2/10 GDT: Ducks 3, Red Wings 2

[edicius 3,269]

From Bruce MacLeod at RedWingsCorner:

Holmstrom was clearly outside of the crease ... but here's my theory on the matter. Other than the fact that Holmstrom's clearly being targeted because he's the league's best net-front man, his technique is fooling the officials.

Holmstrom starts in the crease, but when the shooter starts his backswing, Holmstrom kicks his feet forward out of the crease. He does that even when his feet start out of the crease, almost as an insurance policy.

It's brilliant and effective. Holmstrom's backside is still holding its spot in front of the goalie. But the technique is apparently beyond the officials.

Can't argue with that.

[WingFanInStarLand 0]

Well...This debate is raging everywhere from HFboards to other teams etc...and most Ducks/Wing-haters point out that the Beauch call was bad as well as some other penalties against the Ducks...

My position is this: On two calls relating to goaltenders, the Refs gave the benefit of the doubt to Anaheim on both plays. If the ref wants to protect the goaltender and call the no goal b/c of Homer, he certainly would blow the whistle in the interest of protecting Osgood when he had the puck...If he doesn't, than he lets the Lidstrom goal stand. Either way, the refusal to use a uniform standard costs the Wings at least a point. Whether its 2-2 or 3-3, I don't care, but it sure as F!@& shouldn't be 3-2.

As for the other calls...

1. If I was objective, I would feel bad for the Beauch call at the end, but it CERTAINLY wasn't a dive by Z, as many asinine Ducks fans claim.

2. Marchant hit homer with a high stick. Period. You may not like that Homer sold it, but it was still the right call.

3. Ditto on the Niedermayer trip...his stick upended Franzen. That=tripping, regardless of whether or not the play was offsides...in fact i think the trip is what sent Franzen into the zone with the player already there.

4. Carter call was a tough one, but the ref is probably going to make it when the goalie falls into the back of the post. Tough break for the kid and I guess a "bad call".

Regardless...on the two decisions that ultimately decided the fate of two scoring plays (1 by both teams), the refs were inconsistent, giving the Ducks a two goal swing in what should have at least been a wash. THAT's what makes Wings fans upset...So spare us the "penalties were 7 to 2 LOLZ DUCKS WR SCREWED!"

[toby91_ca 620]

From Bruce MacLeod at RedWingsCorner:

Can't argue with that.

You can argue plenty with that, starting with the FACT that he cleary was IN THE CREASE. I've watched the replay a few times and I don't understand how someone could argue that both of his feet were not in the crease. Yes, he kicked at least his right foot out, but does it even matter, they were both in when contact was made.

Also, lets assume both feet were OUT of the crease, which they were not, would that even matter. Even if his feet were out, his ass was clearly in the crease. Think about it, if the puck is over the goal line, but it isn't touching the ice, is it not a goal since it crossed the goal line??

[WingFanInStarLand 0]

Now that I've had my rant on the officiating, I'd like to point out that this meaningless regular season game did have some positive trends that make me look forward to a potential playoff matchup with the Ducks.

1. While they scored 3 goals today, did anyone really notice the Ducks forecheck hemming the Wings in deep? Maybe on one or two isolated occassions, but I think the Wings did a great job down low and limited the Ducks' ability to cycle the puck and create scoring chances (with the Carter goal being a notable exception). Doing this while forcing Lebda, Lilja and Meech to play prominent minutes should be an encouraging sign.

2. Getzlaf? Bertuzzi? Selanne? and to a lesser extent Perry? Was it just me or did it seem like they were invisible today? ZDH wasn't amazing, but they were certainly more visible than Anaheim's top-tier talents. They'll need these guys to score come playoff time, and if we can contain them as we did today, that's a positive sign. (YES: I know that Getzlaf had an assist today, but it was a weak shot where Kunitz did all the work to free the puck etc. I still think he was a non-factor).

3. I thought Franzen, Kopecky and Samuelsson had good days...They took punishment and created scoring chances by going to the net. We'll need that secondary scoring from them more often. Filppula on the other hand did not look all that great.

4. The PP looked alive again for the first time in a while...3 PPGs with 1 from the second unit on a great play by Hudler and Franzen. We'll need that unit to look better than it did even today (there were times where it still looked bad).

5. We didn't get pushed around physically. The reputation that this team, especially when it matches up with Anaheim, gets is undeserved. Go to any rival message board during one of these matchups and wait for the "Wings r *******" comments to fly up. NEWSFLASH: Our guys stood up to them again and didn't let their physical game dominate us. The Downey fight and our guys willingness to fight back in scrums will need to be duplicated come playoff time. Despite our defeats of supposedly tougher Calgary and SJ last year, no one will believe we are tough enough until we beat the Ducks...so be it. I look forward to the challenge.

