THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Blues kick off their season at 2 p.m. today against the Red Wings. Hockey in St. Louis finally has arrived again. Who or what most intrigues you about the 2009-10 St. Louis Blues?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
What intrigues me is whether the Blues will be able to stay healthy. Because if they stay healthy, they have a shot to be pretty good. Not only have the Blues suffered a number of injuries the past few seasons, but the injuries seem to happen to their best players. I realize that 20 guys aren’t going to play 82 games each. But the Blues can’t have a situation like last year when Paul Kariya played 11 games, Andy McDonald (46), T.J. Oshie (57), Eric Brewer (28) and D.J. King (1).

BERNIE MIKLASZ
I want to see how much Paul Kariya has left, and whether he’s still an elite offensive player. I want to see how quickly Erik Johnson emerges as the new Scott Stevens. I want to see if Chris Mason was for real. I want to see if David Perron can convert his enormous talent into 30 goals. I want to see if Alex Pietrangelo has the toughness to play in the NHL. I want to see how an ascending team handles the pressure of expectations. The Blues aren’t the scrappy little underdog anymore. They’ll be counted on to get to the playoffs and win a series and that’s a big change from the past few years.

JEFF GORDON
There are a lot of good stories on the Note, but T.J. Oshie is a real catalyst. He scores, he passes, he hits, he stirs it up. Had the Blues had him all last season, they wouldn’t have been half-dead at the holidays. A lot of national experts overlooking the Blues don’t know how good this kid can be.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I’m most curious about the big picture. Can this team advance in the playoffs facing the likes of San Jose, Detroit, Vancouver, Chicago, etc. in the 1st round? That’s what I’m focusing on. I’d be shocked if this team isn’t in the playoffs but once there, what will they do? A lot of that, of course, will depend on what they do throughout the course of the season. If they’re reasonably healthy all season long they will be a dangerous team regardless of the opponent and if the young guys continue their rapid improvement they could make a run in the playoffs. None of that will be known, however, until the end of the regular season.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)
Can they continue where they left off last spring? Having expectations to win hockey games is new territory for the St. Louis Blues. This will be really interesting to follow this season. No longer can the Blues rest on the idea that they’re in rebuilding mode. People around the NHL are expecting the Blues to not only reach the playoffs but believe they have potential to make a little noise once they arrive. John Davidson recently told me the goal this season is to have home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. In order for this to happen the Blues need consistency in their game from day one. Are the Blues, as an organization, prepared to handle the pressure to win? It’s fair to say they’re slightly ahead of schedule from where they expected to be when Dave Checketts and company took over in 2006. There will be more attention on this hockey club to begin the season than we’ve seen in years. Thanks to the dismal performances football fans are growing accustomed to watching on Sundays, more and more eyes are focused on Andy Murray and his team this fall.

Managing adversity is critical for any team in any year and there will be times when things don’t go in the Blues favor. How they respond when things get tough will tell us whether or not this club is prepared to take a step forward. The Blues have a real chance to even more solidify themselves once again in the sports community and there is little reason to believe they won’t take advantage.

I’m also very intrigued to see if this will, in fact, be Keith Tkachuk’s last season in the NHL. The guy can still score goals and if he snipes 20-25 I can easily see the Blues extending “Big Walt” for another year. Will he accept? It’s never easy to walk away.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: What do you think are the St. Louis Blues top priorities this offseason?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
One of the Blues’ priorities needs to be a scoring forward, preferably a right winger, but that probably won’t be addressed this offseason. The attractive wingers available — Marian Gaborik, Marian Hossa, Martin Havlat and Alex Kovalev — are going to command big money. The Blues may be a year or two away from signing a forward in that class.

Some of what they do this summer hinges on what happens with Keith Tkachuk . . . not because re-signing Tkachuk lessens the need for a scoring forward, because it doesn’t. If Tkachuk comes back, it will be as a third- or fourth-line center who plays 15 minutes per game. But if Tkachuk doesn’t re-sign, it will give the team a few more dollars to find a second-tier free-agent forward like a Mike Knuble OR Mikael Samuellsson.

Finding another offensive-minded defenseman should be a priority. The Blues could make a play for Chris Pronger near the NHL draft, which would certainly help fix their troubles getting the puck out of the zone and scoring a few points from the blue-line. Erik Johnson will be a nice addition, but if the Blues can’t get Pronger, I don’t know that you can put all the problems on Johnson’s shoulders. Johnson can’t score enough points to compensate for the lack of offensive production from this defensive group. The team won’t panic with a guy like Alex Pietrangelo on the way, but Pietrangelo won’t be a difference-maker next year when the Blues should have a playoff team.

