Dynheart

Honestly, your hate towards Osgood is getting annoying (not to mention your love for Howard). Howard lets in 4 goals that he should have saved and you say "the team let him down". Osgood get's scored on with 2 tips and a point blank shot and you say "not very good stats"...Seriously, it's about the quality of the shots. Those were 3 goals he had no chance at. NONE! But whatever. Why you contiune to post here when 95% of the people here can't stand your posts is beyond me. Osgood played an exceptional game. And for a goaltender who is not very big (guess that's his fault too, eh?) I think he does well being that's he's like 5ft 10.

Well the wings played awesome the first 40, first 10 in the 3rd was all kings, then we picked it back up, but the diffrence was goaltending. IMO Goal 1,2,4,5 are all on howie here. 3rd one was off a skate, but seriously, his angle was off anyway. I think Ozzie needs to help him with deflecting the puck to the corner (Ozzie is one of the few that do it well anymore...prolly because he's still old school stand up in that regard). Howie's kick saves are not good, his blocker saves aren't that great. His glove hand is his meat and potatos...but that's even streaky. We knew it when he came into the league. Really good...or...really bad. Ozzie may be a lock of 3 goals most nights anymore, but atleast it's consistant. Howie needs some work on that. I also think he could pitch in on the offense. Perhaps Ozzie can help with that as well (quite under rated with his puck handling IMO). Not doubt he's the wings main man, but he still needs some work. Not giving up on the guy, just facts really. Looking at his stats for the year its like 4GA 85% 5GA 88% 4GA 84% 1GA 98% 2GA 93% 4GA 89% 2GA 96% You get the picture. As far as offense goes...so we got shut out, 1-0, 2-0 or even 3-0EN final would have been OK against a hot goalie...Poor Howie got schooled and Quick schooled the offense. Just bow down and go to the next game.

I think the point people are making here is not that fact he score or not. Quick is playing great...if we lose we lose...we lose 2-0, fine then. But Howie let up really bad shots. He's been going down to early, and his angles are way off...and his rebound control today is that of a pee-wee player. It's the goals he let up. If he let up difficult crazy ...can't do a dang thing about goals then fine. He flat out stunk it up.

That's no excuse. That, IMO, is what seperates the good from the great. You need to stay focused. Rememeber those good goaltender duels in the playoffs? So your team in dominating. You don't go into the deflated mentality...then you let your team down. Quick is playing out of his mind. Howard should be up to the task. This has nothing to do with no gas in the tank or deflating feelings. He. Craped. The. Bed. Simple as that. The first to softies set the tone.

I disagree. The shots howard faced in the first 2 periods were easy shots...he let up to stinkers. I firmly believe Ozzie would have had those 2. A totally diffrent game in the third if it's 0-0.

You know, I had some faith in Howie, I really did. But other than his good 5 game start, and a couple of random great games here and there, for 75% of his game played he's let in 3-6 goals a game. I say play Ozzie atm, he seems more solid, plus it will get Howards head back in the game. Other than the ducks game, he looks lost out there the last 12 or so games (offense has been on fire, hence the reason for the wins). As I type this he lets in goal number 5. He looks bad out there. Have Ozzie finish the game, and start the next IMO.

Such is the way of the RW goalie life. Right now, everybody is on the Howie wagon, have done left the Ozzie wagon and have branded him the whippin' boy. Ozzie did it to Vernon, Howie is no exception. When Ozzie retires, Howie will be the next whippin boy, and the people who praise him now, will turn their backs on him when lets in a bad goal, has a bad game or even a bad stretch, because all red wing goalies should be down right perfecto. Hence the whole "what have you done for me lately" stigma all RW goalies get. Ozzie knew it, delt with it, and still performed 90% of his career. I hope Howie is ready, because like I said...once Ozzie retires...Howie is next on the fans whippin' boy list.

Most people don't take something into consideration on that 2nd goal against Pheonix (NOT a weak goal at all!)...You take an NHL calibur shooter, Yandle has an excellent shot, give him time to pick his spot, it's going in. I don't care who's in net, the god that is Jimmy Howard would have let that in. Go watch the play again. Why was Ozzie going up and down from butterfly to standing up before the shot? Yandle had like 5 seconds to pick his shot before he shot. And even then, there STILL wasn't anybody to challenge him after he shot. When the puck went in, he was still alone in the circle...no red wing there whatsoever. So your a goalie faced with an excellent shot giving him an 5ish seconds to shoot(more than enough for NHL players), you challenge, Ozzie did just that...the friggin puck went through a small, a very small hole he left top corner. You would think people who watch hockey would understand that situation and say "good shot, good goal"...instead the people here cry "weak goal". /shrug EDIT: Congo rats on 398. Only 6 to go to take over 9th of all time.

