Opie

The only bad goal of the game imo was Dats first goal, Nabby should have had that, don't get me wrong the placement was unreal, but I am not sure the puck even fit in the space Dats put it, I think it shrunk half way to the net and re-expanded in the net! Without the team winning faceoffs ( usually a Det strong suit) getting ample PP, and spending less time on the pk, showing up for first and last 10, the series is lost. Now do I think the Wings can come back and win the series, without a doubt but in order to do so they must play 60 or however many minutes the game is (OT and all), stop taking penalties (dives or not I would say more than half of the penalties were legit calls), win face offs. Even Roy gave up 7 once, I wish I could remember what team that was that beat him like that, hmm for some reason I feel I should know this one!

2 s***ty goals, ahh hahahaha Eva I used to read your posts for info now I read them for a laugh. Good work my man! Talk about bad goals at a bad time, that phrase instantly makes me think Ozzie 5 hole. But sure that 5 on 3 goal was without a doubt Howies fault? Oh yeah Pavelski left wide open all alone in the slot, Howies fault too? A 5 on 4, the Sharks switch sides of the ice, and leave all 4 of the PKers on the opposite side of the ice, and Howie is supposed to do what? Ozzie does not make at least 3 of the saves Howard made last night, the one posted on Malhotra, the deflection off of Ralf that Thornton shot from the Blue line has eaten him up in the past as well, but lets say he gets that one. Howie's athletic ability put him in position to make at least 4 door step saves that I don't know if the current Ozzie gets any where near. Is he Luongo, nope, is he Broduer, nope he is Jimmy Howard, the Red Wing Goalie. So how about those face off numbers, or penalty totals, nah the real reason the Wings lost is Howard gave up two untimely goals, good deductive reasoning, skip the real problem and blame what you want.

And his face-offs, Duh! Seriously I actually wish that a goalie change would fix the situation, that would be a hell of a lot easier fix than what is really the problem. The Wings have not shown up for either the first or last 10 minutes of either game and that is when in fact they have lost both games. Well technically it was the first 2 and last 7, put you get my point. They are not showing up to start the game they look half a sleep and have given up multiple PP goals in the first 5. The game winner in each game was scored with less than 10 minutes left. Two 5-3 in one game, 3 in the series and we are two games into it. 10 pp, a 3 on 1 (lids had no stick so I guess 3 on 1.5). Like I said I wish the goalie switch would solve the problem, but hey at least J-ho didn't give up 6 in 2 periods, looking at you Niemi.

This award should be called the NHL Belly Flop Award, why you may ask. Well my silly friend because every year this award will go to the GM who signs the biggest name, in other words makes the biggest splash. Holland wins for signing Hossa. Devils GM for getting Kovy Whomever signs Kovy this offseason. Whomever signs the big agent after that. My problem with all of the coach and GM and other non player awards is this, you only win the award if your players play great. Dave Tippett, how many coach of the year votes does he get if the Yotes walk into the post season as a 7 or 8 seed. Does Bab get votes this year, doubt it, seriously doubt it. Now what Tippett and Crew have done in PHO is awesome, but how many tough roster decisions did he make this year. Did he move Doan around, did he make a goalie change mid way through the season, did he change defensive strategies, did he deal with a mass amount of injuries. NO, he just did a lot better than last year, with a much more motivated team, now there is a gm that deserves and award right there, he brings in a smart and disciplined coach, makes some great moves at the deadline. All while waiting to see where the team will be next season and who will own them. Opie's new idea for the NHL, give awards to players only, too many awards is over the top.

With all of the talk for another trophy (for d-men or other positions) this one makes sense, a trophy for most assists. I like it deeznutz! Not that my opinion means jack s*** though!

Jedi, I almost spit coffee all over the place, I had totally forgotten that, but in deed he did say that aloud didn't he! Where is Panger or Ferraro when you need them. s*** I would take Andy Brickley over that guy!

Even the announcers were on Mule saying he needed to step up and then in the next breath they talk about he is the first Red Wing in like 35 years to score points in all 7 games of a 7 game series. Yeah that sounds like suck to me? What? That line has been a puck possession machine(with Cleary or Holmer) and the only thing that kept Franzen from being the Mule was a man nicknamed Bryz! He was stoned on great doorstep chances and beautiful shots from the dots. Did everyone forget how well their goalie played, already?