Of course, the Blues will need an experienced backup to play behind Chris Mason, and there are plenty of options, including Jason LaBarbera, Brian Boucher . . .

DAN O’NEILL
The Blues top priorities became evident during the playoffs. They desperately need more offensive talent and skill on defense. Hopefully, Erik Johnson will not take long to regain form and help address that, and hopefully Alex Pietrangelo will add enough weight and strength to make the club and help, as well. Next, they need a right winger who can score to go along with T.J. Oshie. And last, they need a reliable, preferably experienced, backup goalie.

TOM TIMMERMANN
The Blues were 11th in the league in goals allowed, 18th in goals scored. They scored as many goals as they allowed, 233. The goals allowed should potentially come down if Chris Mason has a full, solid season, but in any case, the Blues have to score more. So they need to look at a first- or second-line forward, which of course doesn’t come cheap. Also, Keith Tkachuk is 37 and while he’s younger than me, I’m not getting a pounding in front of the net like he is. So that’s an area the Blues should shore up. And obviously, they need a dependable backup goalie so Ben Bishop can get playing time in Peoria rather than bench time in St. Louis. Ironically, someone like Manny Legace — one time starter, on back end of career, probably would come cheap after spending half the season in minors — would be a logical choice. But I don’t think that’s happening.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I think priority No. 1 is finding another experienced goalie who is capable of playing 25-30 games and playing them well. I really like Ben Bishop’s long-term potential but I don’t think it’s best for his development to sit 70-75 percent of the time as Chris Mason’s backup. He needs regular playing time.

Getting Roman Polak locked up is a big deal as well. I just hope nobody else decides to throw a goofy restricted free agent offer at him because the Blues really can’t afford to lose him and matching a big offer could mess up other plans.

Which leads me to Keith Tkachuk. He scored 25 goals this season, played well in a checking role and has already stated his desire to return. Figure out a fair price that works for both sides and get it done. Replacing him from outside the organization would be costly and risky. Replacing him from within would be also since you could lose Brad Winchester, Dan Hinote and Yan Stastny and I’m not sure there are two or three NHL-ready forwards coming into camp next year.

A playoff appearance will be expected by most next season and breaking in two or three more kids isn’t necessarily ideal in that circumstance. This team isn’t rebuilding anymore.

As promised … our friends from Vancouver have weighed in with a prediction of their own on the Blues-Canucks series. (I left it unedited because I like the way Canadiens use a “c” instead of an “s” in words … like “defencemen.”) Here you go:

Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun

The teams split their four-game season series and were among the best in hockey since January. For the Canucks, the turnaround coincided with the return of goalie Roberto Luongo. The Blues performed a second-half miracle playing without top-four defencemen Eric Brewer and Erik Johnson.

On offence, the Canucks have a balanced attack, with five players hitting the 20-goal mark and another, Kyle Wellwood, at 18, but the Sedin twins are still the main cogs and key to the offence and will be under pressure to perform. On defence, the Canucks have a nice blend of size and experience. The only thing lacking is a puck-rushing/power play quarterback.

The Blues have a Stanley Cup winner in centre Andy McDonald, while warhorse Keith Tkachuk will be on a mission in perhaps his last chance to win a Cup. They’re complimented by a group of dangerous young forwards in David Backes, T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund and David Perron. Brad Boyes is dynamite on the power play with 16 goals.

In goal, Luongo has a great regular-season resume but his playoff portfolio is reed-thin. Chris Mason’s playoff resume is even lighter than Luongo’s: one win in five games. So who wins? The Blues could, if they pressure the Canuck defence with a heavy forecheck and create turnovers that turn into scoring chances. But the Canucks should, especially if Luongo performs like the elite goaltender he’s been in the regular season.

Prediction: Canucks in seven.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: It’s prediction time … The Blues and Canucks will kick off their seven-game series tonight in Vancouver. What do you see being the key areas in how this series plays out, and who comes out on top?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD

There’s a lot of pressure on the Canucks and virtually none on the Blues. Fans in Vancouver are waiting for the big contract given to Mats Sundin to pay off, they’re waiting for the Sedin twins - Henrik and Daniel - to produce in the playoffs and they’re waiting for Roberto Luongo to prove he’s a goalie that can take them deep into the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Blues aren’t supposed to be here. They aren’t Cinderella . . . instead folks should start calling Cinderella “The Blues.” And yet while they’re underdogs, they were 2-2 against the Canucks in the regular season, and that was with Chris Mason not playing as well as he has shown this season. Mason is 1-3 with a 3.44 goals-against average and an .863 save-percentage against the Canucks this year.

