BlueMonk

+1. The injuries are an excuse not to be on top of the NHL standings right now, but I don't think they can explain the team being shut out in back to back games. Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Zetterberg are good enough with the surrounding cast to get things done, but they aren't finding a way. Lidstrom's struggles are the toughest pill to swallow. He was a -3 along with Rafalski last night. Yikes.

So I missed most of the game. 30-8 shots on goal. I take it it's been another one of those nights? Tired of this. Just score a damn goal already.

My favorite possible outcomes for the 2009-2010 season, in order: 1. Detroit Red Wings win Stanley Cup. 2. Pittsburgh Penguins defeat Chicago Blackhawks to win the Stanley Cup.

I think it's because he's lost finishing skills, for whatever reason. He had 44 points in 66 games last year. This year, if he played the same number of games, he's on pace to finish with 27 points.

I don't know that I agree with this. The lack of scoring around the goal mouth is a concern, so yes, Homer is the forward who isn't converting in a lot of situations where the puck is loose in the crease. But the Wings also need a sniper, which is not what Homer has ever been, but something Bert has excelled at in the past. The Wings have other guys who can muck it up around the net and poke in rebounds, like Cleary. But they're very short of snipers. This is why Bert's shortcomings are so glaring. But hey, I'm with you. I cheer for the team, not the player. Just put the puck in the net already, boys.

Homer's role is increased because of the Franzen injury. Bert's a winger playing with one of the premier setup men in the NHL. I can't fault you for backing Bertuzzi; I've always liked him a lot myself. But he's been impossibly bad at finishing, isn't laying the body and commits turnovers right and left. He's just not playing well and it needs to change if the Wings are going to survive these injuries.

Hockey is so far behind baseball and even basketball in terms of modern metrics. Puck Prospectus is doing some really good stuff, and I'm happy to see they're not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom.

Homer has 12 points, is tied for the team lead in goals and is a +5. Bert has 9 points and is a -5 in the same number of games. Bert's playing on a line with Datsyuk. Homer may not be lighting the world on fire, but he carried the team early when nobody else was scoring. Bertuzzi needs to finish.

Yeah, it's beyond ridiculous. The loss of talent explains part of it, no doubt. But it feels like teams have finally figured out, 15 years after Detroit started dominating the NHL, how to defend them. Man, Bertuzzi is a neurotic mess. The guy gets open and falls down. The person who doubts him the most is himself right now.

It's just very poor. They don't excel in anything, really. They don't block shots, don't win battles to loose pucks and don't take away the shooting lanes. And they have the worst, most limp-wristed clearing efforts in the league. The rare times they do start strong, they finish weak. As I type these words, in fact, they did well for 1:30 and then let an odd man rush beat them.

I'm really getting tired of the "Get Over It" song. Not that it's ever played under good circumstances, but the song sucks. Find a different one already.

They are, but it's on some screwy channel. I have WOW, and it's on channel 195, even though the guide says it"s college football.

The problem is every team Detroit faces out-shotblocks them. If the Wings worked as hard protecting their own net as their opponents do, then the huge advantage in scoring chances would lead to wins a lot more often than losses. But the great equalizer is the Wings don't work as hard and that's why they have these nights.

The Thrashers have blocked, what, a dozen shots already? But they get one scoring chance all period and Leino just coasts back and watches his man put the puck in. Nice.

He's passing up a lot of shots. Tonight was no different than most; when Lids had the puck on the PP, he had chances to shoot but usually passed to Z or one of the other forwards on the half-boards. He's passing up enough shots that I'm a little suspicious that the wrist injury from last season never fully healed and maybe won't until he has surgery. I may have missed something, but I never heard Lidstrom or the Wings address the status or outcome of that injury after the season ended. Maybe I'm reaching, but I wonder.

And then that piece of junk goes in

It seems like forever ago that the Wings would make nice tick-tack-toe passes that led to scoring chances by the goal mouth. What a save by Ozzie. Wow.

That high frequency sound is tough to take. I'm surprised they allow that.

The team just can't seem to get open points shots, almost ever.

Of course. If they can hang around in the standings until they get healthy, they'll be fine. There is so little separating teams now that they should be able to do that.

Nice! Glad to see the OT luck turn around. Great shots by Pav and Hank and Jimmy was good.

A few years ago, I thought the Wings would win any game that went to a shootout. The last couple of seasons, it feels almost futile.

Can't remember seeing the Wings so incapable of connecting on passes or getting shots through to the goaltender.

The Wings have turned blowing late leads into an art form. Keep the other team from recording a good shot for 40-50 minutes, then let in a couple of crappy goals at light speed.

Awful goal.