McKenzie's Got the Right Idea

[Dabura 12,232]

I know a lot of you aren't exactly keen on Bob McKenzie, but he wrote a short reaction piece about the Pronger hit last night and I think he hit on a great point. As far as points go, it's as obvious as they come, but he believes -- and I agree -- that it's been somewhat overshadowed by the Pronger debacle:

The Detroit Red Wings just destroyed the Anaheim Ducks. And in the Ducks' own building, no less!

(This is where I take over for Bob and run with his implications.)

Should the Wings win the next game and go on to take the series, there will be no shortage of people talking about how the Pronger hit and resulting suspension changed everything. But you know what? Last night the Wings silenced every remaining critic, and they did it with such clarity and emphatic purpose that, regardless of which team you root for in the NHL, you have to admit that it was rather beautiful (especially for the Wings community, of course). If that game were to be summed up in one word, that word would be "NO." As in,

"They're soft."

"NO."

Going into game 3, I think the most popular knock against the Wings was that they're only in this series because they know how to play opportunistic hockey, reacting to the other team's mistakes rather than really opposing the opposition. I've got a few Sens fan friends and they all seemed to agree after game 2 that the Wings simply don't have the ability to dominate teams like the Ducks and Sens through sheer will and hard work, and that this would be their downfall. After game 2's bitter end, that notion didn't seem like all that much of a stretch.

But then game 3 happened.

Now the hockey world knows that this Wings team is no longer residing in the realm of potential; no longer "can" the Wings flat-out abuse a Cup favorite -- they just did. Fans of the Sens, Sabres, and Ducks -- you just saw the monster wake up and kill for the first time these playoffs.

Pray for the sake of your respective teams that it doesn't wake up again.

[akustyk 84]

I think he has a point, but I have to disagree on one thing.

the monster did not wake up now. it was there during Flames and Sharks series, and I'd say even Games 1 & 2 it was here. McKenzies pro-Ducks eyes simply didn't see it.

the only thing is that this monster did not roar before without reason and it pretended to be a calm sheep to not grab to much attention. now the time has come to do it.

don't wanna sound like homer, but from Game 1 against Flames I could see the Wings team with flashy play and with extremely smart teamwork. it's just we didn't win those games before in spectacular fashion and those media guys convinced we are underdog refused to see how this Wings are coached and how they work hard for their common goal. this team looked capable from the very begining of this playoffs.

still... there's plenty of hockey to play to advance to SCF, and if this happens, there's still a great team to beat in the very final. Wings are capable of winning it, but many things can happen. so let's just keep pulling for our team and let Wings play focused.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Wow, NICE article. And you know what? Mad props to Babs, because I really feel like his changes to the lines made a huge difference. If I had to choose one reason for Detroit's domination last night, it has to be because of the fact that Detroit's offense just kept coming, in the form of 4 lines. Cleary with Lang and Bert, Filppula with Datsyuk and Homer, Hank with Sammy and Franzen.

Nice call on those changes Babs.

[motorcitykid 42]

Bob's ok. Not always on, but I like him.

Here's the fiunny thing, if he thinks the Wings gain much respect for beating Anaheim last night the way they did, he's wrong.

Even a Cup win, this team won't get the respect it deserves. It's always been that way. Wait to see if we win this series and move on to meet Ottawa. You'll hear all about the Sens, and a token acknowledgement about the Wings.

[Dabura 12,232]

Just to be clear, he didn't say anything about respect. The post is basically me "extending" his brief comments.

I do think you could make a case for this being the second or third time we've seen the team play like this during this run, but the circumstances are extra special in this case, methinks. The Flames are one thing. The Ducks? Quite another.

IMHO.

[zetterbergfuturemvp 0]

Wow, NICE article. And you know what? Mad props to Babs, because I really feel like his changes to the lines made a huge difference. If I had to choose one reason for Detroit's domination last night, it has to be because of the fact that Detroit's offense just kept coming, in the form of 4 lines. Cleary with Lang and Bert, Filppula with Datsyuk and Homer, Hank with Sammy and Franzen.

Nice call on those changes Babs.

i'll give props to babcock as well , nice move ......but come on havent most of us already said zetterberg and datsyuk should of been split up to balance out our team ?? its about time babcock woke up , i even wrote on another topic about how since dastyuk is making the big bucks now he shouldnt have to need zetterberg with him to produce .......its about time babcock realized this and even before the game started and i saw the lines i was like ....dammm i love that lineup

kudos to babcock

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

*goosebumps*

Great article. I am shocked!

