Again With The Trap...

[DaKineMaui 8]

You want to know what I think is the easiest way to break the trap.... Dont spot a team a 2 goal lead 10 minutes into the game.... If we dont supply San Jose with a lead like we did in game 1... Then San Jose will have to become more aggresive start taking chances and we will start forcing turnovers and making scoring chances from them... A team like San Jose you cant spot them an early lead and a big one with that much momentum that quick... espically at home.... Detroit needs to come out strong and hard in Game 2 and get up early.... then we can dictate the game and thats when we play the best hockey when we are in control....

You can swap whatever NHL team names you want up there. It's all the truth - a 2 goal lead? In the first 10:09? It ain't the coach with '0' on the board who did that. But the coach with that early 2 goal lead? He'd be an absolute FOOL to let his guys do anything OTHER than dump that thing and stand up on the blueline - 4 or 5 or 8 across....not necessarily what a 'trap' is.......but a great way to finish the game with a 'W'.

'The first goal will be huge tonight" <----prolly the lamest and MOST heard cliches during the NHL playoff history.

[Guest Tunbo Batman]

the trap cannot be beat effectively. that's why nobody has figured out how to beat it effectively in 15 years. thats why new jersey thrinves even in this new system, after marty's averageness was exposed during the 4 months it took to adjust.

OF COURSE WIDENING THE NETS WOULD SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS but every time someone even mentions that, everybody pounces on him because he ruins the essence of hockey. yup, increasing scoring and preventing the most boring style from winning would really ruin hockey.

[TheLegend19 1]

I do believe it's been very clearly stated that Babcock is out for good if we don't go deep into the playoffs this year.

and I do believe that Holland has said very clearly that Babcock is not on the "hot seat." He's going to be the coach for years to come, barring any unforseen circumstances.

Bab's isn't going anywhere. SJ's an excellent team, and the series could go either way. I wouldn't fire Bab's if we lose to the Sharks.

We have a good shot at a Championship, but I think people need to realize this isn't the same team we had from 1995-2002. Unless we get a couple breaks, SJ and Anaheim are better playoff teams than we are. We could realistically be a few seasons away from a Stanley Cup. Other teams have gone past us as the best in the League.

I for one, will see this season as a success even if we go out 2nd Round. It was big step in my mind eliminating Calgary, the way we did, by showing a lot of grit and determination. It's something to build on for 2007-08.

I by no means am writing off the SJ series at all, but I was impressed with how big their players are, and, watching them, wasn't surprised they made quick work of Nashville. We're going to have problems getting some decent shots on net.

I agree that we are realistically a few seasons away from a Cup. We held onto the aging core of our team while other teams got younger. Now that we are finally integrating youth, and building the core around them, the youth of the other teams has matured, becoming a better team.

If we lose to San Jose, the season has been a success. Nobody expected the Wings to win the division. Nobody expected them to make it to the second round of the playoffs.

[FabHckyBbe 2]

It cracks me up that so many Wings fans are bemoaning San Jose's use of the trap in game 1. "It's boring!" "It sucks!" This coming from fans of the team that helped to invent and perfect a form of the trap. I gots just three little words for ya'll: Left Wing Lock. If you hate the trap so much, take a look in the mirror. The Wings may no longer play that style, but they sure helped to popularize it. As far as it being boring hockey, I'd love for it to be as boring as it takes for the Sharks to get to the next round.

San Jose doesn't trap until they have a lead. If you want to get them away from trapping then Detroit needs to score first. Scoring on the power play is an easy way to nullify the trap as well. Make THEM play from behind and they become a much, much less dangerous team.

You mean like in the first round, in Game 1 when the Sharks blew a two goal lead in the third period but still managed to come back and win in 2OT?

Or maybe like in Game 3, when the Preds took a 1-0 lead into the second period only to have the Sharks score 3 unanswered goals to win the game?

Or perhaps it was like Game 5, in which the Sharks blew a 1-0 lead and trailed 1-2 in the second, but still rallied to win 3-2 and finish the series in 5 games?

Yeah, the Sharks seem to be much less dangerous when playing from behind this playoff year.

[DaKineMaui 8]

It cracks me up that so many Wings fans are bemoaning San Jose's use of the trap in game 1. "It's boring!" "It sucks!" This coming from fans of the team that helped to invent and perfect a form of the trap. I gots just three little words for ya'll: Left Wing Lock. If you hate the trap so much, take a look in the mirror. The Wings may no longer play that style, but they sure helped to popularize it. As far as it being boring hockey, I'd love for it to be as boring as it takes for the Sharks to get to the next round.

.......::Big f**(*&^ sigh:::.........

I don't know who you are or where you came from. Where were you 3 years ago when all these F(*&^d up rules changes got implemented? The Wings made 2 Cup wins with the boring and frustrating 'Lock'. (The third in '02 one was 'mostly' won with a bag of cash.) I'll not argue any of that.

Anyways - everyone wanted a bunch more scoring.......buncha shootouts.....barn-burner up and down action....

So now we have "Crash-that-*******-net-and-shoot-that-*******-puck-and-hope-for-a-hooking-call-type-'hockey'"

Sharks dump it for 2 periods with a 2-0 lead after 10 mins? Hey - good on ya. Wish I coulda watched.

aloha sharks fan

[Legionnaire11 0]

You mean like in the first round, in Game 1 when the Sharks blew a two goal lead in the third period but still managed to come back and win in 2OT?

Or maybe like in Game 3, when the Preds took a 1-0 lead into the second period only to have the Sharks score 3 unanswered goals to win the game?

