BlueMonk

I had to miss the game because my band played last night. I was pretty bummed I wasn't going to be able to see it, but it sounds like I didn't miss much. Surprised the Wings didn't come out hard against Ottawa.

The story of this game was Lemaire had the Wild forechecking, and the Wings were completely caught off guard by it and didn't/couldn't adjust. Sort of the opposite of what happened when Detroit played Edmonton in the playoffs a couple years ago. They were a run and gun team all year, but MacTavish had them trap during that series and the Wings were flustered by it.

Totally agree, surprise this hasn't gotten more press. The only other person I've seen mention this is Grapes, I think. I know the job the officials have isn't easy, but things can get ugly when they don't handle these things correctly.

Versus did everything they could to jinx Hasek, from saying the word "shutout" to flashing a graphic that Detroit has never beaten Colorado 1-0 in 91 regular season games. Wow, I would have been pissed if they scored after that. Wings played a great defensive game and got top notch goaltending from Hasek.

I know people are excited about Detroit-Ottawa, but I'm much more interested in seeing the next game against the Ducks now that Niedermayer is back.

If the Wings keep piling on, the game will get chippy. Maybe we'll see a scrap or two. I hope.

For all the obstruction by the Hawks, they call THAT on Draper? If they keep calling it this way, the Wings are going to have a long night ahead of them.

This is pretty much my thinking process, too. If the Wings win a Cup and Sundin wins the Conn Smythe, it's a great move. If they lose in the western conference finals, I'm inconsolable.

It was pathetic. Grapes is right about this guy, that was a really cheap shot. And unless there's some injury I'm not aware of, Maurice is an idiot for not dressing Belak in that game. What are you keeping the guy on your roster for if not to play against a team like the Flyers?

Zajac clearly needs to remove "bite me" from his trash talk vernacular.

Worth mentioning is that the "fans" who are so romanticized when it comes to asking for autographs are often not even real fans. A few years ago, Brett Hull appeared on the ESPN Hot Seat and went on a rant about people who sell autographs on places like eBay. He was pretty passionate about it, looked at the camera and said something like, "You people, all of us players hate you. We hate you." I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but I assume it's about players taking time to sign something for a fan, only to find out the fan didn't really care and just wanted to make a few bucks off it.

They've improved a little bit in a lot of areas. The work ethic is incredible. Mike Babcock is responsible for that. He's a tremendous coach. I knew that before he got here, but now we're seeing the fruits of his work. The team has a tougher attitude, largely owing to having a couple of guys (Downey and Drake) who set the tone that they're not going to be pushed around or take any s***. Maybe most importantly, they're younger. I really think the "fat cat" persona of the team has been replaced by a youthful hunger that makes it possible for the team to play with so much collective energy every night. Talent is great, but having lazy veterans who don't want to backcheck, block shots or dig pucks out of corners is a fatal flaw in the playoffs, and I believe was more responsible for this team's playoff failures than any other single element. I guess I didn't stay on topic, comparing this team to those of the past few years. Last year's team was very good, too. But this year's edition is a really special team.

Jon Mirasty, hehehe. If Holland signs him, I'll eat dog poop. Of course, friggin' Holland will probably do it just to spite me. I hope he's not reading this thread. For fight fans, you can't top LNAH. Mirasty-Sugden and Mirasty-Yablonski are amazing bouts.

I didn't think the Wings would pull this one out when they failed to convert the 5 on 3. It had the look of one of those games where they start out strong but let the other team back in and then can't get it back. Credit Hasek, who played lights out, for stealing this one. And that brutal 2nd goal Smith let in was the backbreaker.

I don't know where this came from out of Malone. I didn't see signs he could fight like this even a few months ago.

I have no problem with the argument he's not afraid of anybody. He's the #1 or #2 fighter, no question. It's a toss up between him and BGL. But when a tough guy like him is turtling, let's not get carried away and say it's just because he's weird or could tear the guy to shreds if he wanted to but just decides not to. It's because he's lost the fight. Everyone loses sometimes, even the best fighters.

Malone and Bell. TKO win for Malone. Nice fight.

=

I remember that fight, Lou. It's on YouTube. Here's a great interview with McGrattan. This was before the game in which he fought Brashear. McGrattan wants Brashear to tango By DON BRENNAN Add to Facebook It's a standing invite, but Brian McGrattan will make sure he delivers it again all the same. First opportunity he gets on the Verizon Centre ice with Capitals enforcer Donald Brashear tomorrow afternoon, McGrattan will ask the big man if he wants to dance. Just as he does with every other top-class NHL brawler. Just as he does each time he lines up against Brashear. Just as he did Saturday. "Any time there's another heavyweight in the lineup I'll always ask him to fight," McGrattan said yesterday. "I'll try to fight him again. I'll try to fight him every time we play. I fought him two years ago when we were in Philly. We'll see if he wants to go again on Tuesday." Brashear declined McGrattan's early-game offer Saturday. Instead, he went toe-to-toe with Chris Neil at the end of the second period. Against someone two inches shorter and 30 lbs. lighter, Brashear threw two dozen punches, mostly at Neil's right ear. Neil, whose face was unmarked after the battle, only tossed a couple. He did, however, wind up on top of his opponent after ending the scrap with a right. "I don't know if the coach told him not to fight or whatever, but if the guy doesn't want to fight, he doesn't want to fight," McGrattan said of being turned down by the 15-year veteran. "He obviously picked his spot. "But Neiler is just as tough as anybody else too. I thought he did a great job, that he came back and won the fight at the end. Neiler's one of the tougher guys I've played with, too. "Either one of us would have done a good job against him." And how did McGrattan do against Brashear that night in Philly two years ago? A quick peek at hockeyfights.com reminds that he knocked Brashear's helmet off with three early rights, tossed three more rights and then, after taking a left, finished things by spinning him to the ice as he threw one last overhand right. McGrattan was given 83% of the votes by those who visit the website and scored the bout. "It was a good fight, went back and forth," McGrattan remembered, before adding with a laugh: "I don't lose too many. But when I do lose them, I lose them. I'll be licking the ice when I lose them."

That was my quote! Inordinately proud of himself, BlueMonk

The Central is pretty average, which is a massive upgrade over what it was last year: A complete joke.

Nobody loves the tough guys more than me, and I'd be pretty excited if the Wings added an elite heavy to the roster. But my number one concern with this team was letting other teams push them around. As unimportant as that might seem to some, I believe it's important to the psyche of the team, particularly its star players, to believe they have teammates willing to stick up for them. Winning doesn't cure everything when marginal 4th liners on the other team are permitted to run your star players without any kind of response. But this team has shown it has players who will answer that bell. I believe that just answering that bell is more important than having dominant fighters, so I don't think there's a critical need for more pure fighters. Now, team toughness is another matter. If they could add a big, physical defenseman with a mean streak and decent hockey skills, I think that could be huge. He doesn't have to fight at all. The beauty of having a couple guys willing to fight is it's contagious. Everyone else feels at liberty to play more physical knowing someone's got their back. It kills me to say this, but I don't think this is a top priority at all right now. If they lose Downey or Drake to a trade or waiver, then I'll completely change my tune, of course.

I'm going to ask nicely one more time that people leave the goalie arguments out of the GDT. This is a place to discuss the game under discussion, not a forum to begin a debate that belongs in another thread. Thank you.

At work this afternoon, a coworker asked me what I thought the score would be tonight. I talked through what I thought would happen, sort of thinking out loud, and came to the conclusion, "4-1 Red Wings." My coworker said, "That's exactly what I think." It's fun to guess right, but I'd be a lot happier if I'd wagered on it.