Nightfall

In order to win the Stanley Cup, a team has to be healthy and have some puck luck. So far, in Game 1, we haven't had either of those things. That why we play a 7 game series though.

and in the end, the best team won the Stanley Cup. The players decided each of the series for the most part.

I have to agree here. The Weber hit was egregious, but Franzen should have gotten a game for the punch on Montador. Franzen didn't get suspended, and I bet that Weber will be playing game 2.

Two of the three games were like this. I think it would be fair if this were analyzed through at least the first two games of each series, or 16 games. Not the first night when only 3 games were played. I believe you will find games like this to be more of the exception, and not the rule. As I said though, lets get more games in before we pass judgement.

Yup, cause Bettman was calling the games himself. I know he had a wireless transmitter radio and he was reporting down to the refs in both games on what they should call and how they should handle things. I guess the old addage is true here.... If your team is losing, blame the refs. If its not the refs fault, blame Bettman. If its in doubt, blame them both. /sarcasm EDIT: It seems that people just do not get good sarcastic remarks. I have added in the /sarcasm tag.

Link? Source? EDIT Found it, I think http://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-red-wings/2012/4/11/2942795/darren-helm-injury-wrist-sliced-red-wings

Wings led on shots on goal and faceoffs. Preds led on PIMs, Giveaways, and takeaways. Two dumb luck deflections were the difference. Its going to be a 7 game punishing series. That is all. Goodnight everyone!

Another deflection.....damn.

Predators looked better in the 1st period. Wings have looked better so far here in the 2nd.

Lamest Ram Truck commercial ever.

Wow, what bad luck.

Its playoff time. Thats right Red Wings fans. Its the most wonderful time of the year for hockey fans. I am calling for all Wings fans to rally together and support their team. This is the team that was #1 in the NHL before the rash of injuries hampered the team. This was the team that won 23 consecutive home games in a row this season. This is also the team that is going to contend for the Stanley Cup for the 21st season in a row. If you are a negative Nancy or a Wings "fan" that sees the team bowing out in five or six games, please do not apply. I am calling for all fans of this team to stand up and stand behind their team. We have enjoyed the four cups in the last fifteen years, and we support this organizations decision making. We also support the players, even if they make mistakes. After all, mistakes are all part of being human. In the end, no matter what, win or lose, we support this team and the organization. Stand behind your Wings as we embark on this playoff journey. Foster positive discussions without bailing on your team. Do not be afraid to constructively criticize the team either, but keep your remarks away from the "Wings are done" comments. Its time! Drop the puck!

I don't know. It seems to be working so far. I do get your point though, but I am going to give it a try.

You are probably right in your assessment. My goal wasn't to convert people, but merely to get a base of people who believe in this team all together and on the same page. There is no converting the negative nancy people. What I can do though is motivate the people who are all in for the Wings. I like this attitude. I am a Ferris State Bulldogs fan, and I didn't think they were going to win the game against BC. Did I want them to prove me wrong? Absolutely. What you point out is what every fan naturally does. Most are realists, like myself. No fan should be coming onto forums and saying how "They told you so". I would never do that when it came to the Bulldogs or the Red Wings. As you said, that is acting like an asshat, and IMHO, real fans don't do that to their team.

