RockyMountainWingGal

Agreed. Wouldn't go so far as to blame Hasek for the loss, but he was making those saves on Tuesday. Pucks weren't going in for us tonight - but give Giguere credit - he was the MVP of that game. Babcock is fine - we're here in part because he's done a great job coaching.

yeah I only listen to the guy cause he's amusing in the least. He did 1) call out Pronger for the hit 2) praise Homer for his MVP type play and 3) admit he underestimated the Wings He was so bummed the Sharks lost - it kind of cracked me up. I don't care that he picks vs us - it's working.... IMO the Ducks are in trouble: he kept saying how GREAT and unbeatable the Sharks were - then he said the same thing about the Ducks - and we've got ourselves a real series folks

Burnside has been writing some very nice aritcles about the WIngs regulary now in the post-season. Plus, he's the only one that picked us this series - go Burnside! I've been asking myself all season how I would feel about the Wings' first playoff run w/o Yzerman (and Shanny too). But especially the captain since we went on our run the previous 15 years with him at the helm (save for a few injury-laden times). I was worried I would be upset if the Wings suddenly made a deep run - just after Stevie left - after they stunk for him the last several post-seasons. Well here I find myself loving this team and this run as much as ever. When I try to figure why - there are a few reasons that stand out. 1. Lidstrom has been an amazing captain. He's so quiet and reserved I wasn't sure what that would mean during the playoffs. Obviously, he leads much by example on the ice, much like Stevie, and the players definitely follow. Couldn't think of a classier captain to replace our last one (big shoes to fill). We're truly blessed. 2. There are enough vets on this team that I've been watching for years to give me some nostalgia - aka our main man Homer - while the *newer* generation Red Wings are just as inspiring to me (aka Sammy,Cleary etc). 3. I guess no matter who's wearing the Winged Wheel - even if you shoved a bunch of guys I never heard of on the ice - I'd cheer like the die-hard Wing fan I am.

I don't know if some already posted excerpts from this but Brian Burke interview on the Ducks site: Q. Also because Holmstrom came back in the game, was there a thought that because he came back and played, there wouldn't be one? BRIAN BURKE: Well, again, our view of the hit is there shouldn't have been a suspension. The player wasn't injured. He finished the game. Got a couple stitches, which would have been preventable if his helmet was properly attached. Again, that's not a shot at Detroit. As I say, I'm going out of may way to say I appreciate the way Detroit handled this. I do. I wish more teams would be that professional, because that's what we would have done, we would have thrown the guy back out there. That being said, I can't agree, I can't support the decision. I can't and I won't. WTF is that? He could have prevented the stitches if his helmut was on properly? Man is this guy an ass - him and Pronger belong together.

I'm not aware of Cheli's suspension record. Find me an incident where he got docked for a hit and fair enough. "Dirty" can mean alot of things. All teams have players like Maltby that get under guys skins (but i love him anyways). Other than Bertuzzi, and he wasn't a Wing at the time, I don't think any of our guys have thrown a cheap shot like the one Pronger did.

When's the last time Chelios smashed a guy's head from behind into the glass? On the same note, do you honestly think Lidstrom would even consider such a dirty play? A high stick or interference call is a bit different than trying to take out the opposing team's top player.

Naw I'm kind of worried too (well I always worry during the playoffs ). They were completely out of sorts in game 3 - I hope this doesn't motivate them to "win one for Pronger". I just hope Giggy sucks again tomorrow. It's hard to tell. Of course getting Pronger out of the line up for a game is an advantage for the Wings - i just hope we play as well as we did last night. On the other hand, this is a good team, and if they play up to their capability, we could be in trouble in game 2. I like our chances here though - go Wings!

If you have time, what's the XM package? Or anyone else. I have Sirius and I get the 2h NHL radio program daily (which is also online daily too), and all of the games. Subscripts are the same price I believe.

Wooo hooo - just heard on the radio. I'm so glad the NHL had the balls to do it. I'm totally relieved - I never thought someone deserved a suspension more (well maybe Bert). F-You Pronger - let's go wings and kick their A$$ in game 4!

I don't have XM but I have Sirius and I head the NHL radio broadcast this morning. Ditto on there - universal on the Pronger suspension - at least that he *should* get it. I don't see how the NHL can ignore this since the overwhelming majority of the hockey world are calling for it. Hell, even Melrose criticized the Pronger hit - he wouldn't go so far as to call suspension - but you know he's rooting for the Ducks, so that's big from him.

I'm pretty confident about the one-game suspension too. Pretty much universal with the callers today on NHL radio - they all called for a suspension - fans of alot of different teams - even the Avs . As ffar as the NHL not wanting to punish the Ducks for a critical game - Pronger did this to his team, not the league, not the wings, but Pronger himself. At some point one needs to grow up and take repsonsibility for their actions....

I listening to NHL radio right now - they all think he'll get a game. I sure hope so. How can he not? Their argument is that even though the series will be affected by the suspension, Pronger himself is responsible for his actions - he alone has to answer to his teamates and his fans for his actions...

Anyone got an email link also - so I can really rant?

