dat's sick

Detroit: Datsyuk Franzen Kronwall St.Louis: Steen

Is it too soon to give an A to Helm?

I hope this game isn't a letdown after the Wings played so great against the Pens. They need to keep playing like that. 4-2 Wings. The 2nd year is often rough.. Berglund will come around.

His last 2 games were crazy production wise for him, and with Z firing up they could keep producing at a nice rate the remaining games of the season. I don't think Fil will quite get to 40 though, gonna say he'll get 38. He's had a good season regardless, shame he got injured otherwise it'd be a real breakout year for him. 15-20 goals and 50 points easy, maybe more.

I've never believed in life after Lids.. I think it just ends, everything goes dark.. no bright light, no Zetterberg captain, no nothing. Gotta enjoy it while it lasts.

I really don't think Pav would leave the NHL that soon.. he's only 31 and I could see him playing into his 40's. Maybe he'll round things off with a season or two in the KHL, but to leave as a 35-36 year old? I don't see it happening and I hope it doesn't. Lots of players say they want to finish their careers "back home", but at the same time most of them want to stay in the NHL as long as possible. When it comes to Z, I think he is a similar type of player to Alfredsson and he can still put up points at 37. Health could be an issue for him but otherwise I see him being in or top 6 for atleast the next 7 or 8 years. I also think Hank has some great seasons left in him, for example I know reaching 50 goals is something he wants to do. I hope we can fill out the team with some real 2nd and 3rd line talent so we can pair Pav and Hank up in the upcoming years.. I want them to help eachother to greatness

For Pav, 6 more seasons with an average of 70 points per year (somewhat conservative) would give him 1000+ points. There's a good chance he'll play for the Wings longer than that, and/or score more points per season. I hope Nick continues another year or two (atleast) and adds to his totals, but I can totally see Pav reaching him down the road. For Hank it will be a little more difficult.. but if he plays another 10 seasons and maintains a relatively high level, say an average of 60 points per year, that would give him him slightly more points than Nick has now. Not at all impossible. Hopefully he can stay healthy and motivated for many years to come.

If only I hadn't missed two games! Still a long way to the top.

Takeaways/giveaways are kind of a wash. Pav has a lot more takeaways. More giveaways also come from having the puck a lot, being a playmaker and always trying to create offense. Kesler only has 6 points more, and Pav has more goals. I'm betting Pav will be even closer in points by seasons end. Kesler has 8 more hits in 2 more games played. Hardly worlds apart. Kesler has won more faceoffs, but Pav has a better percentage (even if it's by only a little). Blocked shot is true though, Kesler has a lot more. Also has to do with him having a lot more PK-time. Those two things are two of the biggest things Kesler has over Pav. Pav has a lot better +/- though, on a worse team. He also has a lot less PIM, I don't know how much that matters in terms of Selke voting, but not putting your team on the PK should be a positive thing for a defensive forward. Bottom line is they both have the edge in various statistical categories. It's very even overall.

What stats are those?

If we ever played the Caps in the SCF I actually think Babs would use Pavel against Ovechkin. Pav completely owned him when we faced them in the regular season earlier this year. Z is really the perfect counter-measure against Crosby though.

Fil was great at both ends of the rink today. Like I said in the GDT, one of the best games I've seen him play. Hope him and Z can keep this kind of chemistry up because they looked to be really clicking.

That was an awesome game. Real playoff athmosphere. Hank really brought out his playoff-self. For all the criticism he's gotten around here, he has still put up a decent amount of points and after tonight he is just 1 point away from a point-per-game on the season. Filppula was also amazing, as well as Lidstrom and Howard. Overall one of the best games I think the Wings have played this season. Crosby at the end.. what can you say, you know he hates playing against Zetterberg

Would be sweet to get another goal here, close the game.

This is one of the best games I've ever seen him play. Fantastic, and his chemistry with Hank has been Euro-Twin esque.

Hank is in Conn Smythe form today.

Ericsson has been very good imo the last couple of games he has played.

YEAAAAAAHHH!! Hank! Fantastic shift!

This is a very good game.

Great goal by Fil, that's the thing he needs to do more. I like the way the Wings are playing so far. They're definitely taking it to the Pens and it could have been 3 or 4 nothing if not for Fleury. Hank playing good, Pav too, Lids amazing.. keep it up.

Agreed. Johan Franzen did a real flying goal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6hWmSeaRdA But of course that wasn't OT in the Stanley Cup final. Still I've never understood why that Bobby Orr goal is so highly regarded.

5-2 Wings. Pav, Hank, Franzen, Lidstrom, Rafalski.

Ha, touché ...but he is REALLY old..

Detroit: Zetterberg Lidstrom Filppula Pittsburgh: Staal

Yeah and Cheli has been nominated in the past too, which leads me to believe he's got a decent chance at winning. I'd obviously be happy if Lilja won but at the same time I don't think the Masterton should only be a "who was injured the longest and came back"-award.