Jersey Wing

What did you tell her?

History lesson (especially pertinent since before this series they tried to make it the Islanders vs the Oilers part III) In the Final of 82–83, as the Islanders walked by the Oilers dressing room after beating them in Game 1, they heard the Oilers players singing and horsing around after a loss. This burned the "professional" Islanders to no end. Many said they never forgave the young Oilers for this break of decorum. They smashed them the rest of the series in winning their 4th cup in a row. Pehaps the young Pens just gave us the equivalent of the Oilers singing in their dressing room with their utterly stupid comments about the Red Wings.

To all of you who are getting back from or went to the game tonight--NICE JOB, you were LOUD and RAUCOUS! You all kept the energy WAY up, much louder than in the Igloo. Excellent fandom tonight

Oh no worries, an old boss of mine used to say an idea well stolen is a job half done!!! Use it all you want. No prob

This game will ultimately kill the Penguins. #1 You now have the Red Wings attention with your cheapshot sleazy hockey. They Wings don't play that way and tend to destroy teams who do. #2 Where is Fleury's head heading into game 6? #3 The Datsyuk factor. The Pens now MUST feel the Wings have an X factor they can't suddenly account for. Datsyuk is playing better than I think anybody EXPECTED. We HOPED he'd play this well but you know the Pens EXPECTED him to be less of an impact guy. #4 Losing a 3-2 or 4-2 close hard fought game might have still given the Penguins the feeling they had after games 1 and 2. We're competing hard but just need to tweak a couple things. This is a complete destruction of their 'system'. #5 Bylsma, how will the new rookie coach handle this undressing of his team? His two superstars have come unglued. I think Babcock gave a foreshadowing of what change he made to swing this series when he was interviewed behind the bench in the first period by NBC's "Human Penis" Pierre McGuire, SLOW down the D to D passes in their own zone. No rush, just make sure you're making the right play, not the quick play. There is no need to always break out in a quick fashion. Hold onto the puck and take as long as you need to break down the Penguins forecheck.

Excellent analysis. Spot on

Thank you my red and white friend

The Wings look tired, their goal celebrations just dont have that usual pizzaz

NBC really doesn't understand hockey. If Hossa signed that deal with Pittsburgh, they don't have the money for Fedotenko, Guerin, Satan and half the other guys they brought in. NO guarantee the Pens would have even made the Finals with Hossa. Emerick is pertty good with eh calls (and I get him here all the time with the Devils), I like Pang, I can handle McGuire when he's doing a game they Wings aren't playing but the rest, Milbury, Olczyk and Pierre's anti Wings crap gets old fast. I know it's what they're being told to parrot in their earpieces but I'd say let Emerick call the game and let Pang do color like he does for Phoenix/Hamilton/Lad Vegas

My fellow Wings fans--Hear me now and believe me later... I've kept quite quiet as this series has tightened, observing, analyzing and letting history be my guide. Tonight the Wings play in a SERIOUS swing game not in the first or second round, but for the Stanley Cup. The stakes will never be higher in a game 5....EVER. But, because the Wings also put a premium on depth and great play during the regular season, this critical game is played in OUR sanctuary, in OUR home. The Wings didn't tread water for the first 3/4 of the regular season only to get going late and grab a #4 seed. No, they again were true professionals and were in contention for the President's Trophy until the last week and a half of the regular season. So, as as a reward, a critical game will be played in Joe Louis Arena. Pittsburgh doesn't have a shrine like Joe Louis Arena. They have a dump they can't wait to get out of for a new shiny building. The ghosts of Joe Louis Arena loom large in a game like tonight, it's like the old Yankee Stadium. It has it's own personality and flavor, it has served the Wings well in many many huge games in the past. It will serve them well again tonight. As numbers 1, 7, 9, 10, 12, and 19 look down, and 51 other banners hang over OUR ice, in OUR sanctuary, the aura will help immensely. Joe Louis Arena, where Martin Lapointe drove a shot THROUGH Patrick Roy's glove in game 6 of the 1997 WCF. How often does THAT happen? Joe Louis Arena where Brendan Shanahan taught the current Wings to bank shots in off of netminders. Joe Louis Arena where Sergei Fedorov put in one of the most amazing shots in playoff history, a one handed slap at a puck against Vancouver in 2002. Joe Louis Arena where Steve Yzerman scored one of the greatest goals in NHL history flipping in the air on his side while keeping his stick on the ice and flipping the puck past a PITTSBURGH goalie. Joe Louis Arena, home of the rubber kick plates, the octopus, Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Kozlov's 3 OT goal vs the Ducks, The Bruise Brothers, Scotty Bowman's duck call, Mo Cheese, Orange Hat Guy, Knitting Lady and YOU and ME. Sanctuary now! Strength and Honor

