THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Blues were still sitting in 15th place in the Western Conference as recently as early February. How remarkable was this team’s ascent to the No. 6 seed in the playoffs and what were the keys to getting it done?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
To go from No. 15 in the Western Conference to No. 6 in exactly two months (Feb. 12-April 12) is absolutely astonishing. Here’s how they did it:

• Still on the outside looking in heading into their game March 20 against Calgary, the Blues won 3-2 over the Flames with a strong third period, igniting a 9-1-1 finish in their final 11 games.

• In those 11 games, the Blues’ offense was led by its veterans: Brad Boyes (4 goals, 8 assists), David Backes (seven goals, three assists), Keith Tkachuk (four goals, six assists) and Andy McDonald (4 goals, 5 assists).

• The penalty-kill unit allowed just three goals on 43 power plays against in the last 11 games. The Blues’ PK erased 14 of 14 power plays against opponents at home and killed off 26 of 29 on the road.

• The Blues went 5-1-1 in their final seven road games to finish the regular season with a record of 18-18-5 on the road this season.

• Chris Mason started in goal the final 33 games of the regular season. His numbers in that stretch, dating back to Feb. 3: 21-7-5 overall with a 2.20 goals-against average and a .919 save-percentage.

DAN O’NEILL
It was especially remarkable with the number of young players in the lineup. Contrast the team’s finish this year with last year — night and day. The keys to the Blues’ second-half success was the emergence of Chris Mason in net, and the contributions of the “Kid Line.” Other than Mason, perhaps no one was more responsible for energizing the club than T.J. Oshie, who just seemed to change the landscape once he got healthy and got comfortable.

JEFF GORDON
In this forum and elsewhere, I predicted the Blues would not make the playoffs. How could they? There were too many teams to pass. Most of those Western Conference teams were playing pretty good hockey. The competitive balance on this side of the league was strong. For this team to climb from 15th to sixth and finish 10 games over .500 is one of the greater St. Louis sports stories ever. Even if it doesn’t carry through, this will stand as one of the greater team runs we will ever see.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)
The obvious answer as to how the Blues got it done is that they got the saves that weren’t there in the first three months of the season, but it’s more than that. For example:

• The fact the Blues have had a power play that has ranked in the top ten in the league for pretty much the entire year has allowed this team to be an effective offensive club.

• The team has size … Bringing in players like Brad Winchester, B.J. Crombeen, and Alex Steen, combined with the impact David Backes has had since moving to center, has made this club a physical team that wears down the opposition.

• The Blues PK unit has been incredible over the last several weeks and that can be chalked up to Chris Mason’s ability to stop the puck.

• The Blues are about as good as it gets when it comes to D-zone execution. I have said this numerous times, but how often do you see the Blues give up odd-man rushes or breakaways against?

• Carlo Colaiacovo has given this club a defenseman who can push the offense, something this club didn’t have before he got here.

• The team has tremendous skill up front and can throw out four lines that have the ability to play in the offensive end.

• The players genuinely play for one another and that chemistry took awhile to develop.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Nashville’s come-from-behind shootout victory over the Red Wings Thursday night has made tonight’s Blues-Columbus game all the more important. The Blues need a win. Assuming the Note can pull this one out, who needs to be the team’s three stars tonight and why?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD

Keith Tkachuk: A lot of eyes will be on ‘Big Walt’ tonight, and I am talking about guys in the locker room, not fans. The target of much postseason criticism, Tkachuk must be a leader tonight in a pressure-packed situation. He may not finish with two goals and two assists but his presence better be felt.

T.J. Oshie: You could pick any one of the three kids, but I picked Oshie because of the way the crowd feeds off him. If the “kid line” has success, the Blues will have success.

Chris Mason: Simple … if Mason isn’t one of the Blues’ 3 stars, the team’s chances of winning are tremendously diminished.

BERNIE MIKLASZ

Chris Mason: Do we really need to explain why? The goaltender has been the Blues’ firewall during the team’s comeback charge, starting 31 consecutive games and posting a .916 save percentage through that stretch. He’s 3-1 vs. the Blue Jackets since taking over as STL’s No. 1 goalie. Mason has to be stingy tonight.

