Ultimate Playoff Matchup Thread - Who Ya Want?

[ProfessorLidstrom5 0]

The One thing I am very confident in is our goaltending this year compared to last year. I think it was NBC on Sunday that showed clips of that horrifying series against the Oilers with Manny between the pipes. I believe this year we can get away with scoring 1 or 2 goals in a playoff game and still win because of Dom or even Ozzy. They have showed us in the regular season that they can dominate the good teams even when our scoring is scarce.

Edited April 2, 2007 by ProfessorLidstrom5

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

The One thing I am very confident in is our goaltending this year compared to last year. I think it was NBC on Sunday that showed clips of that horrifying series against the Oilers with Manny between the pipes. I believe this year we can get away with scoring 1 or 2 goals in a playoff game and still win because of Dom or even Ozzy. They have showed us in the regular season that they can dominate the good teams even when are scoring is scarce.

Yep. Goaltending makes all the difference in the world.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Yep. Goaltending makes all the difference in the world.

And we've got good goaltending for the first time since 2002. Guess who was in net then

[ProfessorLidstrom5 0]

And we've got good goaltending for the first time since 2002. Guess who was in net then

Yeah, and the greatest part of that is I think Dom is better now than in '02. Scary thought...

[BringHomeTheCup! 0]

HANDS DOWN SAN JOSE!!!!!!!!!! The only reason the Wings have had any trouble with these guys this year is the number of Power Play opps they get. Sorry, but in the playoffs they aren't going to get 15 chances a game. Plus they don't have 2 solid scoring lines. Stop Joe Thornton, and you stop the Sharks. I wouldn't mind seeing the Wild strictly based on the travel schedule. We always seem to face a west coast team in the first round.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I'll mention one thing about calgary. A lot of the players on the team now were still around when cgy beat them 3 yrs ago. There could be a "Revenge" factor in those players after being knocked out by those guys.

Lids, Cheli, Homer, Hank, Datsyuk, Schneider, Draper, Malts.....yeah I think thats enough for them to have a collective memory of what happened in Calgary last time.

So weve pointed out how the Wings are 1) Hungrier 2) Grittier 3) Have better goaltending, but I didnt see anybody mention how we arent so god damned reliant on our PP as we have been in years past. Thats definitely a plus as well.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Lids, Cheli, Homer, Hank, Datsyuk, Schneider, Draper, Malts.....yeah I think thats enough for them to have a collective memory of what happened in Calgary last time.

So weve pointed out how the Wings are 1) Hungrier 2) Grittier 3) Have better goaltending, but I didnt see anybody mention how we arent so god damned reliant on our PP as we have been in years past. Thats definitely a plus as well.

You know how every year we're great on the PP in the season and then come playoff time nothings there? Maybe this year it's opposite! Or so I hope!

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Lids, Cheli, Homer, Hank, Datsyuk, Schneider, Draper, Malts.....yeah I think thats enough for them to have a collective memory of what happened in Calgary last time.

So weve pointed out how the Wings are 1) Hungrier 2) Grittier 3) Have better goaltending, but I didnt see anybody mention how we arent so god damned reliant on our PP as we have been in years past. Thats definitely a plus as well.

You forgot something , Last time we played Calgary we had Big Derian playing pylon all series. This time we have guys like Markov and Lebda that can act on the play instead of standing watching Gelinas score. (Thank goodness Gelinas isnt there anymore)

[Mighty Wings 0]

You know how every year we're great on the PP in the season and then come playoff time nothings there? Maybe this year it's opposite! Or so I hope!

Their PP is either feast or famine. If they can score on the PP, there is a better chance that they chould advance.

[Mighty Wings 0]

http://calsun.canoe.ca/Sports/Hockey/2007/...896342-sun.html

It says the flames probably want to play Anaheim for revenge, but Mcguire says teams should fear the Wings.

[Vancouver Wings Fan 0]

No matter who we play, here are the keys:

Travel / Home Ice - Zet on the mend, older players - need the "extra" game at home as well as first punch

Dats - only three goals in playoff hockey

Dom - needs to be the Dominator

Penalties - need to be smarter then recent

Of course good fortune for Detroit and a tweaked groin for Luongo would help!!

[Zion 93]

HANDS DOWN SAN JOSE!!!!!!!!!! The only reason the Wings have had any trouble with these guys this year is the number of Power Play opps they get. Sorry, but in the playoffs they aren't going to get 15 chances a game. Plus they don't have 2 solid scoring lines. Stop Joe Thornton, and you stop the Sharks. I wouldn't mind seeing the Wild strictly based on the travel schedule. We always seem to face a west coast team in the first round.

This is ridiculous.

First of all, stopping the Thornton/Michalek/Cheechoo line is extremely difficult (see recent games), and the "Stop Joe Thornton, and you stop the Sharks" comment is extremely ignorant. The Marleau/Guerin combo has been good and has utilized several players as the 3rd winger on their second line. The Grier/Clowe/Bernier line is a terrific checking line, and their goaltending tandem is terrific.

