Aussie_Wing

I think I learnt that from that Simpsons episode!

I'd love to, it's one of my goals in life. I've been saving up a nice amount of $ so hopefully sometime soon.

Houston Aeros (7-6-0-0) @ Grand Rapids Griffins (5-2-2-1) @ The Griffins take on the Houston Aeros, Minnesota Wild’s NHL affiliate. The Griffins are currently 4th in the North division while Houston are 4th in the West division. The Griffins are expected to be without Ville Leino for a third straight game as he battles a groin injury. The revolving door of forwards and defenceman will likely continue and it’s a toss of the coin as to whether Mursak or Emmerton will be in the line-up today. The Griffins are coming off a disappointing 5-3 loss at the hands of the Peoria Rivermen. It was a game in which they were leading 3-1 but some costly penalties and the injury to Howard in the second period threw the balance of the team. This is a key game as it is very winnable and the gap between the top teams and the Griffins is starting to increase. Probable line-up: Wilson - Abdelkader - Haydar Ritola - Helm - Mursak Pare - McGrath - Tardif Lemieux - Oulahen - Downey Pairings: Kindl - Galvin Ericsson - Pyett Stafford - Kolosov Larsson Reichmuth Team Leaders: Goals: Abdelkader (7) Assists: Leino (9) Points: Leino (13) Penalty Minutes: Wilson (21) Notes: • Jimmy Howard suffered a bruised calf in his last outing and won’t play. His exact status is unknown. • Evan McGrath is battling for his hockey future and has 3 points in his last 2 games. • Mattias Ritola continues to impress and is now a key member of the PP and PK units.

Far from it; he’s getting better. He had a forgetting rookie season but has been pretty solid this season, putting up a few points and making better passes and decisions. Coyote is giving excellent recaps of the Griffins games and has noted that he’s been much improved. I feel as though #6 is too low for a man of his potential. We always like to leave our players in GR or overseas to develop so when they make the Wings team they're always ready to go. I guess this is another reason why we’re so successful but I can’t help but get the feeling it would be nice for once if we fast tracked a player. It somewhat occurred with Helm but he’s back in GR. Take Axelsson for example, having good success in the SEL as long as he finishes the season strong I’d almost be willing to take a punt on him in 2009/10.

I agree with you Matt and what’s more I honestly believe this will be the turning point. The defending Stanley Cup Champions and a team as proud as the Detroit Red Wings don’t go throwing away such big leads and concede 7 goals at home. I really think this will be the wake-up they needed. I’ve seen it happen so often in sports where the defending champs coast by in the early going expecting it to just click again. More often than not it doesn’t happen that easily and they fall flat on the floor before picking themselves up. What usually happens is one bad or humiliating loss, as this was, will be the wake-up they needed.

And it's his handling of Hudler. Hudler, perhaps our best player tonight with a goal and 2 assists, played 8:34. He did not step foot on the ice after he scored a goal. If he did, maybe only for another 30 seconds. What an absolute farce, I thought the best and hardest working players would be rewarded? He worked his backside off tonight and for what, to play less than 10 minutes and not even get out there in the last 5-10 minutes?

Haha correct! Couldn’t believe it, Simon played so well! I, along with Simon himself, thought he blew it when he got down 0-40 at 3*-3 in the 3rd but he played some amazing shots to fight back and take the game. He then broke serve and then served for victory. I've got to admit I'm really starting to like Simon, really good to watch and I love his backhand.

He's having a decent game today but yeah, he's pretty much awful. And I've been keeping track of Darko's progress and wow, he's playing horrible. We ruined him I guess. I wonder if he was drafted by another team and got court time and confidence early would we have been a different player to the one we now see? Because it's hard to believe a guy that was considered so talented could suck so badly. He's gone from the starting line-up to receiving about 12 minutes per game, this on a deplorable Memphis team. Without having the stats at my disposal I’d say he’s averaging about 4 points in 4 rebounds, and they're on the decline too. He started playing well with Orlando but had to ruin that by wanting out. Now it looks like he’ll have his 4th team next season, that or head back home.

Excellent recap yet again. Seems like some very promising signs to take from this game, a much tighter defensive effort (maybe the Wings could learn a thing or two) and continued improvement from our prospects.

Speaking of which, I was reading during the game that he should hand his salary back to the Pens because he was worthless. And people think the people at LGW overreact?

Hudler's defensive shortcomings are ridiculously overblown. I mean seriosuly, can anyone point out to me when he made his last terrible defensive play, or lack of defensive play? And as I said, why was Kopecky put out late because it's not as though he's known for his defense. Kopecky actually had a pretty significant error which resulted in Pittsburgh getting to within 1. And he's right back out there while Huds sits and wonders what he has to do to get back on the ice.

What the heck is wrong with some people? Nah hang on. Babcock is perfect, he is faultless, he does NOTHING wrong, ever. He is yet to make a mistake in his coaching career.

And Kopecky is? He was out there with 2-3 minutes remaining while Hudler sat...

Maybe if it was a one-off occurrence but it’s obviously not. Babcock has it in for Hudler for some unknown reason. He was our best player tonight, had 3 points and was subsequently awarded the 2nd star, and yet he barely played. He's not going to be in Detroit next season because Babcock clearly doesn't value him.

What the heck? I said I’ve got ONE problem with Babs, on no, fire him!!!11one This is a legitimate concern, Hudler tried his heart out, had 2 beautiful passes to Franzen and Zetterberg and he scored one himself. Yet he received less than 10 minutes and didn’t play in the dying stages, whereas even Kopecky did. How is that fair?

Let's be brutally honest though, playing alongside Lidstrom, receiving 25 minutes a night with 2-5 on the PP, he should be putting up big numbers. He does but his defence stinks a lot of the time.

Yeah, nothing wrong with optimism but I get very annoyed when it’s just optimism all the time even when the situation clearly doesn’t call for it. I mean we gave up SEVEN goals, that’s absolutely pathetic. Fans are entitled be angry, and that’s all it is, anger. Can we just lay off the optimism one night when it’s clearly not required? Gosh. Neither do I, in fact some of the rants after losses get very tiresome. But come on, I’m yet to see one negative word ever said about this team or one of its players. They don’t read these boards, I’m sure they’re not going to shed tears over any comments made, maybe once every now and then you could tell it like it is instead of sugarcoating the issue.

So a sellout means the place is packed, right? Wrong. And it wasn't, empty seats were very visable.

Well according to you nothing is ever wrong with this team, every player is amazing, nothing bad can ever be said about anyone. Lose 15-0, "No worries, next game!". Lose 7-2, "Chillax people, bad game!". Same thing after every loss. We know this team is good and a regular season loss in the grand scheme of things doesn't matter much, but it's getting a bit concerning now how pathetic our defence is and it hasn't improved from the opening night. Major worries, Lidstrom looks as shaky as he ever has, Rafalski continues to make error after error, and the constant giveaways are deplorable. Something isn't working and it's more concerning than just "one game, move on".

To be honest though, I've never seen someone sit on the fence as much as you do. People have a right to be angry, we blew this game. Only one game sure but giving up 7 goals with so many pathetic turnovers and rubbish plays?

Yeh he's as overrated as they come. Nice to have an offence defenceman but his defence pretty much sucks. Turnovers galore, fumbles the puck, struggles to contain forwards, he's a Schneider clone.

And we lose, unbelievable. Datsyuk? Yep, better forget about that one quickly.

Yeah, because his play prior to that penalty was swell.

I FREAKING HATE RAFALSKI.

Bench Kopecky for the remainder of the game, absolute trash. And this is coming from a fan. Our defence is shocking.