Ms_Hockey

Whoa whoa whoa. The Cleary bashing in this thread needs to stop -- immediately. I don't care if you like Cleary or not, but holy cow.. have some respect. He's one of the hardest-working players on our team. On any given night, the entire team can be asleep, and Cleary is still out there working his a** off, doing everything he can to get this team going. The amount of pure motivation that guy has is second to none. Sure, he may not be the biggest producer on our team - he's certainly no Datsyuk or Zetterberg, but the man works hard for every single point he gets - and every minute he's on the ice, you can bet your bottom dollar he's putting his heart and soul into whatever he's doing. Also, Cleary just signed a five-year extension with the Wings and if I'm not mistaken, he has a NTC that he'd have to waive. Stuart has one too - and we all know how much his family was angry that he moved from Cali in the first place.. so the chances of him waiving it are probably slim to none.

Hopefully Columbus is going to start folding under the playoff pressure. I really think their inexperience is going to do what it did to the Pens.. maybe not to as high of a degree, but somewhat. Now, if we can only find a way to get passed that ridiculously good goalie they have.

I'm with you on this. We have one of the most playoff-experienced teams in the league. If anybody knows that playoff hockey requires a completely boosted game, it's the Wings. We usually do pretty poorly toward the end of the regular season because our main focus at that point is not getting injured. I don't think we should be making any negative judgments until the first round actually starts. Just my two cents.

I'm cheating too. I already have red bangs. Those will count for the first two wins. After that, one streak per win. I'm looking forward to the beard.

Tell ya what, I'll do it even if no one else does and make sure to keep the pictures updated. Heck, I don't have a career or a boss to keep happy anyway.

I say we color our hair. Put a red streak in our hair if we in.

What are we supposed to do? Grow out our leg hair? This coming from the guy who didn't know/remember the offsides rule. There was absolutely no need to come in here and start commenting on how hairy someones' arm is. It's not relevant to the thread whatsoever. If you want to be rude, fine, but make a thread and title it "Come in here and I'll say something nasty to everyone who posts!"

Hahahaha. You're about to be welcomed with open arms by about 80% of the people on this site who think that if the Wings don't win, they should hang up the skates and drive off a cliff. Post of the day. Furreal.

I believe Cleary just signed a five year extension with the Wings, didn't he? He also has a NTC that he'd have to waive. I think, anyway. I'm no good at this contract stuff.

Exactly. I truly believe that if we get kicked out of the playoffs, it won't be because we're playing the way we did today. It'll be because tried and got out-played anyway. Let's keep our fingers crossed for the playoffs. Neither one of us can know until then!

I'm with you on this completely. I think some people just let the anger and frustration of losing cloud their knowledge that we ARE one of the best teams in the league - hands down. Sure, I've seen games where I've been really upset with the Wings' performance, but that's hockey isn't it? You can't win them all and Lord knows you can't hold the momentum for the entire season. That's just how the game goes.

You could easily be right. But by the same token, the Wings are heavily experienced in playoff runs. They may be able to feel that "must win" urge before elimination game because they've been down that road before.

I don't believe there's a switch to flip. But I also don't believe that the team who just won the Stanley Cup could lose all of their talent over the off-season. Whatever is going on with the team, it's an internal thing.. and I believe that when we're actually back under playoff pressure - when we know that every second of every game counts, we'll be able to realize that. Will it take a couple losses? Maybe. Will it take us losing for us to realize it? Possibly. But I just have faith that we'll be able to tap into that skill we have before we lose it. Maybe I'm just way too optimistic, but that's how I honestly feel.

There's a difference between confidence and faith. I may not like the way the team played today or even in most games this season, but the fact remains that we're still one of the best teams on the league. I know that we're capable of more - and so do the players. And I have faith that we can tap into that.

I don't see how anybody can be really surprised with the outcome of this game. As I've stated before, it was essentially meaningless for us. We aren't fighting for a playoff spot and there was nothing riding on this game for us to get any sort of motivation for. We all know what the Wings are capable of - and we've seen it during games that actually matter this season. It's easy to get caught up in the anger and frustration of losing, and it's easy to consider your opponent to be "bad" or to "suck" because you beat them - but it's hockey. Momentum is constantly changing. Every game isn't going to be your best. And when you have nothing meaningful riding on a game this close to the playoffs, your main focus turns to keeping yourself from getting injured. I could be wrong, but it seems to me that was our focus today. We didn't play at the level that we all know we're capable of playing at. You can take that as us being a "bad" team or what have you, but we all know that's a lie. Don't make any judgments until the first round. Believe in your team. Believe in the players. And believe in the motivation to succeed.

A little make-up call for that horrid penalty shot yesterday?

Even Babcock said it's hard to get the guys motivated for a game that means nothing.. and that's exactly what this is. The way I see it, there's two things they could've done: One, they could've tried to step up their game to a playoff level since it's right around the corner. OR. Two, they realize that the two points are meaningless. They're getting into the playoffs either way.. and their main objective is to not get injured. You say that there's no playoff switch - and I'm not saying there is. But you and I both know, just from other games this season, that the Wings are capable of A LOT more than this. They know that, too. I'm not expecting a switch to flip.. but I am expecting them to look different when there's something meaningful on the line.

We really do not care about the win, and it's obvious. We're just skating around, trying to stay away from overly physical play. The Wings know that if they win - no big deal. If they lose - no big deal. There just isn't that playoff motivation there. So, win or lose, it doesn't matter - and that's exactly how we're playing.

Just reading this made my stomach begin to flutter. (I know, I know.. kind of dumb.) But really, I used to not like Hossa. Now, I absolutely love him. Signing him would make my day - or maybe even life.

The refs, if anybody.

I'd LIKE for the Wings to go out there and show the Hawks & the refs that they're not a team to be messed with like yesterday, but it won't happen. I've watched enough games to know that the Wings aren't a vengeful team - especially when the game is meaningless. It'll probably be really difficult to get these guys motivated because there's nothing riding on this game. We're clinched for the playoffs - so are the Hawks. The two points won't change anything either way... so it'll probably be a very slow game without a lot of physical action because keeping the players healthy for the playoffs is a lot more pertinent than winning the two points.

Count me in!

Yeah, I hopped over to read their boards and 90% of them realize that the call was complete B.S. There's still that 10%, though, who are going on and on about how it's the "right call" and how Detroit is just pissed that things are getting called on them for once. (Insert tons and tons of laughter here.) They also seem to think we're going to come out and try to murder them tomorrow, but I really don't think we will. It's our last game. Essentially, it's meaningless for us. The Wings have never been much of a "revenge" team. We'll probably just sit back, lay back on the checks, stay healthy, and let it play out as it may.

That was the biggest joke of a call I think I've ever seen in my life. Normally, I'm not one to say that the refs have switched the outcome of a game... but I have to say it this time. I'd say congratulations to the Blackhawks, but I just can't. They won the game thanks to the truly horrible penalty shot call. But you won't be having many of those in the playoffs... and we WILL beat your asses then. Unbelievable.

Versus is evil. E-V-I-L. You're better off listening on the radio.