10/27 GDT: Red Wings 4, Kings 3 (SO)

[Reilly 24]

I hate that expression. 7-1-1 is 7-1-1. It's not like they've been winning on fluke goals from their own blueline or something every game. They've been earning these wins, just maybe not like we as fans are accustomed to.

Can't disagree with you more. There has not been one game, one game, this season where they've dominated for a full 60 minutes. Every game has been down to the wire. If you want to think this current 7-1-1 team is a great team, that's fine. I think if you asked every player in that locker room, though, they'd say they haven't played very well at all. Something is wrong, the only question is if "it" can be fixed. Defense looks like s***. Goaltending has been up and down. 3rd and 4th lines haven't scored. I'm still waiting for the switched to be flipped and we're 9 games into the season.

Edited October 28, 2008 by Reilly

[RedWingsFanatic 4]

And here's another thing. I realize it's a bit of a silly question, but if you can keep winning despite not playing your best game, at what point does that effort not become enough? I mean, if the Wings have points in 8 of 9 games, how much better do they really need to be?

I know they will play tougher teams in tougher scenarios, but at this point in the season, points are points. They're growing as a team and continuing to gel with new linemates. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a team that's completely happy with the way they've played thus far, and while I would include the Wings in that bunch, perhaps it's unfair to demand the best when average play has been good enough so far.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

The defense this game was better, but LAs forwards didnt seem too dangerous tonight. Still, the fact that we can win games while playing average defense (tonight was better) and give up an average of 3+ goals a game is crazy. This teams offensive abilities are incredible. Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Hossa can score on anyone at any time in any situation. Its truly astounding.

Now if we could just get our GAA down, Id be happy.

As for Flip, I swear if he were a more physical guy, he'd be like the Finnish Chris Drury - good intangibles, great defense, good (not great) offense and comes up with clutch goals like nobodys business.

[Doc Holiday 0]

Why did I turn off the TV!?!?!?

FUUUUUCK!

Who scored the tier and shootout winner?

[T.Low 1,011]

And here's another thing. I realize it's a bit of a silly question, but if you can keep winning despite not playing your best game, at what point does that effort not become enough? I mean, if the Wings have points in 8 of 9 games, how much better do they really need to be?

I know they will play tougher teams in tougher scenarios, but at this point in the season, points are points. They're growing as a team and continuing to gel with new linemates. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a team that's completely happy with the way they've played thus far, and while I would include the Wings in that bunch, perhaps it's unfair to demand the best when average play has been good enough so far.

Great point. My suspician is that time comes Wednesday note in Anaheim. Thats gonna be a good game. See you at Duck Guy's house.

[Hockeytown Red Wings 245]

As for Flip, I swear if he were a more physical guy, he'd be like the Finnish Chris Drury - good intangibles, great defense, good (not great) offense and comes up with clutch goals like nobodys business.

I like that comparison. Good call.

[seeinred 1,488]

Can't disagree with you more. There has not been one game, one game, this season where they've dominated for a full 60 minutes. Every game has been down to the wire. If you want to think this current 7-1-1 team is a great team, that's fine. I think if you asked every player in that locker room, though, they'd say they haven't played very well at all. Something is wrong, the only question is if "it" can be fixed. Defense looks like s***. Goaltending has been up and down. 3rd and 4th lines haven't scored. I'm still waiting for the switched to be flipped and we're 9 games into the season.

Remember that part where I said they're not getting the wins like you're accustomed to? You just proved that's exactly it.

You don't have to dominate for 60 minutes and blow a team out to earn a win. You can have a few defensive lapses, you can have a little bit of shoddy goaltending now and then and still deserve to win.

I'm with you on waiting for a switch to be flipped though. The Wings are playing pretty well, but they're not as great as they can and should be right now.

[Duck Guy 86]

Why did I turn off the TV!?!?!?

FUUUUUCK!

Who scored the tier and shootout winner?

Filppula scored tier..... Dats and Z scored in SO no on kings scored in the SO

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I gotta say, I had no real impression of Quincey before, but he looked really good tonight. I noticed him out there several times, and always for good reasons.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Can't disagree with you more. There has not been one game, one game, this season where they've dominated for a full 60 minutes. Every game has been down to the wire. If you want to think this current 7-1-1 team is a great team, that's fine. I think if you asked every player in that locker room, though, they'd say they haven't played very well at all. Something is wrong, the only question is if "it" can be fixed. Defense looks like s***. Goaltending has been up and down. 3rd and 4th lines haven't scored. I'm still waiting for the switched to be flipped and we're 9 games into the season.

I agree with you here. What we are seeing here is a version of a team in years past, circa 2003. This team hasnt been particularly phsyical, hasnt been particularly energetic in terms of puck battles and along the boards (save our top 4-5 forwards up front who will dog anyone for the puck) and they haven't been playing good defense. Its great and all that we can win high-scoring games and can turn it on when we feel like, but this is where bad play becomes bad habit.

I cannot stress this enough, but we've seen it with teams past. The playoffs are a different beast and you cannot simply turn on the complete game overnight. We will run into teams who will take it to us physically, outwork us, and expose our current yet consistent defensive lapses, and when teams are at the top of their game, it wont be easy to plow through the zone and score a few goals in half a period.