David Backes: For as well as he’s played, Backes has missed a chance to really shine against the Blue Jackets this season. He has one goal and is a minus-2 against them in five games. The thing is, Backes has had plenty of scoring opportunities against Columbus; his 17 shots on goal are the most by a Blues player vs. the CBJ this season. Backes has to cash in tonight. When he scores goals, the impact is obvious; the Blues are 15-6-6 this season when they get a goal from their future captain.

Jay McClement: He’s probably the most underrated Blue. Usually assigned to shadow the other team’s top line, McClement has done a fine job of limiting the potential damage inflicted by the top guns. He’s played well against CBJ this season. It’s imperative that the Blues get a stellar performance from the McClement, Alex Steen and B.J. Crombeen checking line.

There’s also that Oshie fellow. Rick Nash has heard of him.

DAN O’NEILL

Chris Mason needs to be the No. 1 star because, bottom line, the Blues can’t win without stout goaltending. Mason bounced back with a good performance against Phoenix, but he has been a little vulnerable to the soft goal in recent games.

T.J. Oshie needs to be the No. 2 star because he simply has been the team’s best player for the past several games. Oshie is the straw the stirs the drink, to put it in Reggie Jackson terms.

Jay McClement needs to be the No. 3 star. The McClement line was the Blues’ best in Phoenix and McClement has been a two-way star down the stretch. He will need to win key faceoffs and keep the Rick Nash-Manny Malhotra line under wraps.

JEFF GORDON

Chris Mason needs to be the first star, obviously. Goaltending is everything at this time of year. Mason sprung a few leaks in recent games, but now it’s time to get into playoff form. This game offers that opportunity.

The atmosphere at Scottrade will be highly charged. Since Barret Jackman figures to be on the ice against Rick Nash much of the night, he needs to be a star.

And T.J. Oshie will have a target on his back, again, so he must be ready to play a great (and alert) game.

TOM TIMMERMANN

Repeating a theme, the Blues can’t have a bad game by Chris Mason. In a game like this, you need your goalie to be your best player.

As for the other two people who need to step up …

A good game for Brad Boyes, who despite having three goals and two assists for the Blues against Columbus is even in plus-minus, would bode well for here and down the line.

And another big game for David Backes would mean he’s staying hot. The Blues caught a break that Columbus clinched its playoff spot the other night. This would be a much tougher game if Columbus was playing to clinch its first playoff spot. Now the Blues will have a big edge in emotion.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)

I’m not sure if this will be as adventurous as when they actually pick the three stars down at the Scotttrade Center, but I‘ll give it a try.

My gut tells me to pick Cam Janssen only because that would mean he’s in the lineup — but we know that’s not going to happen. The team shouldn’t need him to get the building rocking tonight anyway. With the way the Blues have lacked intensity in the opening period of recent games though, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to throw him in there.

Since he’s excluded here’s my 3 stars for tonight. Maybe a little off the cuff, but c’mon, I can’t be that predictable.

Carlo Colaiacovo: I have a felling this guy will have a strong game tonight and will bury at least one PP goal. He’s rested after sitting out practice yesterday and I know he’s fired up to be in this position. This kid is driven and I expect him to deliver this evening.

Keith Tkachuk: As the leader of the Blues he needs to step up tonight and do just that … Lead! The playoffs are so close to being a reality for this club and I feel it would only be fitting if it was Big Walt who stepped up and had his biggest game of the year in the most important game. Wait, didn’t we say the last game was the most important? And the one before that?

Patrik Berglund: He’s due! The trend as of late is that Berglund shows up big once every four or five nights. Something tells me he’s in for a big game. The Blues will ask the youth to rise up and I have a feeling the Friday Night Lights will shine the brightest on this kid. Wasn’t it Columbus netminder Steve Mason who stole this kid’s Calder Trophy?

Bonus Round … T.J. Oshie gets the Hard Hat!

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)

The first name that comes to mind is Chris Mason. The team’s surge in the standings has directly coincided with his taking over as the #1 goalie, so it is impossible to overstate how important his play is to the team. The Blues need him to come up big again tonight.