Perhaps Pavel Datsyuk's return can become a 'Willis Reed' moment. For those of you unfamiliar with what that is, read on: It was Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, and nobody knew if Willis Reed would play. The center and captain of the New York Knicks had suffered a torn muscle in his right thigh during Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers, and had not played in Game 6 when Wilt Chamberlain's 45 points and 27 rebounds enabled the Lakers to tie the series at 3-3. When the teams took the floor for pre-game warmups, Reed was not with his New York teammates. He remained in the lockerroom, deep in the bowels of the building. "I wanted to play," Reed recalls. "That was for the championship, the one great moment you play for all your life. I didn't want to have to look at myself in the mirror 20 years later and say I wished I had tried to play." Reed took an injection to dull the pain in his leg, and just moments before tipoff he limped through the tunnel and onto the court. Waves of cheers cascaded down from the Garden stands as fans caught sight of the Knicks' captain, a sight that was not lost on New York's opponents. "I saw the whole Laker team standing around staring at this man," said Knicks guard Walt Frazier. "When I saw that, when they stopped warming up, something told me we might have these guys!" http://www.nba.com/history/reedwins_moments.html

Are you talking?

One thing I haven't seen anybody mention here (and if they have I apologize) but isn't Draper a former Selke winner? He could win a lot of faceoffs from say a guy like Malkin and check him all over the ice being a wiley veteran with lots of speed, no? Draper could drive a guy like Malkin batty. Draper could become an Esa Tikkanen type guy the next couple games.

Strength and Honor

I LOVE the Olympic hockey tournament with the Pros, like 7 teams have a legit shot to win...

Godspeed. I'd say if you have a ticket you can wear whatever you want. I've found, in wearing my Wings jerseys to games in Columbus, Chicago, Nashville, the Prudential Center here in NJ and at MSG, if you act cool and friendly you'll be fine. Do remember you are a representative of all of us, an ambassador if you will. It's OK to cheer and clap but don't get too aggressive even if you sit by the odd jagoff who wants to rub things in your face. If the Wings are in a postion to clinch in game 5 I'm driving back Saturday morning here from Jersey City, meaning as I leave the Empire State Building will be in my rear view mirror as I head west. My buddy has some nice company seats for his business so hopefully I'll be getting up right early for the trip. I'm debating flying my Red Wings car flag on the way there through Pennsylvania but I might just save it for the ride home as it's a 10 hour drive and I don't want some Pennsylvania State trooper taking offense at my fandom and delaying me.

I have to admit I'm looking very much forward to seeing a possible Malkin--Datsyuk--Ovechkin line at the Vancouver Olympics

Drink every time Doc Emerick says someone 'rags the puck' and you'll be passed out before the end of the game as well

A Pens fan posts: Zetterberg's goal was scored with Crosby on the ice. In fact, the puck carrier made a strong move to the front of the net and Sid chose - for some as yet unknown reason - to do a flyby and continue skating behind his own net while the puck was five feet from the front of his goal. It was a tremendously irresponsible play, especially considering that it was his check who ultimately scored the goal. The Wings are not really making lackadaisical plays like that on the defensive side of the puck. That's part of the reason why everyone - from Crosby down - is having a hard time putting the puck in the net. REPLY: Transition goal from a give-away. Sid isn't a defender... If you want to pick out one play and make your argument, thats going to give you a negative view of anyone; this is the root of all the "bench Letang" talk. Sid is grinding out minutes and has forced Zetts and Lids to grind them out too. Now if he would only shoot after he ties up 2 world-class defenders... REPLY to That Yeah, Sid isn't a defender. But overall team defense wings championships. Look at the Red Wings. http://www.letsgopens.com/scripts/phpBB3/v...f=1&t=36838 Hmmm, the Wings are taking up so much room in their heads they should be paying rent

It will take at least TWO players to "replace" Lidstrom. He's a once in a generation defenseman. We'd need to sign a top flight defender and then find a guy who can help with outlet passing and some serious powerplay time. OR go get a top flight netminder to help cover for the mistakes Nick used to cover so seamlessly for AND a solid D man. Now it looks like they'll have the money to do it but I think it'll take a couple roster spots to give us what Nick gave us with one

Up 2 games to 1, having outplayed the Penguins in game 3 on their ice and now Datsyuk AND Draper gonna play in game 4? Sound the cavalry charge!

For the record the Wings outshot the Pens 14-4 in the 2nd period

So not worried, we faced the Penguins 'A' game in a must win at home and outshoot them 29-21

For those inclined to point fingers, calm down. If there are changes to be made Babcock will make them, you'll have no effect on them, getting worked up is counterproductive. Trust Babcock. He's the best coach for a reason. Also, the Wings lost game 3 on the road to Chicago and had no problems in game 4. The lost game 3 to Anaheim and game 4 was no problem. The Wings are the best team at making adjustments during a series.