ltgator333

Thanks for pointing this out, he seems like a really decent guy after reading his blog. It becomes very obvious to me that there's much more to the guy than what we fans see of him on the ice, it's a cool insight on the life of an 'average Joe' NHLer.

It's hard not to stick up for a guy who's been around so long, and a handfull of ppl hate so rabidly. My call is Ozzie has 3 go into his net Sunday. I mean, how long's it been since he's started a game and the team in front of him played well? October maybe? All the WD-40 (so to speak) in the world can't fix that.

Chunky by a mile. As it matters to ballcaps- Good fit or good looking?

I am not really bothered by Howard starting again in this game, provided it's Jimmy as usual and the team in front of him realizes this is two points on a platter PROVIDED they do what they need to do- start on time and finish what they start. Hopefully all goes well and the Wings continue to climb the statistical ladders.

...and I wouldn't mind the wings playing vs. Sammy provided he keeps it to his usual logo hunting. For that matter, if that's what he's going to do he can get 20 shots a game for all I care- imagine Howard's stats with 20 shots to the winged wheel every night!

You have a point here, but these guys aren't 'great players'. They're good enough, but nothing special along with vast majority of players in this or any league.

THANK YOU! That was exactly what I was thinking of when I saw that "sickest move I've ever saw" SO goal by ..... the other night- that's not all that impressive when Homer could darn-near do the same dang thing. I don't think that was an unbelievable deflection by Homer last night tho, if it was ANYONE but him yeah but that guy is the hands-down best at it and really he doesn't surprise me in front of the net anymore. He's damn good in front of the crease and I know it.

Well on the one hand you should leave a guy be when you're headed straight for the boards and he's got his back to you, but on the other hand that was weak as hell and fairly obvious that the result (OMGZ he pushed me into the boards!!) was intended. He knew the guy was there, turned his back to him, and then went down rather easily at the right moment. Either the guy really needs to work on his ability to stay on his skates, he hit a rut, or he sold that perfectly. More rules means, in my thinking, that you have to not only be smart about your physical play (stay within the traditional standards of what's ok) but you also have to be smarter than to be suckered into something like this. So you literally have to think twice before hitting somebody by this logic, and I'm not sure I like that. The spontaneity of the game is a big part of what makes it so great.

OK, so in that story it mentions the only person off-limits to Drapes' shaving cream pie routine is Lidstrom. Now I know that Cleary is allergic or something so he uses something else, but what's Lidstrom's deal? Anyone know? And happy b-day Jimmy, hope you get a (not saying it) for your birthday!

Ericsson DOES have more upside than Lebda, but he doesn't always play up to that. At this point I think I'd also rather see Ericsson in the lineup than not, but if the wings HAD TO win a game it'd be hard to say really. The biggest gripe I have with E is he's a big man, and the hardest hitting RW d-men are smaller to much smaller than he is- imagine Kronner +35lbs (sick). As for at the end of the year, I would hope Lebda's gone. He and Lilja are UFA with Meech RFA, and I think the other two guys have upsides/potential upsides better than him. It's been mentioned that Lebda's peaked, I think he has (if not, close enough) and I certainly doubt Meech has considering the chunk of his NHL games he's spent playing as a forward.

I also think this is a favorable schedule that will allow them, if the continue to play well, to make the playoffs handily. But that's the thing- they've got to beat the basement dwellers AND beat the decent/good teams as well. It's still also going to depend on what Calgary and to a lesser extent Nashville do with the rest of their seasons. If both those teams go on a good win streak, the margin for error for Detroit will get smaller every time they win. Here's to the Wings continuing to win 4 out of every 5 and Calgary not going unbeaten down the stretch.

I'm not so sure it's a leadership issue, it may very well be, but I also think it could be an issue of the players that need the leadership are getting it and are unable to respond. I think that Lidstrom played well enough last night, as did the top line, arguably the second. Guys that I noticed were the likes of Cleary, Flip, Willy, and Miller. They were either near non-factors in the game and/or got shut down the same way repeatedly (Flip). These are all skilled-enough players that didn't do jack last night. Then there's Z- I don't think there's anything wrong with the guy other than he needs a winger who can go in the corners/boards and get him the puck. He's good at it himself considering his size, but considering his size he shouldn't have to be the only guy on his line that can do it. As for Cleary and Williams, they're two skill guys who just don't seem to have another gear. Cleary has been flat out disappointing this year imo. Miller- his flashes of brilliance appear to be over, and I really see no reason for him to be anywhere outside the bottom two lines. If he can play better than he is, let him prove it like anyone else has to. I do get tired of Babcock doing what appears to be playing favorites- and speaking of which anyone notice how Howard's starting to burn out? I am TOTALLY NOT knocking the guy- the fact he's playing as well as he is makes me want him around Detroit for a long time, but he's not as sharp as he's been in the past and you can't help but wonder if it's due to the superstar goalie level of games he's played. The problem with the situation is obvious- Babcock has painted himself into a corner where the only escape is for Howard to hold up or Osgood to pull something out of his arse, again . Oh and, I am finally liking the bottom defensive pairing. It's the top two pairings I am absolutely sick and tired of. Not the players themselves, but the way they're used. You've got two defensemen that can't/won't hit together, with two wrecking machines together. Get a clue and spread it out already!