You know T.J. Oshie will have a great big bullseye on his back tonight as Rick Nash will certainly try to get some payback for Oshie’s big hits on him in the last two games between these teams. The Blue Jackets might be better off just not going there because Oshie feeds off that kind of stuff. He’ll have a big game on both sides of the ice tonight.

David Backes needs to be the Blues’ version of Rick Nash tonight, providing consistent offensive pressure against Jackets’ goalie Steve Mason and bringing a physical presence, as well. He’s been amazing down the stretch and, like Oshie, he feeds on these big moments.

Columbus can lock up the 6th spot in the West with a win tonight and the Blues can clinch a playoff spot with a win and some help from Minnesota in their game against Nashville, so both teams will be breathing fire when they hit the ice. Game on.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Blues are riding a five-game winning streak and currently sit in the eighth and final playoff spot. What do you think the keys to this late-season push have been?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
You can point to many stats, but in my mind, the Blues are in the eighth spot in the Western Conference today for two reasons:

No. 1 — Preparation: This is Andy Murray’s top trait, and he gets a lot of help from assistants Brad Shaw, Ray Bennett, Rick Wamsley and Scott Masters (video). The Blues go into each game like a high school student taking a test with a cheat sheet. Their detailed preparation gives them a better chance of executing with less talent.

No. 2 — Team chemistry: The Blues have had decent team chemistry the past few seasons, but nothing like this season. The players in the Blues’ locker room genuinely care for each other and each other’s success on the ice. The Blues are one unit taking the ice each night, not 20 talented individuals with varying agendas.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Obviously, it starts with Chris Mason in goal. The Blues have the NHL’s best winning percentage since Jan. 3 and it’s no coincidence that Mason is No. 1 in the league in save percentage during that time (.925). The Kid Line has been incredibly effective; the star power of T.J. Oshie, David Perron and Patrik Berglund is shining through, just as Blues’ management predicted.

But there are other important factors. Defenseman Jay McKee is a +14 since Jan. 3 and has really stepped up his play. The return of Andy McDonald and defenseman Roman Polak from injuries has been a big help. Defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo has sharpened the Blues’ passing out of their zone, and he’s been a positive presence at the point on the power play. And while Brad Boyes is a minus-20 for the season, he’s a +1 since Jan. 3. And Boyes’ timing is good; when he scores a goal the Blues are 9-2 since Jan. 9.

Let’s not forget center Jay McClement, who is playing the best hockey of his career. McClement is often on the ice against the other team’s top line, but since Jan. 3 he’s at even in the plus-minus, is winning more than 50 percent of his faceoffs, and has nine goals and four assists. McClement is probably the team’s most unsung contributor.

And kudos to coach Andy Murray for holding this team together during the blitz of injuries.

JEFF GORDON
No. 1: Goaltending. This has been the team’s Achilles heel for some time. Chris Mason has been awesome. It all starts there.

No. 2: The kids are producing. Patrik Berglund got his second wind. T.J. Oshie is crushing people. David Perron is scoring big goals. The future is bright, yes, but the kids are good right now. Their recent play has been remarkable.

No. 3: The makeshift has held up, against all odds. Mike Weaver is playing great. Jay McKee has made himself a plus. Barret Jackman is holding up against top lines. Roman Polak is showing great poise for a young player. Give all these guys credit for pulling it together.

DAN O’NEILL
The key to any success in hockey starts with, and most heavily depends upon, goaltending. Like pitching in baseball, like quarterbacking in football, goaltending is the cure for any problem, the problem in any cure.

Chris Mason has given up some soft goals of late (follow the bouncing puck), but he has continued to make numerous clutch saves and give the Blues a chance. While Mason plays well, the Blues have to be effective on the power play. Special teams are crucial. For that to happen, they need more frequent contributions from their veterans, i.e. Brad Boyes and Keith Tkachuk.

Last but not least, they need T.J. Oshie and David Perron to keep taking whatever vitamins they have been taking, and share them with the rest of their teammates. They have been terrific over the last couple of weeks.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Chris Mason. 4-0-0 in the past four, 1.72 GAA, .930 save percentage. You can point at some other things, but without Mason, the Blues are cooked. Goalie play is a fickle matter, but you’ve got to give the Blues management credit for farming Manny Legace out and riding Mason. Talk about making the right choice.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
The biggest key of all in the Blues’ 5-game winning streak is that every single player on the team is contributing. That’s a little broad in scope, so I’ll narrow it down a bit below, but it is absolutely true. Everyone is pulling their weight.

