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Is it wrong that i want this to still be going when my girlfriend wakes up for work? There's nothing like a LONNNNNNNNNNNNNG playoff game! I'm getting more satisfaction out of this because I know that my Stars-fan friend's girlfriend just gets more and more pissed the longer this game goes. -Tim

http://myp2p.eu/NHL.htm It's on Sopcast!! Sweet! -Tim

I am so fricken jealous that you all get to watch this game.... -Tim

I'm hoping, but we didn't get either of the Versus games tonight and it's not listed on the guide for tomorrow as of the last time I looked. I thought for sure the FSN or CBC feed would be on there (we got CBC for Leafs/MTL last week). I guess if it's not on there, I'll just upgrade the cable and pretend I paid $65 for the Center Ice package instead of $50.... It's still crappy that I bought Center Ice to get our games and then Versus picked them all up.... -Tim

Stupid Versus making it so this stupid game isn't on stupid Center Ice. I should just upgrade my Dish Network package so I can get the rest of this game. I'm gonna have to do it tomorrow anyway since I don't think our game is on Center Ice.....is it? -Tim

He's definitely been good lately and deserves credit for his role in bringing another title to Detroit. He was huge against Nashville. I still wouldn't want to see him in the playoffs or in a starting role next year, but he's done good. For a backup. -Tim

There is really nothing better than a trough at a sporting venue. Line out the door and you can still be in and out in under 5 minutes. They may be slightly **** (NTTAWWT) and the possibility of splashback may be high, but at least you don't miss any of the game! Actually Michigan Stadium has the best system. Giant wall (obviously with a ledge enclosing it), with a pipe running along the entire thing spraying water down the wall into the drains. Pick a spot on the wall and let it fly. I've never waited more than 2 minutes. It's a wonderful thing. Personally my plan for the new arena is to just copy the XCel Center. That thing is gorgeous. -Tim

If Dom makes it through the year healthy, I could totally see him coming back again next year. The guy is too much of a competitor to hang it up (again) while he's still got juice in the tank. I think the last time he retired, he realized how much he missed the game. If we win the Cup it might be a different story--the whole "Go out on top" thing--but if we don't win it and he's still playing at a high level, I think (HOPE) he comes back. I'd be really worried going into next season with an Osgood/Howard duo. Especially if we burn a lot of our cap room reupping Datsyuk (BTW, Calder is the guy they should be looking to get signed immediately). One quick comment (to be fair) since I haven't been around most of this week since I'm in the middle of moving out to Madison. Gotta give Ozzie credit...he played a real good game against Nashville the other night. I still wanted to dive through the TV when he did the hands-at-his-sides-like-"what-did-you-want-me-to-do-stop-that?" thing after the first goal, but he played a real good game. That save on Kariya where he stacked the pads was niiiiiiiice. Can't wait to see this team after we get Z and Bertuzzi back! -Tim

Cosign. Calder is fricken awesome. I've seen enough of him that I'd already be trying to work out a new deal to keep him here. He's a perfect fit on this team. He works his ass off, goes hard to the net....he didn't score tonight but the kid had about 5 great chances. With my old favorites (Stevie, Shanny) out the door, Flip and Calder are quickly becoming my new favorites. You all know I'm not a Holland fan, but I wish I had more hands so I could give the Calder trade Hopefully the Bertuzzi trade works out just as well. Great win tonight for the boys. This next week is going to be fun. One comment: If we see them in the playoffs, we really need to get physical with Kariya. It was like he gained the blueline and everyone just backed off of him. He's going to kill you that way. Get in his face, knock him down and he won't be remotely effective. My suggestion was to punch him in the face....but that's more because I can't stand him. -Tim

Nah I've still got it. Sometimes I can't believe I spent money for it, but I've still got it. There was a time I didn't completely dread the sight of him in net.... -Tim

He's actually a really nice guy. Wasn't anything special. I met him at the Goalies Den for a signing...he was there with Vernon. So I've got a puck signed by both of them--which is actually pretty cool to have since they combined for a Jennings. That was a good day. Met our two goalies, got a puck signed, and I also got to sit in one of Jeff Gordon's racecars. Stevie is the best. It still looks really strange to me to see Lidstrom wearing the C. -Tim

