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livediehockey80

Door Number 5 or Calgary in First Round of Playoffs

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Well, it looks like the Western Conference playoff seeds are about in place except for three positions (5-7). It's safe to say that the Avs are out and Calgary is the caboose in the playoff round. It looks like the Wings will either finish as the Number 1 seed or drop to Number 4. There is a way three-way battle for the Number 5 position between the Wild, Sharks and Stars.

So if you are the Red Wings: Do you prefer the prize behind hidden behind Door Number 5 or do you like your chances against the 8 seed Calgary Flames? I think the Wings are better off dropping to the 4 seed position.

I hope the Dallas Stars are number 5 seed team. The Wings match up very well against the Dallas Stars. Marty Turco is cursed by the Wings. I would say the Wings would beat Dallas 4-1 or at worst 4-2 in the playoff series.

Second best opponent is the SJ Sharks. Sure, SJ has heavy offensive talents with Thornton, Marleau, Guerin et al. But I see the Wings edging them on defense and superior goaltending from the Dominator. I think the Wings take the Sharks in six or seven games.

The Minnesota Wild are scary. They are the New Jersey Devils--Western Conference Version. A first round match up with Minnesota could be a disaster for Detroit. Besides Demitra, Gaborik or Rolston, I couldn't name a forward on the Wild. But that trap system can kill any team. It all depends on Niklas Backstrom as the netminder. If he becomes the 2007 version of 2004 Kiprusoff or 2003 JS Giguere or 2006 Roloson then the Wings are roadkill in the first round against the Wild. We don't want the Wild.

Last but not least, Calgary. No way the Wings beat the Flames in the first round. I just don't see it. The Flames and Wings haven't changed their styles much since the last playoff match up in 2004. The Wings have more forechecking muscle with Bertuzzi but that's it. It will be the same story...Calgary out fore-checks the Wings, Calgary out hits the Wings, Calgary out hustles the Wings, Calgary out-goaltends the Wings.

I have to root for the Preds to take the Central Division and get that Number 1 seed. A Preds-Flames series would be the most entertaining match up for the first round.

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Calgary can't win on the road and play very well at home. The Wings are excellent at home and not to shabby on the road. That doesn't add up to a series victory for Calgary when you play four road games. With Hank back in the lineup and the accusitions of Bert and Calder, I don't see why the Wings couldn't steal a road game and win in five or six.

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I don't think it matters who the Wings play in the first round. I think the Wings will win whatever series they find themselves in. Even if it takes six or seven games. I would love to see the Wings win in four or five games so they have some time off before the next round.

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Second best opponent is the SJ Sharks. Sure, SJ has heavy offensive talents with Thornton, Marleau, Guerin et al. But I see the Wings edging them on defense and superior goaltending from the Dominator. I think the Wings take the Sharks in six or seven games.

(Sorry, I took out the bulk of your post to save space. I am directly replying to just this paragraph.)

I think the Sharks would cause the Wings some trouble in the playoffs. The Sharks are a faster, more physical team. The best thing they have going for them is their youth. This San Jose team is a very young team, which usually directly translates into intense hunger to win the Cup.

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Calgary can't win on the road and play very well at home. The Wings are excellent at home and not to shabby on the road. That doesn't add up to a series victory for Calgary when you play four road games. With Hank back in the lineup and the accusitions of Bert and Calder, I don't see why the Wings couldn't steal a road game and win in five or six.

We've had a lot of trouble in Western Canada this season.

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At this point the Flames scare me. They have some big weapons who have given us problems. Kipper is also about due to catch fire and i would much rather not face him in the playoffs.

I would like to see us end up as the 4 seed right now. Give us the 5 place team and let Nash do battle with the flames.

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Rather play Calgary than San Jose.

Yeh, we meet the Sharks, we CAN win, but they're physical and damn near amazing at every other spot.

Calgary is no pushover, but are ripe if we get a quick 2-0 series lead.

They are surely not the team we lost to a few years ago.