It is always so hard to distinguish between Dats and Z for me because of what GMR just brought up. As i read what you typed, I was thinking, yeah and so was Z. The two play the game so hard in both ends, and back check so damn hard all the damn time. But for me, this time the difference was where they did their stopping. Dats was pulling the puck out from under Yotes all over the ice, but most of the time in the O-zone or Neutral zone, deflating the Yotes offense before it started. Z is much more of a shut you down in your offensive zone. Not trying to say one is more important than another, but I needed a way to not say they were tied.

I HATE THIS GUY AS AN ANNOUNCER! It is like he is trying to be Dennis Miller, except he talks like a normal person and throws weird big words all over the place, and I am not even sure half of them are actually words. Hey you guys remember when color guys were just calling the game, instead of trying to make a name for themselves. I remember a guy like that, Redmond or something like that. Just called the game as it was not bothering to try and be something more than a voice for people to listen to. What, Mickey is still announcing in this day and age, where Jack Edwards, Darryl Reaugh, Pierre and Millbury all have jobs, wow! /sarcasm I like very few announcers in any sport! Mickey and Jerry Remy are my two current favs, very hard to beat those two, class!

NO announcement, their are supposed close friends saying he will hang them up and then supposed close friends who say his competitive fire is as strong as ever, and he will not retire. I am praying Holland says: "Hey man, I said a long time ago, you walk and I walk. But what about a couple more years, I mean come on man this s*** is fun!!" In all seriousness, if he walks than I say congrats on an unbelievable career and thanks for always being a Red Wing, you were more than anyone could have asked you to be." However if he comes back this would be me: Thanks to HanKarin40 from the yotes photoshop thread!

RE: Bolded Last night I noticed Ozzie was indeed one of the very first guys to pat Howie on the back, and he didn't just tap him and walk away, he did the back up thing. He chatted in his ear, probably a bunch of good jobs, then walked away with Howie side by side. From the hockey I have watched over the years the back up is usually the last one out, and the two talk goalie talk as they walk back to the bench, or it is a tap on the helmet and walk away. Not with Ozzie and Howard. Ozzie, I think, sees this as a chance to extend his legacy. If Howie does indeed become the next netminder in Det, he will forever give credit to Ozzie. ---That sounded like I was saying Ozzie's motives were selfish, I don't believe they are, I believe he like Dats, Z, Lids, etc.. put the team ahead of his own needs and helped Howie, I just think he realizes that you can be remember for what you did when you weren't the man just as you will be remembered for what you did when you were the man!--- I said from the time Ozzie signed his last deal, he is the perfect back up for whomever becomes the starting netminder, the experience and the mindset he has, what a great tool to have after/before/during a game.

I read on MLIVE or yahoo, I can't remember, that they went on to SJ last night after the game!

Event eh Turco move I believe he credit Hull for the pass, the man is walking humilty, jeeeez go figure that, someone in the Red Wings locker room realizes the team is bigger than him and has humility about himself. I mean it is not like the Wings have had some of the must humble players (also really talented Lids, Yzerman, etc...) who put the team before them! Man I love being a fan of the Red Wings, it is tough for the other teams I root for though, as I have started to expect this success from all of the teams I root for.

Howard will need to step up a bit, don't get me wrong, I love the kid in the pipes for the Wings, but the only reason COL was even remotely in this series was Anderson. That kid was stopping 50 shots a night it seemed like. The offense is more potent than Pho, and pho hung some big numbers on the J-Ho. I think the goaltending edge actually goes to Howard on this one, only because it seems like the Wings own Nabby. I see this one going 6, and of course I am calling Wings! Wings win games 1 on the road!

NOt sure how many of you saw Jimmy's post game interview but when asked about Lids playing like a 40 he laughed, an honest to goodness, that was a funny question laugh, then said, I don't see it, you know people say he lost a step out there but I still think he is the best out there. True dat J-HO! I will take three more years of lids please!

I am starting to see similar things in a 26 year old Flip that we saw in a 26 year old Datsyuk, now he may never have the dekes that Dats has, but he has the work ethic on both ends of the ice. He has a little Z in him two, sneaky shots, started using that one handed carry that Z uses so well. The kid has been surrounded by high end talent and has taken the opportunity to learn from it, congrats, and keep it up. My top 5 MVPs: (yes it was that hard to pick one or two) Dats Z Howie Lids Flip No shot at Flip being #5 he belongs in the conversation, and so don't Mule and Homer, and what about the checkers, how many times in last nights game alone did a red wing player come up from behind and absolutely thieve the puck while the Coyote was skating away? Awesome team game for 60 minutes last night.

