TheXym

I think that some of the loss to Boston and the statistical disappearance of the young guns taught them they need to keep cranking it up a notch for the playoffs. They were strong down the stretch, but either they felt "mission accomplished" after getting in and were just happy to be there (like the 1995 finals) or didn't fully get the need to take up to yet another level due to their inexperience.

There is another vid of that with game footage of the game seven loss, and lots of sad leaf fan pics, plus one of the best arena signs I've ever seen - "How do the Maple Leafs have a web site when they can't put 3 W's together?"

Very true, you almost need to lose in the playoffs to learn how to win. Think back to how the Devils crushed the Wings in 1995 (I had tix for game 5 if it had happened), but that set the table in some ways for the 97 and 98 wins. I remember the victory lap with the Campbell trophy for winning the conference because it had been such a long drought. Even though on paper, the Wings should have won the Finals, that belied that mentally they weren't quite there yet, and the Scott Stevens destroying of Kozlov became a metaphor for the series. The adding of Shanahan and the experience from '95 were key to the subsequent success. 2002 was a cup that should have been a no brainier, but if not for Lidstrom's long range score on Cloutier, they could have been gone in the first. So many things have to go right in a playoff run to get the cup. Cujo played great in goal for the Wings when he was here, but the boys gave him no run support, and Cujo was unfairly blamed for early exits by many. Last year's stretch run to the playoffs was a step for the younger players, but they didn't know how to get it done in the post season, and Boston was a good team. That experience paid off this year - Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan are all playing at the high end of expectations for them, if not exceeding them. If our boys stay healthy, they have a chance in a seven game series against any team in the league his year. They may not be favorites, but I don't think they will get blown out by anyone if they are healthy.

My guilty pleasure is binge watching sci-if shows like Stargate, Babylon 5, Firefly, BSG, or series like 24 or the Walking dead. I'm also guilty of binging on the Xbox at times. TPBM has met one of their favorite actor/musician/athletes in person.

It was completely a joke, brother. The Fail Out Boy was the hint. . I'm sick of the song from NHL15 and a coworker singing it incessantly over the summer while I was helping him build a solar pavilion. One night my wife and I were out and had a couple adult beverages and the song came on, and she asked me "What the f*** is a mup, and why would you light it?" I thought it was funny, anyway.

Looking forward to this, it's been too long. I will likely miss the first part of the game due to a rehearsal, so any and all detailed recap of the play will be appreciated. Hopefully they can light a mup (no idea what that means, or why Fail Out Boy sings about it, but I think it involves the Wings scoring several goals more than their opponents). Sweet GDT graphic, BTW!

Bastille Day - Rush

Agreed.

It's nice to see the Wings get the attention, but ESPN has not been a source for good hockey coverage since they stopped broadcasting the games. Still, thanks for sharing the link.

Life, in a Nutshell - Barenaked Ladies

Correct, The The Van Halen. Kip's hockey position

If it's with my wife, relax on the beach. If it's with my best friends, the adventure vacation. Stargate SG-1 or Stargate Atlantis?

Nope, I avoided them. Vampires do NOT sparkle. I heard way too much about them from the girls in my jr high choirs at the time. The only redeeming thing from the movies was the Muse song, and that's a stretch. TPBM is a huge science fiction fan.

Harold and Kumar remake - Gustav and Tatar

Somebody needs to photoshop Kenny in the cupola of a tank. I'm thinking a WWII era Sherman or, if ya want to be completely ridiculous, a WWI tank. (If you want to be way too obnoxious, put a turret on a short bus).

Great article. Thanks for sharing the link. I'd be perfectly fine if Prust wore the Winged Wheel.

Too much metaphysical postulating and not enough getting the wheels on the tank,

Indoors, especially with the subzero wind chill we had Tuesday A.M. Chicken wings or chicken tenders?

I'd have put Semin in a musical due to his mad bongo skills. Bully in an 80's teen angst movie - Dion Phaneuf. He just has that face that screams "I'm a ******" even without the dirty Sanchez-like mustache.

Linkin Park Repeated article

Philly won twice in the early 70's, so it isn't 50 for them.

Buffalo snapping their streak couldn't have happened to a better opponent, imho, from a tactical sense for the Wings.

Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz

Depends on my mood. There is a great Mexican place near me, and some decent Italian places. My wife cooks both well. Add my welcome to the new Scotch fan. Diehard Macallan fan here. Dunkin' Donuts, Tim Horton's, or Krispy Kreme?

I'm The Man - Anthrax