Mike

In the playoffs, every game is a must win.

Everyone was hopeful that Rafalski would play tomorrow and that didn't work out so well. Also, it is Babcock who is hopeful:

That might be a little drastic. All those rule changes would affect the playoffs in some way or another so it would not in fact be leaving the playoffs alone.

Down 2-0 to the Manitoba Moose with Game #3 tonight in GR.

Leino has proved that he is NHL ready. I don't see how this would be a bad thing.

And you won't see one because the goalie is well protected with a FULL mask, but that doesn't mean that you can elbow a goalie in the head. Next excuse.

This is why a 4-on-4 OT should not be used until after 2 5-on-5 OTs. How many playoff OT periods go longer than 2 OTs?

It sounds like he just doesn't want the Ducks to find anything out and just assume that Cheli is still playing.

I don't know how it's anti-Downey to start a thread that reports on how he elbowed a goalie in the head. As for the suspension likely, see this quote from MLive: I was just passing along what MLive reported. Also, how do you hear someone writing in a thread? You can say that the hit was nothing, as some people agree with or you can say that the hit was cheap and dirty, as some people have said. I DID see the footage and I believe that it was dirty and uncalled for, but that makes no difference. We are obviously not going to agree on whether the hit was "really nothing" or dirty. Who cares if the thread is anti-Downey or not. Just because you like him doesn't mean everyone else does. You don't have to agree with everyone's opinions, but to belittle them because you don't agree with them is idiotic. Take off your homer Downey glasses.

Kopecky is a -1 and has 1 point. Helm is a -2 and has 0 points. Maltby has similar TOI numbers as Helm and Kopecky. It's a product of playing on the 4th line and killing penalties. Your stats are going to take a hit when you only see 10 or so minutes a game with most of it PK time. Most goals against and PP goals against is a slippery slope to judge the caliber of play because there are 3 or 4 other guys out there with him. Maltby is not at fault for every one of those goals. Maltby is a better skater and puck handler than Kopecky. Both Helm and Maltby have that fire under their asses, while Kopecky thinks he is on fire and drops to the ice to roll around all the time. Maltby is a smarter hockey player and a line of Helm-Draper-Maltby would be full of speed, face-off ability and energy.

I'd be really sad and pissed too if I didn't get to play in the games that I worked all season long to get to.

I am really hoping that doubtful turns into he's playing. The Wings need to be rolling 3 defensive lines, especially after game #2, otherwise our defense will be overplayed and their quality of play will decrease. Either Rafalski comes back or Babcock starts to play Cheli more. We need 6 d-men, not 5.

I'd have to agree that my attention span was being tested the longer the game went on. At one point, I just wanted the game to end. 4-on-4 would save the legs of a lot of players and probably would result in better play for longer periods of time. I still don't know how I would feel about a change like that, but I don't think I would hate it if the NHL did go with that change.

Exactly. A player that plays so few minutes cannot be taking that amount of penalties. It clearly hurts the team and makes you not an asset but a liability. I never said that all of Downey's PIMs resulted in a PK. All I said was that he is prone to putting the Wings on the PK, which he is for the amount of ice time he gets. As for Bertuzzi, he was an absolute disaster for the Wings and didn't work out so that is a terrible example and just hurts your argument. I'd like to see you respond to comments like the one above and others like it that have called you out on your incorrect numbers. I will say that my numbers were wrong as that did not subtract out off setting penalties and I will be the first to say that. I will not start calling people idiots and then start listing incorrect information to go along with it. That's being an idiot. Come and respond to all these comments that prove your numbers wrong as well or continue to avoid doing so as you have. Until then, you have no right to call anyone an idiot and make yourself look like the idiot.

Maltby is a great penalty killer and is more valuable to the Wings than Kopecky. Kopecky is the best bet for the team to sratch when Draper is healthy.

Kopecky would have to pull Pronger off of the bench because there is no way that Pronger will be out there as the same time as Kopecky. Even if he was, Pronger would not waste his time or cost his team the minutes without him to put a scrub like Kopecky in the box.

Until Rafalski gets back, I'm afraid that it is going to be Sammy. Stuart is absolutely fine on the PP and pairs nicely with Kronwall. Ericsson needs to get a shot out there with Lidstrom. Sammy is just terrible and only out there because he is right handed.

I have the same feeling. The Pens were very close to a victory in game #1 if it weren't for the heroics of Varlamov.

It would also result in a suspension and the Wings don't need to be another man down.

The Capitals had to win 3 straight games too and we all know what happened. It can be done and if any team in the NHL can do it, it's the Wings.

Helm-Draper-Maltby. Kopecky has done nothing but turnover the puck, take poor shots and fall on his ass constantly.

Did Rafalski warm up with the team today? Someone told me that they heard the NBC guys say he was. This is good news if true.

Game #2: @ NHL Game Preview | Please discuss this game in WCSF GAME 2 GDT. | NHL Game Recap Ducks win 4-3 (3OT) Series tied 1-1 Game #2: @ NHL Game Preview | NHL Game Recap Hurricanes win 3-0 Series tied 1-1

All the home teams dropped their second game so far. Funny how that works out.

That the 99% don't post enough threads.