Frozen-Man

They just said that Wings and Stars will be Thrursday.

Yeah and this is their 4th game to go into overtime. WOW

Oh yeah over 7 games I think it will hurt them but the goalie should be ok by the time that they play again and stopping 60+ goals and only giving up one has got to boost the confidence level sky high.

Man the longer this game goes the more confidence the winning goalie will have when they start the next round.

I agree with that but I don't think that our goalies get enough credit for having to go long stretches without even having to block a shot and then are called on to make one or two spectacular plays. I think that there are a lot of great goalies that would have problems doing that. I think guys like Kipper or Luongo might have a hard time being taken out of the game for such long stretches of time. Therefore, I think it is the fact that Ozzy doesn't have to be the "star" but can basically not play for 4 or 5 minutes and not lose his focus and be there for the one or two shots that we really need him.

Three goals a game would be pretty good offensively in the WCF. Last year the Ducks beat us only scoring 2.66 goals per game and we scored 2.83 goals per game (in the east Buffalo scored 2.6 goals per game and Ottawa scored 3 goals per game). My point being that in hockey, especially the further you go into the playoffs you have to have it all. I mean there is not that much difference between the goals per game between these teams and in fact in our case we scored more goals than the Ducks did, but it is the timing that really matters and so much of that comes from your defense and especially your goalie. When most games will be decided by a goal or two at the most it becomes crutial that (1) your offense can get enough goals, (2) your defense keeps the other team from getting good scoring chances, (3) when the defense fails or your offence can't get going your goalie can make the timely saves and keep you in the game. Therefore although we need them all, and that was the best answer to the poll, if you have to pick only one of the three options I pick the goalie - I think he has the most oppertunity to compensate for the other two when they are off (although admittedly sometimes your O or D will have to do that for the goalie).

That is the funniest avatar that I have ever seen

Seemed like Hasek in the first round, although I would feel much more confident with Hasek if he needs to play again.

Wow I can't believe that the Flyers are up - bad goals by Price

Excellent post, I enjoy reading people who can make rational cogent arguments for their position (which doesn't happen often enough IMO) and I agree that the decision of whether or not Kenny made or did not make good trades should be judged at the time of the trade not with the ultimate result. I even agree with everything you said that I put in bold, I just think it means something else. The fact that we did attack and scored so much shows that we are a different and better team than the Wild are. They couldn't break Theo and we did. Before the series people were talking about him playing like a Conn Smythe candidate. The Wild couldn't shake him and we destroyed him (I know that they were banged up and without a lot of players but our offense was impressive and we swept them in the regular season as well). Our slump during the year was from having 4 of our best D men out and we generate a lot of offense from them. Furthermore, we had many good forwards out. I think our slump was hindered by that and if you take that out we haven't really had a hard time scoring except a few games in Nashville. My understanding was that the Blue Jackets did not want to deal him to us for the same price that they would deal him to someone outside the Central division otherwise I would have liked to get him as well. BUT in the end I guess I just figure that Kenny knew what he could get and at what price and everything was too expensive. I know we haven't won a cup in 6 years but as you said we have gone in as contenders every year - too many teams get to come in as contenders one year because they have trade away way too much for the chance to win that year and then in a year or two are at the bottom. I like the ballance that they strike

Don't get me wrong, I would love to have a 2nd or 3rd line guy that would be able to snipe for us (and would love it if we can pick up Ryder within our budget) it just perplexes me that unless everyone has 30 goals we have problems. We had 5 guys with at least 20 goals (6 forwards with at least 19 goals) and 10 guys with at least 10 goals and 8 forwards with at least 2 goals in the playoffs. I would love to have Ryder but even without him we have a lot of fire power and fowards who overall can play defense.

It was fine in the regular season as a whole, 82 games, and in the second round, 4 games, but the 6 games we played in the first round it wasn't that good. I understand your point (and agree we will probably needed to be better than we were in the first round especially games 3 and 4) but overall we have been great. Only 2 teams got more goals than we did throughout the season that means that 27 other teams wish that they could have scored as many goals as we did (not to mention that we allowed the fewest goals which makes for one heck of a combo). In the playoffs none of the of the other 15 teams have scored as many goals as we have and the team in second place has played more games than we have. We also have the greatest goal differential in the playoffs (1.7 goals more per game than we give up) largly in part to having a goalie who has a 1.52 GAA and a 93.7 save percentage. Furthermore, if Colorado and Theodore are so bad (I know they had injuries which hurt them) why did they give up 21 goals to us in 4 games and only 12 to Minny in 6 games. We dropped 9 more goals on them in 2 fewer games than Minny did. I realize that we are better than the Wild but still 21 goals in 4 games against a team in the second round is impressive. I never really understand what it is that so many Wings fans really want. Third most goals in the season, first in goals in the playoff, playoff leader in goals and Hank in third (and Dats tied for fifth), numbers 2, 4, and 5 in post season scoring, numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in plus minus (recently updated), number 1 goalie in GAA, and number 3 in save percentage. That is amazing - not to mention all of the player's we have up for awards because of their stellar play, including two Selke finalists which means that they are good enough that we don't have to score as many goals as other teams (even though we are always at the top) because our team knows how to play defense as well and can shut other teams down. How crazy is it that we can have the number 4 and 5 point getters in the playoffs also be two of the three guys named as the best defensive forwards. They score more than anyone and still play the best defense. There really is not many teams in this league or fans that would not kill to have day after day - year after year what we get as Wings fans and it seems that we get to the point where we don't realize how amazing it is. Regardless of what happens this season, we have back to back western conference finals appearances and so many other teams don't even get to see their teams make the playoffs. Our guys are unreal and we have a management that has built one of the most impressive offensive and defensive teams and they continue to produce the product on a constant basis.