It's obvious that the 2011-12 Detroit Red Wings aren't as good the 2007-08 squad that won the Stanley Cup. I say this because this season's team doesn't exhibit the sheer dominance the Wings have shown in previous years. In fact, they finished third in their division. And they've won just five of their past 17 games. But don't let this team fool you. The Red Wings have the characteristics of a Stanley Cup winner -- more so than any other club in NHL. But this time around, they aren't a juggernaut. They are strong but vulnerable. Detroit finished atop the Playoff Power Meter, which ranks teams by how much they statistically resemble past Cup champions. For example, previous teams have shown that it's incredibly hard to win a Cup without scoring at least 2.8 goals per game or by allowing more than 2.6 goals per game. They've also shown that regular-season save percentage doesn't matter as much, while performance against top-eight NHL teams is the best indicator of a champion. (See the full explanation here.) When the numbers were crunched for the 2012 playoffs, the Wings came out on top. Now, it's tough for Wings fans to feel comfortable with this team because, when the Red Wings last won the Cup, they had a goal differential of 0.89 per game and shot differential of 10.9 per game. That's unheard of. This 2011-12 squad is less invincible, with a 0.48 goal differential and 5.2 shot differential. Most of the difference between the two clubs is on the defensive end, where the 2007-08 team allowed just 23.5 shots per game, which offset mediocre goaltending. This season, the Wings don't have that padding. They've allowed 27 shots per game, which is still very good, but it's not a huge cushion for goalie Jimmy Howard. That said, what's most encouraging about this year's squad is its performance against the top eight teams in the league. The Red Wings have won 12 of 21 games, second-best in the NHL. They split the season series against the Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers, and they won four of six against the St. Louis Blues. In short, they won't be overmatched in any series. So who would they likely see in the finals? Let's take a look: Eastern Conference champions: Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins finally got Sidney Crosby back and, in the meantime, held their spot in the power meter standings. They're scoring at an encouraging rate (3.33 goals per game) and getting plenty of shots on goal (33.9 per game), but the concern is on the defensive end. On one hand, the Penguins are allowing 2.66 goals per game, which is a bit too much for comfort; the power meter benchmark is set at 2.6 goals per game. On the other hand, this Pens team is better defensively than the 2008-09 squad that won the Stanley Cup. In fact, that team allowed 2.84 goals per game and had a .906 save percentage and minus-1.3 shot differential. This makes the Penguins the only championship club to have a negative regular-season shot differential. So it might be an easier road to the Stanley Cup than last time, but goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and his defensemen will need to step up -- especially in Round 1 against the Flyers. The Pens have lost four of six against the Flyers, although they did beat the Flyers 4-2 in the season finale. Obviously this, and season series in general, is not a huge sample size, but they are the most recent results we have. In the mix: Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers The Bruins were at the top of the power meter standings for a while and, despite some struggles along the way, met every major benchmark except one: record versus top-eight teams. They won just seven of 16 games, which is alarming on two fronts. First off, they've played the fewest games against the top teams in the league (tied with the Canucks), so they aren't the most tested club. Secondly, they lost to the Rangers and Penguins three out of four games. The Kings sneak in here because despite major offensive issues -- 2.29 goals per game will be a problem -- goaltending is the great equalizer, especially against elite teams in the league. With much thanks to Jonathan Quick, the Kings have won 11 of 21 against the top-eight clubs. They might have a problem with the Red Wings, who have outscored the Kings 18-11 in four games, but Quick can keep them competitive against any other club. The Canucks are much like the Bruins in that they've met every major benchmark, although their shot differential of 0.7 per game leaves a bit to be desired. They're tied with the Bruins in having the fewest number of games against the top eight teams in the league. They played the Rangers, Flyers and Penguins just once -- and lost all three games. The earliest they can see those teams is in the Stanley Cup finals. They did, however, split the season series against the Red Wings, so they could spoil Detroit's run. Rangers fans are probably very unhappy to see their team anywhere but at the top of this list, especially after such a strong regular season. But there are some real weaknesses on this squad, almost entirely on offense. Scoring just 2.71 goals per game is simply not enough; the lowest-scoring championship team since the lockout was the 2010-11 Bruins, and they scored 2.98 goals per game in the regular season. As far as shots per game, 28.5 is uncomfortably low; the 2008-09 Penguins got away with 29 shots per game -- but they had Crosby, and the Rangers don't. All that said, this Rangers squad came alive against the top eight teams in the league. They won 14 of 20 games, sweeping the Flyers in six regular-season matches. The only team they might want to avoid is the Penguins, who beat the Rangers four times in six tries. Needing a lucky bounce: Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks For the Blackhawks, there's good news and bad news. The good: They played a whopping 27 games against the NHL's top eight teams, and they beat the Wings and Blues eight out of 12 games, including a shootout win in the season finale against the Wings. The bad: Their goal differential is 0.12 per game. Since the lockout, no team has won the Cup with such a low goal differential. The 2008-09 Penguins (0.3 per game) come the closest. The Flyers' biggest problem is their record against the top teams in the league. They lost 14 of 22, although they won four of six against the Penguins, who are their first-round matchup. But if they run into the Rangers -- a potential second-round matchup -- it could be ugly. They lost all six of their games against the Blueshirts. The Blues might not belong in the above category. The power meter doesn't know what to do with them because they're putting up unprecedented defensive numbers. They miss the benchmarks for goals per game and shots per game, but they met the defensive benchmarks by such a large margin that, if they win the Cup, they'll radically reshape the power meter formula going forward. That said, they've struggled as of late. The Sharks don't quite score enough (2.67 goals per game), and their goal differential is just 0.16 per game. There have been no Cup-winning teams since the lockout with such poor numbers in those categories. However, they nearly met the benchmark for performance against elite teams, winning 10 of 21 games. That said, they lost all four regular-season games versus the Blues, their first-round matchup, and they lost three of four against the Canucks. Left out: Nashville, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals The Predators have a shot differential of minus-3.2 per game. Only one team has played in the Stanley Cup finals with such a poor regular-season shot differential, and that's the 2007-08 Penguins (minus-3.1). The Penguins didn't have a Pekka Rinne to offset the imbalance of shots. But then again, the Preds don't have a Crosby to will them to the finals. The Devils' goal differential (0.13 per game) and lack of scoring punch (2.63 goals per game) will be a problem. However, they split the regular-season series with the Rangers, Flyers and Penguins, so favorable matchups could help them go deep in the playoffs. The Caps sneaked into the playoffs despite meeting just one major benchmark. They allowed 30.5 shots per game (the benchmark is 31), but that's still too many when considering their shaky goaltending situation. However, there's just one reason to watch them. Against the top eight teams in the league, they were an even .500 -- including three wins in four games against the Bruins, their first-round matchup. They split the season series against the Predators, Rangers and Penguins while beating the Red Wings twice in two games. That's too bad: Colorado Avalanche The Avalanche are the highest-ranked team in the power meter to miss the playoffs. They landed here because they had just enough shots per game (31.5) and allowed just 29.6 shots per game, combined with some solid goaltending. They are the only nonplayoff team with a positive shot differential, which is good news for seasons to come. That said, the young Avs were pummeled by the top eight teams in the league, losing 16 of 23 games.

