GoWings1905

Your argument against Ozzie basically proves the argument for most of us in favor of him: Babcock has to play him more. The injuries/tight points race forced Babcock's hand into starting Howard every game. I think there was more to it than that, but we'll go with Babcock's rationale for argument's sake. How can you really even make a fair judgment on Chris Osgood? He started twice in 2010. I think he can without a doubt be a very capable backup provided he gets a start more than once every three months. Hopefully the situation next season will cater more to a favorable balance for both Jimmy and Ozzie to be successful in goal. I agree Jimmy needs rest, but Babcock has to be willing to give Ozzie a chance. This past season can't even be used as a fair barometer for people to say Ozzie can't get the job done anymore.

While I agree that is a great defense on paper, there is no way Anton Volchenkov should or will sign as a third pairing guy. He's a shutdown, top pairing player, even on a team with strong depth on defense like the Red Wings.

We need Roy Oswalt ASAP.

Hank, Mule, and Stuart all deserve "A's" for the playoffs. Those are our three playoff beasts every year it seems.

Easily San Jose. My nightmare scenario was Penguins/Blackhawks. I will be fine with any team winning it all now as long as it isn't Chicago.

I'm not sure using Jason Williams to prove your point is the best route.

We need some scoring punch for the bottom two lines. Love the energy they bring, but some more offense would take the heat off the top two lines to solely carry the team. I like Eaves and Miller quite a bit, but I'm not sure both are necessary. I would probably keep Eaves over Miller because Eaves has more potential as a goal-scorer. I agree that someone like Torres would be a nice addition. On defense, everything depends on Nick. Obviously, that's a huge void if he retires that doesn't get replaced but has to get filled. Rafalski's contract sucks - he isn't top pairing material defensively. The offensive output doesn't make up for the turnovers and weak defensive play for me. Someone to clear the net and play physical would be nice on defense if Ericsson isn't going to step into that role. Stuart is the only consistently physical d-man we have. Anton Volchenkov is at the top of my dream list for free agents this summer.

While overall I agree, the two bad goals in game three ended any chance the Red Wings had of winning the series. If Howard keeps Couture's shot out, the series may still be going tonight.

Get well soon Matt!

I agree completely. Babcock made it sink or swim with Jimmy, which may may have very well just ended the Red Wings season. I'm by no means blaming everything on Howard, but he lost the Red Wings game three letting in an absolutely awful goal at the worst time. Babcock's defense of Jimmy after the game was sickening too. "The team has to pick up the goalie sometimes and we couldn't do it." Uhh... the offense has scored three goals in every game Mike and pretty much bailed out Jimmy in every win of the Phoenix series besides Game 4. I like Jimmy Howard and am thankful for everything he did for the Red Wings during the regular season, but he has been mediocre at best during the playoffs. There were a bunch of here that said during the regular season (especially toward the end) that it would be of the Red Wings best interest to get Ozzie some starts down the stretch, just in case Jimmy couldn't handle the heat of the playoffs. There's no doubt in my mind that a less rusty Chris Osgood would have this series at least 2-1 right now or maybe even 2-1 in the Wings favor. I'm not mad at Howard, although he needs to make some clutch saves tonight and however many more games the Red Wings are around. Babcock blew the goaltending situation this season and at this point I can't convince myself that most of it doesn't stem from his personal grudge with Ozzie. Chris Osgood should have been ready to step in during the playoffs plain and simple because Jimmy Howard right now is not getting the job done despite what his favorite cheerleader says.

Ritola, May, Meech, 11 forwards... I don't care because anything is better than Jason Williams.

Come on, that was a weak goal by Howard. The shot wasn't accurate - Couture just threw it on net from a horrible angle and Jimmy somehow let it through him. Two bad goals at the worst time last night from Jimmy. If anyone should take the heat for why this series isn't 2-1 today, it has to be Jimmy Howard.

If anything, I thought it appeared San Jose was offside on the third goal. That doesn't excuse Howard from letting in a horrible goal to Couture, but it just adds another break that went the Sharks way.

