WingFanInStarLand

Over on CalgaryPuck their posters are saying that Stuart wants to stay in California b/c his wife would lose custody of her children if she left the State of California. Given the understandable desire to want to live with your wife and her/your kids, if this is still the situation I would say that he is clearly a rental.

Sigh...I think people do have a right to be a bit peeved at Holland given his stated desire in the offseason to save cap space for the deadline...but outside of Hossa (who we could not afford) who did you really want? Feds...meh to each his own. I love the Stuart deal, and for all the hoopla over the deadline deals I really don't think much has changed balance of power wise in the Western Conference. I love how everyone is slobbering over Dallas right now as the "new favorite". Living in Dallas while I'm not in school, I've watched that team for a looong time. They are hardworking and underappreciated, but a Stanley Cup threat they are not. Everyone said that in the previous thread, yet somehow the acquisiton of the underachieving overpaid Brad Richards changes that? Yes, spare me the "Smythe 2004" talk. He was great no doubt, but he played with great teammates. Now most of his points come on the PP and he isn't good even strength...in Dallas he will play with Modano and Lehtinen (not exactly Vinny and StLouis). He will be good, but nowhere near the "gamebreaker" that his price tag and the hype his trade brings him. Dallas is great defensively, but their offensive strategy plays into our defense's hands. Ribeiro/Morrow and Richards/Modano/Lehtinen will try to enter the zone with the puck and make pretty plays. When I saw us play them in January in Dallas, it was hilarious how effective we were at keepiing them out of our zone with a 1-0 lead. They couldn't generate aaaaaaaaaanything. They don't have the physicality to wear us down. I pray to god we get to play them.... San Jose certainly improved with Campbell, but something just doesn't seem right with this team...ever. The sum of its parts always seems to be greater than its whole, and while Brian will help the PP, if they can't get more scoring out of Marleau and Cheechoo this team is going nowhere fast. If they get those guys going and Nabokov stays hot, lookout, but...this team never can get to the level that it should be at. That, and their mental weakness makes me feel ok about a matchup with them... Vancouver, Calgary, Minny did nothing...the same teams that we have done pretty well against this year, no need to jump in there. Finally there are those pesky Ducks. This is a damn good hockey team with a great D and a gritty set of forwards. They have the physicality to wear us down and Giguere (despite my hatred for him) is clutch against us. A tough fight indeed, but the Wings have really elevated their game against them this year. They are bigger than us, but our guys always seem to fight with heart and determination. They may have the upperhand, but its awfully close, and they have noone to center that 2nd line, which could cut into their scoring depth, (just like us). Overall my point is that we are somewhat disappointed, but when we get healthy we are still right there with Anaheim for the role of the favorite in the WC. We may need a lot of things to go right to beat them (51,26, 93, 37 all get clutch, stay healthy) but to say that Dallas and SJ are better than us when healthy is a joke. Plus-Stuart will play better than you think!

Now that I've had my rant on the officiating, I'd like to point out that this meaningless regular season game did have some positive trends that make me look forward to a potential playoff matchup with the Ducks. 1. While they scored 3 goals today, did anyone really notice the Ducks forecheck hemming the Wings in deep? Maybe on one or two isolated occassions, but I think the Wings did a great job down low and limited the Ducks' ability to cycle the puck and create scoring chances (with the Carter goal being a notable exception). Doing this while forcing Lebda, Lilja and Meech to play prominent minutes should be an encouraging sign. 2. Getzlaf? Bertuzzi? Selanne? and to a lesser extent Perry? Was it just me or did it seem like they were invisible today? ZDH wasn't amazing, but they were certainly more visible than Anaheim's top-tier talents. They'll need these guys to score come playoff time, and if we can contain them as we did today, that's a positive sign. (YES: I know that Getzlaf had an assist today, but it was a weak shot where Kunitz did all the work to free the puck etc. I still think he was a non-factor). 3. I thought Franzen, Kopecky and Samuelsson had good days...They took punishment and created scoring chances by going to the net. We'll need that secondary scoring from them more often. Filppula on the other hand did not look all that great. 4. The PP looked alive again for the first time in a while...3 PPGs with 1 from the second unit on a great play by Hudler and Franzen. We'll need that unit to look better than it did even today (there were times where it still looked bad). 5. We didn't get pushed around physically. The reputation that this team, especially when it matches up with Anaheim, gets is undeserved. Go to any rival message board during one of these matchups and wait for the "Wings r *******" comments to fly up. NEWSFLASH: Our guys stood up to them again and didn't let their physical game dominate us. The Downey fight and our guys willingness to fight back in scrums will need to be duplicated come playoff time. Despite our defeats of supposedly tougher Calgary and SJ last year, no one will believe we are tough enough until we beat the Ducks...so be it. I look forward to the challenge. Also on a sidenote: Anaheim's D doesn't get enough credit for the Lids-like stickwork they do as our guys enter the zone. Datsyuk was frustrated on numerous occassions while trying to enter the zone by either Nieds, or Schneider or Pronger. These guys are tough no doubt, but they are smart and agile too. They don't get enough credit in this regard, and we will need to improve our strategies for entering their zone when their D stand up like they did... There's my $.02

