Post-GAME 3 (4/30): Sharks 2, Red Wings 1 F

[Grypho 195]

i saw it more as; once san jose started forechecking hard, we were done.

The Wings are a strong puck possession team, and. like the Preds, they are much quicker (not faster), than the Sharks, especially in close quarters, on open ice, where no real speed or momentum can be established for larger or faster skaters. Anytime the puck stayed more toward the center of the ice, and out of the neutral zone into either end, the Wings have dominated. That's where their superior deking and stealing abilities have been showcased. But once the puck action strayed from the center to the outsides, the Sharks were able to get away from the Wings' game and play the game they play best. It's along the boards and especially in the corners deep in the Sharks zone, trapped in a grinding game, that the Wings opened themselves up to the hard forechecking Sharks. That's what I saw as the key momentum shift of this game, as the key for the Wings, I believe, as well as Thornton, is to stay out in the open, in close proximity to the opposition, and off the boards as much as possible.

[OsGOD 3]

I hope JLA gets it's mojo back. I love hearing home crowds being loud.

I don't think the tank was any louder than the joe was in the 3rd of game 2.... The team gives the fans something to cheer for (i.e. an ounce of effort) and we will respond.

[Kira 451]

This is so not the birthday present I asked for.

[68 Z-28 0]

umm... not taking anything away from the Sharks, but for the first period I would so both teams were playing their own game and playing well. We are a puck possession team and when we take control of a game NO TEAM (as even a Sharks fan admitted above) can stop us. You make it sound like the Sharks are 100% a better team than us and truthfully they aren't. It's the simple fact that the Wings just dont show up for a full game and SOMETHING needs to be done about it or else we are done in 5.

THANK YOU! I've read SO many posts about people saying that was a horrible call and it was a CLEAR slew foot. It's people who sit there and say it was a horrible call that truely do not understand the game of hockey!

Bertuzzi needs to come prove himself on Wednesday. I understand he's been out most of the season but its not so much that he's not playing good, just that he's taking penalties that are totally uncalled for.

As for my thoughts:

We need more hard nosed stars like Yzerman (even though he will NEVER be replaced) and Shanahan.

I've also grown to dislike Babcock. Every time you hear him talk its "oh we just gotta work harder, we played good for a period, blah blah blah". NO! When you're team is playing like this you call them out, EVEN if its to the media. Let the fans know you will not tolerate this half assed, pathetic work ethic the Wings are showing.

I also have a hard time watching Hasek play sometimes. Will he EVER steal us a game? Yea he makes some great saves, but its goalies like Nabokov, Brodeur, etc that will not only make those great saves but will steal games like this one.

And as much as I love Datsyuk has anyone else noticed how EVERY SINGLE TIME Datsyuk can beat someone into the corner he will slow down, let the other guy pass him up and let him just take the puck? I understand what he is TRYING to do by letting the guy take the puck in the corner and pick his pocket like he sometime manages to do, but good god, I wanna see more hard-nosed players who arent afraid to go get those pucks.

This honestly just REALLY upset me, cause now I truely believe if they lose the next game its over without FAIL!

Had they won today they could've let a loss slide in game 4 and make it a best outta 3 series.

My personal opinion, the Wings blew this game. We had total control, we were showing them that the Wings CAN be a better team, but then they just stopped playing.

Don't you think that the sharks playing puck pursuit hockey and being much more aggressive after the first period knocked the wings off their game? The Wings dominated us in the first and it showed. The Sharks came out in the second fired up and both the D and forwards played a more aggressive and edgier game. It led to goals, turn overs, hits, and penalties.

Both myself and the guys that were sitting next to me noticed that the Wings looked tired towards the middle end of the third. Not sure if it was my teal glasses i was looking through or not though.

P.S. Anyone else think that any other goaltender in the WORLD could've made that save on the Sharks first goal???

Hasek has GOT to keep his skate tucked by that post. Had he done this instead of trying to grab it with his glove, he MIGHT'VE been able to squeek this one out

I dunno, I'm definitely not writing off this season just yet, afterall it took a series similar to this in the 98 playoffs was it? Where they were down, Yzerman made a locker room speech and that was it, next thing we knew the cup was home.

When we got that goal, my first thought was "I bet Hasek wishes he got that one back". Neither of our goals tonight were pretty goals, but it's been said many times over.... Pretty goals are going to be hard to come by in the playoffs. As I said earlier in the thread: Hasek layed it out there and kept Detroit in the game.

[Offsides 21]

This is so not the birthday present I asked for.

I know, I thought we had the game in hand.

I don't know what happened...except maybe we didn't cheer for Lang enough...

[OsGOD 3]

Yep lids is 100% hurt. he had the whole, "DUMBASS don't talk about limping on tv...you're a moron keating" expression on his face. Poor lids he's been outed by his own side

That would explain his blunders so far.