Thanx much Matt!

http://www.seamonkey-project.org/ Made by Mozilla, same stuff under the hood as Firefox, no attack site bs. Didn't see the game, but, everyone on here should know Homer gets hosed by the refs on the regular. Haters gonna hate, and they will until he doesn't play anymore. To me, it's a thing where you can either tolerate the injustice (whether it be coincidental, purposeful or anywhere in between) or you can't. Watch and deal with it, or shut it off.

We may find out years later that it had an impact on some kid that watched the game, and ended up soon thereafter at a local rink, but realisticly we'd be talking a handfull of kids nation-wide. And, they'd almost have to be kids where one of the parents already is at least a casual fan. The real reason, imo, why ice hockey will not grow in popularity in the US has not much to do with what TV channel it's on. Closest rink to me growing up was in Jackson (MI) good 30-40 minute drive away. Today, the closest rink to me is in Battle Creek, again a good 30 minute drive. And this is in Michigan where hockey has some level of relevance, I imagine in other states it gets worse. Then there's equipment costs and the fact that there was one high school in my area (private school) while growing up that had a team. One. Vs every school system has a football/basketball/baseball team. So to me, yeah it's all well and good to be able to watch the games of TV, but the whole point of TV exposure is to get people to the rinks and play the game. I've been a fan of the game since the mid 90's, and aside from a bunch of fooling around on roller blades with cheapo tennis balls vs friends/family in someone's driveway/parking lot- I've never played the game. And I imagine even at that, I've got many posters on this forum beat.

Oh woopty-doo. They just won a freakin' gold medal they can't get their smoke and drink on?? If I just won a ANYTHING I'd be doing the same damn thing in a second! I would like to see a 3/5/7 game series (checking allowed) between these two teams. That was, imo, one of the better hockey games I've seen in a while women or not. As an American born and raised I was pulling for the losing side.. they just didn't seem to have it when it came down to it, but hey I suppose a Silver medal is not something to sneeze at. I was also pretty impressed with the decency shown by the largely Canadian crowd- I didn't hear any jeers. I suppose the spotlight's on the Canadian men's squad now.

I can't help but wonder that myself. If so, he scored a goal in a game the wings' won, leaving on a positive note I suppose. I dunno this whole deal kinda stinks, don't get me wrong Maltby's play has rubbed me wrong past couple of seasons but he has played decent this season, and he's been here forever (4 cups=something). I hope that's not the way he goes out, after all these years I feel he deserves better.

I like the 'Crease Violation' rule, it seems like a way to cut down on goaltender interference, whether it's real or BS. That and a neutral zone faceoff > minor penalty. I also like the size and shape of the goal crease, but maybe that's just sentimental...

I also think there should be checking in the women's game, for the reasons that ice hockey includes checking, and I think the female players are perfectly able (perhaps in some situations, more physically capable of checking other female players than male players are physically capable of checking other male players- think about the general differences between the male and female form.) and they're likely willing to do so. So why stop them? The fact that it's against the rules doesn't seem to stop the Canadian or US players from doing it during they're games vs eachother if memory serves. As for the competitiveness of the tournament, either these European countries who have been major players in the men's tournament get tired of being embarrassed in the women's tournament, drop the gender based 'tude and develop their programs or they don't. There's no forcing them, and I do think that the NCAA's position on Russian women making peanuts in "pro" leagues is wrong, as usual with the NCAA imo. The sports scholarships that the NCAA allows schools to give to student athletes is undoubtedly worth much more than those Russian female hockey players make. Will it or should it get dropped from the Olympics imo? I say let them check and play the game, include it for Sochi and if none of the European programs step up and improve, then it's time to consider dropping it. The good thing that has already been done is the exposure is out there. I saw an interview of one of the Swedish women's team's players, and she said that since the sports inclusion to the Olympics there are more girls going to the rinks in her country. Any of our resident Swedes know anything about this? What I'm getting at is, the good has already been done, and I really think that even if it is dropped it will only be a matter of time (two winter games perhaps) before it's back.

This guy went from playing for one of the "up and coming" teams of the NHL to the Oilers who have shat the bed this season, and was snubbed from the Olympic team. Apparently he's let it bother him. I don't understand why someone with that kind of $ would be caught driving drunk tho... you can't tell me he couldn't get a ride and a nice one at that.

Keep in mind that Roenick is ALSO guilty of d-baggery on many occasions. These two in a fight would be epic.

That game left me with a good feeling about what's going to happen post-olympic break. If they can play at least like that down the stretch, I really think there will be a post-season for this team. Barring major issues.

lol yeah, isn't he always though? I assume it at this point.

I would only trade Flip for someone with well known ability to pot 30-ish goals, or a d-man of Stuart's skill or better. Other than that, absolutely not. Also would not trade for a last year 'til UFA (rental) player. I don't know that he's worth all that, and I don't think Detroit's in a position to need to trade him at this point anyway imo. He's played acceptably well so far since returning.

I know, it's hard to see it happen again like so many other times, especially when it really counts like last night. Major thumbup to Nabokov tho, if he can steal some like that the Sharks will look better than their usual in the playoffs to say the least.