GoWings1905

You show Babcock how to do it JS Giguere. Track those faceoffs and win the game!

Except for the Red Wings injuries on defense, there is no other parallel to 2007. Very different teams under different circumstances. These are not the 2007 Red Wings.

Of course I do. Why wouldn't the Red Wings want half of their top defensive pairing back? Rafalski would certainly be a boost to the powerplay and Ken Daniels was exactly right the other night when talking about how Rafalski's absence really hurts the Red Wings breakout from their own zone. Rafalski is quite possibly a series changer and the longer he doesn't play, the less I like the Red Wings chances of winning. Oh, and Rafalski coming back means no more Chelios. That in itself is enough for me.

I was not for switching the lines heading into game three, but I feel different about the situation for tonight's game. The Red Wings need something new. Datsyuk and Hossa have to produce offensively tonight or this series is going to be 3-1 Anaheim. I don't know if that means putting the reliable line of Z, Pavel and Homer back together, but we have got to get some offense from some line other than Z, Mule and Cleary. I really like and appreciate Datsyuk, but he needs to come out in game four and start playing better. I don't want to hear excuses how Hossa brings Datsyuk down. Pavel wouldn't use that as an excuse and neither should we. There were far too many people here who ragged on Z during the regular season saying he couldn't put up numbers without Pavel. Well, it appears Pavel needs Z just as much as the other way around. Our best players have got to play better and quickly. The Red Wings need a good start tonight and if they don't get that, Babcock better start mixing up the lines before it gets too late. I expect the Red Wings to be well prepared and executing better around Hiller for this game.

I'm real nervous about this game. I really wish Rafalski was playing tonight. We need Datsyuk and Hossa to step it up big time and produce some offense. Come out with intensity for 60 minutes and crash the frickin net! Let's Go Red Wings! :octo:

Who cares what they say? Any Detroit writer could just as easily talk about the dive Pronger took in game one after Holmstrom "interfered" with him. Hossa went down easy, but so did Pronger. The Ducks have no room whatsoever to complain about penalties being called.

Yet the dirtiest team in the league still had more powerplays than the diving Red Wings...

The problem with putting Z and Datsyuk back together (especially on the road) is that it gives the Ducks a chance to get the Getzlaf line away from our two best defensive forwards. If the lines stay the same as the first two games, even if Z can't get out there against Getzlaf, it leaves the Red Wings with the Datsyuk line to match them. Judging from the series so far (and the Columbus series), there is really nothing wrong with the Z, Franzen and Cleary line. They are producing offensively while also drawing the Ducks best line almost every shift. The fact is Datsyuk and Hossa have got to start playing better for the Red Wings to win the series.

I would rather dress five defenseman than to watch a Lebda/Meech pairing.

Kopecky. Maltby at least has been somewhat useful on the fourth line and he kills penalties. Kopecky doesn't provide anything to this team. It's time for him to sit if Draper can play.

I didn't think the Red Wings were all that bad today. They can play better and they are going to have to on the road now. My blame goes to the "top" line. Datsyuk, Hossa and Holmstrom were awful. Z was just fantastic the entire game.

Let's Go Red Wings! :octo:

This is a strange thread. Both Hossa and Z have more points than Datsyuk, but there's no mention of Pavel not showing up or being a poor leader. Just sayin'.

Let's Go Red Wings! :octo:

Kopecky? Isn't it tough to screen the goalie while laying on the ice?

Round 2 Template: DET/ANA 4-2 VAN/CHI 4-3 BOS/CAR 4-1 WSH/PIT 4-2

No one thought Ozzie would outplay Mason either...

Probably not and we'll end up with 1000 threads just like this next season discussing how soft the Red Wings are.

Let's Go Red Wings! :octo:

I can't even watch the Pistons anymore: if they don't care, neither do I.

They could always resort to burning cars if they can't stop the octopus. People in Columbus have plenty of experience with it.

Ozzie, too soft, too old, too many Europeans, bad defense, Stanley Cup Hangover, Ozzie. We'll hear this all again next round too.

Let's Go Red Wings! :octo:

We won't realize how lucky we are until it's gone.

New year, new coach, same Sharks.