Octopus's Garden

MULE!!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE7vFa9V7oQ

Ahh yes, Columbus ... first place I go for hard-hitting and insightful hockey commentary.

At this rate, Montreal will be lucky to take them 6. And then only the banged-up Bruins are left.

It'd be nice if the Pens had to at least try before the finals. Krejci hurt

Well played, sir. Though I'm curious how the EN happens ... Sharks pull the goalie down 4-0? Wings add two more after the EN? No matter how it happens, I'll take it.

Just a small-town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going a-ny-where. Just a city boy, born and raised in ...

I still think he's coming back for one more, but I don't know why. FanHouse

History Will Be Made, right? The NHL's marketing department set the table for the Wings to rally and take this thing. Let's just get it to Saturday.

I saw a similar situation to this play out recently in Detroit ... The Pistons won the NBA title, made it to the Finals the next year and lost in 7, made it to the conference finals the year after that, and then pretty suddenly fell off the face of the Earth -- they decided it wasn't working anymore, so they blew it up because they were worried about players getting too old or losing the fire. I know that the Wings have been a lot more stable as a contender than the Pistons, but ... Now, granted, Ken Holland is leaps and bounds ahead of Joe Dumars as a general manager (at least in my mind), but it's still scary when a team drops from the pinnacle of its sport to a stumbling also-ran. Hudler's back next year, but it's hard to imagine there not being a couple more changes. And whenever that becomes a possibility, it carries with it the chance of not working. I hope that the Wings will stay a major threat -- and I believe that they will given the talent they'll bring back next year -- but it's still a little sobering.

Please, no. The Palace is a pain in the ass to get to and would only lower attendance. Not to mention the last thing Detroit needs is a sports team to relocate for a couple of years.

There is no way this is a penalty in that situation. Had this happened off the Williams "shot" and the puck ricocheted out to the two guys coming out, then it's probably a call. Here ... No. Williams sucks. I hope he gets benched even if Eaves is out. Play Meech.

OK, I'm already backtracking. I said I'd be shocked if there was a game 5. I take it back. I think this team has too much veteran experience and too much pride to just roll over. Does that mean that they'll automatically win on Thursday? No, but I refuse to assume that game's a loss. I just want there to be Wings hockey on Saturday night. Is that too much to ask?

The third goal was a killer ... terribly defended (WHERE WAS EVERYONE?!) and an unacceptable goal for Howard to give up. Ozzie's had more than a few bad goals in the playoffs, but Detroit's usually had some room for error. They didn't tonight and once it got to 3-3, all the momentum was in SJ's corner. That's an easy save that Howard absolutely had to have.

Can we just get one? Let's just get the "If Necessary" off Saturday and see. The Caps played like dog s*** up 3-1 at home last round. So did the Pens. There's a lot of pressure on the home team in that game, but not a huge sense of urgency so it's winnable. But they have to get to Saturday. Then we'll see. Maybe this team will take off now that there's nothing to lose ... probably not, but who knows.

Come back, Maltby.

Not sure about you ... but this just makes me want game 7 last season back so much worse. People take for granted how hard it is to get in that position.

I'd be shocked if this even goes 5 at this point.

What a disgusting way to lose. Ericsson pinches for no reason, Williams responds by ripping a shot 40 feet over the goal so it kicks to center ... f*** this. Just end it Thursday.

Williams. You ******* worthless sack of horse s***.

How about a penalty on the Sharks off the faceoff and then a PP goal by Lidstrom 10 seconds in?

4-1 Wings. Goals from Homer, Zetterberg, Bertuzzi and Rafalski. Howard makes 28 saves.

No Eaves tonight, per MLive. Jason Williams hat trick comin' right up. (A Jason Williams hat trick being two turnovers on the power play and a penalty)

What will I do for the rest of the playoffs if the Wings get eliminated in Round 2? Uh ... I'd prefer not to plan for that possibility.

I hate this thread more than I hate Sidney Crosby. Ok ... as much as I hate Sidney Crosby. Ok ... not nearly as much as I hate Sidney Crosby. But a lot.