hamip1998

The "unwritten rule" is what I was referring to. I should have been more specific. In retrospect I am not sure how far away that Brule was from Letang when he started his "glide". From the replay, it didn't look like he took 4 or five strides in his direction and drilled him, which to me is a charge. By the strictest definition of the rule, half of the time that guys go into the corners they get "charged", yet it's hardly ever called. Personally I have seen more boarding calls being made over the years than charging calls. Point is, a ref can't catch every infraction every time. Interpretations of rules, unless there is a clear and obvious violation, is still subjective based upon the refs view on the ice when it happens. For example, I personally don't agree that a touch or tap on the opposing players gloves with your stick blade warrants a hooking call but how many times do we see that in a game? While I didn't and don't like the clutching and grabbing style of the early 90's, I am one of those fans that doesn't like to see 10 or 12 power plays a game, either. Life isn't fair. I think the refs should call the penalties that they are sure of or mostly sure of and if they aren't they should let it go.

This. Close, but not a charge. So close in fact that I while I don't agree I could see the ref giving him a 2 min charging call considering their view from the ice and the speed of the game. But a misconduct? You gotta be f'ing kidding...

I wish some of the Wings would hit like this on a regular basis. Also, this hit is not a charge. If he would have continued to stride into Letang (moving his feet instead of gliding) it would have been charging. If you look at the replay, from the time Letang lets go of the puck until the hit it was roughly two seconds or slightly less, which in my book isn't late. You could argue that he left his feet but I also don't think that was significant either. It's not like he launched himself into Letang. Brule probably should have lead with the shoulder instead so there wasn't any question about the hit, but he definitely popped Letang in the chest and not the chin. If I were one of the Edmonton coaches Brule would have got an "atta boy" from me. Letang got his clock cleaned, plain and simple.

Is it me or does Doc Emrick have that Brick Tamland look to him? I don't mean that he literally looks like the character from "Anchorman", but when they show him speaking before a game he just has this happy-but-vacant look on his face and that same measured quality to his voice as Brick. That and the fact he says the same damn expressions over and over (see "waffleboarded"). I can just hear Doc saying, "People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks." Though he does have a doctorate degree (hence the nickname "Doc"), so his I.Q. is obviously higher than 48.

Who's left that can drop the mitts?

Sid's got that covered.

Yeah, just ask Chris Pronger. Oh wait, that's right. He leads with elbows. Seriously though, I thought it was clean. Clean enough for a hit on a Penguin anyway. Awesome,crushing hit. Loving it!

I agree with the earlier posts about the Canadian announcers being homers. Mick will call it like he sees them. While you may or may not agree, you are going to get his (what I believe is) honest opinion. He calls out Wings as much as their opponents when they make a bonehead play or get away with an infraction. I am always grateful when I get the Detroit broadcast vs. the opposing teams. While a few of the other broadcast teams aren't bad (the Dallas guys are pretty good - the SJ guys are WAY overrated), I enjoy listening to Ken and Mick more than any of the others hands down.

Being from Ohio coupled with the fact that Hitch took his teams beating this year like a man, I like the Jackets even though they are a Central team. Other than that, Minnesota and Edmonton. They are just fantastic hockey cities. In the East, I have always had a soft spot for the Rangers. Everyone else I can take or leave, except the Ducks, Pens, and Preds all of whom I despise with the white hot fury of a thousand burning suns.

QFT. Marginally more healthy Wings = No Cup for Picksburgh. Someone stated it before as well, but it's pretty simple why this won't be the Dynasty the fans are looking for. Salary Cap. Too much talent spread around on too many teams. They obviously have talented players but look at how many teams are really just a few decent players away from a serious run at the Cup (Chicago, if they can manage the cap issues - which they probably won't). The Caps have no where near the talent that the Wings do and THEY took the Pens to seven games. Detroit also benefits from the "team first" culture, stellar scouting and player development, and players more or less playing within their defined roles (the "system"). Put Sammy on another team and see how he does...oh, that's right. He was let go by 5 teams before finding a home in the D.

Spot on. Grit isn't about throwing off the gloves and giving two handed slashes, it's going in the corners and coming out with the puck. It's finishing your checks. Like Coach Babcock states over and over, it's going to those hard areas and taking it to the net. You can be gritty without being a goon.

Please forgive me for feeding the troll. Why is it that whenever a Pittsburgh fan cannot come up with a valid point in a conversation, they always resort to the "welfare" type of comments? It's basically a "your momma..." comeback. Classless, just like your team.

QFT. Funny, I said the EXACT same thing to my wife during the third period tonight. I understand frustration, hockey isn't figure skating, blah, blah, blah. It says more about a team or person by how they lose than by how they win. If I were a player, I wouldn't want to win a Cup by gooning it up. What a cheap route to take.

Hey, when you are done with your crystal ball can I borrow it?

Having a fighter or two is ok, but if that's all they can do then they are a waste of a roster spot.

