GoWings1905

Euro Twins together. Time to work some magic. It was beyond time to switch up the lines. The dry spell on offense is getting extreme.

We all better pray Phoenix wins tonight. To be perfectly honest, don't think it matters much at this point. The Red Wings just don't have it.

Quincey and White can't even complete a pass together.

That was the best Franzen could manage there? Come on please powerplay. Need a goal badly now.

Just a struggle to score goals lately. I still feel like the Red Wings do too much along the perimeter. Not a bad period overall, but they have got to get the next goal here.

Very true as well. When is the last time the Red Wings scored first? Maybe the blowout Columbus game. What a bad habit playing from behind constantly.

Great kill. PK with Ericsson back has been so much better.

Umm why is that four minutes? Watson is so inept at officiating.

Well if Sheahan isn't invisible, he's already better than Emmerton. I hope so too though. 4th line center has been a gaping hole all season and Abby is better at wing with Helm healthy.

It appears Riley Sheahan is making his NHL debut today according to Ansar Khan. Mursak is out. Interesting decision with quite a bit at stake. Excited to watch Sheahan though.

I've said it numerous times, but the Red Wings have to make major changes to the top-six this summer. I already have this sense of dread that when the playoffs start, it will be just Datsyuk, Zetterberg and now Filppula carrying the entire load. I don't think the Red Wings can score enough goals in tight games and the other half of the top-six is a huge reason why. Franzen is obviously infuriating to watch. If he doesn't have a huge playoff, I never want to hear the playoff performer line again. If he's going to float and not care for six months, he sure as hell better turn it up and score some goals in the postseason. I find it offensive he still gets a pass anyways for being lazy because of his previous history in the playoffs. Hudler has actually been really good, but his size doesn't translate well at all to playoff hockey. Bertuzzi is decent enough I guess, though he shouldn't be a top-six forward on a contending team. Then you look at the rest of the Red Wings roster right now and there is literally no one else that could/should play on the top two lines. Nyquist will eventually get there, but it doesn't appear Babcock is all that willing to throw him into that role permanently already. The Red Wings need Parise badly in free agency. It has to start and end with him when discussing a way to bolster the forward unit. 16 more years of Franzen isn't going to cut it. Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Filppula need more help.

Yeah, I can see that angle as well. I just think the Red Wings are still better off with home ice in the first round. If LA wins tonight and eliminates the Sharks from finishing third, I'm slightly more open to the whole 6th seed idea. I think the Kings or Coyotes are both very beatable, but that brings in the travel downside again.

You can't finish 4th by throwing the game on Saturday. Try and win and make the Predators do the same.

Can someone here clarify what the second tiebreaker is? Chicago is two points behind the Red Wings now with one fewer ROW and I see people saying the Red Wings can finish no worse than 5th regardless. Couldn't the Blackhawks win on Saturday and tie in both categories still?

No legs in the third at all. Tough to get real upset at that, but such a missed opportunity to cement finishing 4th. Saturday's game is absolutely huge now.

Fair to say Valverde deserved a blown save like today during the 49 straight. With all the trouble he usually gets into, it was bound to catch up at some point. Disappointing JV didn't get the win. Wow, was he ever dominant. Jackson's swing looks much improved. Peralta and Avila had nice games too. Exciting win to start the season. So glad baseball is back. Not many events in sports better than Opening Day.

Opening Day is here! Let's Go Tigers!

So the Reaves hit was maybe two minutes according to you, but the Franzen play is a major and game misconduct? That's hysterical. The Reaves penalty is "ticky tacky"? He leveled Stuart face first into the boards. The Blues were up 2-0 on their home ice with six minutes left. When the Red Wings really turned it on, the Blues had no answer especially in OT. Four straight wins against the Blues. Little brother has to be outraged today.

Wow, that was fun. I will admit I was totally expecting to lose 2-1 just because the Red Wings have pulled that tease so many times this season. In saying that, these guys deserve a ton of credit for not quitting tonight. They could have packed it in and gone away easily down 2-0, but they battled and got a huge two points against a very good team in a tough environment. Is it fair to say the Red Wings as a whole are a lot like Franzen this season? Excellent at their best, decent other times though nothing special and listless borderline awful at their worst. It's frustrating to watch, but if the Red Wings team and Franzen that showed up late in the third and OT tonight does the same in a week, my confidence level increases immensely. Mule, Datsyuk and Jimmy were unreal. Ericsson continues to be very dependable and playing smart. IMO he's been the second best d-man on the team since his return. I like E with Nick and let Quincey/White be the third pairing. Kronwall/Stuart have struggled a bit, but I suspect they will be strong in the playoffs as usual. Ian White has also regressed a lot the past few months. White never hits the net, even if his shot doesn't get blocked. He's a steal still for the contract, just hasn't been very reliable at either end lately. Kindl should probably not play another game this season. Smith would be way better on the point of the PP and I would prefer Smith to be the 7th d-man in the playoffs if one of the regulars is out. Jimmy has to start again tomorrow. With a win and a Nashville loss in regulation, home ice advantage is clinched.

Got to see a few innings of the real Tigers play today in Toledo. Brennan Boesch was killing the ball in batting practice. I mean absolute bombs. Tomorrow is finally the real deal! JV vs. Lester at Comerica and the debut of the Prince. So stoked for this season -- last year was special, but the hype and potential for this Tigers team is unmatched in my life. Best time of the year. The Tigers are back and Red Wings in the playoffs.

Well if we needed a playoff warmup, we just got it. Franzen has awoken.

I would keep playing Kindl and White together. It has worked so incredibly well that it should continue. Gone in the first round with special teams like this. The powerplay is a disgrace. It has looked the same for months and isn't improving at all. What is the coaching staff doing?

Leyland is right -- there was no competition. Worth outplayed Inge in every regard and .180 man is still going to be on the team when healthy. Inge's comments and arrogance this Spring Training just sickens me. Shut up and hit the damn ball. Quit making excuses and playing the victim like someone that has suffered some unjust wrongdoing. Fans are frustrated because the Tigers have given Inge so many opportunities for one good season and he still can't hit a baseball. I wish he would go away for good. Worth is a better baseball player. Inge made the team because of his contract and history.

Missing ingredient: Darren Helm

I agree with the assessment of Quincey. I haven't seen anything yet from Quincey that makes me feel confident about his play going forward or especially the price tag it took to acquire him. I think there was an element of getting Q to prepare for Stuart likely leaving this summer, but that really only is going to work out if Quincey improves on what has been a disappointing return so far. I think the most frustrating part of giving up a first for Quincey to me is how ready Smith has looked to play in the NHL. I would be plenty confident in a third pairing right now of Ericsson/Smith even in the playoffs. I'm assuming the common retort here will be Smith's lack of experience compared to Quincey, which I somewhat understand. However, does anyone think Quincey isn't going to cost the team at some point with his habit of taking really dumb/untimely penalties? His one consistency since coming back to the Red Wings has been a lack of discipline. Kindl has actually looked pretty good to me lately too. He was bad on Sunday -- namely a couple of lazy passes in his own zone and poor entry on the powerplay, but overall I thought he has been sound defensively and using his size a little more than usual. Even in the scenario where Stuart isn't back next season, the Red Wings still have six capable d-men (assuming Nick returns) on the roster and all of free agency to add depth without giving up anything in the process. Quincey still has a great opportunity to prove himself, but I'm very skeptical of that happening judging by his performance to date. I can live with Quincey on the third pairing more if he cuts down on the penalties. If not, he's going to be a liability since special teams can swing a playoff series and the Red Wings PK hasn't been too strong this season.