Well...This debate is raging everywhere from HFboards to other teams etc...and most Ducks/Wing-haters point out that the Beauch call was bad as well as some other penalties against the Ducks... My position is this: On two calls relating to goaltenders, the Refs gave the benefit of the doubt to Anaheim on both plays. If the ref wants to protect the goaltender and call the no goal b/c of Homer, he certainly would blow the whistle in the interest of protecting Osgood when he had the puck...If he doesn't, than he lets the Lidstrom goal stand. Either way, the refusal to use a uniform standard costs the Wings at least a point. Whether its 2-2 or 3-3, I don't care, but it sure as F!@& shouldn't be 3-2. As for the other calls... 1. If I was objective, I would feel bad for the Beauch call at the end, but it CERTAINLY wasn't a dive by Z, as many asinine Ducks fans claim. 2. Marchant hit homer with a high stick. Period. You may not like that Homer sold it, but it was still the right call. 3. Ditto on the Niedermayer trip...his stick upended Franzen. That=tripping, regardless of whether or not the play was offsides...in fact i think the trip is what sent Franzen into the zone with the player already there. 4. Carter call was a tough one, but the ref is probably going to make it when the goalie falls into the back of the post. Tough break for the kid and I guess a "bad call". Regardless...on the two decisions that ultimately decided the fate of two scoring plays (1 by both teams), the refs were inconsistent, giving the Ducks a two goal swing in what should have at least been a wash. THAT's what makes Wings fans upset...So spare us the "penalties were 7 to 2 LOLZ DUCKS WR SCREWED!"

Don't forget the clowns in Columbus...seriously, I used to think the Carolina guys were the worst...but "Slicky,Tricky,Nicky!" Are you f*ckin kidding me? That and color guys inane "wahoooo" or "yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah baby" goes beyond the realm of the commentator into that of the fan...those guys are a riot.

There's certainly plenty of reasons to respect the Ducks and their chances in a playoff series with us, (their physicality) but if we're going to use the first period as a indicator of how we would fare against them in another series (which is of course flawed) than I think we should be encouraged. We are playing on the road on the second half of a back to back playing without one of our top two forwards...The Ducks have been off since sunday and played the game they want to play against the Wings all the time....and we held our own! The Ducks want to impose their will with a physical forecheck and they played with a mean streak...and we held our own. Over a playoff series, one team won't be able to impose their will constantly...no one is that consistent. If the Wings can survive like this when Anaheim brings the nastiness, we should feel pretty good about ourselves when we are able to impose our style of play shouldn't we? Just my .002

Wasn't Krog the random spare who scored the GTG in the 3rd period of our Game 2 WC Quarterfinal loss to the Ducks in 2003?? I seem to remember cursing his name at my television for some reason...

2 in Section 122 for the 1/5 game at Dallas!! Any other Wings fans going to the game?

Honestly, there is absolutely no chance that Regehr ends up in Detroit this season...for even if Calgary decided to trade him, the type of players that the Wings would offer in return would not interest Sutter. His preference for rough and tumble North American players and our staple of small, European players would not make for an enticing deal. Nonetheless, this is the PERFECT player for our blueline. Screw Schneider and Markov, Regehr would bring more to the team and balance the bluelines skill emphasis with some nasty, responsible defensive play. Any team that trades for him will be lucky! I am not thrilled with some of the calls for the grittier defenseman that are FAs this season...Sutton and Sarich are pylons and undeserving of the attention of Holland. However, a truly gritty, nasty positionally smart defensive blueliner entering his prime....this is what we need. Let me reiterate we have no chance...but its fun to dream

