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Probably a good idea, because the once irrational, knee-jerk reactions to Howard's play on nights like this are becoming more grounded in reality lately. The guy is not playing horrible, but he sure as hell is not playing that well lately. He's had a lot more less than flattering games lately and a lot less great games. His game log for the last 20 isn't the prettiest site... http://redwings.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8470657&season=20102011&view=gamelog 9 games with sub-.900 save % over the last 20; some worse than others. He's definitely had some solid efforts in there too, but he hasn't been nearly as consistent this year as he was last year. And I don't want to read too much into it, but the last minute goals at the end of periods thing is really just strange. Certainly not all were horrible goals on his end to give up, but I have to wonder if there's a focus issue there, not just for him though but for this whole team. 19 minutes a period just isn't enough and I can't help but believe that we're probably leading in giving up last minute goals. With Osgood playing better this year and putting up some real solid games lately, I think it's getting to be about time to get a more equal rotation going on until one of them can prove that they can get a role going. Osgood hasn't had the chance to do it and Howard simply hasn't been doing it lately. With the injuries piling up again, we can't afford to have inconsistent goaltending. Howard will be fine long-run, he's still a real talented goalie, but Osgood's proving that he's got something left and if he can be the hot hand, we need to get him in more games.

Thanks, O'Halloran. Prick.

I do recall a goalie making 46 saves not too long ago and his last name wasn't Howard. My point is I don't see why Babcock keeps going back to Howard so much when he has given up 4 goals in practically every start lately. You can bring up the past all you want, but Chris Osgood is playing better than Jimmy Howard right now. Ozzie needs to get some more starts. Besides, Jimmy had one great year and I can't criticize his play but Chris Osgood has won two Stanley Cups as a starter and that's acceptable?

i know what you were trying to say but i think his name should be Jimmy "The Rebound" Howard

Are you saying this preemptively because that means you won't be here in the GDT for the game? Please let it be so. The lack of negativity in the thread would be so refreshing...

I wouldn't ***** if they haven't just beat 2 good teams, avs and stars. Idk doesn't make sense that 4 of the top players in the league have a 4 on 3 opportunity and can't score but then some kids have the same opportunity and do score. I guess it's just like the shootout. That sucks especially after the comeback... Another game Howard gives up 4. Atleast he won't be that expensive next year.

Why the hell are you so obsessed with the Flyers? They have as many points as the Red Wings in a s***ty conference.

Howard can't stop a ******* beach ball. Start Osgood. Jimmy needs to earn to play.

I pity anyone who cries about only getting seven of eight points on a stretch that saw the Wings play four games in six nights.

Bulls*** loss on a bulls*** call by bulls*** refs in a bulls*** league. Bulls***.

I don't know why he'd commend your speed, though. I mean, if you could run up the stairs, give your wife the ol' pickle tickle on your TV and then run back downstairs to post that you'd just done that.....that's not a good thing. There are a few things in life where speed is not preferable. That would be one of them.

So people who want to see the Winter Classic shouldn't have updates on the weather and if the game will be postponed longer? Okay.

I ask again, how much money will you give me if the Wings win this game and your defeatism is--yet again--proven misplaced?

Another last minute goal... Oh, wait!

Lidstrom didn't ice the puck, you moron.

So are you

Happy Mule Year!!

Nice tribute to Ozzie!! It's so good that he's around to see how much people appreciate him.