We probably have plenty of collective gripes that are worthy of throwing at the officials, but this just isn't one of them. I'm more mad at our six-million dollar man on defense forgetting the fundamentals of playing a 2-on-1. You have to make Thornton shoot there...

The lack of accountability in this league is sickening. I would give them more credit if someone (refs, league officials) would at least admit to any wrongdoing and make an effort to resolve the problem. I can live with mistakes, but damn don't act like everything is going well when it clearly isn't.

I'm lost. Your post jumped around from situations that aren't even specific enough for me to comment on from the game. The Sharks are diving. A lot. I don't know where we are going with it either besides expressing our frustration, but hopefully the refs will try a new direction in game 3.

Step 1: Find Brad Watson or Kevin Pollock Step 2: Hand them the Red Wings jersey Step 3: They will find the nearest penalty box and it will rot there

Hey, just think about it... they could have been diving for years in the playoffs instead of choking all this time! I would be almost embarrassed if my team got handed a game to them in the playoffs like last night.

Nice selective reading there. You want us to provide 20 articles going the other direction? Besides, you picked an article from one of the biggest morons in the Detroit media whom I rarely hear saying anything good about Detroit teams anyways. Also, Franzen never touched Setoguchi. The high stick happened before Setoguchi made "contact" with Franzen (he actually more likely took a dive knowing him). Setoguchi being off balance had no influence on his stick hitting Franzen in the face. Even so, high sticking should get called every time. A player has to control his stick - there is no gray area for that penalty being given out. Your point on diving is laughable too. You are basically admitting the Sharks dive and have been rewarded for it. Diving doesn't always have to be called with another penalty, in fact it shouldn't ever despite what happens in most cases. The Sharks flop, fall down after barely getting touched, and dive to get calls. For a "big, tough North American team", they sure do hit the ice pretty easily. Both 5-on-3's the Sharks received were a joke and completely shifted the outcome of both games. It was a momentum swing that never happens if the refs call the "penalty" and diving. You can sing your tune however you like, but anyone that watched game two (outside of the homer Sharks fans) realizes the Sharks got handed a win.

Thanks for being reasonable and considerate given the outrage most of us here are feeling today.

I don't know any other way to state this, but you're full of crap. If the Red Wings got ten powerplays in one game, your attitude would be completely different. The Sharks got handed game two and even to a lesser extent game one as well. It is easy to say "quit whining, you deserved the calls" when EVERY call in this series has gone in your favor. The best complement I can give you is your team is really tremendous at diving.

Normally, I would say yes. However, I have no interest in watching the NHL if the officiating continues like it has. I want to watch hockey, not teams alternating on the powerplay. Or in the Wings case, spending the entire game killing penalties.

Fair enough and very vaild points. Diving doesn't belong the game at all, and honestly one call against the Sharks in the first two games would have stopped it. Why not keep selling calls if the officials are letting you get away with it? I expect the refs to do a poor job. I am just very surprised at the Sharks coming out in this series and diving so much. It has completely dictated the outcome of the first two games in their favor.

I never claimed the Red Wings don't dive. However, I have NEVER witnessed the Red Wings or any team sell as many calls as the Sharks have in these first two games. Sure, Jimmy flopped but so did Nabokov twice and which team got penalized for it and which didn't? I don't care if they don't get Nabokov for diving in that case, but you sure as hell better whistle the Sharks for goaltender interference if you set the precedent earlier with the Bertuzzi call. The Red Wings have never put together two consecutive games of blatant, over-the-top diving to draw penalties. Hell, maybe they should now since it has worked to perfection for the Sharks.

I know where you are going with this. Setoguchi got away with multiple flops, same with Nabokov. Vlasic and Nichol sold it hardcore last night to draw penalties. I'm not a big fan of diving regardless, but the Sharks have been overly excessive in the first two games with their routine. It is a pretty sad way to draw penalties (and win games as a result) and even more pathetic the refs have rewarded them for diving in two straight games.