NeverForgetMac25

When you use Pierre McGuire as a source, credibility for your question is lost. Seriously, removing fighting would have zero affect on the popularity of the sport in the USA.

These types of "reads" are always good for those of us who weren't alive during the Harkness time frame. Thanks for posting.

Who will win? Pittsburgh Over or Under 6.5 goals (not including any shootout)? Under Will there be OT? No Will there be a shootout? No Which Team Scores First goal? Pittsburgh Will Ovechkin Score a goal? No Will Crosby Score a goal? Yesr Will Backstrom Score a goal? Yes Will Malkin score a goal? No Which team will have the most shots? Washington Will there be an Empty Net goal? No Over or Under 12.5 PIM? Over Will there be any fighting majors? No Who will have more points - OV or Crosby (or tie)? Crosby Who will be the three stars of the game (any order - 1 pt for each correct)? Crosby, Fleury, Backstrom Will there be any precipitation during the game? Yes

While they may not be as potent, its not as if this team is gonna start playing 3-7'ish hockey consistently without Dats. Do you think its a shade melodramatic to say our start was wasted?

I intended to post these responses yesterday, but the forums went offline. Obiously, not at the moment given they are (were) one point behind Dallas, but points/game percentage indicates Detroit is the best team in the conference. Who said anything about which team was playing better at the moment? I certainly didn't. Who cares who accumulated more points in which months. It certainly holds no bearing when the final numbers are in come April. Besides, that has nothing to do with what I'm talking about. The fact of the matter is that Detroit has the best points/game ratio in West, is likely the most balanced team in all of the NHL and when they play to their ability, they can beat any team in the league. That's my point.

The Wings are the best team in the conference.

Friday, December 17 Nashville at New Jersey Buffalo at Florida Detroit at Chicago x2 Ottawa at Colorado Saturday, December 18 NY Rangers at Philadelphia Washington at Boston Anaheim at Carolina Phoenix at NY Islanders New Jersey at Atlanta Dallas at Columbus Buffalo at Tampa Bay San Jose at St. Louis Los Angeles at Nashville Minnesota at Calgary Toronto at Vancouver Sunday, December 19 Dallas at Detroit Los Angeles at Chicago Washington at Ottawa Montreal at Colorado

That's not what you meant. You stated that the Wings had lost 3 straight, followed by "not good"...thus implying that the Wings are in trouble. You wanna end the charades now or continue back-peddling?

I have no other words. That was f*cking awesome! Haha! That's clearly the first portion of the general rule of scoring. There's plenty of other legal ways to score aside from simply what was stated in that rule. I.E., A player from the defending team who knocks the puck into his own net still counts as a goal. Same goes for if it deflects off an offending or defending players' body or skates.

That's clearly a sign that the Wings are destined to lose every game against LA from here on out. I mean....3 game win-streak...Unreal!

^ Says the guy with "Thug Life" written under his Avatar.

A whole 3? Oh Mindy. Does anyone know if when Sturm will go for LA?

Wow...not only did I not post all my games together, I forgot my x2 game. Here you go kook and I'm sorry again. Sorry for not posting these together with my picks from yesterday. I ran out of time. Saturday, December 11 Philadelphia at Boston Pittsburgh at Buffalo Detroit at New Jersey Atlanta at NY Islanders Montreal at Toronto Colorado at Washington NY Rangers at Columbus Carolina at St. Louis Dallas at Phoenix Florida at Nashville Tampa Bay at Vancouver Minnesota at Los Angeles Chicago at San Jose Sunday, December 12 Washington at NY Rangers x2 Vancouver at Edmonton Minnesota at Anaheim

Friday, December 10 Montreal at Detroit New Jersey at Ottawa Colorado at Atlanta Carolina at Dallas Tampa Bay at Edmonton Calgary at Anaheim

Friday, December 3 Colorado at Carolina NY Islanders at NY Rangers Columbus at Buffalo Calgary at Minnesota Vancouver at Chicago Detroit at Anaheim Saturday, December 4 New Jersey at Philadelphia San Jose at Montreal Buffalo at Ottawa Boston at Toronto Atlanta at Washington Pittsburgh at Columbus Colorado at Tampa Bay Minnesota at Dallas Florida at Phoenix x2 Carolina at Nashville St. Louis at Edmonton Detroit at Los Angeles Sunday, December 5 Philadelphia at NY Islanders Ottawa at NY Rangers Calgary at Chicago Phoenix at Anaheim St. Louis at Vancouver

You mean "Darrell McCarthy?"

Do you realize just how few rookies goaltenders play lights-out in their playoff debuts. Howard wasn't great by any stretch....but its not as if he was garbage either. If he s***'s the bed this year and possibly the next, then *for once* you'll have something legitimately talk about.

....and BOOM goes the dynamite!

In the next couple of weeks. He had been practicing with Boston for the last 7-10 days.

Confirmed by TSN: http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=343821

I'm sure they did. This puts an end to the headaches they've had leading up to this point.

Of course he would. Who wouldn't want their goaltender to "step it up more" at any given time? The fact of the matter is that while 0.915% isn't 0.940%, its not as if its 0.890% (which is how you're coming off). Just like any playoff run, typically every team defense engages and the shots against number goes down and teams fight harder to clear the crease. A fair amount of goalies follow suit with their level of play and we all hope Jimmmy will too. *At this point of the season* knocking his rookie playoff campaign where he still finished with a 0.915 SV% playing in front of a tired team, IMO is just stupid. If the defense and Jimmy continue to allow 2.6+ GA consistently a month before the playoffs, then you'll have something *legitimate* to whine about.

You bet it is. That's not the point. The fact of the matter is you find these little areas that the Wings aren't leading the NHL in and then try to blow them up bigger than life as if they not only have zero shot at winning the Cup, but even winning a single game. It's annoying...and pathetic.

Typical mindly. You get a 4-caret diamond and complain that its not a 5. The defense was banged up early in the year and there was tons shuffling going on. If they stay healthy the remainder of the season, you're going to continue to see the average shot total and GAA shrink. There's simply too much talent up and down this roster (and that includes Howard) for it to go any other way. Lastly, I'm most certainly not saying one should be complacent when things are going well, but your M.O. has always been to nitpick at the one thing the Wings aren't doing perfectly, when the fact of the matter is that every other NHL team seems to have atleast 3-4. I'm fairly confident Babs is well aware of the teams' current GAA and SA totals and is working to correct them to a level near past years' squads.