[OnTheWarpath15]

Good read from Bernie:

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colum...29c5f494d.html

Good morning ...

To survive Game 6 in Chicago, the Blues need a few things to go their way.

Much of the pregame emphasis has been shifted to goaltender Ryan Miller. He's been good (but not great) in the series.

The Blues will almost certainly need Miller to play great -- or at least his best game of the series -- today.

That said, I think it's simplistic to put just about all of this on Miller.

Making him the advance centerpiece of the Blues' Game 6 fate essentially removes much of the responsibility from the backs of the other Blues, and that's a cop-out.

The other Blues should also be held accountable for their play.

The Blues require great performances from a lot of players in Game 6. The goalie often stands in isolation on his little island, but he's hardly alone on the ice.

I was unaware of a new NHL rule that prevents other Blues players from stealing, grabbing, snatching or winning a critical game.

I didn't know there was a regulation that prevents the Blues' best players from coming up big when goals are desperately needed.

At the time of the trade that brought Miller here from Buffalo, I seem to remember a lot being said and written about how Miller couldn't do it alone, that he wasn't a miracle man, and that the other players would have to step up come playoff time.

Evidently, those opinions have been discarded. But this is how we generally do it in The Lou come Stanley Cup playoff time. When in doubt, blame everything on the goaltender.

If I may make a few points:

* Miller's .911 save percentage in the series isn't solid gold, and it is less sturdy than that of Chicago's Corey Crawford (.927.) But a more productive offense can make up a relatively minor difference. For instance, the San Jose Sharks have a 3-2 series lead over Los Angeles even though goaltender Antti Niemi has the worst postseason save percentage (.882) among NHL goalies that have started at least three games. That's because the Sharks are averaging 4.0 goals per game, tied with Montreal for the best in the postseason. And speaking of Montreal, the Canadiens swept Tampa Bay even though Carey Price had a save percentage (.904) that's inferior to Miller's. And Miller and the Blues are going up against a more skilled team that's led the NHL in goals over the past four-plus seasons.

* After taking a 2-0 series lead, the Blues have lost three in a row to the Blackhawks. And in the three losses the Blues have scored a grand total of five goals. Vladimir Tarasenko has scored two of the five; T.J. Oshie, Maxim Lapierre and Alex Pietrangelo each have one goal. There's been nothing from Alexander Steen, Jaden Schwartz, Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, etc.

* Since scoring the winner to end Game 1, Steen has one assist and is a minus 3 overall. He led the Blues with 33 regular-season goals. This isn't about Steen's effort or versatility. It's all there. But this team needs goals, and Steen has been blanked for four consecutive games - three of which went into overtime.

* The Blues have had a barrage of scoring chances. Crawford has been very good in net for the 'Hawks, but the Blues have made it a helluva lot easier for him by constantly firing pucks over the net, or wide of the net. Or by running a predictable power play that makes it simple for Chicago to clog the shooting lanes to block pucks. I guess that's Miller's fault, too.

* The Blues' forwards that have received the most ice time per game over the last three games are Oshie, Steen, Schwartz and Sobotka. They've scored one goal (Oshie's) and are a combined minus 11.

* Take a look at some of these plus-minus ratings in the three consecutive losses: Schwartz minus 5; Berglund minus 4; Oshie minus 3; Steen minus 2; David Backes (one game) minus 2; Sobotka minus 1.

* During their three-game winning streak the Blackhawks have outscored the Blues 9-5 and have gotten goals from seven different players.

* Unlike the Blues' top guys (Tarasenko excluded) the Blackhawks' best forwards have taken control later in the series. During the three-game win streak Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews each have two goals and two assists and are a combined plus 8. Bryan Bickell and Marian Hossa each have a goal and an assist.

* And when the Blackhawks needed a lift while defenseman Brent Seabrook served his suspension in Games 3, 4 and 5 they got it from replacement defenseman Sheldon Brookbank. With Seabrook out, Brookbank had two assists and was a plus 2.

* The coaching is a factor as well. Why has Tarasenko averaged only 18:11 of ice time over the past three games? The Blues are struggling to score, and Tarasenko has four goals in five games. Shouldn't he be out there more?

* You're not going to beat a Chicago team that has so much offensive firepower by averaging 1.66 goals per game -- as the Blues have over the past three losses.

Please understand what I am saying here.

Yes, Miller needs to be better.

Yes, it's fair to ask Miller to steal a game.

Yes, Crawford has outplayed Miller.

But I absolutely refuse to let the other Blues off the hook.

Your top forwards are supposed to make a big difference and give your team a winning edge in closely contested Stanley Cup playoff games. And over the past three games, that simply hasn't happened for the Blues.

They have an opportunity to change that today.

If Miller is awful or just mediocre in Game 6, you won't have to nudge me to rip him.

And if the Blues lose today, or in Game 7, we'd likely see Miller served up as the convenient fan-media scapegoat. And if that's how things go, just understand that Miller will have plenty of company. This truly would be a team loss.

Thanks for reading...

-Bernie