Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH
10.17.2009 5:20 pm

The Blues look to get back on the winning track tonight in Anaheim

  • Email this
  • Print this

 

The Blues are back on the ice tonight in Anaheim, where they’ll try to end a three-game losing streak. They lost 3-2 in OT Thursday in Phoenix, falling to 2-2-1 this season. Andy Murray says the Blues’ record is indicative of the way they have played.

“We’re .500 right now and I’m still convinced we could be 0-5 or 5-0,” Murray said. “It’s that fine of a line right now. We’ve continued to not be good in first periods and continued to be really good in the second period. Against L.A., against Atlanta, (against Phoenix) . . . our goalie does what he’s supposed to do in the first period . . . gives us a chance. We had a chance to bury (Phoenix) in the second period and didn’t. It’s just such a fine line right now.”

On the board in the locker room this morning, Murray once again stressed the importance of having a good start. He also implored the Blues to “thrive in a physical game.”

The Blues’ meetings with the Ducks the past few years have been physical, and for Murray’s team, perhaps it’s what the doctor ordered during a three-game losing streak.

“I like to think that we can generate our own energy without relying on our opponent,” Murray said. “You better be alert tonight. It shouldn’t be that way, but we’ll take it. We’ve had some real battles with these guys.”

The Blues haven’t had a fighting major through five games this season, and according to Hockeyfights.com, the Ducks have had four. Everybody is aware of Anaheim tough guy George Parros. Well, tonight, be sure to keep an eye on Evgeny Artyukhin, a 6-foot-5 Russian.

Take a look at this fight between Artyukhin and Shane Hnidy . . .

********

Murray was noncommital on his goaltender tonight against the Ducks, but Ty Conklin was the first goalie off the ice after practice this morning, which signals that he’ll be the starter.

It’s been two weeks since Conklin played his only game of the season against Detroit. He made 30 saves in a 5-3 win over the Red Wings.

“It’s been a little while, but I feel fine,” Conklin said. “I don’t think I can lie and say it’s easy to (have two weeks in between games). I’ll have that baptism by fire for the first five or 10 minutes, where the game seems so fast. But it’s not my first NHL game. I’ve been in this situation before. It’s another hockey game.”

Conklin is 3-0 against Anaheim in his career, allowing only five goals in those three wins. The Ducks are one of five NHL teams that haven’t defeated Conklin in his career.

Mason, meanwhile, is 1-6 with a 3.01 GAA against Anaheim in his career.

********

The Blues are hoping to get their power-play going against Anaheim, which has the 20th-ranked penalty-kill unit in the NHL. The Ducks had allowed eight power-play goals on 29 attempts before killing all four power-play attempts by Minnesota Wednesday night.

The Blues haven’t scored a power-play goal since Keith Tkachuk’s goal in the team’s 5-3 win over Detroit Oct. 3 in Sweden. They are 0-for-10 since that game.

“We’ve got to enter (the offensive zone) with more speed,” Murray said. “We need to be more mobile across the top. We need to shoot when the opportunity is there. We need to outnumber them on the puck . . . all the things that are power-play principles.”

Asked if the Blues were getting what they needed out of Erik Johnson and Paul Kariya on the point, Murray said: “To me, I think everybody can be better for sure.”

********

It’ll be an important game tonight for Blues forward David Backes, who had his best game and picked up his first point of the season (a goal) in the team’s 3-2 OT loss to Phoenix. Backes has been a slower starter in his career, and through four games, it was shaping up to be another typical start for for him.

“The proverbial ‘monkey off the back,’” Backes said. “It wasn’t a prototypical goal, being from the blue line, but I’ve got to keep shooting the puck. I thought my game was a lot better, had a lot more jump . . . in your face . . . and I hope I can keep taking steps in the right direction.”

*********

Jonas Hiller will be in net for the Ducks. Hiller, now the starter in Anaheim, is 3-1 with a 2.21 GAA and a .936 save-percentage.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere has played in just two games this season. He’s 0-1-1 with a 2.93 GAA and a .913 save-percentage.

Giguere, who won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks, has no problem poking fun at himself. When he left the rink this morning after practice, he was wearing a T-shirt that read: “Has been”.

JR

Comments are closed.