betterREDthandead

I'll say it again: Los Angeles in 2001 sure looked like a sweep right about now too.

I dare you to finish reading my post Just because I (or the whole rest of the board) think Rex deserves to stay in the lineup does not mean that he will. I believe Babcock would play Sammy over Rex when Bert returns. And my point is that if indeed Rex sits, it won't all of a sudden make Franzen and Filppula stop working their tail off, since that in fact is how they've gotten those goals in the first place.

Even if that's not quite exactly how the conversation went for Game 2, I'm gonna pretend it did, it's much better that way. Oh, and that last paragraph there: Hell, the whole post gets a big ol' :GillyFO: from me. I think Bert's addition to the lineup wouldn't be so much a momentum reversal as it would be more like adding fuel to the fire (oops poor analogy) more like opening up the throttles on the freight train (there we go). Let's see, the Wings just bashed us around for six periods and surprised us by being MORE physical, and now they add a rhinoceros to the lineup? Dude's got sixty pounds on Rex (who, despite the wishes of the fanbase, would be the likely addition to the press box.) Filppula and Franzen aren't gonna stop crashing the net and outworking the opposition just because they have a new linemate.

I'll be surprised if Flames fans don't lynch David Hale when they get back home. The dude took three stupid penalties today and every single one of them was at the WORST possible time. If Regehr plays Game 3, I wouldn't be surprised to see Susan.....err, Zyuzin replacing Hale in the lineup.

The NHL re-seeds after the first round, so there is no "bracket". If the Wings win, they'll play whoever's left that's lowest seeded.

Little early to be talking sweep. Remember LA in 2001? Obviously not.

Draper went to throw a hip check and caught Regehr's knee a bit oddly. Looked harmless enough but that was the last we saw of Robyn Redbreast.

I would narrow it down to one rules change or maybe two related ones. After all, there really was no change regarding interference, just a re-emphasis on enforcing what's already there. The changes are things like the tag-up offsides, shootouts, and the trapezoid.....the crackdown on clutching and grabbing is not a change, but it gets lumped in there anyway. "The rules changes" is just too broad for a good cause and effect paper - too many variables. If I were you I'd pick something like the tag-up offsides plus the no-changes-after-you-ice-the-puck rule, and then see if it had any effect on overall game length. Hypothesis could be that those changes noticably shortened the games. Might be a tedious process of going through all the box scores on ESPN or TSN from two years prior to the lockout all the way up to now to compare game times.

Any Game 2 discussion can take place in the GDT now.

Not really the same thing....Fedorov had already tried to leave once. And when he left the Wings wanted him back, when McCarty left the Wings didn't really try to keep him.

Yes, it is. 400x100 means 400 across and 100 down. Flip-flopping the two does not make the sig legal.

Dear hockey scheduling gods: Please never make me wait this long in between playoff games of the same round ever again.

This is a different Red Wings team The writer is a regular contributor to ESPN but his day job is writing for the.....Calgary Herald Edit....that's twice today I've started a thread like a minute or two after someone else

Ok. Point doesn't change.

Lately? Like, since he started trashing the Wings? Let's face it folks. We already know Grapes has a thing about Europeans and French-Canadians. We all know the guy runs his mouth. We all know he's not afraid to speak his mind and he'd trash his own mother if she wore a visor. Why are we acting surprised? Oh right, because Grapes is finally on American TV trashing the Wings instead of on CBC trashing the Leafs. It's way too late to get righteously indignant.

That's Don Cherry for ya....fact is, Russians almost NEVER drop to the ice to block a shot, it's their instinct to stay upright because that's how they're taught to do it in Russia. That way you screen the goalie less and if you do block the shot you're in perfect position to chase it down for a potential breakaway. Just a little cultural difference. And even Canadian soccer players cover up the "zone" when forming the wall. Like I said though....just Cherry being Cherry. With him at least you know what you're getting.

I think you're right in that Cleary made no effort to avoid Kipper....the whole play he was looking to his right for the puck and I think he was totally surprised to see a goalie in his path since he was well out of the crease. Didn't even see Kipper until it was far too late. That said, I don't have a single complaint with the Flames about the reaction afterwards. There's no such thing as overreacting when your goalie gets knocked over. I'd fully expect the Flames to go after Cleary and I'd fully expect the Wings to go defend him. I don't think anyone on the ice is gonna stop and think "well maybe he didn't see him, I'll let it slide this time." I do think it's funny though to joke about Stuart only wanting a piece of Cleary once the ref was in between

WTF. I was pretty happy with Durbin and all set to defend him because he had absolutely GLOWING reports out of spring training. Two bad starts in a row now that it counts means it's time for Miner or Tata.

Second harold. I for one never knew that Trotz and Hartnell don't get along. It's a thread on the Preds, why shouldn't one of our Preds ambassadors speak up?

Cleary was penalized: Detroit interference with goaltender - 2 min 18:36, D. Cleary served by J. Hudler Detroit misconduct - 10 min 18:36, D. Cleary Detroit roughing - 2 min 18:36, D. Cleary And he should have been. We all know the hit was not intentional, but you're right, by the rule book, it should be called, and called it was.

If he is then I want Bertuzzi dammit. If they get to have new toys in the lineup then I want one too.

Red Wings' Bertuzzi won't play Sunday My thoughts: %&$#!!!!

Tigers were willing to do that with Thames. Not saying that the logjam is such a great thing, but if they did it with Thames they'll probably have no problems doing it with Clevlen too.

Wow! Reading through this thread there are a LOT of really interesting stories from all over the world. Speaking as a Michigan native, it really gives me a ton of pride in my city and team that there are so many out there who adopted the Red Wings for so many good reasons.

The problem that I have with Iginla is that he's the captain and he needs to keep himself above the fray a little bit. It's all well and good to try and send a message that you're not getting intimidated despite getting wiped all over the ice, but when you wear that C, you need to not be the one costing your team PK time because you went in for unnecessary extracurriculars. I don't think he's a goon, I'm just unimpressed by his leadership.