vs. 
GAMETIME (Not St. Louis): 7pm
TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN RADIO
VOICE OF THE DAMNED: St. Louis Gametime (Good god don’t go there)
I’m going to have to agree with McClure here, and it’s not something I do lightly or with any measure of pleasure. But now that the Hawks have climbed the heights, these games against the Blues just don’t seem to matter as much as they used to. They used to be right behind games against Scum for me, partly due to knowing that any loss would result in the Gametime crew smiling, and who really needs that? But now? Can’t help but view the Blues as more a nuisance than a rival. Maybe that’ll change one day if all their players develop as they should and the Blues become a genuine threat. Maybe just one playoff series would ignite my vitriol. Remains to be seen. Oh, and the fact that I feel this way probably angers Blues fans even more does my heart good. Except for that one I met last season in a Backes jersey. She was a vision. Never would want to make her angry.
Anyway, to the hockey. Last time these two met, a mere five days ago, the Blues were the better team for long stretches. In fact, that’s been the story for most of their games this year. They coughed up leads to the Stars and then the champs, and deserved more than the two points they got out of it. They haven’t played since, so they’ve been stewing in their juices about Monday’s loss. Expect a spirited outfit from the get go.
After watching them Monday, Erik Johnson is a grown-ass man. Also, Alex Pietrangelo could be very good one day, and is bigger than I thought. I don’t think much of Carlo Colaiacovo and Eric Brewer, and assrash Barret Jackman handed us the bonus point on Monday by going down to block a pass to the end boards from Patrick Kane leaving the alley open to the Shooter (thanks for the observation Block). T. J. Oshie will come out hitting, David Perron will be annoying, David Backes will try and fight someone when he really should concentrate on being on the ice and being effective there, and Brad Boyes will continue to steal money. You know the drill.
For our Hawks, looks like the lines stay the same which means more John Scott and more Pisani and Bickell wasting Bolland’s time, and ours. Why Skille and Stalberg aren’t give a long look to form a third scoring line with Fabulous Weapon is beyond me, but part of his slow start can be attributed to playing with players who don’t compliment him in any way. Whatever, we have Hossa, Sharp, and Toews (who Gallagher from Gametime doesn’t think is a superstar, and we’ll let him have that. He has so little else), and they don’t. Sometimes that’s enough.
Tasty affair on the cards tonight, you know how the Blues tend to do this at home. Expect a fair level of thuggery, and John Scott doing fuck all about it.
Onward…