Dabura

Gif of the AA goal plz. I want to watch it over and over and over and over and over.

Athanasiou is a golden Greek god.

I made a bet with a friend that the Pens would score within the first two minutes. $5 in the bank, baby! So, yes, I'm now profiting off of this team's crappiness. I should probably feel conflicted, but I don't.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StJCaaeYsYI Let's Go Dead Things!

You serious?

CONFIRMED: Justin Abdelkader is #TeamTank. He saw we were in danger of winning this game and so he did what needed to be done. Bless his selfless heart.

There's also the fact that it was a 10:30 EST start. (I accidentally slept through the game.)

Eat it, Tampa!

That was fun! I don't know why it took Blashill so long to put AA, Vanek, and Nielsen together.

Less can be more exciting.

Honestly, I'm kinda hyped for this. There is a s***-ton of talent on that unit.

GTFOtt

Ott Ott Ott Ott Ott Ott Ott Ott Ott Ott Ott Ott (Ott, Ott) Ott Ott Ott Ott Ott Ott (Ott) Ott (Ott)

What's Hasek up to these days?

Hard to believe, but our combined record against the Ducks, Sharks, Kings, Stars, Blues, and Predators is 6-0 (this season). [Edit: Actually, 5-1. We lost to the Kings.] I feel like our old Western Conference rivals have a way of bringing out the best in the Wings. (See also: our dominant 2014-15 record against the Western Conference.) On the other side of the coin, I feel like pretty much the entire Eastern Conference has a way of bringing out the worst in the Wings. So, with all that being said, I'm optimistic about this upcoming western swing and totally dreading that Penguins-Canadiens-Bruins homestand.

Such is the power of Auston Matthews!

So it's your fault!

Right. I mean, I'm not big on hearing the kid's name 1000 times during a broadcast, but I understand and appreciate why it's a thing. Kid is really, really, really, really, really good -- and he's only going to get better with time. And he's the poster boy for the Leafs' resurgence.

I'M NOT YELLING. YOU'RE YELLING.

In fairness, I do feel Matthews is better than Mantha and Larkin.

Steve Ott is absolutely part of the problem. Maybe less so now than he was at the start of the season, as we're missing some key players. But the fact that Mantha didn't make the team out of camp and Ott and Miller did just speaks to a larger problem with the Wings. To which someone will say, "Yeah, but you don't want a player like Mantha playing on the fourth line." To which I say, "He never had to play on the fourth line. When healthy, this team could roll four scoring lines. (No Ott, no Miller.) But they insist on doubling down on outdated strategies. Because DEFENSE! And GRIT! And KILLING PENALTIES! And BLOCKING SHOTS! And WINNING FACEOFFS! And VETERAN LEADERSHIP! And COMPETE LEVEL! And BOY OH BOY DOES STEVE OTT GIVE IT HIS ALL. EVERY TIME HE FIGHTS YOU CAN SEE THE EFFECT IT HAS ON HIS TEAM. BOY OH BOY. GRIT. BOY OH BOY."

Of course.

Bench our whole D group. Run forwards as defensemen.

I love Anthony Mantha. Like, total notice-me-senpai mancrush.