Post-GAME 4 (5/17): Ducks 5, Red Wings 3

[Matt 1,048]

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&am...&gameType=3

[daft_davy 0]

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&am...&gameType=3

blown opportunity.

but wings in 6!!!!

[Dabura 12,207]

Can I just say, all the momentum talk is silly. Case in point: this game. You'd think a 5-0 blowout would give you all the "momentum" you need to put the series away, but alas.

It's all-even now. No biggie. Dom will come up big on Sunday, and hopefully Bert and Cleary can bring the same kind of effort they put in tonight. Also, Dats and Hank will be back in their nest -- which, sadly, really seems to be the only place where they can light the lamp.

[Kass 7]

Meh,

They come and they go. The Ducks looked really good in the 1st period and tapered off after that. If they can find away around that rush (or any other tricks they have up their sleves) the Wings should win.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

Wrong lines Babcock. Should have changed them back. D-Z-H could have been the answer tonight with Pronger out.

[Hank 0]

I always hate losing games like this. I didn't think we played bad. In fact, I think the Wings played rather well ( as good as one can in a loss). This at least gives me hope for the series.

I think the Wings played great. We got down 3-1 on some bad giveaways and some bad work by Hasek. But the boys didn't give up and battled back to tie the game. From their top players to their grinders nobody gave up (well, maybe everyone but Lang) and continued to work hard.

Like bluemonk said, if we score on that 5-on-3 we're talking about going into Detroit up 3 games to 1. Ce La Vie. I'm sure a lot of people would have been ecstatic if we told them we'd come back to Detroit tied 2-2 after that Game 2 debacle.

We're getting stronger people. And I honestly think the Ducks played better D without Pronger. He's been suspect in this series so far. How many times have we seen both Pronger and Neidermayer get turned inside out? Meanwhile our D has been rock solid.

We'll win game 5 and we will finish them in Anaheim. Remember, this team seems relentless in doing everything the hard way.

[Systemfel 33]

Wow, the Beauchemin-Niedermayer pairing played a total of 68 minutes...

[Wings_Rule_1010 4]

It's a shame Hasek isn't allowed to have an off night, ever. He says he likes pressure, but I can't imagine what he puts up with really. Except I know the Wings are aware that they were not there for the defensive lapses and will take the responsibility for the ill-timed penalties which lead to several of the goals.

But, it is easier to put the blame and the responsibility on Dom. I understand.

That's what sucks about being a goalie. Every player has an off night, but because hasek's is the Wings most important player, his off nights are just more noticeable.... but let it be said, he was not the reason for the loss.

[Motown 0]

just rember the last 2 series Flames & Sharks we were tied 2-2 going in to detroit and won that game and finished them off on the road! so lets hope history repeats it self Edited May 18, 2007 by Motown

[Barrie 900]

Oh well, it would have been nice to win both games in Anaheim, but we got what we wanted, the split in Anaheim. It's a best of 3 now with 2 games at The Joe.

Give Anaheim credit for winning tonight without Pronger.

[T-Ruff 47]

Those are the losses that hurt the most.... when you have so many opportunities and still lose..... Pronger out, two 5 on 3's, Filpula's short handed breakaway and then crossbar......

Anaheim's 3 line, 3 defence team will not be enough to win anymore games in the series.... we easily could have won this game, now it's a best of 3 with two at the Joe. I expect the veteran leadership/experience combined with the valiant efforts of Bertuzzi, Lang, Kopecky, and Zetterberg's fire that he showed late in this game to kick in and help us win the next two.....

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Wow, the Beauchemin-Niedermayer pairing played a total of 68 minutes...

Yeah, and they stunk it up in the last 15 minutes of the game. Theyre both lucky Giguere had his best showing yet.

[Hank 0]

Meh,

They come and they go. The Ducks looked really good in the 1st period and tapered off after that. If they can find away around that rush (or any other tricks they have up their sleves) the Wings should win.

Not only that, but I guarentee you Perry isn't going to see a gift like he did tonight. After that goal that kid's pretty much invisible offensively.

We'll tighten up our mistakes and we'll take it to them at the Joe.

[USAFWingedWheel 4]

2 blown 5 on 3 opportunities and we loose the game....it was our game for the taking but we were too busy passing the puck on the outside...we do better shorthanded then on a 5 on 3...

[Yemack 1]

Not a bad effort overall but we could had come out little bit better. Being relaxed is one thing but without poise and focus is another.