I am a lot like you in that when I got interested in hockey, there weren't any NHL teams close by other than Detroit or Pittsburgh. Growing up in NE Ohio, there wasn't any way in hell I was pulling for a Pittsburgh team. I also had a lot of Navy buddies later on from Michigan who were HUGE DRW fans. We didn't get many games overseas, but my buddy's mom used to videotape them and send them over to us. That late 80's - early 90's team had so much personality, history, and hadn't won a championship in so long I had to pull for them. I got hooked and have loved them ever since. Win or lose, this will always be my favorite team.

What a bunch of ******* ice lawyers. You guys sound like Wiz and Homer are on trial. Did Homer elbow, YES. Could it have been called? Yes. Was it? No. Homer historically isn't a cheap shot artist, so I doubt it was done knowing that Wiz was already hurt. If it was...well, I don't agree with it and wouldn't justify it. Only Homer really knows. Don't think for one min. that Duck players don't dive if they think they can draw a penalty. Don't spend another min. thinking that Wings players DON'T. None of these guys are as innocent as they make themselves out to be. These guys get paid LARGE sums of money to play hockey and win games. It's not any different than a business person who bends rules and exercises sometimes questionable ethics in order to make a larger profit. Do I like it? No, but it is reality, like it or not. As a Wings fan, I think Wiz needs to put on his big girl panties and STFU. Calling out someone in the media like that is an obvious attempt to get the Wings even further off their game. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. If he didn't like it, get Homer back the next time they play each other.

Our 4th line has done well - doing their job to provide energy, at least. If I were Babs, the only person I would consider exchanging on that line is Kopy with Abby. Sammy on the other hand, has looked like total s***e. Replace him with Leino.

My question remains the same: Why in the hell did they wait until the last two minutes of the game to try and stuff the puck down Hillers throat? How did they win game 1? Let's see...Franzen drove the net and Lidstrom pinched in, effectively driving the net. We had traffic in front of the goaltender the whole game. I am not saying that the calls weren't wrong and didn't suck. Obviously, this game should have went into OT. As someone stated in an earlier post, Hossa drove the net and scored to legitimately make the game 2 - 2. I am just as pissed as everyone else and feel like the refs decided the game. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter as the team still lost the game. Accept what you cannot change and take responsibility for what you can change. You can't change the refs and how they are going to call the game. If they are going to make s*** calls, then so be it. You have to play a 60 min game so you can weather those s*** calls, not show up for the last 25 min and call it your best effort.

QFT. Can't tell you how frustrating it was to not see anyone take it to the net. Draw the penalty at least even if you don't score. The Ducks obviously wanted it more tonight.

I hate the Ducks. I just hope the Wings hate them more. C'mon, the series is 2 - 1. Hardly over. Maybe, just maybe, the team can use this as a springboard just like they did last year after the screwjob they got in '07. They only have themselves to blame for this. They need to do what they did last year and find the balls to play they way they can play. We will see the true character of the team this next game.

I agree. For this and for this reason only would I take Hossa over Crosby. This team needs a winger who can score and backcheck like a beast more than a center. We are deep up the middle (remember Mule has only started playing wing the past couple of years. Prior to that he was a centerman).

Negative. Star player or not, if someone lays a legal hit, hit em back when you have the chance. The whole "star player" thing back in the day (the "code") was intended to protect star players from cheap shots and dirty plays - not legal, clean hip-checks. Crosby or another Pen should have layed the body on Ballard at the first opportunity. No reason to throw down here. Just like in tonights game against Buffalo...why in the hell do the Sabres get all bent when one of their players takes a clean shot? It's ice hockey, not the Ice Capades. Get physical right back, don't drop the gloves until it's warranted. Sorry Drake_Marcus, Lappy's hit on Lids was high and with the elbows up. That hit was borderline at best. Ballards hit was legal. I don't think you can really compare the two. I give Crosby credit for making the effort, but it really wasn't necessary. If Malkin took a head shot, then by all means hunt him down like a dog.

Could it be mental fatigue combined with a lack of motivation? This team was DRIVEN last year. Barring the month of February, you could tell that this team wanted it bad. They not only had Drake who was at the end of his career who never won a cup, but they also had something to prove after losing the WCF series the year before where they arguably outplayed the opposition. Babs rarely took the foot off of the gas last year. Maybe the horses were whipped just a little too hard. It's not like they backed into the playoffs. It would be hard to match that intensity, especially after the emotional high of winning and all of the stuff that surrounds winning the cup (parties, media stuff, etc). Not a low key off season to recharge the batteries. I guess for me I pretty much just defined the phrase "cup hangover". This team isn't getting younger. I know for me, hangovers are a lot worse now than when I was 24

Unless your definition of a great power forward is Boyd Devereaux. Malts showed his value on the one pk in the third after he chased the puck into the Shark's zone. Some of the best individual effort on the PK that I have seen all year. Leino has made that line click. While it's not a traditional grind line, they are a scoring threat. Bye bye Kopecky.