Miss Wing Queen

I wish I could go up for the ticket sale, but I'll be working. The remaining tickets usually go on sale by fax around late June or early July. Many of the days are close to sold out or are sold out, but sometimes it's still possible to get good tickets. I've not missed out in the three years I've gone to it.

Well, f**k!! Looks like the boys will be out for Monday's game as well: MLive. I would rather they all get healthy, but damn, why does Pav have to be out for the game I'm going to, especially because I'm in 123? Get well, boys! I'll be back on 4/8 to see you take on the s***hawks.

I'm fine with most of how the rule is written, except the part about not being able to review the play. I think that is the biggest mistake about this rule because many times, the refs can't see exactly what goes on, as Ken said, because the pace is so fast. And when refs obviously can't see a player cross-checking/punching another player three times in the back of the head when he's standing right next to where this is happening but can see that somehow a player made infinitesimal contact with a goalie when he's clear on the other side of the rink it becomes blatantly apparent that something needs to be tweaked to make the play fair for all teams across the board.

I do! I love strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. The person below me has drank out of the Stanley cup (like me).

Perhaps we can tell Lils to take the flight home to Detroit in Rusty's place?

Okay, I'm convinced this whole "moon will look bigger by 13%" thing is the reason why this game is so screwey.

I feel bad for Kronners. That's the 2nd goal of his that's been waived off this month.

The next time the Preds are aiming for one of our guys, I think our guy should be right next to the ref and then move out of the way at the last moment, letting the a-hole zebra take the hit. Maybe then the ref will call it. I guess I should be thankful Pav ISN'T playing tonight. I'd rather have him miss one game than have that extended because of these Preds Pricks.

Or they gave their whistles to the fans to blow them when Tootoo is on the ice. Ken: "[Homer] just needs a smaller butt."

Before jumping to conclusions, you might want to do a little research. If you go to the Wings website and click on the button labeled "2011 Playoff Ticket Plans On Sale Now--More Info" (which is right on the homepage), you'll see it takes you to the exact same website as previously posted. That's the classic look for all the Wings website's forms. No scam.

Hold your tongue!

How many green beers do you think Murph will have finished off prior to the game? And will he be able to stand? Too bad he didn't come to my work today, he could have had a green hot dog (although they were definitely more than a $1).

I work in Novi, and I saw this announcement today: Here's the link to the flyer. Congratulations, Nick! You deserve it. Fitting too that it is Arena Drive changing to Nick Lidstrom Drive, the road that leads to the Novi Ice Arena.

That takes a very big heart to give up your dream for someone else. But what a gift for his brother, not just riding the Zamboni, but that sacrifice from a five-year-old. Life has a way of working things out. I can't help but feel he will be reward ten-fold somehow.

So were the Oilers. They should be able to handle this as long as they don't wait to handle it in the last 4 minutes of the game and into OT. Go Wings!

Who's taking bets now on if this win gives the Wings just enough confidence to not show up on time for tomorrow's game? I'm sorry, but I'm not really impressed with this win. Glad to get the two points, but they played the same game with the same problems that they've played for the last three months. Until I see a team actually playing cohesively out there with a showing of considerable effort at resolving their MAJOR issues, I'm not buying it.

I was going to come on here before they scored. If Wings continue like this at the beginning of the 2nd period, they lose 2-1 or maybe 3-0. If they wake up during the first intermission, and absolutely stop with the many turnovers, bad passes, and odd-man rushes, we could win. Are they just thinking too much? Why can't they work through these issues?

This. I'm angry right now at how the Wings are playing, and while I may have more negative posts, I will always in my heart stand behind my team. But those of us who are being more vocal right now about our concerns might be speaking for a certain reason. Think of it this way--as a parent you have two children. One is the smart, top of the class student with the right combination of intelligence and skills to use that intelligence to do well and go far, and the other is not that bright and struggles with school because he doesn't have the skills or the drive to care how well they do. As that parent, who are you going to more disappointed in if they both come home with D's? The child who is only going to succeed as far as their skill level allows them, or the child who has all the tools at his disposal but who squanders his opportunities and tools he has been given for whatever reason? THAT is why I'm upset. NOT because they have lost, NOT because we are close to the playoffs and still playing this way. I'm upset because when I watched the games in October and early November, I actually said to myself that I'd be spoiled this year as a fan because the Wings were well rested after a long summer, they looked great on paper, and they were playing to their full potential even on the nights they lost. In those early games, they played like a cohesive team and it showed. And to all of a sudden turn a switch in December and do a complete 180 is very disappointing and disheartening to see the potential this team had not holding much significance in the minds of the players and coaches. Can they turn it around in the remaining games? Can they flip the switch come playoff time? There's always that possibility, and because they are the Red Wings the probability is greater. But just because I express my opinion and my concern, don't tell me I am any less of a fan. Is that intelligent child's parent any less of a father or mother because they are disappointed to see so much promise wasted and only want for their child to use all the skills available to them to create the best opportunities for himself? I think not.

There. Fixed that for you.

See December 31, 2010: Tatar, Tomas.

Number 47 out of his little blue book, "101 Bulls*** Excuses to Feed to the Media." I'm all for trying different lines to see if something gets going, but for pete's sake, the team has been jumbled up for half the season because of injuries. Babs, maybe if you played with the same lines longer than 2 games, they'd actually develop some chemistry and generate some offense. You had a great line with Hudler-Datsyuk-Cleary, why did you split them? I did watch the game. And I did see the part where Helm was our main asset on each of the Kings' power plays, eating up seconds with his puck possession, and when he seemed to be the only one fighting for the puck along the boards, and how he seemed to be the only player on the team that knew and display the meaning of "hustle" and "urgency." Sorry, but I didn't get all that off a score sheet.

The definition of insanity is doing the SAME thing over and over again and expecting DIFFERENT results. And by these standards, all of the Red Wings and the coaching staff are ******* nuts. I was excited to see a hockey game after a few days without it, and I'm glad I got to watch at least one team play like a hockey team instead of like human curling discs gliding on the ice. It was ironic to see all that Babs and the team had talked about improving on (no cute plays at the blue line, dump and chase and wearing out the D, and minimal turnovers) was how the Kings played tonight. Well, at least one team listened. I would not be surprised if this team falls to 4th or 5th place and has a repeat playoff season similar to last year, but with absolutely NO excuses for it this year. Maybe then the coaching staff will wake up and shake this team up somehow. Hell, as much as I love Babs, maybe it's time for a coaching change if none of what he says is heard and demonstrated by the team. And sad to say, if they are going to continue to play this s***ty, I would almost rather not see them in the playoffs and see them embarrass themselves further. Bad game: Datsyuk and Z looking like junior league players in their first NHL game, defense slow and hesitant, shooting from the perimeter the whole ******* game--where was the net presence?, and so-so goaltending. Ugh. Helm is the only one who has earned the right to call himself a Detroit Red Wing, end of story!

Well then, I guess he is just going to become the Dick Clark of defensemen because I don't see that changing for a loooonnnngg time. Ken Holland would be happy too, since he won't have to think about retirement either (seeing as he's jokingly said in the past, he'll retire when Nick does).

Here's a stab at it:

Or just throw him on the ice instead of an octopus, and then they'll scrape him up and throw him out with the trash, and we'll be done with him.