As Bernie Miklasz noted in his “5 Minutes for Blogging” entry today, the offensive re-emergence of the “Kid Line” has been a driving force in this late-season push. T.J. Oshie has been leading the way with dynamic offensive play, gritty corner work and an amazing physical presence (Paging Mr. Nash, Mr. Rick Nash. Please come pick up your pride at the customer service counter.) Patrik Berglund and David Perron have elevated their games right alongside Oshie and it’s been a thing of beauty to watch.

It should also be pointed out that goalie Chris Mason continues to play at an elite level. Even though he’s not getting any rest, Mason is still carrying the mail. In this 5-game winning streak he’s stopped 126 of 135 shots (.933 save percentage) and made some absolutely huge saves, including in the shootout against Columbus with the game on the line.

Finally, the defensemen need to be recognized for the consistency of their play. They’ve been rolling with the same 6-man unit for a while now and they’re doing a solid job night in and night out. It may be an unofficial St. Louis pastime to find some poor defenseman and nitpick his every move, but right now there isn’t much to complain about.

It’s great to see it all come together, isn’t it?

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, Team 1380)
There has been an absolute revival of Blues hockey in St. Louis and it has been pretty amazing to get an up-close and personal view of what has taken place. There are several keys that have allowed the Blues to skate their way back into contention.

First off, head coach Andy Murray doesn’t let these guys off the hook when they make a mistake. He holds them accountable and doesn’t allow them to become complacent or satisfied.

Since the turn of the New Year the Blues have been one of the top hockey clubs in the NHL. You can’t be a playoff team in this league without goaltending and quality special teams. The Blues rank in the top ten in both power play and penalty killing percentage. Thanks to the consistent play of goaltender Chris Mason, the Blues also have climbed all the way into the top ten in goals against average. It wasn’t too long ago the team was ranked 26th in the league in GAA.

The team is playing their system almost to a “T.” How good is this team playing defensively? The Blues have done an outstanding job of controlling their scoring chances against. They don’t give up many chances, which allows the team to be in virtually every game. How many odd-man rushes or breakaways do you see the Blues allowing from game to game? (The goal by Antoinne Vermette the other night for Columbus was a player showing incredible explosiveness and beating two guys to a loose puck.)

The Blues have the ability to counter and score better than we’ve seen in recent seasons. When they create a turnover or force a mistake they have skilled players who can make you pay offensively.

The Blues became a bigger team by adding guys like B.J. Crombeen and Brad Winchester and they use their size very well. Management deserves some credit here, as well, for pulling off a two-for-one trade in which they’ve added two professionals in Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo. This move was a major turning point for the season.

The bottom line is this team was picked to finish last at the start of the year and have used the underdog role as motivation. Throughout the last 30 games the Blues and coaches have maintained a level headed approach which has their focus where it needs to be.

Did I mention Oshie, Perron, and Berglund?

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Good or bad, what St. Louis Cardinal player has surprised you the most so far this spring with his performance?

JOE STRAUSS
I think Ryan Ludwick’s early struggles have caught the attention of many, but Ludwick dealt with a similar slow start last March. My guess is he’ll loosen up by camp’s end and current concerns will prove a bit overblown.

My selection isn’t a flashy one: Allen Craig (24) doesn’t project for this organization because he doesn’t have a position other than first base. (Third base proved a poor fit the last couple seasons, though Craig led Texas League 3B in fielding pct. last season.) That said, Craig has a live RH bat. He hit 21 home runs in the Florida Coast League two years ago while amassing a .312 average. He smoked 22 HR at Springfield last season while hitting .304. He likely will be Memphis’ starting 1B this year. He was third in his league in HR in ’07 and fifth in ’08. Like many Cardinal farm hands, he projects as “a bat.” I wonder what he might do as somebody’s LF. This organization may not be his best fit but a strong year at Memphis may make him attractive to an AL club.