Don't get me wrong - I love winning and I love seeing us score 3 or more goals per game - but winning games without maximum or near maximum effort is what got us through a lot of regular seasons with flying colors only to be ousted by late April. I'm wary that the Wings are forming bad habits due to their ability to pull off wins despite making mistakes in abundance.

[T.Low 1,011]

Why did I turn off the TV!?!?!?

FUUUUUCK!

Who scored the tier and shootout winner?

WTF? were ya causing trouble on the Ranger's board again?

Filp intercepted a pass in the slot and rifled it by LAbomba. Then Dats and Zetterberg scored one two on the shootout on identical forehand deke to backhand shots, while Ozzie stoned the first two, so no 3rd shooters were needed. Yeefrikinhaw baby!

[RedWingsFanatic 4]

I gotta say, I had no real impression of Quincey before, but he looked really good tonight. I noticed him out there several times, and always for good reasons.

Yeah, absolutely. He's off to a really nice start with them. It's funny as Wings fans that we aren't even aware of the talent level of a guy like Quincey. He comes up, fills in, doesn't make any terrible mistakes and then we don't hear from him again for a few months.

A guy like him gets to a less accomplished team, plays 25 minutes a night and really shows what he can do. They're developing a ver nice core in L.A. and if they're patient, will turn out a pretty strong team in a few years. Just on defense, with Johnson, Daughty and Quincey, they look good. Add offensive guys like Frolov, Kopitar and Brown, and the Kings are a playoff-caliber team very shortly.

[Outsider 42]

This has to be the worst 7-1 team I've ever seen.

LOL! I agree completely.

Scary to think what happens when they start playing Teams which AREN'T bottom dwellers.

They need to pull it together, quick.

[Doc Holiday 0]

WTF? were ya causing trouble on the Ranger's board again?

Filp intercepted a pass in the slot and rifled it by LAbomba. Then Dats and Zetterberg scored one two on the shootout on identical forehand deke to backhand shots, while Ozzie stoned the first two, so no 3rd shooters were needed. Yeefrikinhaw baby!

Yeah just saw the highlights.

I turned off the TV just before the faceoff where they scored. I feel like a total ass.

[rage 24]

I missed the game, got to hear the last 7 or so minutes plus the OT and SO.

How were we? I don't wanna go back reading this thread all night!

Thanks!

Edited October 28, 2008 by rage

[Doc Holiday 0]

LOL! I agree completely.

Scary to think what happens when they start playing Teams which AREN'T bottom dwellers.

They need to pull it together, quick.

You mean the next two games?

Anaheim and San Jose on the road. Good luck Wings.

[RedWingsFanatic 4]

I agree with you here. What we are seeing here is a version of a team in years past, circa 2003. This team hasnt been particularly phsyical, hasnt been particularly energetic in terms of puck battles and along the boards (save our top 4-5 forwards up front who will dog anyone for the puck) and they haven't been playing good defense. Its great and all that we can win high-scoring games and can turn it on when we feel like, but this is where bad play becomes bad habit.

I cannot stress this enough, but we've seen it with teams past. The playoffs are a different beast and you cannot simply turn on the complete game overnight. We will run into teams who will take it to us physically, outwork us, and expose our current yet consistent defensive lapses, and when teams are at the top of their game, it wont be easy to plow through the zone and score a few goals in half a period.

Don't get me wrong - I love winning and I love seeing us score 3 or more goals per game - but winning games without maximum or near maximum effort is what got us through a lot of regular seasons with flying colors only to be ousted by late April. I'm wary that the Wings are forming bad habits due to their ability to pull off wins despite making mistakes in abundance.

I think this is a very excellent point. I'm willing to say that the energy of younger guys like Zetterberg, Datsyuk and even Hossa will negate some of that, but it's certainly something to be careful of. Less than stellar play turning into victories can be satisfying, but it can't turn into a trend. That isn't happening yet and I don't think it will, especially with Babcock behind the bench, but it's still worth attempting to avoid.

I also think upcoming games with Anaheim and San Jose will wake us out of any sleepwalk we might be in, for better or for worse.

[Heaton 1]

I agree with you here. What we are seeing here is a version of a team in years past, circa 2003. This team hasnt been particularly phsyical, hasnt been particularly energetic in terms of puck battles and along the boards (save our top 4-5 forwards up front who will dog anyone for the puck) and they haven't been playing good defense. Its great and all that we can win high-scoring games and can turn it on when we feel like, but this is where bad play becomes bad habit.

I cannot stress this enough, but we've seen it with teams past. The playoffs are a different beast and you cannot simply turn on the complete game overnight. We will run into teams who will take it to us physically, outwork us, and expose our current yet consistent defensive lapses, and when teams are at the top of their game, it wont be easy to plow through the zone and score a few goals in half a period.

Don't get me wrong - I love winning and I love seeing us score 3 or more goals per game - but winning games without maximum or near maximum effort is what got us through a lot of regular seasons with flying colors only to be ousted by late April. I'm wary that the Wings are forming bad habits due to their ability to pull off wins despite making mistakes in abundance.