Also on a sidenote: Anaheim's D doesn't get enough credit for the Lids-like stickwork they do as our guys enter the zone. Datsyuk was frustrated on numerous occassions while trying to enter the zone by either Nieds, or Schneider or Pronger. These guys are tough no doubt, but they are smart and agile too. They don't get enough credit in this regard, and we will need to improve our strategies for entering their zone when their D stand up like they did...

There's my $.02

Edited February 11, 2008 by WingFanInStarLand

[Jocu 0]

Glad to see some people agreeing with me.

I swear, I was being burned on a cross being called a heretic when the game first ended.

[Zion 93]

Now that I've had my rant on the officiating, I'd like to point out that this meaningless regular season game did have some positive trends that make me look forward to a potential playoff matchup with the Ducks.

1. While they scored 3 goals today, did anyone really notice the Ducks forecheck hemming the Wings in deep? Maybe on one or two isolated occassions, but I think the Wings did a great job down low and limited the Ducks' ability to cycle the puck and create scoring chances (with the Carter goal being a notable exception). Doing this while forcing Lebda, Lilja and Meech to play prominent minutes should be an encouraging sign.

2. Getzlaf? Bertuzzi? Selanne? and to a lesser extent Perry? Was it just me or did it seem like they were invisible today? ZDH wasn't amazing, but they were certainly more visible than Anaheim's top-tier talents. They'll need these guys to score come playoff time, and if we can contain them as we did today, that's a positive sign. (YES: I know that Getzlaf had an assist today, but it was a weak shot where Kunitz did all the work to free the puck etc. I still think he was a non-factor).

3. I thought Franzen, Kopecky and Samuelsson had good days...They took punishment and created scoring chances by going to the net. We'll need that secondary scoring from them more often. Filppula on the other hand did not look all that great.

4. The PP looked alive again for the first time in a while...3 PPGs with 1 from the second unit on a great play by Hudler and Franzen. We'll need that unit to look better than it did even today (there were times where it still looked bad).

5. We didn't get pushed around physically. The reputation that this team, especially when it matches up with Anaheim, gets is undeserved. Go to any rival message board during one of these matchups and wait for the "Wings r *******" comments to fly up. NEWSFLASH: Our guys stood up to them again and didn't let their physical game dominate us. The Downey fight and our guys willingness to fight back in scrums will need to be duplicated come playoff time. Despite our defeats of supposedly tougher Calgary and SJ last year, no one will believe we are tough enough until we beat the Ducks...so be it. I look forward to the challenge.

Also on a sidenote: Anaheim's D doesn't get enough credit for the Lids-like stickwork they do as our guys enter the zone. Datsyuk was frustrated on numerous occassions while trying to enter the zone by either Nieds, or Schneider or Pronger. These guys are tough no doubt, but they are smart and agile too. They don't get enough credit in this regard, and we will need to improve our strategies for entering their zone when their D stand up like they did...

There's my $.02

1) Yes, and this is why the Wings need to get a DEFENSEMAN at the deadline. Are you reading this, you Hossa, Sundin, [insert forward's name here]-hungry idiots?

2) Yes, they were invisible.

3) These guys are going to be difference-makers in the playoffs. If they can't compete physically, it will be tougher on our top guys in the long run. A seven-game series can be brutal.

4) I thought the power play unit was just okay, until the end. Of course, the power play unit was okay, until the end of game 6 of the WCF last year, too.

5) We play them tough. They have bigger bodies and better fighters. I'll take goal-scoring over that anyday.

Sidenote: Yes, I was very surprised that Scotty Needavacation was actually playing some defense today. He's normally a tougher version of Paul Coffey and not much more.

[CrossoverThrash 0]

Pavel totally dangled Niedermyer on several different occasions

[sharomyga 6]

It was a BS call by refs!!! Liked Dats' game!

[sharomyga 6]

It was a BS call by refs!!! Liked Dats' game!

[auxlepli 17]

Heaven forbid forwards should be allowed to score.

[edicius 3,269]

...Scotty Needavacation...

I approve!

[Barrie 900]

Thanks Wings_Dynasty I watched the game tying goal a few times. Holmstrom played the shot to perfection. Watch when the puck gets to the net, Holmstrom picked up his right foot and moved his left, there's no chance he's in the crease. The goal should have counted, and if the ref wasn't sure he should have gone upstairs.