The edge may come in the special teams. The Blues have the No. 3-ranked penalty-kill and the No. 8-ranked power-play in the NHL and those categories will become even more important in the playoffs. If the Blues can play physical, continue to get balanced scoring and Mason can come close to matching Luongo, they can beat the Canucks.

Prediction: Blues in six.

DAN O’NEILL

For the Blues, the key areas will be stopping those darn Sedin twins, pounding on 38-year-old Mats Sundin and scoring ugly goals against elite goaltender Roberto Luongo.

To that end, the Blues have to win the special teams battle. They were better than Vancouver with both the penalty kill and the power play units during the regular season, and that must hold true. Obviously, Chris Mason has to make big saves and bail the team out when the opposition pressures. And it wouldn’t hurt to have Brad Boyes get hot.

For the Canucks, the biggest key is Vlade Divac look-alike Luongo. He has been outstanding since returning from an injury and he can win a series single-handedly. At the same time, Vancouver has to get balanced scoring from its forwards. During the regular season, five different Vancouver players scored 20-or-more goals, with the emerging Alex Burrows scoring 28 to compliment Daniel Sedin’s team-leading total of 31.

Prediction: This is truly a toss-up, but Canucks in seven.

JEFF GORDON

The Blues have tons of momentum coming into this series. Sadly, the Canucks are rolling, too. Vancouver has the edge in goal, with Roberto Luongo, and on defense, where the Canucks are highly skilled. Vancouver also has the home-ice advantage.

So the Canucks ought to win in six games. But . . . I’ve picked against the Blues down the stretch and they kept winning. So maybe this continued negativity is good Karma.

Prediction: Canucks in six.

ROGER HENSLEY

Let’s keep this simple and take the emotion out of it. The Blues are the better team right now. As Bill Parcells is fond of saying, “You are who your record says you are.” And the Blues record since January says they are ready to compete and win this postseason. I say they steal one game in Vancouver and win all three while playing to the crowd at Scottrade. A tall order? Maybe. But using that math it adds up to …

Prediction: Blues in six.

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

Three days ago on the Blues post-game show, right after the 1-0 win in Colorado, a caller asked me if I thought the Blues were going to beat the Canucks. While allowing for a change of heart after a few days of consideration, I said I thought Vancouver would probably win.

Well, I’ve had a change of heart.

The Blues are loose, playing better hockey than anyone in the NHL over the last 40 games - and the last 10 games for that matter - and the weight of the world is on the shoulders of the Canucks. The tension here in Vancouver is palpable. There are questions about key Canucks’ players, like the Sedin Twins and Mats Sundin, and whether or not they’re “playoff tough.”

Plus, Vancouver is Canada’s great hope for the 2009 playoffs. It’s been 16 years since Lord Stanley’s Cup made it’s home in Canada (1992-93 Canadiens) and the pressure is clearly on this Vancouver team. It all adds up to a Blues series win to me.

Prediction: Blues in six.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)

First off, how great is it to once again be breaking down the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Only if my dog didn’t chew up my passport I’d be in Vancouver!

Just because it’s the playoffs doesn’t mean you are forced to change your game. You want to continue to do the things that got you here. Obviously if you see something Vancouver is doing on the PP or PK you may be forced to make an in-game adjustment, but besides that, the Blues don’t need to worry about changing what they do.

It is important however that the Blues get to the Canucks “D” on the forecheck. Vancouver’s D-men are all mobile skaters who have the ability to move the puck quickly. The Blues need to prevent guys like Ohlund, Edler, Bieksa, and Salo from making their usual long stretch passes through the middle of the ice. The Blues will try to make Vancouver go D to D and force them to go up the boards when they are leaving the zone.

My point here is that a strong forecheck will cause problems, create turnovers, and allow St. Louis to spend a lot of time in the offensive zone. My other point is that everything needs to be taken to the net hard. Don’t pass up chances to shoot the puck and it’s important the Blues forwards drive hard and makes things as difficult as possible for Vancouver all-world goaltender Roberto Luongo.

It goes without saying the Blues checkers need to be successful in keeping Vancouver’s top offensive players off the score sheet. This is no different than any other game, but the Jay McClements of the world have an opportunity to create a strong reputation as quality NHL shutdown players.

It’s going to be a long, physical series and the Blues need to make life miserable for the Sedins, Sundins, Keslers, and Demitras of the world. If the Blues can do this they can win the series, and I think they will. It’s critical they get a split in the first two games.

