Nothing But Blue Skies...

The Blues are a little baffled by the "no call" on Red Wings' Goalie Jimmy Howard Tuesday night after he pounced on a vulnerable David Perron and threw several punches. Perron was pushed into Howard by Defenseman Brad Stuart, who later said Perron had done little wrong. Perron, and only Perron, made his way to the box for goaltender interference.

The Post-Dispatch ran a story about how the Blues are "questioning" the no call. What's the bid deal? This is nothing new to Blues fans.

The Red Wings have long been atop the NHL and had their way with the Blues. The tide seems to be turning, with the first two games of the 11-12 season going to the Blues, even with the boost from the refs that Detroit receives.

Since 1997-1998, Detroit has only had one season where it did not finish in the top 10 in "least amount of penalty minutes per game" and it usually finishes near the top. The perception of the NHL is that the Red Wings are a skilled team and they play the game the "right way."

The right way?

Blues fans know differently.

Watch this video from last season when Tomas Holmstrom dives as if he was shot by a cannonball after a nudge that Backes gives him. This kind of thing happens consistently on the way to the bench, and if you are an NHL caliber player with any respect for the game you would take it in stride:

Granted, Backes should not have shoved him, but it hardly warranted the reaction from Holmstrom.

A similar situation occurred Tuesday night when Backes got a clean hit in on Holm-chump, who proceeded to throw a punch. Backes got the penalty, the chump got off scott-free. Minutes later, Detroit lead 1-0.

David Backes plays the game the right way: fast, hard-nosed, with an edge, and respectful on and off the ice; which is why he is the 20th captain of the St. Louis Blues, and the 2012 Frank J. Selke award winner (calling it!). You will never catch him taking a dive, one of the most disrespectful actions of ANY hockey player at ANY level.

Thankfully the Blues scored twice on the power play in the third to nullify the injustice in a 3-2 win. The Blues' curse of the Red Wings is seemingly coming to an end, winning each of it's first two games against Detroit this season. In the past, the note was unable to overcome such inequalities, but they have overcome as of late.

The Note shall expose these fiends for who they are and started it Tuesday in front of a nation-wide television audience on Versus.

The day of reckoning is upon them. The evil empire that is the Red Wings has had many victories in the past, but the future looks bright. We have been forced to the outside of the NHL elite but have made our way back in with shear will power, leadership, playing the game hard, and some pretty good goal tending.

The day of Detroit's domination is over. One can hope that they make the playoffs (the NHL will make sure of it) and we can meet them there to right those post-season injustices and heartaches of the past as well.

Breath easy Blues fans, those Red clouds that we have had to live under for so long are clearing making way for Blue skies. Nothing but Blue skies...