Doc Holliday

That's the problem when you are a standup goaltender trying to be butterfly. I don't get his little swat the puck away move when he tries to stop a five hole shot. Seriously, keep the stick there.

This team could not finish tonight. Seriously. What is going on with the forwards?

If they didn't collapse in the final stretch they would have won at least 5 more games. Absolutely ridiculous.

Of all his five hole goals against, that was probably the best one. I mean you have Backstrom THAT close to the net and he will likely have a good shot at scoring. Osgood having trouble with the butterfly but there was a million things wrong with that situation.

Because it was all Osgood tonight? Yeah, makes sense.

Theo: I actually fixed up the Homer picture so it would look more realistic.

Last time I checked we aren't chasing the Wild either. And they are a team that has scored 31 in their last 10. That's one goal less per game than the Capitals in their last ten. When it comes to ease on the goaltender, Osgood should be playing Minnesota, and Howard tonight. He at least had some time to rest after the back to backs. Did you just start watching the Wings? http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...ris_osgood.html It isn't like Babs was killing Osgood, but it was Holland who fixed the problem with Osgood.

None of this correlates to what has transpired. Osgood is cold. Very cold. Going up against a team that in their last ten games scored 43 goals. That is a 4.3 GFA. They are hot. Very hot. Osgood's not feeling like he isn't being appreciated. He feels like both him and Howard are not being played to their potential. First Howard gets almost no starts. Now Osgood is getting no starts. If Osgood shuts out the Capitals will it be a month where Howard goes back to riding the bench? Osgood's media comments shouldn't have been said, but at the same time he isn't doing it to prop himself up.

Osgood shouldn't be talking to the media about this. He should be talking to Babcock. We should only be guessing at your thoughts on how Babcock is running things and this is only going to make people's opinions of it worse. That said, what a terrible time to put in a goaltender that hasn't started in a month. Against arguably the best offensive team in the NHL? What the hell, Babs?

Dan Ellis threw Detroit fits in one game. Hiller was not a big deal considering most of Detroit's shots were perimeter shots due to the Ducks defense. Giguere didn't throw Detroit fits in 07 (03 he did) because again the Ducks provided some serious team defense to help their goaltender. Kipper is probably the most recent guy who has really hurt Detroit in the playoffs, though that was i 04. Anywho, if Howard gets the reins for the playoffs I'll be all for him. I just hope this doesn't turn out to be another 06 Legace fiasco.

Good to know there is no Osgood hatred on the forums...

Just give him ONE game against a not so great team to boost his confidence for crying out loud. Just something. He is rusting right now and I can't remember the last time a goaltender was out for this long without the GM telling him to cool off or have some conditioning stint. If he had played the Dallas game I sincerely doubt Howard would have let the Chicago game go to overtime.

Really? Two shots to the gut means he is making good stops against Hossa? If Hossa hadn't completely whiffed on his last second shot the game would have been over in overtime (not to blame Howard but he wasn't about to save the best chance Hossa had). Come on, every goaltender makes those saves and they are nothing special. Also you wouldn't know what the alternative is because the alternative hasn't played a full game for almost a month now. And the one time he was able to play he came in cold against a team that was absolutely spanking the team in front of him. And "wasn't great" is quite the understatement regarding the shootout. He made it way too easy on the shooters.

The best post in the history of LGW. Like ever.

Depends on how soon you get there. All the unsold tickets are available until the game is sold out so if there are seats next to each other you will be able to get seats next to each other. If you want that, you might want to arrive pretty early. I went with a date once (we are both very thrifty), we got there probably a half hour before the game started and we ended up getting seats on opposite ends of the rink. Lower bowl seats are available for $40. Relatively early. Probably no later than a half hour after the doors to the Joe open. If you get there too early then you at least can marvel in awe at all the banners hanging in the rafters and talk hockey. If you get there too late...well no hockey.

You obviously didn't since you misrepresented my position.

I'm saying they should have rested Howard because he looked much more tired than normal and not on his usual game. That was what I believed before the game and that's what I believe after the game. Could Osgood have won the game? Maybe. Could he have let in more goals than Howard and kept the Wings from getting a point? Absolutely. Was the risk so substantial that Howard needed to play two games in a row? Not in my opinion.

I never said that.

Bingo. A sponsor is huge for revenue which is why it is implemented in virtually every arena, stadium, ballpark, etc. It is possible to use the corporate name without it being so obvious (such as "Great American Ballpark" for the Cincinnati Reds).

This.

How much would it cost to create an ice rink in the Palace?

I'm not going with an I told you so. I don't think Howard's play tonight was up to how well he had played previously. Go ahead, try and give me phrases like "oh he kept them in the game" or "he made some good saves." If that doesn't work in Osgood's favor then it doesn't work in Howard's either. He did not stop a shot he should have and it hurt Detroit. And you have no idea how Osgood would have played because HE HASN'T PLAYED A GAME IN ALMOST AN ENTIRE MONTH. But hey, I guess Howard is always doing good and Osgood will suck every single game he plays in, right? I love LGW.

Well the issue is Babcock has dug his own hole and caused Osgood to be so rusty that the odds of him playing up to par with how he has played during segments of the season are almost nil. He is tiring out Howard and keeping Osgood from getting any playing time which is going to hurt them both in performance. It is possible that Osgood could have gotten a point out of either of those games (especially considering Howard let in a huge softie right after the Wings had a great scoring chance) but he isn't getting any playing time so it doesn't matter. Howard is a rookie and shouldn't be asked to start 60+ games for this team.

Okay he made SOME great saves and at no point did I think "man the Wings should be down by two or three goals right now". Howard did not have a good game and it was basically because of the fact he was playing two back-to-backs.

He wasn't horrible, but in no way shape or form was he awesome tonight.