I like Schneids...but is it so wrong to covet Brad Stuart, even at the expense of either Matt or Markov ( I know I Know out of our price range...but still, I really think that is the type of player that would look great on our 2nd pair). I'm ready to give Kronwall more minutes on the PP as well, and I think if we could get a solid, physical minute-eating dman who moves the puck reasonably well that would be the perfect fit for th 2nd pair...Stuart seems to be in that mold. For all those who pine for Sarich, remember that Cory is an excellent Dman when he doesn't have the puck. I'm all for creating a more intimidating blueline, but the Wings style of play demands that our Dmen be smart positionally and be able to handle the puck well...Sarich isn't great in either category, making him a lock for "you-turn-the-puck-over-all-the-time-LGW-Whipping boy of the year award. Physicality is great, but it needs to accompany decent puck skills and hockey instincts...I dont think Sarich has enough of either of these 2 requirements to be a 2nd pair dman on the Wings... Stuart does, but alas he is going to get a nice contract, I doubt its within our range ...We could use a slick defensive dman with decent puck skills....man does Willie Mitchell look like a steal at 3.5 million now or what??

Fans always talk about how there is a difference between losing with heart and losing because of a lack of it....As a Wings fan, I'm not sure I have been comforted by that until now...and I admit I didn't think it would be calming for what is otherwise a depressing team. But damn, I am so ******* proud of this team...words really can't express it. Even though everyone else wants the Red Wings to suck, our combination of veterans and younger guys continues to work hard to put a quality product on the ice, and this year they learned from playoffs past. They battled every night and poured every ounce of blood sweat and tears they had! Nobody wanted it more than they did. Though that black little disc can take peculiar bounces, both thrilling and heart breaking, it is not a reflection on the qualities in this team that we all admire... Lidstrom and Hasek illustrated that experience and hockey smarts can go a long way in sustained excellence that shouldn't suprise anybody. Datsyuk and Zetterberg grew up in these playoffs...always going to the net and even when they weren't scoring, they were always playing sound defensive hockey. Maltby and Draper conjured up memories of grind-lines past with speed, tenacity and some timely (if rare) goals...good to see that burst again boys! Bert, Calds and Schneids all fought through injuries and though their impacts may seem muted, the guts they showed should be appreciated ...Filppula and Franzen stepped up in big ways and illustrated that they will become perennially- underrated pieces of a future championship puzzle! I loved them out there. Finally, let me reserve my highest praise for two guys I fell in love with during this run...Dan Cleary and Andreas Lilja. When I think of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I think Dan Cleary. Balls-to the Wall EVERY SHIFT. Inspired, Courageous, Tenacious, and Unrelenting. Rewarding those efforts is what the playoffs are all about, and Dano has earned himself a place on the Wings and deserves to adorn Lord Stanley. Lilja...Wow. I really can't believe it. Overcoming all odds to play beyond yourself and giving your team big big minutes. f*** YEAH. Blocking Shots, Making Hits, making solid defensive plays while soaking up ice time! As a 7th Dmen. I don't care about those who want to hang him for Game 5...he was great and he deserves a spot on next year's team! Add a (optimistically) improving Kronwall, and this team will be right back at it next year...the prize was not won, but our boys have rediscovered the how-to for playoff victories...that in and of itself is something to celebrate! great year guys!

Lose and you'll be forced to watch the POSTMAN on the flight home!!!

Anaheim got some bounces tonight...no doubt about it, just like we got some in Game 1. the phrase "Seeing eye pucks" is a good description of what happend to Dom...not a great game, but those pucks found the net and Filppula's shot hit the bar...that's hockey! Very frustrating to lose because I thought we were the better team tonight, but Anaheim felt the same way in Game 1...the first 5 on 3 was awesome and they did everything but score....the second 5 on 3 was awful, just awful...but then again the call on Niedermayer was one of the worst calls I've seen in the playoffs. The Ducks do all kinds of s*** like that, but to give us a 5 on 3 for a weak looking cross-check...come on! This board would be up in arms if that call was made against us. I like the way this series is trending...TSN can wax poetically about Perry and Selanne, but I was unimpressed with them after they scored. Getzlaf and Penner are the only two forwards who have consistently scared me in the defensive zone. Meanwhile, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Bertuzzi, Cleary, Filppula and Lang are all getting better and better as the series moves along...they looked awesome out there! The finishes will come. Oh but wait, Ducks-cronies will argue, they beat up on a weakened Ducks defense absent Pronger. This is true, but the majority of our pressure came against Anaheim's top 3 guys...O'Donnell, Beauchemin and Niedermayer...which means they can replicate that success. Pronger won't help, but he hasn't been all that awesome this series and his replacement scored a PPG, which is more that Chris has done this series. What I mean to say is, our forwards are trending upwards while their's are stagnant, we're due for the bounces and we all know how Hasek bounces back... Combine those elements with the fact that 2 out of 3 will be played at home and I'm still feeling pretty good about this series!

