OK, then go to Youtube, type into the search box, "Rules of Hockey Explained". You will get about ten dozen, simple, easy-to-follow tutorials about the rules of hockey. Just be advised, the NHL uses these same rules but applies them a bit differently in may cases, especially the penalties. And also keep in mind there are many rules that probably not going to be explained in most of the tutorials, like the home team getting the last line change, the offending team does not get any line change on an icing call, the team in the defensive end has to put their stick on the ice first for a face-off, etc... And there are rules about line changes that even seasoned fans don't fully understand, like when a player can get on the ice and and when he can make a play (relative to the timing of the player he is replacing getting off the ice). This leads to some confusion about when it is a too many men on the ice penalty and when it is not.

Your best bet is to find a seasoned hockey fan to watch the game with. Preferably one that doesn't yell "Shoooot" every time their team gets the puck at the point, in the offensive zone. That fan has likely never played and/or taken the time to learn the nuances of the game, much less the rules.

And don't get too discouraged. As you can see, even fans like griffin and last stand need some help, from someone like me to fully understand the finer points of the game...

As far as tonight's game, here is all you need to know: As of today, every time the Blues have had their backs against the wall and faced pressure or a "must-win" situation, they have responded well. However, every time they have been in the driver's seat and had the chance to seal the deal or gain a huge advantage, they have not been their best. What we're looking for tonight is to change that trend. They need to be flying, hitting and dominating the Stars. They need a smothering defense, especially at the blueline and in the neutral zone. The forecheck has to be strong and they must take advantage of the Stars less-that-stellar defense. If they get lazy or let the Stars skate through the neutral zone and enter into the offensive zone easily, they will not fare well. The Stars are just too good offensively to let that happen.

Go Blues!!!