[akustyk 84]

its about time babcock realized this and even before the game started and i saw the lines i was like ....dammm i love that lineup

you know what... back then during regular season (could be November, maybe December) Babcock used to split kids a lot and play on separate lines. ppl on this board used to ***** him like crazy, that kids need to play together because they're best this way.

some posters did reply, though, that Wings need to seek efficient combinations to have options for playoffs. to have some chemistry developed for the case Dats and Zet need to be splitted. I remeber myself talking about this, although my assumption was this was more for security (I mean like: one of them goes down with injury or hits some bottom) rather than coaching option to complicate the other team's life.

I think what McKenzie (or you, Dabura?) misses widely in this thing is one trivial observation. it's not the Wings who woke up now. it's him and other people who watch Wings from outside and measure them with past performances. now and here this team is in WCF, with a good shot on winning it. and it's not by accident. they have the tools to make the job done, and they've shown unbeliavable willingness to reach the ultimate goal. they haven't been spectacular but it's been in this team for some months. it didn't appear now.

Edited May 17, 2007 by akustyk

[Dabura 12,232]

*goosebumps*

Great article. I am shocked!

Disclaimer: BOB DIDN'T WRITE WHAT'S IN MY FIRST POST. lol.

I don't want to be accused of misrepresenting him.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Just to piggyback off of what other people said here, I think it speaks more to this teams championship abilities when they win a game 2-1 against Anaheim through ugly goals and goaltending.

[Yemack 1]

Anyone who knows fast paced tight-checking-give-em-nothing hockey would disagree with Bob (just listen to other TSN crews who actually have played in NHL, they've always praised Red Wings and their ability)

Honestly I dont put much stock in his opinion, he usually gets it right during regular seasons but I don't think he knows much about more complex strategical side of hockey. Neutral zone coverage, transition plan, defensive assignments and such.

Calgary got beat by our skill and mental toughness. San Jose probably doesn't even know why they lost it yet. If Anaheim lose this series it is probably because of our resiliency and coaching (noone would argue Babcock's brilliance last game)

Not by Wings being opportunistic

[Dabura 12,232]

OK, I obviously did a really bad job of delineating things in my first post.

1. Bob simply said the Pronger incident is sort of overshadowing the big story of game 3, which is that the Wings owned the Ducks, which was huge for the Wings for many obvious reasons.

2. The rest is me.

[Zeke 5]

Wow, NICE article. And you know what? Mad props to Babs, because I really feel like his changes to the lines made a huge difference. If I had to choose one reason for Detroit's domination last night, it has to be because of the fact that Detroit's offense just kept coming, in the form of 4 lines. Cleary with Lang and Bert, Filppula with Datsyuk and Homer, Hank with Sammy and Franzen.

Nice call on those changes Babs.

My buddy (George Costanza) and I always discuss the games,and after game 2,he suggested Dats and Zetts should be put on separate lines.

I offered substituting Kopecky for Calder.

We would be willing to coach this team,but we couldn't live with the pay cut.

[Yemack 1]

I got your point Dab, but I don't think Im too far fetching by saying McKenzie's been disssing Wings all series.

I still dont think he wants to give full credits to Wings, perhaps because of his ego wouldn't allow admit his mistake, or maybe not happy being called ducks biased by other panel memeber (I think the phrase was 'under brian burke's payroll') or maybe he is just a puppet who says things majority of the views want to listen

I could be wrong but honestly I think he is being lilttle childish about not wanting to admit his own mistake. Like I said I usually agree with his opinion on many issues but when he acts unprofessionaly it is very hard to respect his input.

Edited May 17, 2007 by Yemack

[servo 15]

I think what McKenzie (or you, Dabura?) misses widely in this thing is one trivial observation. it's not the Wings who woke up now. it's him and other people who watch Wings from outside and measure them with past performances. now and here this team is in WCF, with a good shot on winning it. and it's not by accident. they have the tools to make the job done, and they've shown unbeliavable willingness to reach the ultimate goal. they haven't been spectacular but it's been in this team for some months. it didn't appear now.

[Dabura 12,232]

they haven't been spectacular but it's been in this team for some months. it didn't appear now.

That's the thing, though: It's been in the team, but I think game 3 was the first game of these playoffs in which it was fully put on display without qualifiers or nagging questions like "OK, but can Dom be consistent?" The blowouts in the first round were great, but they weren't perfect games like this one, and they came against a much less capable foe. The second round? I don't think the Wings played a single 60-minute game the entire series.

Basically, we all knew the pieces were there, but it wasn't until this last game that they all truly came together. I mean, you know they played a hell of a game when the Versus crew has nothing negative to say about them after a game.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

OK, I obviously did a really bad job of delineating things in my first post.

1. Bob simply said the Pronger incident is sort of overshadowing the big story of game 3, which is that the Wings owned the Ducks, which was huge for the Wings for many obvious reasons.

2. The rest is me.

Ohhh well damn..good job!