8 Legged RedWing

First goal in this game will be huge. If we keep this up, it should be us. I'm nervous as hell though.

But doesn't the fact that we are well below .500 when scoring only two goals also say something about Howard? I agree, he has played well this season and the offense has been absent lately but if he was playing great, more of those 2 goal games would be wins. Obviously we need the same effort all around from the whole team as we had on Monday but if Howard doesn't show up to play, it really isn't going to matter how many goals we score.

The key to this game will once again be Howard. He played great on Monday but consistency has always been his issue. He needs to show up with the same effort and allow the Wings to establish a lead. That's the only thing I'm worried about. Which Jimmy shows up?

Posted this before the last game and it worked out nicely. Might as well do it again.

Dekeyser's outlet passes have been pretty damn good so far. I've rarely even seen the other team even get a stick on his first pass out of the zone. He has also shown great hockey sense by shooting pucks wide purposely trying to get rebounds off the end boards just like Lids used to do all the time. His positioning is also very good for a rookie and positioning is what kept Lidstrom from getting in trouble. Dekeyser sure looked good using his stick on Doan to avoid an empty net chance last night too. All I'm saying is there are similarities. Maybe only a few, but there are. Like I said, this is a Red Wings forum. Most people are going to like to compare a promising defenseman to the best defensemen this franchise has ever had no matter how outrageous the comparison might be. It's like people trying to say Suter would be Lidstrom's replacement this past off season. It's just going to happen.

Well a point won't be bad either. That would put us in 8th but yea might as well just shoot for the win.

The ice tracker put up end of the second before putting up the goal haha. Hopefully they can get two more by in the second.

I wouldn't be surprised if neither of these games go our way but I would be happy if at least one does. Preferably Minny loses because we can always take care of Dallas on our own if it comes down to that.

Or you could just not chime in when people compare them. In my post I specifically used phrases like "kind of" and "not to get carried away" because obviously he isn't the next Lidstrom but the way he plays defense is reminding me of a way Lidstrom did. If it's going to bother you every time Lids name is in the same sentence as an up and coming defensemen with potential, then you are on the wrong forum my friend.

This could be taken the wrong way but DeKe kind of reminds me of a younger faster Lidstrom. For the age and experience of him, he has great positioning, great stick work and seems to make the smart easy play resulting in a solid defensive defensemen. If he continues to make other players better just by being partnered with them, that could be another similarity. Not to get carried away or anything here but so far so good for Dekeyser

This PP looks lethal right now. Great start but we can't take the foot off the gas. Howard with a couple big saves as well.

I won't give up hope until they are mathematically eliminated. We just have to take it one game at a time. I just hope the crowd is in it until the end and doesn't start booing if we give up the first goal or something.

They play the Kings and then Oilers and Avs. Not a very daunting schedule so I'm betting Minny gets in unless they choke hard which would be justice.

Couldn't agree more. Watching Cleary play period is like watching paint dry. He is so washed up.

I'm not saying the loss is Jimmy's fault but we probably would have gotten at least one point if his head was actually in the game. For all intents and purposes calgary scored ONE GODDAMN GOAL ONE by your logic and it would have gone to OT.

Did Jimmy Howard forget to drink his coffee and look extremely slow and disinterested on both goals? You're in a playoff race. You have to be on your toes, never taking your eyes off the puck, thinking at 100 mph about the next play. Not waddling around behind the net like a baby penguin expecting something to happen.

Just win.

I've ragged on Jimmy every now and then because he isn't the best in the league but when he plays well, he is definitely a top 5 goaltender. I think the money is right for the current market and as long as he can continue to improve on his consistency (maybe if we get a solid healthy backup) I think this deal will be good for the Wings. Hopefully the last 2 years or so of the contract, he can split duties with Mrazek kind of like Hasek and Ozzie or Ozzie and Howie a few years back.

It's a bummer Minny won, they were starting to free fall and it would be nice to have teams chasing them instead of us...

Also there are no guarantees in the playoffs. It doesn't matter how well you played in the regular season. If we get the 8th seed and play Chicago and manage to steal a game or two from them, the pressure they will begin to feel could be too much to overcome after really facing no adversity all season long.

I want to keep the streak alive. The record is 29 years and I believe we could reach that mark if we just survive and retool for another year or two and squeak in.

Why oh why is #16 not in the rafters yet? What are they waiting for? They should do it while he is still young enough to enjoy it in person. This is great news though. Vladdy is in my top 3 favorite Wings of all time.

I'd like to hear someone stand up and guarantee this team makes a playoff spot. Maybe someone like Hank who won't let the streak be broken on his watch as first year as captain. Even if they don't make it, this team needs a spark and they really don't seem to be playing with one.