of almost every period in this series. So, our guys stick up for our guy, and SOMEWAY, SOMEHOW, we get a 2:00 roughing penalty. Weak that the refs would throw us in the box after that.

Guess we’re just supposed to sit there & take it, eh?

sonnyb - please try and get your facts straight: first off, Janssen played just under four minutes (3:59) and Hordichuk also DID play for Vancouver (4:45 according to the final box score.)

If YOU don’t think that Janssen made a positive impact, you must have been watching the wrong game or not at the game yourself. The energy that he brought both to the team and the crowd during his limited time was incredible. Taking Hinote’s place on the roster was a great trade-off, as Hinote has done absolutely NOTHING for this team that’s worthy of a roster spot, hence his scratch Sunday night. It’s not just Hinote, but also Jackman that has been costing this team dearly in key situations around and in front of Mason. If you don’t protect your own goalie and crease, you’re not going to ward off many second (or third) chances.

You are correct with your statement about the only thing mattering at the end of the game is the final score, however. No matter how you slice it, if you don’t score more goals than the other team, you lose the game.

I’m still pulling for a Paul Kariya surprise tomorrow night!

This article needs a grammar check. I’m glad these games are broadcast on CBC, because the St. Louis announcers I had to suffer through twice during the season have about as much hockey knowledge as an Ethiopian turnip.

Shirsch, Whether Janssen played 3 mins or 4 mins is irrelevant. My point is, if he was a destructive force, 1) Hordichuck would have fought him, and neutralized any advantage the Blues were getting, or 2) Murray would have played him more.

The fact is, Janssen was not a force. In fact, he is a liability, and a threat to get scored against or to take a dumb penalty.

A team that is down 3-0 focuses on “retribution”, or things that have little to do with winning a hockey game. The team that is up 3-0 focuses on completing a sweep and moving on to the next round.

St. Louis will have a good team, down the road. This year is not their year.

Enjoy game 4. It’s been an entertaining series.

I was at game 3 and was surprised to hear some of my fellow Blues fans booing the Canadian national anthem. It was pretty embarrassing. However, those who booed weren’t in the majority (and some people cried out “RESPECT!” at the booers). It’s ridiculous to boo any national anthem at a sporting event, but especially when the sport you came to see was created in the country you are booing!!! Go Blues!

What does sweet, innocent Alain call the late hit on our player at the end of the second period? Crombeen was an idiot, but it was one of the cheap shots he was whining about. You’d think the team winning big would have some class and SHUT UP.

@tubastarr

Do you really expect Alain Vigneault to call out his own players on cheap shots? Seriously? He’s doing what any coach would do in his situation: trying to gain an advantage. It’s the same thing Andy Murray was doing when he complained about the shenanigans after game 2 (despite the fact that he’s the one who sent out BJ Crombeen in the first place).

Yes, there have been cheap shots on both sides of the ice. It’s a playoff game, tensions are high, and tempers flare from time to time. It’s to be expected. But to expect Alain Vigneault to be unbiased in his assessment of cheap shots is ludicrous.

Oh, there are boors all around the league. I have been in Canadian arenas where the US anthem was jeered. We have dolts up here too. It is nice to see some Americans feel embarassed by that behaviour as well. One should always respect any and every national anthem.

I guess I have to repeat this, as it can’t be said enough - the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs were down 3 games to 0 to the Detroit Red Wings (in the final no less!) and won the Stanley Cup, and the 1975 New York Islanders were down 3 games to 0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in an early round of the playoffs and beat them, so it IS possible.

But… really folks. As they say… Slim has left town!

Still, a true blues fan has got to believe/hope. Hmmnn… Perhaps if they amend the rules so the Blues can have a 3 man advantage instead of a 2 man advantage they might get a power play goal.

Just kidding - it is too bad these teams are meeting in this round instead of the conference final. And Anaheim is doing the Canucks a huge favour, for Vancouver’s next opponent is looking like it is going to be the winner of Calgary/Chicago. If the Canucks look flat tomorrow check for drool on the front of their jerseys - they can taste a deep path into these playoffs.