Happy new year guys ! Already 2011 in Germany. Wish you all the best and go wings

Proud to be a swede today

Part of what makes this question difficult is a related question: how to define an "average American"? The U.S. is a big place, and I can tell you from experience that the "average person" varies wildly from region to region. I've only had what I'd consider direct experience with three places I've lived, so I'll stick to those. The one I know the least/am still learning is Providence, RI, where I've been traveling for work for about 4 months now. There, and in the Boston area, it seems to me that the average person is at least aware of hockey, has probably seen a Bruins game, and may very well be a fan. People also play hockey, and I hear advertisements for hockey supply stores on the radio. This is a huge contrast to where I live (and have for 3.5 years), in central South Carolina. Here, the average person is barely aware that sports exist other than college football. He also might follow college baseball, possibly basketball. Hockey is, to people here, one of those things that they're aware exists, but in an abstract way; something that exists in theory but really has no bearing on their lives. It's not any one aspect that keeps people from liking hockey, it's that hockey is nowhere in the local culture, and if there's one thing that will rile up Southerners quickly, it's any prospect of change to their culture. I don't think less fighting, more scoring, or anything else would sway the average person in SC. I grew up in western Washington state, and I'd say it's halfway between the two. There were hockey fans around, and a few junior hockey league teams that most people would have at least heard of. However, I'd say the biggest problem there is again culture, but due to the climate; lakes and ponds are generally not frozen over solidly enough to skate on, so the average person has probably never been ice-skating. Now, eastern WA is different, because it gets very cold, and I think there are probably more hockey fans per capita (I would guess that the Spokane team, I think it's the Chiefs, has a bigger following than the Thunderbirds or Everett team whose name escapes me). I think the average person in WA could be a hockey fan, if it were more prevalent somehow. Truth be told, I didn't watch hockey growing up; I'm really here because I started dating and later married a girl from the Detroit area. She converted me to hockey and the Red Wings. I really watched it for the first time the first couple years we were together, and she'd turn on the playoff games. I gradually realized how awesome hockey is, and now I can't get enough; but it took that experience to wake me up. The point of all this rambling, really, is that it's hard to say the NHL needs "less fighting", or "more scoring", or any other factor to draw in the average American because while you could define that average, the variance is just so high.

Zetterberg - great playoff performer. Often disappears for stretches in the regular season. Datsyuk - Best two way forward in hockey. Still needs to shoot more. Lidstrom - Best defenseman in the game today. Has a worse plus/minus than Dustin Byfuglien. Cleary - Does it all for this team on both sides of the ice. Got beat up by Chris Pronger. Franzen - Awesome sniper who's clutch in big moments. Is one of the biggest ******* in the league. Bertuzzi - Looks like he's big and mean. No longer plays big or mean. Rafalski - Great puck moving defenseman. Often moves the puck to the wrong team. Filppula - Nice hair and isn't bad looking. Overrated by 95% of LGW. Kronwall - Good skater and puck handler. Doesn't lay big hits anymore. Also looks slightly effeminate. Holmstrom - No one screens the goalie better. Is totally useless when not screening the goalie. Eaves - Gave GMR a hard-on with his play in the last game. Unlikely to get more icetime from Babcock. Stuart - Great hitter. Afraid to fight despite being 6'2 and from Western Canada. Hudler - Has a way with the ladies. Has played so poorly that even Crymson hates him. Helm - Very fast and hard working. Makes Draper's hands look like Mario Lemieux's. Ericsson - Has improved his play and is a willing fighter. Needs to add about 20 pounds. Abdelkader - Loves to hit and can drop the gloves. Sucks at fighting. Modano - Had a 96 overall in my NHL 2000 game. Would be lucky to be rated 80 in this year's game. Salei - Has played somewhat decent this season. Takes a penalty in every game. Miller - Looks cool with grey hair despite being around 30. Has been totally invisible this season. Draper - Has been a Wing since I was in elementary school. Is the unofficial mascot for the team. Osgood - Has put together a really good career. Has a bigger 5-hole than Jenna Jameson. Howard - Solid young goalie and the future in net. Is not as good as Carey Price.

Because some journalists are clueless morons? Hell, if anything, to make it catch on with the "average American", you'd have to have MORE fights. At the very minimum one a game, I'd guess.

eaves good everyone else suck

...the plot thickens as the saga continues... this week's episode: Hudzilla Faces His Demons stay tuned to find out what happens next week!