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I would have to say if the wings finish 1st good deal if the wings finish 4 ok.. It wont matter who the wings play if they are a cup team they will win.. 1-8 maybe a bunch of points apart but on talent level they are even.. I love the way DET is playing of late not showing in stats or goals but they look like a diff team.. this wings team look like the one from 97-98.. they just find the way to win the game.. I also would like to add how i think Lilja is playing really good of late alot better then Kronwall i dont know who i would like to see play more in the playoffs. I dont see why some ppl think Kronwall is such a good D-Man..

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(Sorry, I took out the bulk of your post to save space. I am directly replying to just this paragraph.)

I think the Sharks would cause the Wings some trouble in the playoffs. The Sharks are a faster, more physical team. The best thing they have going for them is their youth. This San Jose team is a very young team, which usually directly translates into intense hunger to win the Cup.

I like your new username!!

Anywho, I don't care who the Wings play. They play who they play and that's that.

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We've had a lot of trouble in Western Canada this season.

Yes, I think a lot of our problems out there this year have to do with the travel and time difference. The Wings look tired when the play Calgary. I would rather face Minnesota or Dallas for sure.

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I'd have to agree with the original poster.

I'd like to see Nashville get worn out by Calgary in the 1st round.

Ditto. But, what if Trashville sweeps the Flames? Confident and rested Preds do no one any good.

Edited by Wings_Dynasty

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Yep calgary ain't the team they were, plus if they tried to bully us now big bert would fix them. :P

They wouldn't try to bully us, because they have no one to do so. Maybe Robyn Regehr or Phaneuf but that would be about it. Most of the Flames behavior in the 2004 series came from two men in particular: Krzysztof Oliwa and Ville Niemenen. Now that neither of them are on the Flames anymore, they don't quite have that goonish type of play like they did that year.

That being said though, I still don't want to play Calgary in the first round. If Kipper get's hot, look out.

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I want to play Calgary because they beat us 3 years ago. That would take any thoughts of "we like our matchup, we are in good shape, we should beat them" out of the Red Wings dressing room and replace them with thoughts of "This team flat out beat us last time by out hustling us" or "s***, we're going to have to work our asses to get by this team, they crushed us last time." I'd rather skip right to playing a hard team first, and have everybody know its a hard team, to bring out the best in the Wings right away. If we want to be the best, we have to beat the best.

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My choices who I would want to see we play in the first round (in the order):

1. Dallas - looks like optimal team to play, Turco usually is not very impressive in the playoffs

2. Calgary - it is not the same team we played in 04; Kipper can still play well, but I hope not well enough to win the series

3. San Jose – scary, but possible. Nabokov is not always consistent, Toskala just returned from injury

4. Minnesota - I guess it's another Cinderella story this year

I also think that if we get a strong team in the first round and it will take us 7 games to win the series - we'll have all chances to get the Cup.

Edited by stactum

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Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA

I'd have to agree with the original poster.

I'd like to see Nashville get worn out by Calgary in the 1st round.

Honestly why is everyone afraid of Nashville? were ******* 6-1-1 agaisnt them with ******* Joey Mccdonald being the only reason. We have a worse record agaisnt the blues. INFLATED STATS COUGH

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I want to face the Flames, I guaruntee you we would beat them. The Flames arent the team they were in 2004. They haven't been playing well and they wouldnt come into the NHL with so much momentum. They suck on the road, and Detroit has become more physical and we have a better coach that has taught the wings how to play more tougher. No way Wings would lose again, I know it.

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Detroit isnt the same team as the past few years... In 03, 04,06 (correct me if im wrong) we were first in the league by about 10 points, coasting the last month of the season. Then we were expected to play a team who was dying to get into the playoffs.... We weren't ready. Also coaching, yes in 06 we had babs...but it was his first year on a team with the names like Yzerman, Shanahan. Lidstrom, comnig from a team were JS gigueure was king...thats intimidating.... Babs now has this team playing how he wants, and Detroit is also fighting going into the playoffs.

One thing I've learned playing hockey...never fear your opponents... And whose to say on other message boards detroit isnt the team to beat?

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