Leaderboard

I'm drinking tonight. Only way to get through these games I see.

If it wasn't for Vanek I think we'd be 0 and 19.

You can do anything in the crease nowadays it seems. Remember when a skate in the crease meant no goal? It also meant no goal if you were Holmstrom even if your skate was outside the crease. The league had their own rules for him.

Good pressure to close out the period. Carry that into the third and seal the deal. Skate to throat.

That right there? That was pretty. Good heads-up pass by Sproul.

If I pass out someone leave me on Jedi's lawn. I refuse to accept we are a Sabre's tier team right now. Thank you Vanek.. brilliant pass.

Okay, it's time. I hate to waste it against Buffalo, but here goes: I hereby invoke YGJB.

Holy goal support for Howard. 1.53? One goal allowed or less just to give him a chance to win. Unbelievable.

Those little handheld pads the refs consult for goal reviews? You think they're watching replays, but, really, they're watching porn. Then they flip a coin and make the call.

Apparently pushing the goalie out of the way is a solid strategy, just like the Ducks shootout last night.

So taking your stick, pushing the goalies leg into the net, and then scoring a goal is perfectly legal now? That blows my mind.

Agreed. Sick play by Vanek. How many breakaways has Helm ended up with because of his speed, but hasn't scored on? Hell, he's even shot it wide a few times. On. A. Breakaway. Shot it wide! How? lol

now all we need is about 1,000 more goals before I'll feel safely ahead with this team

It is sad to check league-wide stats and see no Red Wings on any of the leader lists.

Me too, Pre-game to Thanksgiving.

Only 6? Is that an appetizer before puck drop? Might need more than that

no where to go but up... So go and kick some buffalo butt! LGRW

Did anyone catch what Vanek did to get 2 extra for unsportsmanlike? I would imagine protested the hooking call (that I couldn't even see), and also, the refs know Vanek is the only one who might score a goal -- so best to make sure he's off the ice as much as they can manage.

Well, the other team didn't score. So there's that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhbZupJJgNw

Trading has definitely not been one of his strong suits, part of that is less trading in general in the NHL, the other part is his reluctance to make a deal. The only thing I would argue is that the Stuart trade was a meaningful deal, and at the time the Bertuzzi deal was as well (first stint).

I mean, I don't think the pain element is necessarily all that important. But you do have to get to the puck and somehow come away with possession, and we definitely haven't been good enough in that area. Often, our forecheck does indeed look like an exercise in futility. What really bothers me is the fact that we're playing dump-and-chase hockey in the first place. The team is clearly being coached to lean heavily on a tactic that doesn't seem to suit the team as a whole, doesn't seem to play to the team's strengths. Blashill has apparently decided that controlled zone entries are overrated and/or something this team isn't capable of executing effectively on a consistent enough basis and that our game should therefore be built around throwing the puck away and then trying to retrieve it. Like, I get it. I get that we have some very good skaters and that it's easier to skate without the puck than it is with the puck. I get that we have a few gritty forwards who like to dump and chase, crash and bang. I get that on most nights the other team is going to be the more talented team. I get that there's this desire to cultivate a blue-collar, Made in Detroit/Murica, junkyard wolfpack identity. But it's not working. Thus far, it's been self-defeating. We have enough trouble shooting and scoring even without gambling on 50/50 puck retrievals.

I'm guessing this will have a negative effect on the ice quality. Time to draft more lumbering players that can forecheck. Enough of the speed, but no skill movement. Also, the arena will no longer be a shrine to the Wings. Now you'll see Bill Laimbeer's and Dennis Rodman's retired jersey, as well as basketball posters everywhere. Pretty sad.