San Jose and Anaheim have got to be the favorites in the West, despite how tight the conference is. The West is far superior a conference.

[dicksmack 33]

All those who said Minni, Dallas, Calgary, SJ give yourselves a hand...

Everyone else: give your heads a shake, and... shake it easy...

I think bert will help beat the trap to some degree by scaring the hell out of the hapless D. who's corner we keep dumping into!

[GoWings1905 2,694]

I'm done trying to predict who would be "best" for the Red Wings to play after last year's series with Edmonton. Fact is, all of the playoff teams in the Western Conference are very good, and all capable of going to the Finals. However, for the sake of the thread, I will say Dallas is the team I would be most pleased to see, and at all costs I want the Red Wings to avoid San Jose.

[Elshupacabra 0]

Yeah, and the greatest part of that is I think Dom is better now than in '02. Scary thought...

Do you really think Dom is better now then in 02?

I'm not so sure, on last Saturdays Red Wings Weekly they showed highlights of the 02 playoffs I was amazed how Hasek looked on some of those plays, now granted those were highlights but I think that Dom lets in some weaker goals now...more so then in 2002, the CBJ goal from Sunday comes to mind for me

[Saran 1]

minnie then dallas

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

the CBJ goal from Sunday comes to mind for me

I tend to agree with your point, but this isn't really a good goal to use as an example. Most of the time if the puck misses the net and comes off the endboards to a forward standing on the other side, there's not much anyone can do. That's just plain bad luck.

[Elshupacabra 0]

I tend to agree with your point, but this isn't really a good goal to use as an example. Most of the time if the puck misses the net and comes off the endboards to a forward standing on the other side, there's not much anyone can do. That's just plain bad luck.

i'll give you that one...sorry, I falied all of you :nonono:

[BlueMonk 102]

One thing I've been thinking about is how happy I was to see the Wings face Edmonton last year. Edmonton played uptempo hockey and I liked that matchup for the Wings. Then, the playoffs come, and Edmonton traps and suffocates the Wings with a totally different style of hockey. I think the Wings are better prepared for that type of switch this year, but it's possible that any of these teams that looks like an attractive matchup (say, Dallas) could wind up playing a totally different game in a playoff series.

[superstarsingh 23]

Stars or the Wild. Western Canada scares me...yet I was born there, interesting.

[kylee 727]

I'm done trying to predict who would be "best" for the Red Wings to play after last year's series with Edmonton. Fact is, all of the playoff teams in the Western Conference are very good, and all capable of going to the Finals. However, for the sake of the thread, I will say Dallas is the team I would be most pleased to see, and at all costs I want the Red Wings to avoid San Jose.

very true.

ANY team can go to the finals from the West - and win it.

i choose calgary.

Red Wings win the President's (or at least 1st in the West)

hopefully they don't run into san jose, cause they just straight up scare me.

[Never_Retire_Steve 35]

Thats the point. Its supposed to be a challenge. The one team that survives will be the team who was able to withstand all of the punishment of 4 rounds. This ain't no cake walk here people. This is all out war, and that will wear every team down.

I couldn't disagree more, I would way rather have a cakewalk than have really tough opponents where we get stretched to the limit and get punished in the early round.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

I couldn't disagree more, I would way rather have a cakewalk than have really tough opponents where we get stretched to the limit and get punished in the early round.

There's no such thing as a cakewalk in the first round for any team. At least thats what I think.

I've always thought that the quarter finals/conference finals have been the toughest of the four rounds.

Edited April 3, 2007 by hockeycrazy3033

[Never_Retire_Steve 35]

There's no such thing as a cakewalk in the first round for any team. At least thats what I think.

I've always thought that the quarter finals/conference finals have been the toughest of the four rounds.

I agree, however, there are definately more favorable and less favorable matchups that exist in the first round.

[Rice 42]

One thing I've been thinking about is how happy I was to see the Wings face Edmonton last year. Edmonton played uptempo hockey and I liked that matchup for the Wings. Then, the playoffs come, and Edmonton traps and suffocates the Wings with a totally different style of hockey. I think the Wings are better prepared for that type of switch this year, but it's possible that any of these teams that looks like an attractive matchup (say, Dallas) could wind up playing a totally different game in a playoff series.

I agree, but who's to say the Wings can't do the same thing?

They have shown they can dump and chase when they need to. They're not as effective but they definitely can do it, especially with Bertuzzi and Calder in the mix. They've stood up pretty well to physical play too -- but the playoffs are indeed a totally different game. Anaheim (and any other team) is going to be as physical as they possibly can against the Wings. What it will come down to is who wants it the most. Eleven of our eighteen have not won a Cup. I like that. Plus, we have Datsyuk, Lang, Calder, Bertuzzi, Maltby, Schneider, Hasek, Chelios and Markov playing for contracts next year (whether it be with us or another team).

Edited April 3, 2007 by ARice89