I've gotten to meet a bunch of them over the years (Chevaldae, Ysebaert, Yzerman, Brown, Osgood, Vernon, McCarty, Pushor, Sheppard, Chabot, Paul MacLean, Dallas Drake, Kozzie, Lidstrom, Probert, Kocur, Fischer, Holmstrom, Maracle, Ward, etc.) My favorite story is the one of meeting Yzerman, so that's the one I'll tell: We're going to go back to late 1993/early 1994. Toronto, Ontario. I was on a family vacation to the city with my parents and brother, and it just so happened that not only were the Wings in town to play Toronto (remember when the NHL actually let us play the Maple Leafs?), but they were staying in the hotel right across the street from ours. So the day of the game, my brother and I put on our Wings jerseys—that we had bought the night before—and headed over to the Wings' hotel. The players started filing down, and while my brother and I were in the hotel's gift shop, Dallas Drake walked in. And this is one of the reasons that I've always liked Dallas Drake, even when he acts like a knucklehead on the ice, he came up to the two of us and said hello. We chatted for a minute or two, we got an autograph (he has a very cool signature, by the way) and we headed back out into the lobby. One by one, the guys started walking by. Bob Probert stopped to sign an autograph for us—he was also very nice. Slava Kozlov—new to the country—stopped by, and made us laugh because it seemed that the only word of English that he knew was "yes". "Thanks Slava!" "Yes" "Good luck tonight!" "Yes". They all worked their way out to the bus. A few minutes later, Yzerman, Osgood and Chevaldae walked by. As an 11 year old, I was really excited, sprung up from my chair and exclaimed "Mr. Yzerman!!" failing to notice that they were obviously in a hurry. Yzerman didn't brush me off though. He told the other two to go ahead and came back to sign an autograph for me and chatted for a minute. As it turns out, he missed the bus. I don't THINK I caused it, since Osgood and Chevaldae didn't make it either, but the fact that he was willing to stop and sign an autograph for a young Wings fan, even though he was late for the team bus to the rink has always stuck with me. I also met him at The Goalie's Den a few years later. The line was around the entire building. We weren't even the last ones in line and we waited for 2 1/2 hours. But even after all that he was still as nice as he could be...he treated us like we were the only autograph he was signing that day. Chatted with us, asked my name, and signed the photo "To Tim: Best Always, Steve Yzerman". Truly a couple experiences to cherish. -Tim

Is it even possible to inflame a bone? -Tim

It's too bad the Avs suck (ok not really )....he could have added some spark back into the rivalry. I like both moves Holland has made so far (I reserve the right to change my mind depending on who the prospect is, but unless he moved Howard or Kindl I'm probably happy with it). If Bertuzzi is healthy, that could be a HUGE pickup for us. Better than getting Guerin (again, IF he's healthy) and cheaper. -Tim

Hopefully this is the one that actually comes true if we want to have any shot of having a remotely successful season. Eklund is kinda like Fulton Reed in The Mighty Ducks..."One in five, coach!". Except with him it's like one in twenty. -Tim

Montoya huh? That's one I didn't expect. I think Al is going to be a great goalie. He was absolutely incredible his first two years at Michigan, amazing during the US's WJC gold medal run, and then his junior year something just went wrong. I don't know if he got bored or what, but he was horrible that entire year. But he was outstanding in the AHL this year (made the all-star game if I remember right). But if you're going to trade for him, why not just give Howard a chance as it is... Since Eklund posted it, I'm not going to put too much stock in it, but that would be interesting. I'd be nice to have a Wolverine on the Wings finally, even though I'm not exactly sure what the point in bringing him in now would be.... -Tim

Well just so long as Gerber doesn't get sick again and drop like 12 pounds before the playoffs he'll probably do juuuust fine. He shouldn't have been playing in those playoff games. No surprise he didn't fare too well. Gerber's the guy I want. I can live with Roloson as a fill in for a year or two. Biron would be ok as well. But I want Gerber. I'd rather have Osgood be the starter than have the Wings sign Billion Dollar Belfour. -Tim

Nope...didn't play college hockey. -Tim

Also interesting is that he posts that we've signed Andy Delmore. Anyone heard anything else about this one? I think we already have the best defense corps in hockey, and adding Delmore (even if he doesn't play a lot of defense, as I've read...haven't seen him a whole lot) can only help. Lidstrom, Schneider, Fischer, Kronwall, Chelios, Delmore, Rivers. That's solid. -Tim