If you want hyperventilating, flowerly over-talk about what’s in the system, you can head down the cyber-block. But this guy intrigues me. Entering today’s Grapefruit League game vs. Boston, Craig is batting .500 with three long hits and 7 RBI. He doesn’t scare.

DERRICK GOOLD
Tyler Greene. Here was a first-round pick from 2005 who scuffled from the moment he got a million-dollar bonus all the way up the ladder of the minor-league system. He was raw. He was gangly. He was hampered by serious injury. And then things clicked in 2008. Greene became a more refined player in the field and showed vast improvement at the plate — even beyond his numbers. Last July, he could have been a prospect whose promise was flickering out. Today he’s playing well enough to vie for a major-league job.

RICK HUMMEL
Joe Mather has surprised me with his agility at third base. He looks more comfortable than I had thought he would.

JEFF GORDON
I would say Jason Motte. We all knew he could throw hard. But he looks polished this spring, working off-speed and breaking pitches into his repertoire. From what I saw in Jupiter, he looked capable of handling at least a chunk of the closing role. He seems to have the make-up for the job, too. He does not appear to be a fretful lad. He is just the opposite, actually.

TOM ACKERMAN (Sports anchor on “Total Information A.M.” on KMOX)
I’ll go with Chris Duncan. After recovering from major surgery, all he’s done in spring training is hit .370 with 2 HR and 10 RBI in 27 at-bats. The home run he hit on Tuesday against Detroit’s Zach Miner was a soaring blast over the right-center field wall, into the wind. So far, the swing is back — and a lot sooner than I expected.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
It was a tough call between Chris Duncan and Khalil Greene but I’ll go with Greene as the player who has surprised me the most. First of all, nobody is talking about him. That’s a very good thing. The only reason there would be something to talk about would be if he were struggling. With all the questions about second and third base this spring, it’s nice to see that Greene, at least for now, has been a stabilizing force.

Part of my “surprise” with Greene’s performance has to do with how he looked in the first week of full-squad workouts. His swing was a bit out of whack and he seemed to lack that trademark Cardinals intensity. Khalil just didn’t fit in at the time. Who knows, maybe that was just a natural phenomenon because it was the first time he’d switched teams as a pro.

Spring training numbers shouldn’t be counted for much, especially not for veterans, but Greene only whiffed once in his first 10 games down in Florida. For a guy who has problems with over-swinging and striking out that’s a good sign. Let’s hope the improved approach carries over into the regular season.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

THE WAY TO (BEAT) SAN JOSE: A huge game for the Note tonight against Western Conference beast San Jose. A loss tonight just two days before Detroit’s Red Army arrives could spell the end of playoff hopes by the weekend. A win tonight guarantees a split of the two games against the Conference’s top two teams, and perhaps even gives the Blues an emotional lift that carries over in the form of momentum Saturday night. Needless to say … a whole lot on the line.

Jeremy Rutherford tells me coach Andy Murray this morning highlighted three keys to victory tonight. They are:

1. Blues have a “big-body” game.
2. Good puck protection.
3. Keep the puck on the offensive end.

So, assuming all three of these things get accomplished and the Blues win the game, here’s who I’m picking as the top 3 stars based on the three keys above.

1. Big body game … David Backes muscles, hits and contributes a couple points.
2. Good puck protection … Carlo Colaiacovo provides it on both ends this evening.
3. Keep puck in offensive zone … Gotta go T.J. Oshie on this one. If anyone out there does “whatever it takes” to get that puck and keep it in the zone, I say it’s Oshie.

There you have it. If the Blues win, those are my three stars. Who would be yours, based on Murray’s keys to the game?

YOUNG, FIERY AND AS GOOD AS THEY GET: Young Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon has to be mentioned in the same breath as Mariano Rivera and Francisco Rodriguez as being among the game’s top firemen. Papelbon has done everything asked of him by the Red Sox and he’s already sewn up a World Series clinching 9th inning. But for the most part, Papelbon flies under the radar and you don’t hear much about him outside of Boston … until now, that is.

