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I agree. And that's why I stated that Oz is a much better, far more understanding, human being than I am.

For those speculating that Hossa was ineffective due to injury: From today's edition of the DetNews Hossa said he was relatively uninjured during the Finals, only suffering from the usual damage of bumps and bruises. It wasn't a physical issue: It was emotional and mental. And for the record.... Chris Osgood is a much better, far more understanding, human being than I am: Chris Osgood sought out Hossa right after the game ended. “I shook his hand and said it was an honor playing with him,†Osgood said. “Everything happens for a reason. Stick with it. I mean, I don’t want to speak for him, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but we hope he’s here. He’s a great player, even better guy. He fits on our team very well. And he was snake bit, that’s all there is too (sic) it.â€

Exactly my point. Ozzie was good enough that it wouldn't have taken MUCH more. Just a touch. Just a bit more. They couldn't even manage that. Seems like many players who were counted on this year took a "who's going to step up" attitude, waiting for the next guy to be the hero. Oz played the part of hero often enough. He couldn't do it by himself, unfortunately.

Ya know....that's just the ***** of it, isn't it? In the past it's always been stated that the Wings are so strong, both Offensively AND Defensively, that "any" goaltender could have Won the Cup behind them. This year? They were at their weakest in the Post Season, and it was GOALTENDING which Won them many games they had no business Winning. Had they been able to hold it together DEFENSIVELY for one more Game, and score more than ONE FREAKIN' goal with all their vaunted Offensive firepower..... Instead? They THREW IT AWAY with sloppy Defense and lazy Offense. Damned shame. It was right there for the taking, too. This was the BEST goaltending performance by a Red Wings goaltender in this modern incarnation of the Team.

PRECISELY.

Frack Maggie the Monkey. Frack ESPN. Frack Sports Illustrated. Frack Barry Melrose. Frack Jacque Demers. Frack Vegas odds. Frack Ty Conklin. And.... FRACK MARIAN HOSSA! Frack HIM completely. As for the Detrot Red Wings? Hell.... Best damned Team on the face of the planet. By FAR! Thanks for a great Season, and a helluva Run, guys. Hurry back!

I'm calling BS, again.... It wasn't their "depth" which saw them do the same thing ALL YEAR LONG during the Regular Season. On many, MANY nights, they COASTED through 40, sometimes even 50 minutes, and then "decided" to turn it on for the final 10 minutes or so and count on their skill to Win the game for them. We, as fans, bitched about it ALL SEASON LONG. It wasn't about "depth" coming through late THEN, and it wasn't about "depth" coming through late in the Play Offs. They simply DIDN'T "GET STARTED ON TIME", as was so very often the case ALL SEASON LONG. Come to grips with that. During the RS, it was a hit-and-miss. Win some. Lose some. They tried relying on that pattern during the Post Season. It cost them the Cup. Again.... Listen to Maltby's PG interview. He's pretty honest about it. Why some Wings fans refuse to acknowledge it is beyond me.

That's a fools fantasy. Look at the 3rd period of nearly EVERY Game. The Pens did not "dominate". The Wings, for the most part, FAILED TO SHOW UP for most of these games. Maltby came right out and said it. They threw this Series, and the Cup, down the toilet.

Here, here!! Excellent job, and many thanks.

Difference between this year's Team and last year's Team? Last year they were inspired to Win the Cup for Dallas Drake. And they became more and more inspired watching a grinder like Dally leave his heart and soul, blood and guts, and everything he had, on the ice. Night after night, game after game, shift after shift. "Whatever it takes....I'll do it! I WANT the Cup...!" And so that's how THEY played, as a TEAM. With that kind of grinding, relentless intensity. This year? Well.... They were SUPPOSED to be inspired to Win the Cup for Marian Hossa. A guy who left the Pens because he wanted the EASIEST ride to the Cup. He played all Post Season as though he was WAITING for someone ELSE to step up and be the hero. And so that's how THEY played, as a TEAM. With the same kind of lackadaisical, "meh....." effort.

Read/listen to Maltby's post game presser for your answer to that question. Even Malts states the bare truth.... They failed to show up until it was too late, and relied on their skill to win them games where EFFORT would have been more effective.

