Conklin’s Wasted Effort

Yep. You can feel the intensity, can't you? FEEL IT. Image thanks to Dan Doke.

Yes, the game tying goal bounced up and over his glove from a weird angle, cementing the karma-balancing act that the hockey gods like to play. Ron Hainsey scored in the 3rd period on Ty Conklin in very much the same manner than Ondrej Pavelec had been scored on three weeks previously – with the help of a gouge in the ice and bouncy rubber. That shouldn’t negate his 38 saves. It has been quite a while since I have seen a goaltender play that amazingly well, and still not win. With a wonky bounce, and two outstanding goals by Peverley and Kozlov in the shootout, Conklin’s .950 SV% was thrown out the window.

Where does the blame lie? No one seems to know. The Blues looked lost for the first period and a good bit of the second, before scoring on a goal that should have been called off (Hedberg’s helmet was knocked off during a poke check and the whistle wasn’t blown, thereby proving the conspiracy that the refs want both of Atlanta’s goalies dead), and the second one was flipped in by Perron. Did they have opportunities to score more? Absolutely, but no one could convert. Kariya wasn’t trying, and the team was making too many cross-ice passes that Helen Keller could have picked off – there was no traditional net crashing. That could probably mostly be due to the fact that there was no Walt on the ice – Murray gave him the game off due to old age, or something like that. Yet again, the defense looked chippy and strong. Eller and Oshie were noticeable and provided pressure. How were those two rewarded? By basically being benched for the third period so we could run 3 lines into the ice. Which is, of course, a sure fire way to maintain a lead.

I am not going to knock Brewer, because he made some excellent shot blocking plays that shocked me and the rest of the Game Time contingent that were there at the game. Really, the only player I was getting extremely annoyed with was Kariya, who is continuing to prove that St. Louis overpaid him.

There’s more blame to go around than onto the players, though. Why Andy Murray benches players who are playing good is beyond me. Why he never allows any line chemistry to gel is something I just don’t get. But honestly, what could have won the game was simple – watching tape on Moose. I see him play a lot here in Atlanta, and I really do like the guy, so maybe I can catch this better than an NHL level video or goalie coach, but Moose can be beaten if you don’t shoot directly along the ice at his pads. Go up glove side while he’s being screened (6′0″ my FOOT) and boom. Goal. Who could we have had to screen him and knock in rebounds… hm. Oh, right. That dude in the press box.

We let it get to the shootout, and with the league record holder in shootout save percentage sitting in the Atlanta net, we were toast. This is probably a good metaphor for the evening:

As seen in the Gulch parking lot leaving the game Sunday night. I guess it didn't work for the Redskins fan who left it there. Very "Beyond Thunderdome," no? Image by author.