I hope that crew get's in trouble by the league, but I'm not holding my breath.

Edited February 11, 2008 by Barrie

[Barrie 900]

Also, when the shot came to the net, as mentioned in my above post, Homer picked up his right foot, and moved his left forward.

That's why we have cameras above the net, for plays like this. I'm not one to blame refs for loses, but it's a goal!

Oh well, it gives us more unfinished business for the playoffs.

Edited February 11, 2008 by Barrie

[redwingslady87 130]

May I bring into question, that this image isn't the best image to prove a point of whether or

not homer's feet/ass whatever was in the crease. The video gives a better showing of what happened. I suggest to those who keep using this image to prove their point, and give us a hockey lesson on the rules of the game, to watch the video instead. The correct image, would be where homer's feet are when the puck enters into the crease and passes the line. The puck is still out of the crease in this image, and yes in that .5 second that it took to for the puck to cross the crease Homer had repositioned and moved out of the crease.

May I also mention, had GS stayed in his position and not gone up to make the contact with Homer, he would have been in perfect position to stop Lidstroms shot.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Homer is frustrated with the bad call. He's got every reason to be.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...ed_wings_2.html

Also, Oz talks about Kunitz kneeing him and then taking the puck away when he tried to cover it.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

May I bring into question, that this image isn't the best image to prove a point of whether or

not homer's feet/ass whatever was in the crease. The video gives a better showing of what happened. I suggest to those who keep using this image to prove their point, and give us a hockey lesson on the rules of the game, to watch the video instead. The correct image, would be where homer's feet are when the puck enters into the crease and passes the line. The puck is still out of the crease in this image, and yes in that .5 second that it took to for the puck to cross the crease Homer had repositioned and moved out of the crease.

May I also mention, had GS stayed in his position and not gone up to make the contact with Homer, he would have been in perfect position to stop Lidstroms shot.

Yes he did you're absolutely right. I recorded the game and watched the replay several times. Homer was out of the crease at the right time.

[EuroTwinLove40 0]

Thanks for posting that link HC! It's good to see that the guys stepped up and said something about the poor officiating. I was kind of annoyed that Babs just kind of blew it off (of course you could tell he was angry, but he didn't really say much about the situation).

[Z and D for the C 712]

This isn't to bash Ozzie, but just to point out the hypocrisy of this board. The second goal ozzie let in was much worse that was Dom let in Saturday. Juust saying.

The game really was entertaining as hell though. I really hope we meet in the playoffs.

[ben_usmc 253]

I bet this was what the Av's forums were saying when Dom flopped on that disallowed goal.

pretty sure everyone agrees the av's got screwed on that goal

[OsGOD 3]

So since this is a game that will most like be in the playoffs (bad calls and s***) what do we pick up at the deadline to be able to overcome such obstacles?

just something to think about while LGW is being overrun with "must haves"

Edited February 11, 2008 by OsGOD

[Z and D for the C 712]

Trade homer.

[Mudvayneowns91 0]

So my brother (who is an Avs fan) is watching the game with me and asks me if the Ducks are really that dirty. I say "they're horrible, they're like the Oakland Raiders of old" to get the point across (we're both Broncos fans). Then like 5 minutes later one of the commentators on NBC compared the Ducks to the Raiders. I just thought that was really weird and extremely funny.

Edited February 11, 2008 by Mudvayneowns91

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

This isn't to bash Ozzie, but just to point out the hypocrisy of this board. The second goal ozzie let in was much worse that was Dom let in Saturday. Juust saying.

The game really was entertaining as hell though. I really hope we meet in the playoffs.

The second goal? The second goal was where Oz had the puck frozen and Kunitz stripped it from him, passed it to Schneids and scored.

And btw, it IS to bash Ozzie otherwise you would of just left it alone, instead you make it a 'who let in a worse goal' discussion.

[Izzy24 44]

So since this is a game that will most like be in the playoffs (bad calls and s***) what do we pick up at the deadline to be able to overcome such obstacles?

just something to think about while LGW is being overrun with "must haves"

Eric Nystrom.

[Hockeytown Red Wings 245]

The second goal? The second goal was where Oz had the puck frozen and Kunitz stripped it from him, passed it to Schneids and scored.

And btw, it IS to bash Ozzie otherwise you would of just left it alone, instead you make it a 'who let in a worse goal' discussion.

Exactly.

And I strongly disagree about which goal was weaker. Doesn't matter really, since they both count, and we lost both games.