As for the Blues, you have to like the way they played down the stretch and you have to like your chances for next year.

Keep the faith.

gordo,

you farcox for saying the series is over. we still got a chance

i hope we don’t have to bring the blues back to vancity!

I detest the practice of making any noise during any national anthem. This seems to have been popularized by the Blackhawk fans (need to say more?)
I’m sure there muight have been an idiot or two who were in fact, booing. Here’s an idea.. if you need to make noise, try singing the song. Just once I would love to hear what 20,000, 30,000, or more would sound like if they all sang the Star Spangled Banner in unison.

“Imagine”

The toughest game to win is a GAME4. Anybody who thinks they do not have a chance has not been watching them the last 100 days. They will win game 4 because they have pride and guts, and want nothing more than to hear that Blue Crew erupt.
They will win game 5 because Vancouver will tense up dreading the possibility of coming back here to an ultra-supercharged (now optimistic Blue Crew), and because they are a good road team. Their PP will wake up!

They will take game 6 because (hey, if Vancouver can win 3 in a row, why can’t we?) That Saturday crowd will be freakin’ jammin’!!!!!!

A Game 7? Hey all bets are off! Ask Da Cubs how hard it is to seal up a fouth win in a seven game series. ask a Padre.

I can’t believe how many people have just given up on the Blues! Please don’t go fair-weather on mme. Geez.

The Blue will win Game 7 because…….. the Canucks ARE NOT the Wings.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!!!! damn right!

As an American citizen with Canadian heritage and life-long Blues fan, I always love to hear O’ Canada when the Blues play Canadian teams. I was squirming too, hearing the scattered boos during its signing on Sunday evening. For all of the Canadian players — and for ourselves, to show some class — please join me in singing along to both anthems tonight.

ejc

About the booing…I really don’t care if it was booing or “Blues” as some claim. Neither should be uttered during the Canadian anthem. Either sing along, or show some respect and shut your trap until the song is over. Remember the Golden Rule…how would you feel if the Vancouver fans booed (or yelled anything that sounded like it) during the US anthem?

And btw, I don’t appreciate the ignorant “Bluesier” comments. I was born and raised in Indiana and I still live here, and I found the booing to be disrespectful and downright embarassing. I attend 4-5 Blues games each season and I’m generally thrilled with the fan support, but not in the case of booing O Canada. Face it, people…there are ignorant jerks in every state, so don’t make it sound like the “good” fans are all from StL and the idiots are from backwoods Indiana.

Mr. Jeff Gordon,

To anyone complaining about Murray sending out Crombeen at the end of Game 2: He’s part of our best defensive line that sees about as much ice time as our two scoring lines. the line that alain put out sees maybe 4-5 minutes a game. to even compare hordichuk to crombeen is an insult to a guy who has had a couple of multi-goal games including a hat trick this year. and can someone please explain: (a) how did crombeen receive the only penalty at the end of the 2nd in game 3? (b) when did it become offensive to be within five feet of a vancouver goalie after the puck is frozen?

Mr. Jeff Gordon,
What was the point of this article? Not only were there way too many grammatical errors to be a professionally written, but it was highly upsetting as a hockey fan. Not only are you prematurely eliminating a Blues team that has surprised the hockey world already this year, but you are calling for the to ”give the Canucks a few more bruises”. Who in there right mind would think it is OK to give up and content themselves to trying to hurt the opposing players instead of trying to win a game. It is embracing to know that you that you write for a hometown newspaper, and that Blues fans will be reading this article, like I have, shortly before another exciting game tonight. I hope that you learn from your mistake in writing such a ridiculous article and find another job.

I think all of you that are wining about the so-called disrespect to the Canadien national anthem by the Blues fans should go to or just watch a Chicago Blackhawks game on t.v. Those “hoosiers” as the Blues’ fans have been called never shut up during any of the anthems - they clap and yell and scream during the anthems…those are the people with no class! Like some of the real Blues’ fans who have mentioned, the fans are yelling “BLUES” - not booing. And as for Alain Vigneault, what a big baby…too bad his old guys can’t keep up with the youngsters on the Blues!