The team looks awful. Hell, they awful last game too. I blame this game mostly on the team infront of the goalies (and for all you Howard lovers, it would probably be the same score, if not maybe 0-3 with him in net...the D has given up that many high scoring chances). I also am glad to see people expecting an 82-0 season from our red wings. Not to mention if they do lose, it better be a 1 goal game. Honestly, most of you need to get off your high horse...your s*** doesn't stink. Lastly, for all of you who play the "but they are pros" card...remember, so are the players the are playing against (bet most of you don't even think about that). There...glad I got that out. May as well just cross our fingers Mule is ok, and we leave this mess unharmed.

Hate to say this, but if it were Ozzie in the net this thread would be singing a diffrent tune (remember the pens game? 3 goals in 20 shots...in the first period alone. no love from this site). Anyway, hopfully Howie can get bounce back. Regardless if they were screens defelctions or not, a save would be nice (just keeping the same expecations that are expected for Ozzie). Now that-that's out of my system. I think this game is a wash...We are running 1/4 of an NHL line up with no star players, Just work on staying healthy.

Not your typical "Osbad" topic. I was just sitting here thinking all the flak this poor guy gets because he's not on the same level as Broduer, Roy, Lundqvist etc etc... Seeing as how the other teams are starting to catch on to Hollands mind set with goalies (Stacked defense and goalie to get the job done) without success, it makes you wonder. Is Osgood as bad as most people say he is? Think about it. Not many, if at all, teams make it far, let alone the play-offs, with a "cheap" goalie. They just cannot get it done. Ozzie being one of those "cheap" goalies just to get the job done, and looking at his success', even in the regular season (past couple years been hard on him...can't beat the clock) he seems better than just a cheap option. Is he elite? Nope. But He's a damn good goaltender in my book, especially looking back the last 4-5 years with how other teams adapting to the stacked D and servicable goalie. He probably wont get it now, but I sure how the man gets his due respect after he retires. The guy has been hazed hardcore.

Not really a "fan" of any player on the team. But I have seen your replies. You will stop at anything to give a quick jab towards Osgood. You would think he would have shut up people like you after all these years. Guess not, though. Shoot 'em while their down. I guess you may have forgotten that Osgood played, cold...and rusty...agaist a hot Philly team. Not to mention they are playing desperate to make the play-offs and also are a high scoring team. He only let in 3 goals. So I think he could get it done once he gets warmed up. All he needs is 1 period. Seriously though, I believe you, and like a few others, would rather see the Wings fail in the 1st round to get Howard some experience than the possiblity Osgood taking this team to another possible cup run. And nobody here knows if he can do it or not...Christ I just wish the fans would just root for the team than an individual.

You'd figure people around here would think twice before they count Osgood out. How many times does this guy need to shut up media and fans alike? But alas. As far as Ozzie in for Howard? Tough one. Ozzie in the Philly game look horrible the first period (to be expected...hardly plays). But the 2nd and 3rd period he was getting better and better. Only let in 3 goals that game...rusty... I mean RUSTY. But the play-offs are a diffrent beast. Ozzie has proven he can handle it, but would it be enough? Honestly none of us know, not even the self proclaimed couch coaches. After todays game, there's a time a time where a player has to step up big. It was Howies time to shine...he dropped the ball with that 4th goal. He knew it, just look at the body language after the goal. I say one more game. If we win next game 6-4 or 7-5, I say play Osgood. Even rusty, against a high scoring philly team, he let in 3 goals rusty. If we lose big next game I say play Ozzie. If we lose 1-0 or 2-1..then I say keep playing Howie.

Howard is really stinkin' it up. Over playing the puck, and his postioning has been horrible, and his rebound control has been boarderline high school league level. Right now he is reminding me of olympic version of Nabokov. WAAAY out of the crease, reading the play wrong ontop of his poor positioning = goals. Not to mention they are easy goals. Just one little deke and he drops and the whole net is open for the other team. Granted some of the goals were not his fault, but 11 goals in 3 games is not exceptable. And for the people who say "his defense let him down"...that excuse is only good for a few gaffs. Detroit is gonna be out played sometimes, so far is been half the time...he needs to make those saves. Remember that LA game? 51 saves was it? That's what he needs to do. IMO this is what seperates the good goalies from the great goalies. Anyway, somebody needs to tell him he doesn't needs to be 20 ft out of the blue paint to make a simple save (which ends up with a horrible rebound and a high scoring chance, if it's not in the net already).

Lawl!