Papelbon recently opened up in an interview with Esquire magazine (many great details, like his dog chewing up a million-dollar baseball and Curt Schilling suggesting Papelbon is not the sharpest tool in the shed by saying Papelbon is “not exactly a charter member of Mensa”) and in that interview the thing that will garner all the headlines in Boston is that Papelbon just came out and said what many others have danced around for months: Papelbon says Manny Ramirez was a “cancer” on the Red Sox last year.

Here’s an excerpt from the Esquire article: “The beautiful thing about our team is, we don’t let anybody get above the team. (Manny) wasn’t on the same train as the rest of us.” And here Papelbon starts banging his kitchen table for emphasis, the punctuation marks in his sentences changing: “He was on a different train! And you saw what happened with that. We got rid of him, and we moved on without him. … You have somebody like him, you know at any point in the ball game, he can dictate the outcome of the game. And for him not to be on the same page as the rest of the team was a killer, man! It just takes one guy to bring an entire team down, and that’s exactly what was happening. Once we saw that, we weren’t afraid to get rid of him. It’s like cancer. That’s what he was. Cancer. He had to go. It sucked, but that was the only scenario that was going to work.”

Papelbon … firing strikes, like always. You can read the full article here.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

L.T.’s BACK AND TAKING AIM AT RECORD BOOKS: After a tumultuous offseason where Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson’s future with the club became uncertain, the player and team reached accord yesterday on a restructured deal that should keep LT in the powdered blue for at least a few more years. Those who read this space regularly know I felt it would have been a mistake had the Chargers let LT skip town. Now, with everyone in the family happy again, LT is setting his sights on loftier goals.

According to San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Tim Sullivan, “After years of artful evasions and smooth sidesteps, the Chargers’ reunited-and-it-feels-so-good running back officially took aim at Emmitt Smith yesterday. LT declared his desire for the National Football League’s career records for rushing and rushing touchdowns, both presently in Smith’s possession, and says he is now prepared to pursue them longer than he had previously planned on playing.”

Tomlinson currently has 11,670 rushing yards, which leaves him 6,595 yards behind Smith’s 18,355. Smith leads Tomlinson 164-126 in rushing TDs.

I don’t know that a RB who turns 30 years old in June has enough in his legs to gain 6,595 or punch in another 38 TDs, but I’m happy to see he’ll be attempting it with the only NFL team he’s every played for.

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STAT OF THE DAY

9 — Most consecutive 50-goal seasons. The feat was accomplished by Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders from the 1977-78 season to 1985-86. Bossy tallied 53 goals in his rookie season, making him the first NHL rookie to hit the 50-goal mark. He then continued the streak for his first nine seasons in the league, including 50 goals in his first 50 games in 1980-81 to tie Maurice Richard’s 36-year-old record. Chronic back pain caused Bossy to miss 17 games the year his streak ended, and he ended up with 38 goals that season. The back ailment ultimately led to Bossy’s retirement at age 30. (Source: “Hockey’s Top 100: The Game’s Greatest Records”)

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: With 23 games remaining, the St. Louis Blues are six points back in the hunt for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. What must the Blues focus on performance-wise during this stretch run that will give them a shot of claiming a playoff spot?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
Just being consistent. The Blues were competitive in both Nashville games, continuing to battle against a hot goaltender. For their effort, they earned three out of a possible four points and could have had four. But last week, they weren’t competitive for two periods against Columbus, and they got what they deserved. The Blues are going to lose a handful of games in the final 23, but if they want to have a chance at the playoffs, they have to be competitive in all 23. And that means making a play — whether it’s a scoring chance or a save — when it’s there. The Blues have had chances in several games recently, including Saturday’s game versus Nashville, to make one more play . . . and it would have made the difference. They need that one play.

TOM TIMMERMANN
The Blues need to come out fast, score early, take a lead and then win in regulation. Overtime games won’t cut it. Comeback wins or overtime wins may be great for drama and emotion, but the overtime games are of limited help when it comes to points. Some first period energy — and goals — are what they need.

DAN O’NEILL
Because there are so many teams ahead of them, because the teams involved play so many games with each other down the stretch, because someone is always picking up points, it will be very difficult for the Blues to move into a playoff spot. In terms of performance, the most important factor for the Blues is goaltending. Chris Mason has to be a difference-maker if the team is to have any chance of winning the number of games it will take to make the jump.