Thank you, Chris. You promised you'd be ready, and you were. More than ready. Helluva Post Season. Rather than the "weak link", you've proven yourself to be the backbone. Unfortunate that many of your Teammates couldn't match your level of effort, couldn't raise their Games, to match yours. Questions answered. Point proven. You're Aces, Oz. Absolute Aces.

Thanks, Wings. As heartbroken as I am right now, (and yes....ESPECIALLY for Chris Osgood, who deserved a MUCH better fate after the performance he gave in the face of all the s*** he took this Season)..... Still lovin' the Wings. Major love and respect for a helluva a Season, despite all the bumps and bruises. Major love and respect for a HELLUVA Post Season. Heal up, gentleman. Cannot WAIT to have you back next Fall.... <f***.....I HATE when they lose....>

Without Osgood, the Wings don't make it out of the 2nd Round against Anaheim. Purchase a clue, please. Even if you've gotta take out a loan for it.

I don't care what anyone says. They threw this Cup away. Plain and simple. They failed to show up in TOO MANY GAMES this Series. Too little, too ******* late.

Oh....and another thing..... TY CONKLIN IS A ******* JINX!!!!

And now, all of you....all of you who called some of us "fair weather" or "bandwagon".... After watching the Wings DOMINATE for the final 10 minutes of the Game.... TELL us that the Wings showed up from the drop of the puck. TELL us that they couldn't have brought that effort from the start. TELL us that it wasn't about lack of effort. And there's your nightmare. The Scumguins have won the Cup.... ....on DETROIT ICE. Damned ******* shame.

Not sure if you're serious or not, as I've seen you post it at least twice, but his name is Maxime, not Maxine. Regardless, he's shown up tonight. In spades. Come on Wings.....You can DO this!!!! LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!!

Alright, gentlemen.... Twenty minutes left. Go GET 'em, boys! This isn't over yet.

Who's being "fair weather". I'm still a fan. In good times and bad. If you're calling me a "fair weather fan", I don't recall saying/typing anything about ceasing to be a fan if they lose this Game. They just don't seem to have it. They don't seem to have ANYTHING. Refute that.

Can't believe the Wings are gonna be shut out by Fleury, at Home, in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Incomprehensible.

Looks like the pens just want it more. Shame, really. Damned shame.

Good luck tonight, Men! LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!!!!!

Conversely..... If you're an atheist, do you walk into a Catholic Church, use the Confessional as a privy, and then wash your arse in the font of holy water, simply because YOU don't hold the same belief system? Just sayin'.....

With all due respect, Shoreline, I don't think that's the general consensus as to why they're losing the games they're losing. They're losing the games they're losing because they APPEAR to be putting in FAR LESS than maximum effort. Hell, I'll forgo "maximum effort" and go with "reasonable level of effort". Deny it. Refute it. What say you, Sir? Tell us how the mighty Pittsburgh Penguins, with a wonky-kneed Sergei Freakin' Gonchar as their BEST Defenseman, and a goaltender who was handing out rebounds like condoms at a Family Planning Clinic, are so good that they held the Defending Stanley Cup Champions, with all of their experience, poise, and 40+ Cup Rings in the room, to TWELVE SHOTS ON GOAL through TWO PERIODS? Tell us how a Team with a six time Norris Trophy Winner, a couple of Selke Winners, and a Smythe Winner, allows 24 shots, and 16 "Scoring chances" through those same two periods, while garnering 4 "scoring chances" themselves. Tell us how one of the highest scoring Teams in the NHL for the past 10 years, (INCLUDING THIS PAST YEAR), scores ONE GOAL on a goaltender who looked so damned shaky that he was laughing in nervous near-hysteria after pucks started ringing off the post behind him, and ricocheting around completely out of his control, in the third. This game was there for the taking. AS WERE Games 3 and 4. The Wings FAILED TO SHOW UP. Pointing out these FACTS does not make anyone a bandwagon fan, nor a "Nervous Nellie", nor a "Doomsayer". It makes us, (arguably), somewhat objective observers. If you've seen some OTHER Wings Team, (perhaps.....dare I say it....???.....The Defending Stanley Cup Champions.....), during this string of incomprehensible losses in HUGE Games this Post Season..... Kindly submit evidence in support of your point of view. The evidence in support of the point of view of us "Nervous Nellies" has been well documented. Matter of fact, it's now a matter of historical record.