Enjoy the playoffs Everybody.

Prediction: Blues in six.

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 in Phoenix tonight to play a game that is hugely important to this team’s playoff hopes. What are the keys to success for the Blues tonight?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
1. Relax: There’s a lot on the line, but the Blues have shown this season that when they’re playing composed, they can be really good.

2. Bury your chances: The Blues had 26 shots on goal Saturday in Dallas, but misfired on 23 more shots. It’s been a problem all season. If you don’t put the puck on net, you can’t score. And if the Blues fail to build on leads, as they did in Dallas, it will come back to bite them.

3. Hope for a good game from Chris Mason: Mason was not at his best Saturday in Dallas, and while there were plenty of other problems that night, goaltending was a big issue. Mason has been spectacular since taking over the No. 1 job, and the Blues need him to play that way for three more games to have a chance at the postseason.

DAN O’NEILL
The No. 1 key is for Chris Mason to be their best player. Mason was not especially sharp in Dallas, which was the reason the Blues got one point instead of two. In addition, the Blues’ power play has to be effective and it would help if shooters hit the net once in a while. The team missed the net almost as often as they hit in Dallas.

JEFF GORDON
Keep the puck in the offensive zone! Chris Mason has looked more human in goal and the makeshift Blues defense has made some huge mistakes. By sustaining offensive pressure, the Blues will get a chance to build a lead, earn power plays and exploit their man advantage. They need to take charge in this game and get the Coyotes chasing them around. This game means everything to the Blues and nothing to Phoenix. So the Blues must dictate play from the first shift on.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)
It may sound too simple but it my opinion it comes down to playing hard. Sometimes the best and most effective game is a simple one.

If the Blues don’t get their bodies involved, they will be in trouble. It costs them an extra point in Dallas and they can’t afford not to be involved in the game physically tonight. The Blues must play physical and finish checks. They need to tighten up their game defensively as well — St. Louis was way too sloppy in their own end last Saturday and that’s not a recipe for success especially on the road.

Chris Mason may not have stood on his head against Dallas but he wasn’t the reason they lost. He gave the Blues a chance to win and I expect him to do the same against Phoenix. His team didn’t give him much help in front of him.

The Blues better not overlook this Coyotes team, which brings a lot of skill to the table and plays very hard. They’ve beaten some good teams at home recently, including a decisive victory over Vancouver, and they are hardly a pushover. This team was in the playoffs just a few months ago before going on a horrific slide. They have a very strong goaltender who has the ability to make 50 saves on a given night when he’s on. It will certainly help if the Blues can hit the net tonight after shooting either high or wide more than 20 times in their previous game.

The bottom line is you don’t make it into the playoffs by losing to the Phoenix Coyotes in a must-win situation.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Desperation and concentration.

The Blues played like a desperate team in Detroit but somehow didn’t in Dallas, where the Stars were the ones with the extra jump in their step. The Blues have to be 1-point better than Nashville over the final three games to get in the playoffs so I don’t think motivation should be a problem.

The team, as a whole, needs to concentrate a little more than they did in Dallas as well. Too many excellent scoring opportunities given up to a team that was already all but out of the playoffs. Gotta play it a little tighter in the defensive zone starting tonight too — they’ve allowed 12 goals in the last three games.

The Blues have Phoenix tonight, Columbus Friday and Colorado Sunday. Nashville has Chicago tonight, Detroit Thursday and Minnesota on Friday to close out their season. If the Blues can just play their game three more times they should get in.

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: 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.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: After laying a third-period egg in a very important game at home against Vancouver Tuesday night, what do you think is the most important thing fans should watch for in how the Blues respond tonight at Nashville?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
Keep an eye on the Blues’ defensive play. For the most part, the forwards played well in Tuesday’s 6-4 loss to Vancouver. Andy McDonald will take a few weeks to round into form, but he looked good on a line with T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund. The Blues were two for three on the power play, scoring those two goals in only 1:34 of power-play time. Chris Mason wasn’t great, but he made some nice saves. But the Blues’ defense, which has played well the last couple of weeks, let them down with five giveaways. Mason made 47 saves in a 1-0 shutout win over Nashville back in November, but he won’t do that again tonight if the Blues play defensively like they did Tuesday. Look for Mike Weaver to be back in the lineup, replacing Steve Wagner.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Hockey is a pretty simple game. Tenacity matters in this sport, and the Blues didn’t have much of it Tuesday after taking that 2-0 lead on Vancouver. They backed off. This is a team that must have an underdog’s mindset. They have to bring the effort and the physical play for 60 minutes. That didn’t happen against Vancouver. The Blues went into a cruise-control mode. So they have to come out flying tonight, and take the play to Nashville. I didn’t think Chris Mason was sharp against the Canucks. Granted, he was the victim of some fluke stuff, but he’s the clear No. 1 goaltender now, and the pressure is on him to play consistently well. He’ll have to be on top of his game tonight.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Plain and simple, they need to win, no matter how it looks. They can’t afford a losing streak at this time of the season. They may be close points-wise, but it’s going to be tough to climb over all those teams since everyone is playing each other.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, Team 1380)
The most disappointing thing to me in regards to Tuesday’s loss was how nonchalant the Blues performed in the third period. At this time of year you can’t afford to allow the opposition to dictate the pace of the game, especially in the third period. The Blues put themselves in bad situations by taking irresponsible penalties and failing to do the little things that matter when you’re trying to protect a lead late in the game.

