TheXym

Good chance by Gus. Finally a PP. Bury it! Let's Go Wings!

Wrong thread again Marty.

With all of the cap space this year, maybe Mr. Illitch is tired of the cheap comments and is going to spend some on fines for the octopi.

Been too long since Sobotka got to do the octowhirl. Let's Go Wings!

Look at the consistency of production and effort by Pav compared to Mule. Pavs has been an on-ice dynamo most of the time, not to mention a human highlight reel.

DeKeyser owning Tarasenko that sequence.

Blues getting chippy. A shame Tootoo isn't playing. Perhaps it's time for a Kronwalling?

Vladdy16 hits the nail in the head. Wings fans have been spoiled for decades with Illitch. Those who were here for the lean years before can fully appreciate it. Those who've only been fans since the "boom years" can't fully appreciate what we have as Wings fans. I've said it before about how NO GM in the league is going to give Detroit a break in a deal and be responsible for helping them get back on top. Decades of low draft picks, high amounts of man games lost to injury, the tragic ends to the careers of Konstantinov and Fischer... it's truly amazing the Wings have been able to succeed as long as they have. This is a down year in a big way and they are STILL in contention for a playoff spot. I'm NOT saying long-time fans are better, but folks need some perspective. Illitch has been the model owner for an NHL franchise in many ways.

I don't know he's not on thenright side of the ref bell curve, that's for sure. McCreary was a great ref. I always busted on Kerry Fraser for his Kevlar gelled hair (got into Buccigross's column in espn for it too), but liked him as a ref. After reading his book and tsn.ca column my esteem for him has only gone up.

This. I'll be more than happy to snipe about a bad or missed call, but we've got to be realistic. Let's Go Wings!

Don't forget, they said Halloran got to handpick the officiating team for his 1000th game.

Great play on the backcheck by Filppula there.

DeKeyser looking great so far. PK stands tall. Build on it guys!

Is it just me or did Kocur look like he wanted to chokeslam the poison dwarf in the jersey reveal?

I also miss them all. I thought of this in the GDT, but I'm reposting here. Does Rafalski still have any role in the organization? He could be a great "consultant" by coming in to GR or Det and working with our young D in the pipeline on the outlets.

He did indeed. Though not the way he likely wanted to. I'm calling Freudian slip towards Pierre.

Very true. Maybe some of the young D we have in the pipeline will come close to matching that someday. Does Raffy still have any role in the organization? He might make a great "consultant" in GR at times.

Babcock trying to keep a straight face with Pierre there.

Agreed. Couple of average saves by Howard there. I still remember him geting lit up in his first few starts and being ready to throw him under the bus. I was glad to eat crow then, and the guy is still serving it up to his current doubters. Like that save right there. Cue Van Halen's "Top Jimmy"

Got me. As long as it goes both ways. Pietrangelo hurt?

Well played. We could just fly off the precipice of grossly inappropriate and say "DD" D and cue Carlos Mencia saying "Dee Dee Dee" whenever he makes such a killer defensive play that it make the other guy look dumb for even trying it. Or maybe that's my scotch talking. (I'm enjoying some of The Macallan for this game).

O'Halloran got to handpick the officiating crew? While I can appreciate 1,000 games worked, I'm not sure that's the most appropriate way to recognize it.

Helped by the post on that.

So far so good. We have our first "DRIVE!"

Great D on Tarasenko by DeKeyser there.