bonan78

This please. Why not reunite the best hockey announcers in the history of US television. Also, more Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti, and bring back Dave Strader and Darren Pang too. Anyone but Doc, Edzo, and Pierre Mcguire. Hate those guys, they almost single-handedly spoiled my enjoyment of the '08 finals.

give Yamaguchi, I mean Setoguchi the frickin medal right now, world-class diving. What I don't understand is not only did he go down way too easy on the stick near his feet, but in the process he nailed Mule in the face with his stick, should have been 2 for diving and 4 for high-sticking. The high-stick call on Filppula was accurate, but he really embellished it too.

Actually, Peckham call for Tampa and Reaugh calls for the Stars. I don't really have a problem with either of them overall, but Reaugh gave us such head-scratchers as "Mastodonic" and "Vaselinity". Plus, tonight they were pretty anti-Detroit, unlike when they called the Phoenix series where they were pretty level.

Seconded, also if anyone can find a decent photo of the hit, that would be appreciated. I tried screen-capping my GameCenter but as you can imagine not the best quality.

DRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU from STUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

Looks like we might be going right back on the PP, let's hope Stewie is cut on that high stick.

Goalie interference, anyone? Why wasn't that called?

^this He has been cleared to play by his doctor, which likely means that the doc feels that the risk of re-injury is low. If he gets himself back into game shape a few days before the Olympics, and someone on the Sweden roster gets injured, then I see no reason he shouldn't get to play, and besides, that would essentially be the equivalent of a conditioning assignment, and the Olympics are not as physically demanding as the NHL (bigger ice, less hitting), so that would mean that if he plays regularly he would likely be back to game speed, which can only help us with our efforts to claw our way back into a playoff spot. Besides, my wife wants to see her favorite player in the Olympics.

Because it's not blacked out everywhere else in the world, just in the US. I work for the company that supports GameCenter, and the above statements about blackouts are correct. Tonight's Red Wings game on Versus will be blacked out in the US due to Versus coverage. In Canada (except the Windsor/Sarnia areas due to proximity blackouts), and all other countries (except Europe, where ESPN360 has Center Ice Online), the game can be viewed on GameCenter. Furthermore, if anyone has any questions about GameCenter, feel free to PM me, I can help with any technical questions, blackouts, requirements, etc.

Believe it or not, I actually saw a hockey highlight on Sportscenter that wasn't Crosby. As good as the Wings are on draws, I'm surprised they don't try this play, as you can see the goalie wasn't expecting to have to face a shot from the centerman taking the draw. Obviously it would have to be the right situation (for our centers it would have to be from the left faceoff dot) surely they try stuff like this in practice, why not try it in the game, worst case scenario the goalie makes a save and we get a rebound off of it. Actually, worst case scenario is that Lebda is playing the point and decides to pinch in and leads to a odd-man rush the other way.

You are making it sound like it's all or nothing. I'm not saying that the Wings should abandon trying to gain possession on every faceoff, but just like any set play off a draw, there is the opportunity for it to work as drawn up or not. Let's say for example, the other team ices the puck, they have a tired line on the ice, why not try it and see if you can catch them flat-footed? Once again, to clarify for those who think in terms of absolutes: I am not advocating this as something they should do every faceoff, or even every game. I was merely pointing out that if Jeff Carter can do it, our centers could also do it, and I wouldn't mind seeing it every now and then.

Thank you, that's all I was trying to say. I was simply pointing out that other than the desparation situations, I hadn't seen any Red Wings player try it, although titamium2 recalls seeing Z do it against Boston a couple of season ago. P.S. crossed out the unneeded retaliatory jab. It's just as low a percentage as any other set play off the faceoff, and considering that most teams manage to win draws about 50% of the time, and anything less than 50% is usually considered to be "low percentage", trying to aim the puck off a draw is doable.

It's not as "astronomically" low as you think, and to reiterate, I'm not saying do it every time, but other than the last ditch situations where that is the only way to get a shot on goal, it could be done in other situations to get a jump on the defense.

Did you not read my post? I said try it every now and then because it might generate a cheap goal or a rebound that a winger could jump on before the defenders have a chance to react., not do it every time and give up trying to win faceoffs and get possession You're missing the point.

That was intended as a dig against ESPN, not as Crosby hate.

Of course I've seen it tried before, I started watching hockey the same year you were born, my point is why don't the Wings centers try it more often, we have been one of the best teams at taking faceoffs for some time, and I could see Zetterberg, Datsyuk or even Filppula picking up a cheap goal every now and then if they would run this play. Like I said, even if the initial shot doesn't score it could generate a rebound chance, and if our wingers are expecting it, they could get that split second jump on the defenders to take a whack at it.

I mean this as no disrespect to Maltby, but he has become redundant at this point in his career. Basically, his only role on this team is to kill penalties and play on the 4th line, and we have guys 10+ years younger that can fill the same role and have more upside. I think that Helm, Abdelkader, Eaves, and even Miller have to be given more consideration come contract time than Maltby. Nothing but love for the many years of 100% effort and sacrifice for the team, but everything comes to an end, and hopefully he doesn't end up taking a roster spot away from a promising young up-and-coming player (ala Chelios last season)

Good read, thanks for sharing. I've never had a problem with having teams in California, and given the recent success of all 3 teams, the loyal and knowledgeable (albeit often unsophisticated and violent) fanbase, hockey is in the Golden State for good. Other teams need to be moved, get some teams out of the southeast and into the northwest (and at least 2 more Canadian teams) so that Detroit can move to the Eastern Conference where they belong and all will be well. Seriously, if Detroit were in the east they'd be tied for 5th place right now, not to mention having to make 2 west-coast road trips a year as opposed to one every 2 years.

I missed the Bertuzzi call (my stream froze), but I am of the same mind as the OP, I can handle the fact that my team will lose occasionally, I can even handle if they lose frequently (I'm also a Lions fan), but when the officiating has been as abysmal as it has been this season, not just in Wings games but league-wide, then fans of the game have the right to voice their displeasure, no matter which team they cheer for, because when the refs are as piss-poor as they have been, every team's fans are going to have ample opportunity to lament a bad call costing their team a game (or several games if you're a Wings fan). Sorry for the run-on sentence, but whether it's a iffy penalty call that results in a game-tying or winning goal against, a game-tying or winning goal for being waived off due to "intent to blow", or the deciding goal in a shootout being allowed because one official who did not make a call on the original play overrules the official who was in the best position to make the call (and was the only one who did), the overall body of work for NHL officials this season has been maddeningly awful, and if I were to perform this badly at my job I would be disciplined or even fired, but there is no accountability for the refs and it's got to be fixed somehow, I just wonder what it is going to take for someone to wake up and start taking action.

ROFLski

One too many passes there

What a goal by Cleary!!!

Great pace to this game so far, wish I could say the same for the GDT, is no one watching tonight?

Whew, thought that was a Wings penalty. PP coming, let's get a goal here