We're trying something different to replace the old Newsmakers in the NHL posts. Hopefully you'll like it. Each weekday we'll take a look at one positive performance from the previous night (a plus), and one negative performance from the previous night (a minus). It's the plus/minus.Tell us what you think at nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
More Coverage: Tuesday's NHL Scoreboard
Plus Of The Day: Brad Boyes, David Perron -- St. Louis Blues
After scoring 76 goals the past two seasons, Brad Boyes entered play on Tuesday with just two goals and four assists in 15 games. Somewhat disappointing to say the least. He nearly matched his point total for the season with one goal and three assists (and a plus-three rating) in St. Louis' 6-1 thrashing of Vancouver, as the Blues ended what had been a five-game losing streak -- a streak that saw them score just four goals.
It's only their fourth win in 14 games since returning from their season-opening trip to Sweden, where they knocked off the Detroit Red Wings in back-to-back games.
Boyes tallied three assists in the first period (including one just 18 seconds into the game on an Andy McDonald goal) as the Blues chased Canucks goaltender Andrew Raycroft after he surrendered four goals on 13 shots. He would later add his third goal of the season at the 18:45 mark of the second period, capitalizing on a power play.
Meanwhile, David Perron also had a bust-out game for the Blues, recording his first career hat trick. The third-year forward had zero points in his first seven games, and has since put up 11 in the ensuing nine games, including five in the past two.
While the Blues have been losing quite a bit recently, the positive they can take out of it is that their last three losses all came in overtime or a shootout, so they've at least managed to pick up a few Bettman/charity points in the standings, and they're still just four points out of a playoff spot (though, it's way too early to even seriously discuss such a thing). Still, this is the type of performance we should be expecting from the Blues a little more frequently this season. There's just too much young talent (and experienced talent) on this team to be losing games (and not scoring goals) like they've been through the first month of the season.
Minus Of The Day: Sidney Crosby -- Pittsburgh Penguins
This was a toss-up between Sidney Crosby and Raycroft for his woeful performance against the Blues, but I decided to go with Crosby who has been M.I.A for the better part of two weeks now. After all, it's not everyday that Crosby has to be singled out for a lack of production, and, frankly, right now he needs to be singled out.
With the Penguins decimated by injuries (Evgeni Malkin, Tyler Kennedy, Sergei Gonchar, Kris Letang and Max Talbot were already out of the lineup entering Tuesday's game, where they also lost Brooks Orpik) and mired in a slump that has seen them drop four of their past five games, Crosby has completely vanished from the scoresheet.
It's easily been the worst stretch of hockey in the brief Dan Bylsma era, and the offense has been at the center of the struggles. The Penguins haven't scored a goal since the second period of Thursday's game in Los Angeles (seven periods) and have been outscored 13-2 during their current three-game losing streak.
Leading the way (or not leading the way, as it turns out) is Crosby, who is currently battling the worst slump of his career, with Tuesday's game being perhaps his worst of the season. He hasn't registered a point in five games (a streak that coincides with Malkin going down with a shoulder injury) and was limited to just two shots on goal, and zero through his first 14 minutes on the ice, in a 3-0 loss in Boston. It's a slump, it happens, even to the best of them, but the Penguins didn't need him to hit the worst one of his career when half of the lineup is on the shelf due to various injuries.
Highlight Of The Day: Jarome Iginla scores the only goal of the game (his ninth of the season) in Calgary's 1-0 win in Montreal.