all that pressure set up by a weak clearing attempt by Sammy...we have to look and make smart clears to alleviate that kind of pressure

GO Sens GO!

couple of things... Phillips/Volchenkov have really matured into a top shutdown pair out there. They will lock down whoever they play against out there. No one really talks about Ottawa's 3 other lines, and they are all playing pretty well, The Fisher-Comrie-Schaefer line and Vermette-Kelly-Neil have both been defensively responsible and have chipped in some quality goals. Ottawa will play physical, and while they don't have the depth that Buffalo has, their top-end guys are better IMO than Buffalo's top end guys (Heatley is the best player in the series and Spezza is more talented than either Briere or Drury though he lacks the playoff pedigree). Alfredsson has had a Smythe-like postseason this year. Senators in 6! Yes, I cheer for Ottawa when the Wings aren't playing

I really hope your right...and I hope the guys remember the disappointing efforts they put forth in the games that followed those great victories. Doing that will motivate them to play the same way, which will lead to a win! Yes, this team is different this year...but we all thought those teams still looked really good after Game 4 in each series Play the same way, and we'll be awfully tough to beat

I don't want to be a downer after an incredible, heart-filled, thrilling Game 4 victory which has everybody on the site on cloud 9, but..... 2004: Game 4 @ CGY was our best of the series. We showed, grit, determination and will in gutting out a 4-2 victory, with dandenault (I think) picking up the GWG in the 3rd). 2006: Game 4 @ EDM was our best game of the series. Lidstrom and Z with two huge 3rd period goals to even the series and send us homee.... 2007: Game 4 @ SJ was our best game of the series. Unrelenting work ethic ties up the game late (weird to say with Lang) and a great OT win. NOW.... Each of these series has followed up with a saturday afternoon homegame on network TV... and in the first two series, we played OUR WORST GAMES OF EACH SERIES. I mean absolutely pathetic, lethargic, inexcusable Lions-esque efforts. GARBAGE. Babcock better be showing tapes of those Game 5s on the flight back...or this ecstasy will be all-for-not (Yes I know we're 3-0 in NBC home games this year) This outcome better be differnet

Wow. All I have to say is wow. I'm not gonna lie, I thought this one was over...guess I should know by now. What a game...it goes to show you that there is justice in the hockey world. The boys just kept working and working and working, and the breaks came. Congrats so Schneids, Langer and everyone here who maintained faith in the darkest of times. San Jose may still win this series, but DONT YOU DARE EVER QUESTION THIS TEAM'S HEART Dare I say that was Yzerman-like. God, I'm tearing up... GO WINGS!

Good PP we had...ok here's another one...lets score here

Markov, Sammy, Beruzzi, all around that area...none of them can get the puck out....BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

quick question...on the PK late in the game...Datsyuk went behind the net and flipped a centering pass to no one into the slot...I remember Maltby was along the halfboards right before that happend and I thought I saw him tangled with an SJ player...was Maltby finishing a check or being interfered with/being prevented from getting that puck?

I said Hasek had to be better in Game 3 -4 of CGY and not give up 3 goals, and you know what, he's been great since then. He played very well tonight, and gave the team a chance to win. This is a tremendous positive going into game 4, W e have to be able to generate more than 1 goal a game if we have any hope of winning the series. People are going to complain about 60 minutes, and yes the Wings didn't look nearly as sharp in the final 30 minutes...but eventually a team as talented as San Jose is going to wake up and carry the play for a bit, simple as that. This game boils down to two halves... first 30 minutes are dominated by Detroit, and we only manage one goal. last 30 minutes are dominated by San Jose and they manage two goals. You knew they'd come on eventually, we didn't capitalize more when they were down...all the posts, Flip's breakaway, the save on Cleary...they all hurt now. This series will shift back and forth within games...the team that steps on the throat of the opposition when it carries the flow will be victorious..tonight that was San Jose. We know what is successful...lets go out and excecute in Game 4

time to get clutch boys....SJ earned that go-ahead goal, lets earn the tying one!

to Hasek San Jose is really bringing it now...keep holding on boys..we'll get ours... ok, they've played their 20 minutes, back to the passive Sharks/dominant Wings