Or perhaps it was like Game 5, in which the Sharks blew a 1-0 lead and trailed 1-2 in the second, but still rallied to win 3-2 and finish the series in 5 games?

Yeah, the Sharks seem to be much less dangerous when playing from behind this playoff year.

how nice of you to leave out that the preds spend just about the entire second period of all those games killing penalties... if they could have stayed out of the box, they would have won.

And if the Wings can score early, then they will have no trouble beating the sharks.

Edited April 28, 2007 by Legionnaire11

[Guest Tunbo Batman]

ah, using penalties as an excuse...a classic

reminds me of game 6 2004 DET/NSH, the wings were up 2-0 in nashville after 1....the referees were so eager to give the local team a goal that they made up 7 consecutive phantom calls against the wings, for a total of 14 PP minutes. To no avail, as NSH only managed 5 bad shots on goal that entire period. ah, the good old times.

this year , however, everything's gonna change. with the addition of superstar free agents forsberg and arnott, the preds are bound to make it very far into the playoffs, if not all the way!

Edited April 28, 2007 by Tunbo Batman

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

It cracks me up that so many Wings fans are bemoaning San Jose's use of the trap in game 1. "It's boring!" "It sucks!" This coming from fans of the team that helped to invent and perfect a form of the trap. I gots just three little words for ya'll: Left Wing Lock. If you hate the trap so much, take a look in the mirror. The Wings may no longer play that style, but they sure helped to popularize it. As far as it being boring hockey, I'd love for it to be as boring as it takes for the Sharks to get to the next round.

You mean like in the first round, in Game 1 when the Sharks blew a two goal lead in the third period but still managed to come back and win in 2OT?

Or maybe like in Game 3, when the Preds took a 1-0 lead into the second period only to have the Sharks score 3 unanswered goals to win the game?

Or perhaps it was like Game 5, in which the Sharks blew a 1-0 lead and trailed 1-2 in the second, but still rallied to win 3-2 and finish the series in 5 games?

Yeah, the Sharks seem to be much less dangerous when playing from behind this playoff year.

The Wings are NOT the Preds. Get that through your skull, all of you Sharks fans.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

4 game sweep.

[Creasemonkey 30]

After today's game, the way he lit a fire under their asses to make that comeback, even if we get bounced in 6 or 7 this round, I'm onboard with Babs for another couple years. Hopefully we'll keep a lot of this team intact and maybe have a few upgrades over some of the goobers out there making too many turnovers or being unable to get a shot on net, let alone in it (I won't name names, they know who they are, and you do too). Maybe he has to win one, two, three, or 11 more games this postseason to convince some of y'all as well, but he's got my vote for whatever it's worth.

[Guest Tunbo Batman]

Babcock = t3h r0xx0r yurZ b0 )( )( 0r 2 !!!!

[FabHckyBbe 2]

The Wings are NOT the Preds. Get that through your skull, all of you Sharks fans.

And I never said the Wings were anything like the Preds. I was merely taking Umbrage at Legionnaire11's assertion that the Sharks are so inneffective when playing from behind, seeing that 3 of 4 victories against them were either made by breaking a tie or coming from behind. That has no bearing on the Wings and their similarities/differences to the Preds.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I don't think we have had much of a problem battling the trap this year at all. Its getting settled in the offensive zone that's been killing us.

[arnoldbuck 0]

The trap has killed us before, but I dont think it is what is gettin us right now. Other than turn overs and a so so PP, what is really gettin us is our un-ability (not sure if that is a word) to sustain and form of pressure. We get the puck into the zone, and very quickly San Jose clears it. Just have to win the races. Throw a few more hits. Get 2nd, 3rd chances. We have the talent to break the trap even when it comes up, just have to put those words into practice.

[calfan 0]

And if the Wings can score early, then they will have no trouble beating the sharks.

Like last night? Truth be told, if the Sharks play 60 minutes of hockey like they can, they will beat Detroit in this series. Last night they gave up a lead, didn't start playing until the game was 1/2 over and still pulled out the win. I wouldn't want to try that approach on a nightly basis with the Wings as game 2 proved cuz then its a toss-up. But the Sharks have the advantage if both teams play their best and if nothing else, most of that advantage is related to size.

[e_mcgrath88 0]

Like last night? Truth be told, if the Sharks play 60 minutes of hockey like they can, they will beat Detroit in this series. Last night they gave up a lead, didn't start playing until the game was 1/2 over and still pulled out the win. I wouldn't want to try that approach on a nightly basis with the Wings as game 2 proved cuz then its a toss-up. But the Sharks have the advantage if both teams play their best and if nothing else, most of that advantage is related to size.

shouldnt you be golfing?

[calfan 0]

shouldnt you be golfing?

Nah - my course doesn't open till Friday

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

shouldnt you be golfing?

Unless his name happens to be Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla (in which case we've all been secretly conversing with a celebrity), I don't see why he should. Unless he just happens to like golfing, which I guess is OK. If I were an NHL player and my team was eliminated, I think I could find more interesting things to do with my time then golf (bang Elisha Cuthbert? I don't know why Aves isn't potting own goals to get back to business).

Anyways.

[gameover 0]

Babcocks job was going to be on the line had we not gotten by Calgary....

He's ok now no matter what happens -- who the hell would they replace him with anyway -- is Mike Keenan around?

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Babcocks job was going to be on the line had we not gotten by Calgary....

He's ok now no matter what happens -- who the hell would they replace him with anyway -- is Mike Keenan around?

No it wasn't. Holland stated more or less (saw in a recent Freep/Detroit News Article) that Babcock's job was more than secure over the next few years, and Babcock doesn't want to go anywhere.

And way to be classy e_mcgrath.