Heroes of Hockeytown

I'm with you. Other than the Too Many Men non-call in Game 3, which was garbage, I've got no major beef with anything that's happened that's been outside of the Wings and Pens control in this series. Pending Game 7, for sure, but at this point whoever wins, wins fair and square (and if they don't, no one will care anyways).

My point was very specific on the SOG disparity in the first period, which I made sure to explain in my post, and it wasn't necessarily that the Wings deserved to win, because I don't think that they did. The first period was closer than the shot clock would suggest, was my point. Trust me, killer, I get it. If they win, they win, and if they lose, they lose, and that's all there is to it.

Pavel was absolutely dynamite tonight setting him and Cleary up. Shame they couldn't get it in the net. If Hank doesn't double clutch on that first period chance it's a sure goal.

But he did score that goal, and preventing the Wings from falling in a nigh-insurmountable 3-1 series hole with help from Schneider's OT winner. Before that goal, it must have been Hull's game-tier in Game 3 of the SCF. The Wings are not very good (or lucky, depending on how you see it) with the sixth skater.

To be fair, they missed quite a few shots when the Pens' D wasn't in their face or pressuring them. If they were on target for half the shots they missed in the first and second it could have been a different game. I realize missed shots are just that, missed, but the sheer quantity of them in the first made the SOGs disparity out to be more than it really was, in my opinion. That was easily the luckiest series of events to lead to a tied game I've ever seen in my life; the Ducks got every possible break imaginable (goalie interference non-call; laughably blown call on the Pronger crosscheck; ridiculous broken stick play), and that's what Game 7's all about, stupid ******* lucky bulls***, but the Wings played the Ducks out of the building that night.

The pressure's on both teams, just like any Game 7; neither can afford to lose.

They were doing fine in Game 4 up until Rafalski's disastrous non-play on the Staal goal, then it unraveled in an instant. That wasn't a lack of desire so much as composure, which is rare to see from the Wings but it happened.

Other than his ludicrous non-play on Staal in Game 4, I don't see what there's to complain about. He had an average game. Sammy and Lebda are your obvious culprits on the goals against, so...

The missed shots to shots on goal ratio after 40 must've nearly been 2:1. If they'd gotten their shots on goal at all for two periods it might have been a different game. Ericsson made a fine point of what happens when you actually get the puck to the cage. They had every opportunity to tie it late with the PPs and Cleary breakaway... Not to hate on Cleary, because he's been awesome, but that was a pretty terrible shot -- and as Flipper exposed in the last game, Fleury tends to leave his five-hole wide open when going post to post like that. The goalmouth scramble was disappointing but probably justified. Finally, another terrible pinch by Lebda. I'm still furious at him for his ridiculous pinch in Game 4 against the BJs, but this one takes the cake. Who the f*** does Brett Lebda think he is? You're Brett Lebda. You don't need to pinch. Just play D, man. And then Sammy was so weak on the Kennedy goal; that was a soft-ass ***** play with the drive-by pokecheck. And now... ...we go seven.

Being a big football fan, I can understand their thought process. Save the quarterback, careers are much shorter and there's far more turnover in pro football than in hockey. Your average lineman or running back might only be an elite starter for 4-5 years before the physicality and violence of the game has made him completely useless. Except for the ******* Lions the NFL probably has the best parity of any major sport because of how rapidly rosters change. For the Pats to be as consistently good as they have in the last decade is really a huge testament to their management being able to replenish a 53 man roster year after year (and how completely great Tom Brady is).

It's what happens when you commit tons of cap space to your big three forwards. We've seen this script before in Tampa. Kenny has done a fantastic job of minimizing the damage by getting guys to sign under their value and front-loading contracts and all that good stuff, which is why he's the best, and the Sens and Bolts are missing the playoffs.

When Gretzky and the Kings made their unsuccessful run to the Finals in 1993, his 40 points (4th highest all-time) weren't enough win it. This coming from a guy that scored hat trick in a Game 7, no less. If the Wings hang on and win it tonight, maybe I wouldn't complain, because he has been tremendous, but there's certainly precedent for a great performance by a forward not being enough to win the Conn Smythe in a losing effort.

Here we go, gang. This one's for all the marbles. After watching 100+ Wings games this year, the season finally ends tonight.

They should have played Chelsea Dagger after Helm's GWG in the WCF.

Last minute or so.

Correct.

Ken Daniels is a fan of this one. I am not.

The NHL's schedule for the Finals was made and released before the NBA's Conference Finals were over, I think, so that would have made it a moot point.

My feeling is he's going to continue to not chase the match-up. If he just plays Hank and Pavel together for their normal ice time, they're going to see Sid or Malkin or both for plenty of shifts anyways. If Mike thinks Sid and Malkin are having too much fun out there he's got the option to split Hank and Pavel up and force the Pens into playing their stars against the Wings' for most of the game.

Back in the day of the Barnes Bros there'd be at least 10 threads a day complaining about the soft, grit-less Wings. More grit! We need more grit!

Babcock is a genius when it comes to being subtle. He never comes out and says anything remotely controversial, and any reporter that does try to goad him into it gets a hearty (and subtle) "f*** you." But then he goes and says it anyway, in his own understated manner. I find the whole shtick to be brilliant.

Yeah, and what part of those 9 power plays didn't the Wings earn? The number of calls a team gets in one game is totally independent of the number they get in the next. If the Wings were to totally get jobbed on the calls (which hasn't been an issue with me at all in this series, glaring too many men noncall notwithstanding), I'd except him to be upset.

He had a great voice and tremendous enthusiasm. He called many of the biggest games for the Wings from when I was a boy. I'd love to have him back.

Not by a very wide margin. Even though Pavel has only played one game, he and Hank have 8 combined points to Malkin and Crosby's 10. Or, if we use Hank and Franzen as our dynamic Detroit pair, then they're even.

Won't be able to do that very often. If he wants his guys to play, they're going to have to play against the top two lines, and that means someone draws Hank and maybe someone else draws Pavel, if that's Mike's decision.