ComradeWasabi

I agree, PLUS, the teams' styles of play are so totally different. Anaheim bogs everything down, cycles down low and grinds out their goals (note that all 3 of their goals tonight were scored in a 5 feet radius of the net). Chicago, on the other hand, relies on a transitional, rushing style not unlike something the Wings have mastered. Unfortunately for them, we're better at it and we have the ability to neutralize speedy puck-handling forwards like Kane and Toews. Anaheim exposed one of the Wings' few weaknesses in their lack of size and strength along the blueline; the Ducks were adept at getting in behind, cycling aggressively and using their bodies to muscle to the net. The Hawks will not have that same ability.

You think Ovechkin is a power forward? He throws his body around but that's it, he is a pure sniper: he doesn't grind or dig in corners very well and he certainly doesn't ever camp in front of the net or down low. He lives between the hash marks.

He drew one of the toughest assignments in having to break through one of the better checking tandems in Niedermayer and Marchant. Also, none of the players he played with were particularly hot offensively (didn't play with Franzen at all for one thing) so he was taking a lot of the offensive work on his back. That said, he has to score in the next round. He simply has to, and with Chicago's high-flying style of play I think that'll be a little easier for him.

You think we're going to lose Hossa, Hudler AND Conklin? No Hossa = 6 million or more in cap space. Conklin won't make more than 1.5 although he might be on his way out anyways (which is a shame, I really grew to like old Conk Block), Hudler won't make more than 3.

He hasn't had a great year. If we win the Cup again, it'll be a good way for him to go out. That said, depending on what happens next year with resignings, he might have a roster spot to return to again.

I love the kid. My parents were watching the game with me and they couldn't believe the way he just took off for his goal tonight, he just put on the afterburners and was GONE. I agree with most of what's been said above, though; I don't anticipate him having good enough hands to be a true Draper replica, but I expect he'll be a great energy player here. If he can turn himself into a legitimate shutdown centre he will be an incredibly valuable third-line asset.

Absolutely, and that was necessary for him to keep up with the butterfly goaltenders of today. That said, Ozzy's greatest asset is the space that his head is in; for some reason he is a guy who stops the puck when necessary and doesn't care about anything else in the world while he's playing. The last save, the last goal, none of it matters, it's just about making the stop and winning the game. That's what makes Ozzie such a great playoff performer.

Indeed, Ozzie is of the old "swat the puck away" school of thinking as opposed to Hiller's usual "swallow it up" technique. The important part is that since he got his confidence back he's been able to abandon "technique" and just stop the puck however possible, which leads to some goalmouth scrambles and some iffy moments but ultimately has given the Wings a chance to win so far this postseason.

It was clear that the Ducks had our regular line combinations under lockdown. This mixed them up and put a legitimate scoring threat (or two) on each of the top three lines. The fourth line didn't see much time although I thought I saw a lot of Homer. It ended up working though as each of those lines scored an even-strength goal and we still made a PPG happen. By the way, anybody else notice that Hudler-Franzen combined for the same net-front redirection from the sideboards in two games in a row? Once from Huds to Mule and then tonight, the other way around. Pretty sweet set play.

Dayum, I forgot about those two. That will be interesting.

love ya Duck Guy, Ducks played a great series when they weren't gooning it up. They made me more nervous than any team in the last year, so props to them for that.

Randy Carlyle yelled "******* bulls***, f*** off" there as CBC went to commercial.. lol

Barnaby is a bit of an idiot so if you ask me this could be a bad thing...

I intend to play this and the rest of Mastodon's Remission until game time.

He's a journalist and he clearly knows that writing about an underperforming Red Wing is going to get the website clicks. For the most part, I agree with him. Homer has been invisible in this series. And for a player who relies on obstructing vision, that's not a good thing.

game 4 in Anaheim was a "must-win" and once Perry got his goal, they looked great. Tomorrow will obviously be a must-win and I hope they repeat that performance.

Pretty pathetic effort tonight. The Ducks weren't good, but Detroit was worse.

get the f*** out of here you piece of s*** Ducks. Get the f*** out. You slimy punching *****, suspensions all around.

I will stay up as late as you Red Wings want me to. Please just score. And don't ******* go offside like that.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLL

If they don't score here I will probably poop myself.

Let's get real here, the Wings were poor in the first two periods, but now the reffing in this period is just laughably bad.

Strangely familiar....

Samuelsson, momentum-killing penalty. Good work pal.

The fairweather fans in this thread are ******* appalling.