Ducks played well to earn victory tonight

[Packer487 3]

Reply from last thread:

When you've got 2 long 5 on 3s, you can't complain about the refs too much. They interfere a lot. I thought they were supposed to get that out of the game, but I guess not. Fight through it. We're still getting more chances, our goalie is still better, we've got a better offense, and we've swung the tide 5 on 5.

Plus Babcock can get the matchups he wants now for 2 of the next 3 (if we need it). And Dom is money when it counts.

Oh, and I don't think there's too much momentum carrying over. Especially after a 2 day break.

Now the major question is this: I typically wear my Holmstrom jersey for home games, the Doug Brown jersey for road games, and the Lidstrom Sweden jersey for "must-wins" or when we need a little more luck. I wore it for games 4, 5, 6 against SJ (mainly because I was afraid of them and I wanted that series closed out as quick as possible). Does game 5 qualify as a "must win" or a "need some extra luck" game, or should I just stick with the Homer jersey (which has also been VERY solid in the playoffs).

-Tim

[dicksmack 33]

No excuses for the loss tonight... We were never in command of this one. We needed our #1 pp unit to be functional but really I think Giguere swiped this one. What a lost opportunity... Now this is gonna be a dogfight right to the end--guess we knew it would be...

[Matt 1,048]

Really disappointing to see the Red Wings fail to take advantage of the opportunity they had tonight. It's hard not to get the feeling that Detroit took the boot off Anaheim's neck and allowed them to regain their footing.

Although the "momentum" from game to game is overblown, there were loads of positive things the Ducks can take from this game: Power-play got untracked, Selanne found the scoresheet, they did it without Pronger, etc...

That said, outside of a few horrible defensive plays and a penalty kill that failed to give Hasek clear lanes, the Wings didn't play horrible hockey. Hasek was the victim of some seeing-eye pucks that in Game 3 found his pads.

A big blown opportunity. If Anaheim comes back to win this series you could look at this game -- and specifically that 5-on-3 to start the 3rd period -- as the turning point.

[seeinred 1,488]

When you've got 2 long 5 on 3s, you can't complain about the refs too much. They interfere a lot. I thought they were supposed to get that out of the game, but I guess not. Fight through it. We're still getting more chances, our goalie is still better, we've got a better offense, and we've swung the tide 5 on 5.

Plus Babcock can get the matchups he wants now for 2 of the next 3 (if we need it). And Dom is money when it counts.

-Tim

I understand that rationale, but I don't agree with it. Penalties are not supposed to be even in a game, the team who commits more infractions is supposed to get more.

I do totally agree with you about us being the better team, it would just be nice if the rules were the same for both teams. It's just so frustrating that we should be up 3-1 at the very least. I'm very very optomistic about us winning this series in 6 games.

[auxlepli 17]

I hate the Wings right now. Blown opportunity with Pronger out. Two blown 5-on-3 opportunities. Not to mention aboot five or six missed shots.

Very disappointing.

Edited May 18, 2007 by auxlepli

[WingsWingsWings 3]

Unfortunately for the Wings tonight, Giggles was the better goalie.

Hasek had a few sparkling moments but in all had an off-nite. That's cool. At least we are just 2-2 in the series. I just hope Bert and Cleary keep up what they have been doing.

Thank God we got the SPLIT!!!

GO WINGS IN GAME 5!!!!

[Nightfall 871]

I gave the Wings a slight momentum edge coming into this game with the big win on Tuesday and the loss of Pronger. The Ducks shows a lot of resiliency and really came out strong. Hasek didn't have his best game while Giguere played good enough to win the game. I hate to say it, but the winner of Game 5 will probably win the series. I think the figures are 83% chance, but we all know how good that did the Avalanche when they won Game 5 at the Joe in 2002 in the conference finals.

The Ducks do have the advantage going into this game on Sunday. They have a slight edge in momentum due to the fact they won without Pronger and they believe they can do it without their best player.

The Wings will have to rebound, especially Hasek who had one weak goal in that game. Otherwise, he played well. The rest of the team really put pressure on the Ducks so thats a great sign.

My prediction was Wings in 6 and it looks like it is shaping up to be that. If I got a chance to amend it now, I would say it is going 7 games.

[J-Swift 0]

I'm really frustrated that we let this game slip away. We were in control going in to the third, and failing to generate anything on that 5-on-3 did us in.

[Wings_Rule_1010 4]

I understand the frustration. But nobody thought this series was going to be easy. Both these teams are very good and I expect it to go to game 7. Defense was mediocre, goaltending was sub par. It was a bad game. I expect the wings to come back pumped up in Detroit.

[USAFWingedWheel 4]

maybe they want to win with Pronger in the lineup, kinda rub it in his face...