JEFF GORDON
I talked to Rick Wamslety today and he really liked what Chris Mason had done in goal the last two months. And the team’s five-on-five play is much better, too. Roman Polak’s return has solidified the D. Now the Blues just have to score more — as we saw Tuesday night.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, Team 1380)
It goes without saying the Blues won’t win hockey games if they fail to score like we witnessed the other night against Nashville. The recipe for winning hockey doesn’t change here in the final 20-plus games left on the schedule. They need solid goaltending every night, which for the most part they have received as of late, to go along with a commitment to the defensive zone. The Blues are not going to scare anybody offensively during 5-on-5 play. This puts an even greater emphasis on the power play, which can’t let them down as it did on Saturday. Last but not least, the mentality must change in the 4-on-4 overtime. The Blues, to me, play too passively in OT, which is not a winning formula. I would like to see more urgency to play the best players, those who give your team the best chance to score and ultimately win the hockey game. The fact that Patrik Berglund, David Perron, and Carlo Colaiacovo didn’t even enter the ice Saturday during OT is inexcusable to me. How Jay McKee goes from not being able to crack the lineup a few days earlier to playing in OT is certainly a head scratcher.

ROGER HENSLEY
Remember when then-Kansas City Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil told running back Larry Johnson it was time to “take off the diapers?” Remember how Johnson responded by becoming one of the league’s premier RBs? I think it’s about time for this Blues team to be told to take off the diapers. There are just too many ready-made excuses — from the team’s youth to injuries that still have a few key players off the ice. Instead of focusing on that, however, it’s time to focus on what they do have. There is a stable of thoroughbreds over there at the Scottrade, guys plenty capable of getting the job done, and they’ve shown that against some elite teams. This team has been entertaining and hard-working all season. But now it’s time to finish the job … and that means finishing games. The Blues need to reel off a couple of mini-streaks to build the confidence and momentum they seem to lack. My message to this team would come from the Stuart Smalley collection: “You’re good enough, you’re skilled enough and, doggone it, people like you.”

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

THE WARNER MYSTERY: Arizona QB Kurt Warner completed the 2008 regular season ranked in the league’s top five in completion percentage, passing yards, TD passes and passer rating. He led the Cardinals to the only playoff success they’ve had in the desert, taking the team all the way to the Super Bowl. Warner, 37, says he wants to play for the Cardinals next season. The Cardinals say they want Warner back. So why is it Warner is without a contract just four days before free agency opens in the NFL? ESPN.com’s Mike Sando says it’s because it is hard to put a value on Warner. But you can see what a few scouts think Warner’s contract value should be in Sando’s story today.

I predict Warner will sign a contract with the Cardinals in the next four days for one season at about $10.5 to $11 million. But who knows, maybe Brenda is telling Kurt to hold out for more.

MACLIN MAKES HIS MARK: The Chicago Tribune’s Dan Pompei had this to say about Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin from the NFL combine: “While running routes and catching the ball, (Maclin) looked like the best player on the field—which he was supposed to be. He also showed his resiliency by not missing a drill after injuring his leg while trying to adjust to a poorly thrown ball.”

Pompei takes a look at the ups and downs from yesterday’s workouts in this article.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

NO JOSHING AROUND: The remarkable story of Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton has been well-chronicled. He broke free of addictions to crack, cocaine and alcohol in 2005 and has resurrected his career in a MVP fashion. This year, he went a step further, dropping his habit of chewing tobacco. That’s not an easy thing to do in a major league clubhouse, where so many of your buddies still reach for a can of dip. But Hamilton is used to doing things that aren’t easy. If you don’t know much about Hamilton, this story in today’s Dallas Morning News is an excellent way to catch up.

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NUMBER OF THE DAY

$4.4 million — Total compensation for USC football coach Pete Carroll, making him the highest-paid private university employee in the United States for the 2006-07 fiscal year, according to a report today in the L.A. Times. Carroll’s Trojans have won two national titles, seven consecutive Pac 10 titles and have played in seven consecutive BCS bowl games.