Reading between the words of Blues coach Ken Hitchcock on Saturday night when he said "we need much more committed play from our top players," the forwards on the Nos. 1 and 2 lines are among those.
The Blues had 11 shots and opened a 1-0 lead on David Backes' second goal of the playoffs in the first period. But after that, the offense camped out along the perimeter, generating few chances the remainder of the way in a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1.
In Sunday's practice, returning to the line combinations that sparked offense in the Blues' first-round win over San Jose, Hitchcock swapped the centers on his top two lines, putting Backes between Andy McDonald and Alex Steen, and moving Patrik Berglund between David Perron and T.J. Oshie.
Whether they will remain in place for Game 2 tonight isn't certain, as Hitchcock implored.
"I wouldn't read anything into the lines at practice," he said.
The Blues were thrilled with the production in the first round from the line of McDonald, Berglund and Steen, who combined for 18 points. But the club may be forced to break up that line while searching for offense from Backes, Perron and Oshie, who have three goals combined (none from Oshie) in six playoff games.
"We've got to have better performances from everyone," Backes said. "Our top players need to help carry the team. Our third and fourth lines have been doing a pretty darn good job of keeping other teams off the score sheet and providing energy and momentum for us. Top lines need to win their matchups."
The Blues had 18 shots in the final two periods Saturday, 12 registered by the bottom two lines and defensemen.
"If you give up those outside shots, we're very confident in Jonathan (Quick) that he's going to make those saves," Kings forward Anze Kopitar said. "I think everybody's defensive plan has that drawn up, where you want to push the other team to the outside. All in all, I thought we did a pretty good job."
Hitchcock complimented LA for defending well but said the Blues, after working hard to establish an inside game in the first period, "allowed" themselves to be pushed back.
"Stay on the program," he said. "There's a reason that (Scott) Nichol's line is the best line on our team right now. They're on the program. They get scoring chances, they don't give up much, they compete, they're collectively working well together. They end up with four, five, six scoring chances a game, which is great. They're all on the program."
The potential changes with the top lines aren't be new to the Blues. In the first round against San Jose, the Blues swapped Backes and Berglund in the third period of Game 5. That led to Perron's only goal of the playoffs, rallying the team from a 1-0 deficit and clinching the series with a 3-1 win.
"I'm familiar to playing with both 'Perry' and 'Osh' from two years ago, three years ago," Berglund said. "It is what it is. Just change and we'll see if we can generate some offense. Maybe it's good to change it up. I think we'll get some more energy going."
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PENALTIES ZAP ENERGY
The Blues will look to limit their penalties in Game 2, after being whistled for three, including a double-minor, in the third period Saturday. The team had a player in the penalty box for eight minutes during a stretch of 8:47.
Two of the penalties were high-sticking calls against Perron and Oshie, with Oshie's leading to four minutes in the box for drawing blood on LA's Colin Fraser. A linesman called that infraction, and at the time the Blues thought they were going on the power play because the Kings had six skaters on the ice.
"Our scoring chances were doing well and then we just ... to give them four power plays in a row in the third period, by the time we got back on board 5-on-5, our guys were too tired from killing penalties," Hitchcock said. "We had no energy to go back 5-on-5."
The Blues had 11 shots and opened a 1-0 lead on David Backes' second goal of the playoffs in the first period. But after that, the offense camped out along the perimeter, generating few chances the remainder of the way in a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1.
In Sunday's practice, returning to the line combinations that sparked offense in the Blues' first-round win over San Jose, Hitchcock swapped the centers on his top two lines, putting Backes between Andy McDonald and Alex Steen, and moving Patrik Berglund between David Perron and T.J. Oshie.
Whether they will remain in place for Game 2 tonight isn't certain, as Hitchcock implored.
"I wouldn't read anything into the lines at practice," he said.
The Blues were thrilled with the production in the first round from the line of McDonald, Berglund and Steen, who combined for 18 points. But the club may be forced to break up that line while searching for offense from Backes, Perron and Oshie, who have three goals combined (none from Oshie) in six playoff games.
"We've got to have better performances from everyone," Backes said. "Our top players need to help carry the team. Our third and fourth lines have been doing a pretty darn good job of keeping other teams off the score sheet and providing energy and momentum for us. Top lines need to win their matchups."
The Blues had 18 shots in the final two periods Saturday, 12 registered by the bottom two lines and defensemen.
"If you give up those outside shots, we're very confident in Jonathan (Quick) that he's going to make those saves," Kings forward Anze Kopitar said. "I think everybody's defensive plan has that drawn up, where you want to push the other team to the outside. All in all, I thought we did a pretty good job."
Hitchcock complimented LA for defending well but said the Blues, after working hard to establish an inside game in the first period, "allowed" themselves to be pushed back.
"Stay on the program," he said. "There's a reason that (Scott) Nichol's line is the best line on our team right now. They're on the program. They get scoring chances, they don't give up much, they compete, they're collectively working well together. They end up with four, five, six scoring chances a game, which is great. They're all on the program."
The potential changes with the top lines aren't be new to the Blues. In the first round against San Jose, the Blues swapped Backes and Berglund in the third period of Game 5. That led to Perron's only goal of the playoffs, rallying the team from a 1-0 deficit and clinching the series with a 3-1 win.
"I'm familiar to playing with both 'Perry' and 'Osh' from two years ago, three years ago," Berglund said. "It is what it is. Just change and we'll see if we can generate some offense. Maybe it's good to change it up. I think we'll get some more energy going."
=================
PENALTIES ZAP ENERGY
The Blues will look to limit their penalties in Game 2, after being whistled for three, including a double-minor, in the third period Saturday. The team had a player in the penalty box for eight minutes during a stretch of 8:47.
Two of the penalties were high-sticking calls against Perron and Oshie, with Oshie's leading to four minutes in the box for drawing blood on LA's Colin Fraser. A linesman called that infraction, and at the time the Blues thought they were going on the power play because the Kings had six skaters on the ice.
"Our scoring chances were doing well and then we just ... to give them four power plays in a row in the third period, by the time we got back on board 5-on-5, our guys were too tired from killing penalties," Hitchcock said. "We had no energy to go back 5-on-5."
