Nightfall

That looked good to me as well. Lets put it this way, if the roles were reversed, Wings fans would be bitching about it. We pushed the player into the net and that could have been a good goal.

True...... I might get laid tonight too. My wife is sleeping though.

Maybe the Wings wanted Howard to make another big save.

Series tied 2-2 and we are calling the series on a tie game in game 5 at the end of the second period? Please.....

What a s***ty power play. Remember the Abdelkader 5 minute major? Ducks got one goal on that. We got 1 post so far.

How many posts can we hit in one game? Christ.....

Yup, they have won 2x more faceoffs than we have. Thats not good.

Good point.

That shot went through 4 freaking players. My god what a lucky shot. Why can't we have a shot like that get through?

No complaints on the reffing so far from me tonight. The calls have all been legit and they are letting the players play. Wings have got to play more disciplined.

Excellent save by our "average" goalie.

I think it is going to be one or two games as well. I am not upset about the call. Hell, he did it less than 10 feet from the ref who was watching him. Having to make that call within seconds, I can see why it was made. I really don't want to use Gryba's hit as a comparison. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nhl--eric-gryba-s-controversial-suspension-by-the-nhl-based-on-a-hit-determined-to-be-illegal-010719953.html There is a lot there and I disagree with the suspension on him.

Dekeyser didn't account for that much of a falloff, thats for sure. The team just didn't look good from the start. Yes, they had chances, but I thought that the Wings came out with a mediocre performance while the Ducks were playing in playoff mode. Lashoff looked fine out there. He wasn't a hinderance thats for sure.

This right here. That was a piss poor performance by the Wings.

I will correct you on this point. The NHL didn't try to reduce fighting, but the system of hockey decided that for the NHL. When teams like the Devils could clutch and grab their way to a championship over more skilled teams, fighting really became irrevelant. Sure, teams could fight with the Devils, but the clutch and grab system really didn't replace fighting. The NHL really didn't go out to reduce fighting then. I will say this, the penalties to reduce fighting haven't done that. http://www.hockeyfights.com/stats/ At the same time though, I am on your side. I believe all penalties done to reduce fighting should be eliminated. Hrm, he delivers a hit in which he leaves his feet less than 10 feet from a referee. With the ref having to make a call within seconds of the hit, I could see how the ref could have penalized him 2 minutes or 5 minutes. We will see what Shanahan says tomorrow.

I would put Minnesota higher if Backstrom didn't get injured. They just aren't scoring right now either. As for who would win a 7 game series, I agree that I think the Wings are in the middle of the pack. I think that Chicago is the real deal.

I think the thing to realize is that the refs are not deciding the games. The teams are deciding them, and thats the best kind of hockey. The refs didn't make the Wings fall asleep in the 3rd period. Just like the refs didn't make the Ducks suck it in the first period. There were things on both sides that went uncalled, very true. The Wings fans can point out a few instances of that, but they don't want to look at the blatant slashing call in the first period that gets called all the time, but it didn't. This post isn't directed at you, but merely to reinforce your comment that there has been calls missed on both sides, and thats fine.

This is a blow to the Wings. There are two things you need to win the Stanley Cup. One is good health and the other is puck luck. The Wings health has been an issue all season, and I will miss seeing DK out there. At the same time though, this isn't the end of the world. Lashoff impressed and I think its time to insert White. We have to rely on our vets. DK really has shown some good stuff out there. He isn't getting beat on dumb plays. He has been steady and smart on D. He won't be an offensive guy, and I am happy with that. Let him develop to be a rock back there on D with the Wings. If he doesn't get a chance to return again this season, I say keep him up with the Wings next season. He has earned it!

People also want to mention diving by the Ducks, but no mention of the Wings diving trying to get calls. Yes, it goes on both sides. The key is that the refs have to determine if its legit or if its a penalty a second after it happens. I really don't get too upset when the refs are put in this situation. As someone who has reffed for years, I can tell you that its impossible to make those calls correctly 100% of the time. Overall, I am satisfied with the reffing. The refs are not determining the series at all. Looks like this is going to be a great series and I bet it goes 7 games.

This right here. Sure, he didn't play a strong game, but the team in front of him was a let down in the 3rd as well. I look at it as a total team breakdown in the 3rd, and you can't have periods like that and win games consistently. The Ducks played like ass in the 1st period and thats why Bruce called his time out with the Wings dominating 2-0 early in the 1st. It wasn't Hiller's fault for allowing 2 goals in that situation either.

Howard, WTF. Easy delay of game call on that. Don't push your luck.

You are going to say that after all the s*** the Wings have gotten away with today so far? Plenty of opportunities for the refs to call a homer game in this one, and they haven't.

There are at least 10 "could have been calls" that I have counted so far. Some against the Wings, and some against the Ducks. The refs are not calling it consistent thats for sure.

Thats why Garth Snow won a Stanley Cup.

I would love to see him healthy enough to wear the badge.