YoungGuns1340

broken hand.

Why are people predicting that the Wings are going to dominate, and then posting one goal score predictions? If the Wings dominate, this won't be a tight game. When these team plays THEIR game, NO ONE else comes close. 4-2 Wings, but only because Homer gets robbed of another goal.

1. Holland has been the best GM in the NHL for a decade, and will go down in history as one of the best all time. You're insinuating that Mike Babcock is the 2nd coming of Scotty Bowman here. 2. Babcock can only do so much? Yeah, well one of the things he CAN do is tinker with his lines. Like Bylsma did when Malkin was slumping. Like Carlyle did when Ryan was slumping. 3. Since when is a request for some changes after losing 2 straight games to a team with half our offensive power equivalent to expecting us to go 16-0? Maybe you didnt notice, but we're two games shy of being on the golf course having BARELY pulled off the first win in this series to boot.

Thats actually the order I have them in, too. I said at the beginning of the playoffs that if Stuart picked up his game in the playoffs - after his average (at best) season defensively - all would be forgiven. Well hes doing that. In general, Stuart is just playing really smart hockey right now, and Ericsson is right there. Agreed about Kronner too. He looks tired. Not nearly the same guy he was last playoff run.

Me too. I only watched that series off and on. I can see myself doing the same if a series like Anaheim/Vancouver vs Carolina comes up again. Like you said - I'm an avid hockey fan - but thats not the type of series I'm going to put off doing other things for just to watch.

When the Ducks won the cup, 15,000 people showed up to their Cup Rally. When the Canes won the cup, the people in NC were unsure why there was even a parade. Like egroen, I'm spiteful, and I would love it if Anaheim-Carolina were the teams to make it if the Wings and Bruins/Caps don't. I want to see Bettman tell everyone how great parity is, and how much the Sun Belt loves its hockey, as he explains away decade-low TV ratings and porous media coverage.

Whats comforting me here is that if the Wings don't turn this thing around NOW, then it doesnt matter who we play - we don't deserve to win. If I have one request of the Wings tonight, its to show me that they deserve to make it on to the next round. Right now, as much as I hate the Ducks, they've earned their results thus far.

If Ericsson is the next big defenseman, he'll be the next Zdeno Chara, not Pronger. Chara's not incredibly talented offensively - good, but not great - and hes a great shutdown guy. Hes also not overly physical or dirty, but he does hit and he does fight. Thats where I see Ericsson right now. And to whoever said hes playing like a #3 defenseman right now, I completely agree.

Because Crosby complains about stupid s***. Yes, Ovechkin and Boudreau complained about the penalties, and that makes me think less of him. Frankly, the complaints about the reffing are out of hand these days. Hitchcock and the Jackets. Carlyle and the Ducks. Even Babcock is guilty of it. Doesn't make it right, but at this point, complaining about penalties/reffing is everyones plight. However, complaints about the curve of a stick (to the media) and the hats on the ice post-hattrick from the team's biggest star are just asking to be bashed.

And to the thread bashers, this thread wouldn't exist if Crosby didn't complain about sticks and hats, and then get painted as a role model in the mould of Steve Yzerman

They were not asked the same questions, no. They weren't shown the questions. I'm assuming it was a question about Ovechkin's personality, and Crosby felt the need to turn it into something else. In regards to the "changing your stick in the third" thing, its a common adage in hockey that players are reminded to "change their sticks" in the third period, because thats when the challenge of an illegal stick is most likely to come. So, putting the two together, Crosby is insinuating that he doesn't use an illegal stick, and that Ovechkin does.

Just another little tidbit. Malkin was invisible in the first 2 games against Washington. Tonight, in Game 3, Bylsma switched up the lines and moved Talbot up with Malkin. Malkin scored a goal. Just one more coach who is making adjustments to his benefit. Babs better take not. I'm sick of our "1st" line getting outplayed by our "2nd" and "3rd."

They'll definitely be called up. I think Ritola and Mursak were called up last time, too. The only guy who has a prayer of seeing the ice (barring more injuries up front) is Leion, however.

He initially evaded the question. In fact, when I first read this on NHL.com earlier today, I read through the first half of the argument, and I was impressed at how tactful Crosby was: There's the try. And here's the fail: Maybe you have a hard time reading between the lines, but thats damn clear insinuation that Ovechkin's stick is illegal, and that Crosby's isn't. Crosby can't stand Ovechkin. Its obvious. And he has to draw contrasts between him and Ovechkin at every turn he has, trying to make himself sound like the bigger person. I really wish NHL.com still had that clip up of Ovechkin and Crosby commenting about one another. Ovechkin says "Crosby probably sees the ice better than anyone in the NHL." Crosby says "We're just different people. People say he loves the game more than anyone. But I like the game as much as anyone - if not more." Ovechkin compliments. Crosby puffs out his chest.

Those aren't guys I mind either. Good to hear. Peel, Lee, Watson, O'Hallaran...nowhere to be found.

Crosby needs to pass on these questions, or fire whoever it is thats coaching him on how to handle the media.

Must be nice having an injured Dman actually play in the game, and have a positive effect on it.

Poor Varlamov. He was a monster tonight. Oh well.

As much as we got screwed, its not nearly as heartbreaking a loss as losing a Cup-Winning game in the last 10 seconds.

By the way, heres some realistic positive thinking. Anaheim's #6 Dman is fricking Sheldon Brookbank. Their #7 is an injured Brett Hedican. They traded away Huskins and Montador at the deadline, and unless I'm mistaken, their new #7 is Mikkelson. A 21 year old rookie who has 34 games of NHL experience. An Anaheim squad that was once 3 paird deep, is now just 2 pairs deep. Say hello to a Brookbank-Mikkelson bottom pairing. In other words - say hello to Pronger and Niedermayer running on empty for half the game, since theres no way Carlyle is putting out those 2 together on the ice when we have 3 lines that can score. If there ever was a turning point in a series against the Anaheim Ducks, its when they FINALLY have key injuries to their D. If we grind out a W in game 4, and get Rafalski back for game 5, with Wiz still out, this series is ours.

and then Daniels said "although theres no official word on that." Obviosuly you missed it. He may be out, but its not official yet.

Sweet. Good to see that since you're trash talking him on this site, by your own credo, he has the right to beat the s*** out of you and break your car windows.

This. Hiller is half the goalie Giguere is. You hit Giguere with a puck, and it disappears into his pads/jersey. You hit Hiller with a puck, and it ends up lying 2 feet, 4 feet, 50 feet away from the net/in the paint/next to the crease.

Shut the f*** up. Seriously. Brad Stuart got called for a legal hit, and then we got a goal taken away from us. Just shut the f*** up about the league giving the Wings any benefit of the doubt.

No they didn't. They said he was unlikely to play in Game 4, but that there was no official news that he wasn't going to either.