The Blues will try to give a smarter effort tonight in Nashville. It starts in their own end with goaltender Chris Mason, who failed to come up with the big save when the club needed it in the worst way against the Canucks. It’s crucial the Blues get a lead early to prevent the team from chasing the game.

REED LOW (Former Blue and co-host of “The Low Down” on KFNS)
They need to come out with a good start. Also they need to play with desperation … that’s what made them successful over their last 10 games. The other night the team was watching instead of forcing the play. Goaltending has to be better — they worked hard to get the lead back after a power play goal the other night and you need your goalie to make it happen after something like that. Lastly, they need to play four lines and keep rolling the bench and getting everyone in the game. After a couple periods of that you will wear the other team down because a home team will usually try to get their best players out for a few extra shifts. Stay patient with the game plan and keep it simple.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

THE WORLD OF PETE ROSE: Of all the people I would have expected to hear speak up about Alex Rodriguez and steroids, perhaps Pete Rose would’ve been one of the last. I know steroids and gambling are two different things, but the whole pot-kettle thing bothers me. Both have admitted to breaking the rules. Period.

But Rose, the game’s all-time hits leader with 4,256, had a few things to say to Dayton Daily News’ legendary baseball writer Hal McCoy. Take this for example: “I would have got 5,000 hits if I took steroids.”

Really, Pete? Almost 750 more hits because you were juicing? Wanna bet on it?

But I will give Rose credit for his thoughts on when A-Rod said he juiced because of all the pressure he was under due to his huge contract. Here’s what Rose told McCoy: “Pressure? A lot of us are understanding in these times that pressure is signing a $250 contract, not $250 million.”

That, I couldn’t have said better myself.

ALL ABOARD: According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the Brewers are teaming up with Amtrak to try to make Wrigley Field in Chicago a home away from home — at least for one game. The report states that the first 100 Brewers fans who buy tickets to the Brewers-Cubs Sept. 17 game will get a free, round-trip ride to Chicago on Amtrak. The name of the promotion: Miller Park South. While they are only giving away 100 free train rides, all those fans and 1,500 others who attend the game will be given t-shirts that say, “Miller Park South.”

I say when you send 1,600 Brewers fans into the dregs of the drunken Friendly Confines claiming the Cubs’ home field as their own, the t-shirts might as well say, “Go ahead, kick my #$#.”

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

THIRD JERSEY UNDER SCRUTINY: It was news to this editor to find out this morning that ESPN had done a story about St. Louis Post-Dispatch multimedia journalist Darryl Swint and how renderings for a new Blues third jersey that Swint designed and delivered to the Blues back in 2003 have many similarities to the third jerseys the Blues introduced this season. I offer no opinion or bias on the merits of anyone’s claims in the story, but thought fans might like to see the story and the side-by-side shots. You can form your own opinions.

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HOME RUN HISTORY

As Albert Pujols prepares to begin his ninth season in the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals, here’s a look at the players who hit the most home runs through their first 8 seasons, along with how many they hit:

1. Ralph Kiner — 329
2 Albert Pujols — 319
3. Eddie Mathews — 299
4. Adam Dunn — 278
5. Ernie Banks — 269
6. Ted Williams — 265
7. Frank Robinson — 262
8. Frank Thomas — 257
9. Hank Aaron — 253
10. Darryl Strawberry — 252
11 Todd Helton — 251
12. Willie Mays — 250
13. Mickey Mantle — 249
14. Rocky Colavito — 246
15. Joe DiMaggio — 244
16. Albert Belle — 242
17. Alex Rodriguez — 241
18. Mike Piazza — 240
19. Roger Maris — 240
20. Ken Griffey — 238