Do you factor in nerves with this equation? I mean he is human, he is aloud to have nerves, right? Can you even do something that is routine, but accidently mess up? I really don't think people consider the mental game when it comes to sports. Sure you can do that in practice, I mean you are in the comfort of you friends/team mates. No pressure. Get thrown into a game where you haven't played in 3 months...you start to get nervous. Then you start to doubt your judgement...from there your confidence starts to wane. It's all one big train wreck. This just doesn't apply to hockey, but with all sports...hell it could even be with things such as making a simple analysis on a certain engine or car part...meh

If you are mad for over 24 hours after a loss then I feel sorry for you. Seriously, it's just a hockey game. It's fun winning, but you have to realize that they are going to lose. They can play their hearts out and still lose. All it takes is a hot goaltender. Sooner or later the red wings will falter abit. Maybe even alot. We'll all look back to days like this (saying X player sucks etc etc) and then realize how good we had it as wing fans. The things people take for granted nowadays. /shrug

If you read what I typed...Confidence...play reading...nerves...rhythm. Do these not apply to all sports? Golf? Tennis? Lacrosse? Hell even ping pong. And bowling at a competitive level is very detailed. I'm not talking about simply walking up the approach with a house ball and throwing it. I'm talking oil patterns, angles, ball speed vs velocity. release, and what angle your hand should be when you release so you don't to much hook into it. My point really was that all sports include Confidence, play reading...the nerves and needing to get a rythm/groove. I agree. He was getting better as the game went along. I believe the first 2 periods he was playing very nervously. When you get overly nervous, you make bad choices. When he settled down, he looked MUCH better in net.

I think the people here forget that even the pros are human. They lost, get over it. Yea they get paid...alot...but them losing doesn't effect you in any way personally. It's not like someone in your family gets killed every time they lose. What's their record as of late? 13-1-2? Is that record really that horrible...but alas.

There's a saying. If you don't use it, you lose it. With Osgood today, that was te case. I neve said I played hockey, I bowl. I average inbewteen 225-232(my highest HELD average). There was a time where I took almost 7 months off, but I did practice. I know the basics/fundamentals of bowling...been bowling for 25 years. When you practice with bowling the oil patterns aren't set up professionally, plus the evirionment isn't competitive (that can never be emulated). I practiced for a good 3 weeks and was doing fine until I hit the league. I was averaging 153 for 2 weeks. Evertually it went up dramatically, but it took me 2 weeks of bowling (was a small tourny). Eventually I was back to form and tearing it up. What does this have to do with hockey? Even though the sport is diffrent, the same rules apply to all sports. Need to play the actual game (contrary to popular belief, practice just helps with basics. Never does practice feel or even comes close to the actual game). You sit cold in any sport you begin to doubt yourself. Your nerves and cofidence are probably shot, and your game reading abilities are fuzzy at best. 1 game in almost 3 months in ANY sport in ANY position, regardless of practice, you are not going to play well. Period.

I love how people who do not play professional hockey can sit there and say 'even though he hasn't played in 3 months it's no excuse". Practice is a totally diffrent beast then the actual game. I think Ozzie played OK considering how long he has been cold. Plus the team played like garbage...and just to remind people who say Howard would have won...the wings played better yesterday than they did today and he still let in 4 goals. Doesn't matter, though. People will hate. People will talk like they belong in the hall of fame, and have what it takes to be a pro hockey player. The reason why I'm saying this is people expected Ozzie to come in and light it up. I knew he wasn't going to, regardless of how much he practices (totally diffrent environment). Alot of things could take place: Confidence, nerves...getting a rythm. 1 full game in three months will not give you those three key things. This actually applies to ALL sports (I used to bowl...stopped playing when I was averaging 231, played about 7 months later. LOL barely broke 150. Took a couple of weeks to get back into the groove). Anyway, kudos to Ozzie for finishing the game strong (he DID get better as the game went along).

Haven't read the thread, but I'm going to take a stab and say Ozzie was bashed to hell and back. I think he played OK considering he really hasn't played AT ALL for almost 3 months. So 4 goals against with him being as cold as he was, I think he did an OK job. To me he looked like he was getting better and more confident as the game went on. It didn't help that the wings played like absolute garbage, and Babcock decides to scratch Lilja...for Lebda...(for the love of god why???). Would we have won with Howard in net. Probably, but I believe the goal from here on out isn't about the wins, although they are helpful, but to get everybody going.

My thoughts exactly.

I'll anwser with my opinion. To me it's not the physical aspect, but the mental aspect. This is a part of the game which people clearly under estimate. Really, it's with every sport. You see I'm a bowler and, I can tell you from experience, that when you're on strike 11 going for 12...all I can say is that I blew so many 300s that way. Nervous...shakey...doesn't matter how many times you get there, it's all the same feeling. Some handle it some don't. I eventaully got my first 300...problem solved. This is hockey, though...faster, frantic...WAYYY more physical. So I can only imagine what the what it does to somebody, let alone a rookie, when he does infact get there. Other than that I believe he's an awesome goalie, but I question the mental toughness, not the physcial...and that's all to be honest. All we can do is wait and see.

I'll give you that...troofs!