I found it interesting during the game (if you watched Versus) those two horrible announcers were talking about J-Ho and his lack of success in the AHL (Stats compared to what he did in the NHL) and they said; he was pressuring himself to be perfect, so that he could get to the big club as early as possible. But then learned that if he was patient good things would come his way. GO HOWARD GO WINGS!

hmmmm..... Claude Turtle without a doubt, but current player, Ott.

Drake are you really expecting them to back up anything they are saying with anything that remotely resembles logic. These are the guys saying a player who has never played in the Wings system is better suited than a guy that was already in the Wings system. And they are basing that off of the fact that said player scored fewer points while playing with superior talent than Hudler did. See where I am going here, your logic is not working on them young Jedi! Edit: Oh oh oh, I forgot the main reason why he fits is he is NA and will fight, can't forget that, even though the Red Wings just had their worst season in about 19 years and showed a serious lack of scoring depth, what they really need is a guy willing to throw down!

This! Couldn't agree more!

NBA I only watch Celtics games now, I used to watch every playoff series, I do in almost all sports (even Cricket if I can find it televised which is tough any more), but in the NBA I can not follow the game any more. Whomever has the best 2 players wins. When the C's beat the lakers Paul and KG were better than Kobe (who was better than any one single player) and whomever else you want to add. The Duncan/Parker years. I miss the 130-120 games, I hate the fact that the NCAA does a 300% better job officiating the game. It is the game with the absolute most bias when it comes to officiating. I am not even talking about names, I mean guard and Center collide, foul on the center almost guaranteed. This is why I feel the NHL really needs to crack down on the inconsistency of officials, the gambling thing didn't help the NBA, but the officials beyond the Donahey (SP) scandal are still the biggest problem in the game, it gets no flow. The inconsistencies of officiating in the NHL is really starting to become a concern, I wouldn't be surprised to hear Franzen suspended over his hit last game, but certain players hit like that all year and got away with it, does Franzen deserve penalty under the new head rule, probably but I don't think so ( I am bias). Officiating is a big problem in every sport because as the players get younger, faster, stronger, bigger, and smarter the officials keep getting older and older and slower and slower. That my internet friends is a bad combination!

What little I heard through the TSN feed sounded like Jimmy Jimmy to me? But the only time I Really picked it up was after the Helmet coming off, at that point maybe the fans had there s*** together, plus I was listening to it pretty low, until the mask popped off, then I turned that s*** UP!!!!

The most famous example of that T.Low would be Salo in the 2002 Olympics, when he ducked his head while jumping for the puck and it went past his ducking head and in. Weird explanation and the only vids I could find on youtube were in Russian I think ( in the 12 seconds I took), so I didn't post one but most of us remember that moment. Just before OT were to start I think. Same thing though with Salo I guess he could have lost sight of it, but that looked like a "Oh s*** it is going Brain me, DUCK!!!" type of move. As opposed to the Yzerman goal against St. Louis, when whomever it was (I can't believe I would have to look this up! D'Oh) just misplayed it, the body language on that one was more of a I got this one, ooops no I don't. Where as to me Salo was getting out of the way!

well the simple solution to that is any intentional throwing of the goalie mask is a penalty or Penalty shot. I really think they should stop the play instantly, even if it were the other way around (as in Det has the scoring chance). Safety is a big issue, can you imagine if some one (unintentionally) from the Yotes was able to get a quick spin around slap shot of on the rebound, get it up in his face, that has broken bones written all over it. There is a reason goalies are not allowed to play sans mask, this is not the original 6 era any more, players would not refuse to shoot high, granted curve of blade makes some of the top shelf shots easier now than they were back in the day. The way some of the guys in the league hit, I can hardly imagine what they would do given the chance to rip a shot at a mask-less goalie. Can you imagine if that puck lands on Steve Downie's stick ( I know wrong team but bare with me, please), how many of you for a second don't worry about him firing a shot off of Jimmy's face intentionally? Even for a second, I would not trust that Downie in that situation.

Yeah RivalRed I was almost 100% positive of that rule myself but the way the game went I started to wonder if it was only College. But I am almost 100% they are supposed to stop the game immediately! Seein Red Thanks for clearing that up!