GoWings1905

Tigers win on Opening Day! Great game with some timely hitting and the bullpen coming through nicely. Zumaya was impressive, so was Perry. Nice start to the season and awesome to have some baseball again!

Did that not happen against Nashville and Edmonton as well?

I think most people following the Red Wings that season knew Chris Osgood was the better option in goal, despite the similar stats. He should have been the playoff starter from game one. Another instance of Babcock poorly handling the goaltenders and thankfully it didn't backfire on the team in that case.

That's correct. I just don't see what point it serves with playoff positioning at stake.

Actually, Babcock did mishandle the goalie situation in the 2008 playoffs too. He was just lucky the right goalie came in and bailed him and the team out.

While that has been true in many cases this season, it wasn't this past week at all. The offense bailed out the defense and Jimmy against Edmonton and Nashville to an extent. I could see this result with Ozzie starting coming the day Babcock announced it. Two months is far too long between starts for any goalie. Ozzie isn't going to work off the rust if we need him in the playoffs at this point making one or maybe two lousy starts. It's a no-win scenario for Ozzie and the team right now. Babcock made the decision and it's all or nothing with Jimmy now.

While the trap gave the Red Wings some fits today in the neutral zone, it was hardly the difference in the game. They still scored three goals and lost. If the defense doesn't shore up its turnover/poor coverage issue, it won't matter much regardless in the playoffs. Nashville had like 24 shots and scored four goals, same in the Edmonton game. Granted, I don't think Jimmy has been all that sharp in the past week either, but the defense really needs to clean up its play very quickly.

Hudler should fix that issue next season.

Friday: Chicago @ New Jersey Montreal @ Philadelphia NY Rangers @ Tampa Bay San Jose @ Minnesota Edmonton @ Dallas Calgary @ Colorado Vancouver @ Anaheim Saturday: Atlanta @ Pittsburgh Ottawa @ NY Islanders Nashville @ Detroit Boston @ Toronto Buffalo @ Montreal New Jersey @ Carolina NY Rangers @ Florida Washington @ Columbus Dallas @ St Louis Edmonton @ Phoenix x2 Anaheim @ Los Angeles Sunday: Detroit @ Philadelphia Calgary @ Chicago San Jose @ Colorado Minnesota @ Vancouver

I like the top of the order much more than last season in terms of speed. The bottom of the order is a disaster on paper. Defense and pitching are going to have to carry the Tigers again for any chance at the playoffs. I think Maggs is going to have a GREAT season with all of the off-field distractions in his life thankfully cleared up. The key to the Tigers success though is Miguel Cabrera, which means Carlos Guillen has to be a legitimate threat batting fifth. Cabrera can flat-out rake but he needs some support behind him or teams will just pitch around him. One week from today is Opening Day! One of the best days of the year!

I like your reasoning behind it, but to me there is absolutely no chance. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Howard played every game from here on out despite Babcock's earlier claims that Ozzie would start again this season.

Never? Wow, that's quite a statement. Either you started watching last October or you somehow forgot that Ozzie's brilliant goaltending was a huge reason why the Wings played in June the past two years.

Exactly. That was the first thought that popped into my mind as well. I don't know why Babcock even needs to make a comment like this. Clearly, Jimmy is playing well enough and his confidence is fine after 21 straight starts. I'm not taking anything away from Jimmy and what he has done -- I just don't quite understand what the point is behind Babcock stating something like that, under than to take a subtle shot at Ozzie. Ozzie was the BEST goalie in the NHL in the past two playoff runs. It's a completely different environment, one that Jimmy has yet to experience. When Jimmy can duplicate or come close to matching what Ozzie did in the playoffs, I'm not calling it the best goaltending in the Babcock era.

Red Wings: Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Bertuzzi Wild: Brunette

Friday: Ottawa @ Buffalo Minnesota @ Detroit x2 Anaheim @ Edmonton Saturday: Calgary @ Boston Philadelphia @ Pittsburgh Tampa Bay @ Buffalo NY Rangers @ Toronto New Jersey @ Montreal Florida @ Ottawa Atlanta @ Carolina NY Islanders @ Columbus Detroit @ Nashville Colorado @ Phoenix Vancouver @ San Jose Dallas @ Los Angeles Sunday: Calgary @ Washington Toronto @ Pittsburgh Edmonton @ St Louis New Jersey @ Philadelphia

Can't you just appreciate the Red Wings winning and Jimmy Howard doing well? Ozzie hasn't played in two months, move on with the bashing.

That Stars win tonight is a big help. The Wings need to beat Nashville twice in regulation still to help their own cause. I don't really like to 'pick your poison' because all four top teams in the West would make a tough first round opponent for the Wings. However, I do not want Chicago whatsoever. I would take Phoenix, San Jose, and Vancouver in that order. And all four of those teams have the Red Wings at the top of their "avoid at all cost" list.

I voted yes, just because I'm usually on the other side of a Filppula argument. Really though, he has been great lately. I think if him, Z and Bert keep playing like they have, there is no reason Fil can't get to 40 points.

Right ... they waited over 59 minutes to implement a strategy. Hate to break it to them but those "robots" clearly could care less. That's about as weak as Crosby blaming everything on Howard.

Wow, and people still wonder why he is so hated here with a comment like that. It wasn't a couple guys battling at the end "Sid" -- it was you being a sore loser, arrogant punk and taking cheapshots at a player that has dominated you in every fashion head-to-head and last night was no exception. Crosby got five free shots at Z's back, so what makes it so wrong for Howard to step in and want a free shot at his whiny face? Crosby deserved a lot worse than he got and he still tries to take his pathetic actions and blame it on someone else. No wonder him and Bettman are such a hot item together.

What? I believe it was actually your hero Crosby that lost composure with those cross-checks at the end after Z owned him (yet again). Jimmy was just defending his teammate from a punk, sore loser.

First off, completely false. Second, have you watched Jimmy Howard at all? Talk about clearing rebounds...

I like the red better too and a lot of it has to do with exactly this reason.

Please, try to be rational at least somewhat. If the Red Wings won Game 7, the Conn Smythe was easily going to Chris Osgood.

Honestly, I don't take anything you say about Ozzie seriously. You bashed him all last year during the regular season, disappeared in the playoffs, and shockingly are back now to continue the act.