Edited May 1, 2007 by OsGOD

[seeinred 1,488]

Slew-footing is a penalty. The only one I had a real problem with was the phantom interference call on Lang where it was the Sharks player acting like a cueball on him after initiating the contact.

Slew-footing is a penalty, so I didn't have a huge problem with them calling it on Bert, except for the fact that they let it go when someone did it to Huds in pretty much the same way late in the 2nd.

[FireCaptain 563]

The sig is sarcasm.. either you get it or you don't.

you obviously fall into the latter.

all this coming from the person who has lang in their sig?

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

The Wings are a strong puck possession team, and. like the Preds, they are much quicker (not faster), than the Sharks, especially in close quarters, on open ice, where no real speed or momentum can be established for larger or faster skaters. Anytime the puck stayed more toward the center of the ice, and out of the neutral zone into either end, the Wings have dominated. That's where their superior deking and stealing abilities have been showcased. But once the puck action strayed from the center to the outsides, the Sharks were able to get away from the Wings' game and play the game they play best. It's along the boards and especially in the corners deep in the Sharks zone, trapped in a grinding game, that the Wings opened themselves up to the hard forechecking Sharks. That's what I saw as the key momentum shift of this game, as the key for the Wings, I believe, as well as Thornton, is to stay out in the open, in close proximity to the opposition, and off the boards as much as possible.

Very astute observation. I was talking about this with viper earlier, when it was time to rush the puck up ice and play a skating game, the Wings were in control. Up tempo, fast paced hockey is how they like to play. That was more like the first half.

The moment the Sharks were able to lock it down, slow things up, and play a grinding, cycling game, the Wings had no answer. That's the second half.

Whoever is able to control the tempo of Game 4 and beyond is going to win the series.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Yep lids is 100% hurt. he had the whole, "DUMBASS don't talk about limping on tv...you're a moron keating" expression on his face. Poor lids he's been outed by his own side

That would explain his blunders so far.

Yeah seriously. Very dumb on John's part.

[corvette80 1]

Don't you think that the sharks playing puck pursuit hockey and being much more aggressive after the first period knocked the wings off their game? The Wings dominated us in the first and it showed. The Sharks came out in the second fired up and both the D and forwards played a more aggressive and edgier game. It led to goals, turn overs, hits, and penalties.

Both myself and the guys that were sitting next to me noticed that the Wings looked tired towards the middle end of the third. Not sure if it was my teal glasses i was looking through or not though.

When we got that goal, my first thought was "I bet Hasek wishes he got that one back". Neither of our goals tonight were pretty goals, but it's been said many times over.... Pretty goals are going to be hard to come by in the playoffs. As I said earlier in the thread: Hasek layed it out there and kept Detroit in the game.

Yes you guys really outplayed us from the middle of the second period. With your size and going after the puck every second took us of our game, we couldn't make good passes, we just kept couging it up to you. Hasek is really keeping us in this series.

[OsGOD 3]

Okay i have a request... can anyone other than Cleary do something so they can be interviewed? I am so sick of seeing naked Dom behind cleary doing whatever the hell he is doing naked in a lockerroom with guys.

And The only reason I bring up Cleary is because this is the 2nd time I have seen naked dom in the background of a cleary interview.... And no it wasn't a repeat of the same interview

Edited May 1, 2007 by OsGOD

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Okay i have a request... can anyone other than Cleary do something so they can be interviewed? I am so sick of seeing naked Dom behind cleary doing whatever the hell he is doing naked in a lockerroom with guys.

HAHA I saw that.

Was it me or did Cleary seem REALLY pissed off and annoyed with John? I mean I know he's pissed obviously because of the game, but still...

[FireCaptain 563]

Sorry to offend you Mrs. Bertuzzi.

Chance? Well, the chance in question is the chance that he would be an asset or a liability in the playoffs.

So far, in my opinion, your husband has been a liability.

NOTICE - this is MY opinion, you do not have to agree. Obviously, Illitch, Holland and Babcock do not agree. I'm fine with that. They make money and get paid to win games as the people in charge. I merely pay for them to do their work.

What chance? What are you talking about?

And yes, he should have been taken out into a field and shot, I realize that, but he plays here now, and he has obviously not been shot and it has no effect on tonight's game or this team.

Edited May 1, 2007 by FireCaptain

[OsGOD 3]

HAHA I saw that.

Was it me or did Cleary seem REALLY pissed off and annoyed with John? I mean I know he's pissed obviously because of the game, but still...

Cleary was probably thinking... "Damn John... are you going to out my injury as well? and john what is naked Dom doing behind me tonight, I can't see him?"

[Offsides 21]

HAHA I saw that.

Was it me or did Cleary seem REALLY pissed off and annoyed with John? I mean I know he's pissed obviously because of the game, but still...

He was probably afraid he would out his injuries or something...

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Sorry to offend you Mrs. Bertuzzi.

Chance? Well, the chance in question is the chance that he would be an asset or a liability in the playoffs.