Big difference to constructive criticism and asshat criticism while bailing on the team. You, of all people, should know that difference by now.

I have to agree here. The troubling road record and special teams are a concern, but they should not be the measuring stick for playoffs. In the playoffs, all bets are off. Heck, if we go by the regular season that much, then head to head records would mean a lot. The Yotes beat the Blackhawks in the regular season series, but I see the Hawks beating the Yotes in the first round. Throw all the regular season stats out the door, its time for playoff hockey. Case in point.... Look at the Oilers back in 2006 when they were an 8 seed and went through Detroit, San Jose, and Anaheim. Heck, the top 4 seeded teams in the Western Conference went down in the first round. I firmly believe that a team that has the determination, grit, and heart will advance (with health being a major factor of course). Any of these 16 teams could win the Stanley Cup. So lets see how this all works out.

VAN/LAK: 4-2 STL/SJS: 4-3 PHX/CHI: 4-2 NSH/DET: 4-2 NYR/OTT: 4-2 BOS/WSH: 4-2 FLA/NJD: 4-2 PIT/PHI: 4-2 WC Champion: Detroit EC Champion: New York Rangers SCF Champion: Detroit Red Wings

The intangibles are going to decide this series. Who is the hungrier team? We will find out when the series is over. If the Wings have the heart, they will find a way to win it. Its really that simple.

Still got to be happy for Ferris State. They really played a solid game, and being runner up for the national championship is nothing to scoff at. There are a lot of other teams that wished they were playing in that game, and couldn't. Good job Bulldogs!

I think LeonardSankar should pledge $500 since he doesn't think the Wings aren't going to make it out of the first round.

And about 1000 other things. Your point?

Yea, I still don't see it. Not to say it didn't happen, but I just don't see a conspiracy theory anyway. That series went 7 games, and Detroit had their chances to seal it but couldn't.

I seem to remember that, and I remember the reaction here was shock and awe. It just doesn't happen very often. Look at the MLB when they screwed the Tigers out of that no hitter last year. They never apologized, but Jim Joyce did.

Yea, it is inexcusable. No argument from me at all.