I think our scoring was and continues to be just fine. We were third in goals in the regular season (and the first Ottawa is out of the playoffs). More importantly for the here and now we are first in scoring in the playoffs at 38 goals at 3.8 goals per game. I know that some people don't like how many shots we take but it got us the third most goal in the regular season and first so far in the post season so I have no problem whatsoever with it. Finally, for individual stats - our player is first in goals, and we have three of the top five in points in the post season, and four of the top five in plus minus. We are contsatly at the top and it is because we have some amazing players and an overall great team.

Great point I mentioned at the deadline when people were so mad that Holland had the cap space and did not use it that we would have had to shell out too much for any of the options that were out there and would have had to pay more than we were willing to in order to keep them after this season. Although we have cap space now next year and the one after that have to be considered. It is going to cost a lot for Zets and every goal that Franzen score raises his price as well and their extension will be coming soon. Filpula will be getting a raise soon as will Hudler (although not till year after next). Even Howard is going to be a restricted free agent and will be getting a raise. I thought then and continue to think that it would have been unwise to give up too much future for a guy that we in all likelyhood would not be able to keep after this season or at least not without not signing or extending someone on the team. I thought it was great that Kenny didn't go up to the cap just because he could. At the price and cost of the future I think that the best thing was to keep the cap space to use this summer and the next.

I agree to an extent with what you said but if you asked most people, either here or around the league, who would be the two teams that would produce the biggest challenge to the Wings it would have been the Ducks and the Sharks and Dallas has bounced one of them and is on the cusp of bouncing the other. In my opinion if there was any concern about playing one of those two teams then there should be some concern about playing the team that beat them. As to the original question in this post, I think it would be an incredible amount of momentum for the Sharks to win 4 games in a row and take the series. If you combine that with the fact that because the series went 7 games Detroit will have been off for a really long time that scenario seems like the perfect storm for the Sharks to steal game 1 which is a really bad way for the series to start out. I think that fatigue might be a problem as the series went on but that first game could be a really hard game for the Wings and would give the Sharks a 5 game winning streak which will build up their confidence (which really seems to help Nabokov - like it does most goalies). I think that the Stars, if they win the series, will not have the momentum that the Sharks would. Once a team goes up 3-0 it just seems inevitable that they will win and there will not be the big surge in emotion that their would be after the Sharks won 4 elimination games. So to answer your question I think that under your scenario the benefit would have to go to the Sharks as far as momentum goes but I think the Stars are better and would still rather play the Sharks.

I hope that we can hold it out for the win!!

This is true but also you have to look at Dallas who are the reason that Anaheim is gone and that SJ is two losses from joining them. They man-handled SJ last game and have looked impressive this whole post season. Plus with Zubov back (who is one of if not their best player IMO) that makes them stronger. I think that the Wings can beat them but they have beat down some pretty good teams and should not be overlooked. They beat or are beating two teams that are/were better than the the teams we beat and are beating. I think it would be a big mistake to overlook them the way that they are playing.

I know its just the 2nd round but Franzen now has 7 goals in 8 games for the playoff lead. Briere is second with 6 goals in 8 games. Way to go Franzen, :clap: and the team as a whole is playing great. WAY TO GO OZZY AS WELL.

I agree for the most part, there are some take downs that I think add weight to who one the fight but it is more where a guy is more or less beating the other guy down and just throws him to the ground.

Last I know of was Ted Lindsay

Thats what I have been thinking. I hope that they sign him to a contract extension this summer. I would like to have him locked up for a while, with his size and the way that he plays there will be tons of teams that want him.

Great point! It just goes back to so many Wings fans expecting so much from their players - seen so many great players for so long there is the feeling that all we should have are superstars. Huds is great (especially for the $880,000 he was paid this year). I think he will continue to improve and be a great asset for this team for a long time.

Too bad for the Avs. I always like to have full teams play eachother (which almost never happens) it seems to make the series and the matchup more enjoyable but it is nice to see other players step up (like Abdelkader did for us).

Exactly. I don't see them as tricks kind of team. They are a team tha controls the puck, picks up good players for all positions who are professionals and can take care of business when called on and have few defensive breakdowns. I think almost any team would love to have our team's tricks aka hard work and hockey sense.

I think both of them are such excellent and deserving candidates. Its funny because it seems that you notice Zets defense more than Dat's but the article is correct about him just subtly taking care of business and getting the take aways without all the obvious actions.