2/5 GDT: Red Wings 3, Wild 2 OT

[Yemack 1]

It seemed to be a game focused on getting the third and fourth lines going.

Hasek proved himself ready for the playoffs yet again after a tough start to the season.

Hudler missed the net when he was set up a couple of times. Drake was playing a pretty physical game which was good to see (for playoffs). Overall they played pretty flat in the first two periods and seemed better, but not by much, in the third.

Hopefully Hudler, Filppula, Sammy and Lebda get better without the assistance of Zetterberg and Dats come playoff time. I liked how Franzen played in the first. That was a game where Kronwall would have really helped.

yeah I agree, we missed Kronwall every game he has been out, but more so last night. also with your 3rd and 4th line assessment.

I'm not sure if I share your enthusiasm with Drake though. I think he should raise his intensity more to become clear cut favorite over Ellis and Downey for me.

Edited February 6, 2008 by Yemack

[Cicada 4]

i do worry about our defense, and i think we NEED to pickup a shutdown D-man at the deadline..

Meech is good and all, but you can't play him with Lebda, Lilja, or Kronwall..cue turnover city..

if one of the top 3 goes down for the playoffs and we don't have another d-man i would be EXTREMELY concerned...

thought we were poor tonight, but still got the win, so i can't really complain.

[jim3033 1]

I'm not sure if I share your enthusiasm with Drake though. I think he should raise his intensity more to become clear cut favorite over Ellis and Downey for me.

Yeah I agree with that. He hasn't pulled himself away from the pack at all. I saw him put a hit on a guy last night which got me excited he was going to start playing better but then we coughed up the puck.

He has a lot of experience and seems pretty mature though, which is why I am hoping he comes out of hibernation come playoff time and plays those teams really tough. Osgood had a lot of good things to say about him that night he got that goal.

i do worry about our defense, and i think we NEED to pickup a shutdown D-man at the deadline..

I totally agree here. I think Rafalski was a great move and he is really focused all the time on the ice which makes him less likely to get hurt than Schneider was. But Kronwall is really clutsy and/or fragile(but he is really good).

We need a big D man and even moreso if Anaheim or San Jose pick up a triple A player before the deadline.

[DraperFan MN 0]

Totally off topic, but I was like, "hey, I work there!", out loud when I was sitting at my desk in downtown Minneapolis.

Pretty neat to see an advertisement for Capella University here on LGW.