Anyone have a link to the email the NHL about this - I cannot find one? thx

Check out the stories on TSN - they all think he should be suspended - Pronger that is. Rob Niedermeyer got what he deserved. Pronger needs to go - when do you think they will decide? I'm fuming right now that that A-hole did that. p.s. the Red Wings better be lobbying hard for the suspension

Kudos to the Ducks fans who are posting after a bad loss. I think enticing people to come take some crap after their team lost is unecessary though.... We'll see what happens Thursday. I'm crossing my fingers for more good hockey, and less goonery. Really I hope noone else gets hurt. Carlyle (sp?) needs to get ahold of his team.

I don't know if you're a duck fan or not, but nice post and analysis. What I don't get is that the Ducks have a great team. So they get down in a game - so what? I know they're "physical" and took more majors than any other team this year - but it's one game in a series. I'm actually quite shocked at the lack of discipline. I think that doesn't carry over well for the team that starts playing that way. It is possible to come back from 0-3 or 0-4. Unlikely, but there is a next game and they're only down one game. I guess I'm really disappointed in how that team reacted. Now I have to worry as a wings fan about one of my guys getting seriously injured - instead of watching the great hockey in this series that we had been seeing until tonight.

That F*cker Melrose said in so many words that Homer's a "marked man" and he "knows it's coming". What a complete f*cking ass. When I email Bettman tomorrow - I'll be sure to add Melrose to the list. Guess I won't get much work done but, I'm fumed. :flamingmad: As far as the Ducks' pathetic play. I'm guessing all the praise they're getting went right to their heads. Everyone picked them to win, everyone thinks they're better, everyone thinks they're bigger, stronger, faster, etc etc. . I heard several analysts this morning say Detroit wouldn't win another game this series. They forgot they have to come out and play the game to win Way to go Wings - that was just an awesome effort by Babcock and the guys. Cannot give them enough credit.

Nice rage - that's how I feed about Prongass right now. But, since it was 4-0 we didn't really need him out there and i was kind of worried about him. Gotta hand it to the guy for coming back and yucking it up at the Ducks. What a bunch of undisciplined f*uckers. Such a disgrace.

Maltby stuck Getslaf in the face for a double minor at the end of the game there - that's about as dirty as it gets for us. But I like how the Wings don't sink that low - let 'em read the scoreboard 5-ZERO baby! Not one goal for the crowd to cheer! Gotta hand it to Homer. Gets stitched up - comes back - says he feels great after the game. Let's try to pour it on again on thursday - the goals not the cheap shots.

I don't think Bettman has enough cajones to suspend the cheap dirty f*cker. I didn't read every page on this thread, but can someone post an email like to Bettman so we can bombard him. Hitting someone from behind head first into the boards warrents a suspension. Homer could have been seriously injured - aside from potentially missing the playoffs. I don't like Pronger - but what a disgrace to the game of hockey. This loser gets nominated for the Norris? Has anyone ever seen Nick Lidstrom pull something even remotely as dirty as cheap? No, he can be the best in the game w/o such brutality. I would be ashamed if one our guys did that to another team''s players. Ducks fans should be ashamed, but from what I;m reading here, they're not. Look at it this way, if someone on the Wings did that to one of the Ducks, and they went out for the playoffs, ask yourself how you would feel? Thank god Homer wasn't hurt badly - I was really worried there..

Agreed. I don't think he's been as bad as some have suggested, but I haven't seen anything to inspire me either. I'd like to have him back, but the Wings will have to decide how much they want to gamble on him. Is he washed up or can he rejuvenate his career? Maybe his incident/suspension are just too much to overcome. Also, back surgery isn't good. I somewhat suspect he's still not 100% so we're not seeing the real deal. And can he maintain his health. Right now, I'd love to see him step it up a notch out there; but I'm not so sure that's going to happen at this point, realistically (still hoping though(.

Who's applauding? It sucks that anyone is injured for a high powered series such as this. I'd like to see Wings-Ducks with no injuries personally.But's that's not a reality this time of year. I'm sure all our potential opponents weren't too sad about it when Schneider went out. Your team will be able to cover the loss of a forward easier than we're able to patch together our D with 45 year old men. Here's to no more injuries so one of us can smoke the East once and for all..........

That's kind of how I look at it - can the East really be this bad? The West was the better conference last year, and our cinderella fizzled out in the SCF. We're far superior to the East again this year - but a long WCF series could benefit the Sens. Watching that game, either the Ducks or Wings would also smoke the Sabres in 4 games - they've cashed it in for the year - 15 SOG, totally pathetic looking. I can't believe they beat the Rangers except skimming by with just enough talent to do so.... Man I wish we were playing the Sabres right now.

Both seven game series - but I couldn't muster much interest. No offense to the Canadian teams - I think it was that they were matched with Southern teams - which at this point I'm done with. Two Southern teams winning the Cup was just not what the NHL needed. One word: contraction. Should have happened during the lockout - Bettman didn't have the guts. As far as ESPN, did they severe the contract after the lockout, or did the NHL not agree to their terms? The NHL should have offered to let ESPN air the games for free for a few years just to keep viewers. I got to see a Wings game every few weeks at the very least on ESPN. I biggest problem I have with versus is they don't carry very many games - I think once a week was hockey night - and the Wings were only on a few times - a team with a huge fan base. I'm sure next year when the schedule comes out, there will only be a handful of Wings games available...depressing.