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I don't want either in the line-up right now. This has been a fast paced series and neither of them have the skating ability to keep up with it Wither Abdelkader or Hartigan, or possibly even Meech back up front though I would pick the other two over Meech.

I'd like to see Ericsson in for Cheli next game, and Lilja in for Lebda, Lebda has been solid but he hasn't been doing much, I think Lilja and Ericsson bring some size that could help at the point.

I love Mac but he needs to be scratched, he is struggling to keep up with the pace of this series.

Agreed Matt. I agree with you that Mac needs to sit in the cushy press box seats for game 6. Just interested in your opinion as to who should get in between Downey, Abdelkader, and Hartigan. I think that Downey's skating will be just as big of an issue as Mac's was, and I think that between Hartigan and Abdelkader, Hartigan wins due to experience, but I want it to be Abdelkader.

Alright lets assume Franzen is still out for Game 6, since I think he will be. These would be my lineup changes if I were Babcock: Filpulla-Datsyuk-Homer Hudler-Zetterberg-Cleary Drake-Draper-Maltby Abdelkader-Helm-Samuelsson Lidstron-Rafalski Kronwall-Stuart Ericsson-Lebda However I doubt that will be what goes.

There is still a game 6 people, why are we talking about game 7?

McCarty seems to have been benched for the game, Drapes is double shifting... If Stein isn't back you will see Hartigan, Abdelkader, or Downey in instead... I hope for Abdelkader

Dallas is the first fast team the Wings have faced in the playoffs, and its proving McCarty's skating is not where it needs to be to be in the lineup. I love him to pieces but in my world he sits when Franzen is back, and IF they lose today I'd think about Abdelkader in for Mac in game 6 if Franzen isn't back. He just can't keep up with the pace this round.

He played and scored in game 1

Alright 20 minutes left in regulation, all they need is to hold Dallas and tie this up to send it to OT. They are going to need to play much better than they are right now. Lets focus in the intermission and come back to tie it in the third.

This game is far from over, but to everybody who was bashing McLeod's article, its been 6 periods since an even strength goal has been scored by somebody other than Hank or Datsyuk, and look at the last 2 games... Its a valid point, today proves it.

He hit skate right before puck, it was a good call.

That makes sense, what channel is broadcasting those games by the way, i'd like to see the Canada-Russia final.

Seriously did McGuire get fired, or is he in mourning since anaheim, san jose, and colorado all got knocked out.

No McGuire?!??!?!

I will take that as a truth. I meant offensively only, but yes if you count all around we do have the edge there.

No but your second line should...

Mine as well...but here is why. LINK LINK2 So that is about 70 Million a year when ESPN wouldn't even pay 60-million a year...as always its all about the $$$ Sorry, not meaning to hijack to a VS thread, just was answering why the NHL took to VS over ESPN, research for myself and the other person who asked. But the moral of my story is Versus paid for coverage, they got it, despite that it isn't well broadcasted around the nation. And due to that NBC is in fact a better place to play a key game like game 5.

Haven't read the whole 9 pages so I don't know who else has, but I will give the Pen's credit. They scare me, I have been rooting against them all playoffs as the only team I don't want to see the Wings face in the Finals since they are the only team I think has a chance to beat them. Fleury and Ozzie are wash in talent Ozzie with the experience Wings D is better than Pens D Special Teams is too tight to call Wings top 3 is equal to Pens top 3 its all pretty much a wash, and that makes for a close series and I for one do not see it being a short Wings dominance, but a long hard fought series...where the Wings win of course

Oh I agree, I am just pressing my offensive concerns not my concerns for the whole team. Just thought that showing a comparison offensively to that team would prove that there is a slight issue at hand, and its not going to be all roses and candy to win the cup. Its going to be tough against Pittsburgh...But they will do it.

Other issues with Versus are as follows: LINK When in fact NBC has its own HD channel, and ESPN has 2 of its own... Thats a huge drop off in available marketing... So in fact NBC is a much better place for such a high market game...but also begs the question..."How does VS have exclusive Stanley Cup Coverage in America?"

Problem is not everyone has Versus, so NBC is where they can get a wider audience, since everyone, even people without cable, have it.

I am just assuming here, but I think that as I am, he is more concerned about if this continues on into the probable series versus Pittsburgh than the rest of this round. Look at Ottawa last year in the cup, they cruised in there off of Heatly, Spezza, Alfredsson. That line got shut down, thus Ottawa went to hell... That is my concern. They really need to get some production out of Filpulla and Cleary if they are going to be able to face off against Pittsburgh with any sort of dominance. In my opinion the Wings are better than Pittsburgh in every catagory except offense, and that is what could be a problem.

I don't think its a question that we're fine for this series, but Pittsburgh is an offensive power house with Malkin, Crosby, Hossa, and those guys are split up...Our big guys aren't. Unless we get some other lines to produce, (lets face it there is a POSSIBILITY Franzen could miss the rest of the playoffs, no matter how slim it is), the whole series will be on 2 lines (ZDH and the Drapes checking line) the defense and Ozzie...

We actually only played games 2 and 3 without Franzen. Game 2 we won 2-1 with a great goal by Helm and one by Zetterberg, game 3 the team didn't play all that well but still outplayed dallas and won 5-2 but 4 of the 5 goals were from datsyuk and zetterberg. Its valid that its a problem that if this line were to get shut down, as it mostly did in game 4. The rest of the team is struggling to generate offense.