So far, in my opinion, your husband has been a liability.

NOTICE - this is MY opinion, you do not have to agree. Obviously, Illitch, Holland and Babcock do not agree. I'm fine with that. They make money and get paid to win games as the people ijn charge. I merely pay for them to do their work.

OsGod Is Bertuzzi?! OH MY. I met Mr. & Mrs. Bertuzzi before. Great people.

[OsGOD 3]

Sorry to offend you Mrs. Bertuzzi.

Damn I sooo wish I was Todd.... but well maybe she is cheating on me with him and if so, "I want my cut of the money"

How does that gold digger song go?

OsGod Is Bertuzzi?! OH MY. I met Mr. & Mrs. Bertuzzi before. Great people.

What can I say, I am something of a big deal.

Edited May 1, 2007 by OsGOD

[Offsides 21]

Sorry to offend you Mrs. Bertuzzi.

Chance? Well, the chance in question is the chance that he would be an asset or a liability in the playoffs.

So far, in my opinion, your husband has been a liability.

NOTICE - this is MY opinion, you do not have to agree. Obviously, Illitch, Holland and Babcock do not agree. I'm fine with that. They make money and get paid to win games as the people in charge. I merely pay for them to do their work.

Wow, out of all the horrible names I've ever been called I don't think I will ever be able to recover from that one <-- for Mr. Bertuzzi

GO TEAM ME!

He's not hurting our chances in the playoffs...psssh. I think we are letting our dislike of said player disrupt our said judgement...aren't we. Is it time for a nap?

Edited May 1, 2007 by Offsides

[OsGOD 3]

Wow, out of all the horrible names I've ever been called I don't think I will ever be able to recover from that one <-- for Mr. Bertuzzi

It's actually (ninja's). And Bertuzzi is NOT afraid of (ninja's). I should know, I am him and I am in th lineup on a consistant basis now.

[FireCaptain 563]

No, IF we lose, it won't be all his fault. However, I do think he's taking the roster spot of younger players that may be able to do a better job right now.

Everyone that's been defending Bert mentions that he's only played 8 games, yada yada.. EXACTLY!!!! If he's only had 8 games to get prepared, why bet our future on him?

And I hope you know that the "Mrs Bertuzzi" was meant in jest. I appreciate all other Red Wing fans, I just thought it was funny.

Wow, out of all the horrible names I've ever been called I don't think I will ever be able to recover from that one <-- for Mr. Bertuzzi

GO TEAM ME!

He's not hurting our chances in the playoffs...psssh. I think we are letting our dislike of said player disrupt our said judgement...aren't we. Is it time for a nap?

[uncle ovipositor 6]

Our only chance in this series is to play 60 mins of hockey.

That's this whole series, though. Either team can take it with 60 minutes. The Sharks weren't great for the first 20, but they did okay. For the last 20 they owned it. Detroit played well, but they were out classed. I say this knowing full well that the Sharks are perfectly capable of losing it dramatically in the 4th. They can and just might. As a Shark's fan, this series is still 50/50. I want the Sharks to win, but I wouldn't pretend that it's a done thing. Wings either. If they play like they did tonight they can take it next game - they were pretty damn good tonight.

SJ is not that great when checked and fore checked, this game was ours we blew it.

More fore check will destroy the Sharks. Other teams have proved that repeatedly. Holmstrom might just be the man for that. It would change his game a bit, but it's not out of his reach, assuming he comes back 100%.

And please: CHEATchoo? This isn't a game you can blame on the refs. Both teams got away with more than they should have. Cheech doesn't take dives, he just skates badly.

[Offsides 21]

No, IF we lose, it won't be all his fault. However, I do think he's taking the roster spot of younger players that may be able to do a better job right now.

Everyone that's been defending Bert mentions that he's only played 8 games, yada yada.. EXACTLY!!!! If he's only had 8 games to get prepared, why bet our future on him?

And I hope you know that the "Mrs Bertuzzi" was meant in jest. I appreciate all other Red Wing fans, I just thought it was funny.

I agree with you on one point. I don't think we will lose this series.

So...Bert sits...for who? I mean, there's no one else on the entire roster that should sit before Bert? Think this out. He's actually done some good things. You can tell he's not 100% but he hits and can barrel through people like no one I've ever seen on the Wings.

I'm glad you told me it was in jest...because for a minute I thought I was actually married to Todd Bertuzzi. I was about to drive over to our mansion so that I could iron all of his boxer briefs. That would have been embarassing.

[FireCaptain 563]

Well, you know, some people get bent out of shape at things they see on the interswebnets.

Just wanted to clarify.

I'm glad you told me it was in jest...because for a minute I thought I was actually married to Todd Bertuzzi. I was about to drive over to our mansion so that I could iron all of his boxer briefs. That would have been embarassing.

[FireCaptain 563]

damn interswebnets doubles posts.

Edited May 1, 2007 by FireCaptain