Whoa, whoa. You're talking playoffs and we're not even 10 games into the season. The Wings are showing great resilience and the ability to dominate and roll out a lineup that other teams have no answers for. I think you're grossly underestimating the ability of this team and comparing it to the 2003 team definitely doesn't do this team justice. I also disagree with the notion that the Wings aren't showing enough effort, all the effort is there but there's just some mental lapses, these guys didn't forget how to play defense during the summer.

We as Wings fans (and I'm sure we're not alone) have a disgusting tendency to overreact to small stretches or even portions of games and apply it to the team as if we don't expect them to correct the mistakes. I mean, if you guys think these lapses are going to manifest and never get better or actually get worse for the next 71 games I don't know what to tell you. It's a process and as long as the Wings are winning it really doesn't matter.

Over the course of the season things will get fixed but poo-pooing 7-1-1 and 5 straight wins with 2 on the road against decent teams (and LA has been decent this year) is getting too nitpicky.

[RedWingsFanatic 4]

Whoa, whoa. You're talking playoffs and we're not even 10 games into the season. The Wings are showing great resilience and the ability to dominate and roll out a lineup that other teams have no answers for. I think you're grossly underestimating the ability of this team and comparing it to the 2003 team definitely doesn't do this team justice. I also disagree with the notion that the Wings aren't showing enough effort, all the effort is there but there's just some mental lapses, these guys didn't forget how to play defense during the summer.

We as Wings fans (and I'm sure we're not alone) have a disgusting tendency to overreact to small stretches or even portions of games and apply it to the team as if we don't expect them to correct the mistakes. I mean, if you guys think these lapses are going to manifest and never get better or actually get worse for the next 71 games I don't know what to tell you. It's a process and as long as the Wings are winning it really doesn't matter.

Over the course of the season things will get fixed but poo-pooing 7-1-1 and 5 straight wins with 2 on the road against decent teams (and LA has been decent this year) is getting too nitpicky.

I also very much agree with this. Haha.

I do think it's just a tendency to get riled up for the sake of getting riled up. Look, we're 7-1-1. Nobody really asks how those points are obtained, and this early in the season I'm not sure that it really matters. As long we continue to move forward, develop some more chemistry on the third and fourth lines and get solid goaltending, I like our chances.

[miller76 463]

Just got home from the game. I cant believe they got out of there on a positive note. I thought they played pretty poorly.

[Outsider 42]

yes... dux and wingz are always a gem to watch or be at, in recent years....

There. Fixed.

It wasn't that long ago that going to a Wings/Ducks game at the Pond was like being at JLA West.

True Story:

I took my best friend to his first ever hockey game at the Pond. Was a late March game, 2002. He asked if he could bring a guest, and as I had unlimited access to one of the Suites, I said HellYeah.

We get there, and his guest, (nice girl....her first hockey game, too....), turned to me and said:

"I thought the Ducks wore purple and green."

I snickered and replied:

"Uh....Jade and Grape, to be exact. But yes. Yes, they do."

She queried:

"Then why is EVERYONE wearing RED?"

I just laughed and advised them that we'd better hurry if we wanted to catch warm-ups.

As an aside, they were both slightly dismayed by the ear-shattering "Let's Go Red Wings!" chants shaking the roof off The Pond throughout the game.

[miller76 463]

My highlight of the night was at the tail end of the pre-game skate I high-fived Hossa and McCarty. And gave shoulder pats to Ozzie, Datsyuk, Homer, Draper, Kronner, and Stuie. when Sammie came through, I told him to "hit the net tonight buddy."

[Drake_Marcus 890]

I'm telling you BM with the Wings

Gross. I'm glad you let us in on that... I've lost so much respect for Blue Monk and the Wings... I mean sharing a BM with another person? *sigh* Gross.

[RedWingsFanatic 4]

There. Fixed.

It wasn't that long ago that going to a Wings/Ducks game at the Pond was like being at JLA West.

True Story:

I took my best friend to his first ever hockey game at the Pond. Was a late March game, 2002. He asked if he could bring a guest, and as I had unlimited access to one of the Suites, I said HellYeah.

We get there, and his guest, (nice girl....her first hockey game, too....), turned to me and said:

"I thought the Ducks wore purple and green."

I snickered and replied:

"Uh....Jade and Grape, to be exact. But yes. Yes, they do."

She queried:

"Then why is EVERYONE wearing RED?"

I just laughed and advised them that we'd better hurry if we wanted to catch warm-ups.

As an aside, they were both slightly dismayed by the ear-shattering "Let's Go Red Wings!" chants shaking the roof off The Pond throughout the game.

That's still sort of the case.

I haven't been to a game in Anaheim since '06, but there was a lot of red even during the playoffs. The regular season is even worse (better?).

And you saw the crowd in L.A. tonight. That must have been at least 1/3 Detroit fans.

[ShanahanMan 473]

Anaheim and ESPECIALLY San Jose will be a MAJOR reality check for the Wings. Hopefully, for the better.