12/4 GDT: Red Wings 6, Canucks 5

[Yak19 303]

Im happy that one is over and we take 6 out of a possible 8 points with the canucks this year who have played their baby toe off against us every game, they seem to have a horseshoe up their ass with the bounces they get against us. I did not enjoy holding my breathe at the end of that game, there is no way you let them make it a 1 goal game after you have completely taken over. I dont want to blame Osgood because of how the puck was bouncing against him today but we need a big save here and there.

Thumbs up for the offense though, i'll take the win.

GO WINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[redwings4life 3]

16 pages on a GDT where the heck is everyone

Edited December 5, 2008 by redwings4life

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

The culprit tonight was definitely letting off the gas... Either stack five guys in the neutral zone and trap the life out of them, or keep on keeping on and take it to 'em to kill the clock. Half-assing it only spots them a couple goals.

[This Is Bida 0]

Again, way to jump down my throat. I'm not saying we aren't getting offense. I'm just saying our lines aren't particularly cohesive on a regular basis, which has an effect on team chemistry. We had 6 goals tonight - but from a patchwork of guys. Again, I'm not saying thats a problem, but our big guns arent really going like our big guns. Datsyuk is below a point per game pace. Zetterberg is barely there. And Hudler is now tied for 2nd in goals with Franzen and Hank.

Yeah, we had 6 goals tonight. I'm happy. But there have been times the past few games where we've faced hot goalies and good defensive teams and still havent been able to break through that. Maybe we'd be able to if we had some more dominate lines in terms of chemistry.

Whoa! Definitely not jumping down your throat buddy... swear. I mean, I do somewhat see your point but I just don't think throwing Hossa out there with Flip (who again I cannot emphasize enough has been completely invisible this year) and Franzen is the smartest move. If anything, I wouldn't mind him stacking our lines. Let me see a line of Z, Dats and Hossa. Maybe even swapping Franzen and Hossa around.

That way the top 2 lines would be...

Franzen - Dats - Holmer

Hossa - Zata - (this could be anyone really. Cleary, Huds, Flip)

I don't know, I just don't think it's right to put Hossa with a shooter and someone who makes the same god damn play every single game where he skates into the zone and does that stupid stop/spin move and dish it back to the D. Plus, the way Hossa and Dats' chemistry has been getting better and better every game, I just can't see splitting those 2 up. Other than those 2, do whatever you want with the lines.

[esteef 2,679]

The Goat Line all score a point!

Hudler 2 G

Kopecky 1 A

Maltby 1 A

Lilja 1 A

Lebda 1 A

Honorable mention:

Sammy with 1 blocked shot and 2 hits.

Cheers!

esteef

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I hope you arent suggesting that Hossa and Datsyuk dont have chemistry together.. Not trying to start anything but thats just how I interpreted this whole thing about different lines and chemistry... because Dats and Hoss are great together and its not like Z is exactly struggling on the 2nd line..

Do they really though? They've had spurts where they've looked awesome together, but that happens when you spend 25+ games together. With the talent of a top 10 center and a top 10 winger combining, you'd think they'd at least both be operating at a point per game pace. Especially with the offense this team has been putting up. Hudler is one point behind Datsyuk. Sammy is three behind Datsyuk. Zetterberg isn't doing much better. Even without statistics, Hossa and Datsyuk together have been pretty wishy-washy despite 25+ games together and incredible talent.

[Gizmo 21]

At the very least, there were 3 of those 5 goals that Ozzie had about zero control over: The rebound off of the back board, the rebound off of his shoulder, and the almost high-stick deflection. About the only "should have known better" goal was the 2nd one where he left a gap in between him and the post.

Letting in five goals sucks, but I don't think Ozzie's the main problem.

Edited December 5, 2008 by Gizmo

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Whoa! Definitely not jumping down your throat buddy... swear. I mean, I do somewhat see your point but I just don't think throwing Hossa out there with Flip (who again I cannot emphasize enough has been completely invisible this year) and Franzen is the smartest move. If anything, I wouldn't mind him stacking our lines. Let me see a line of Z, Dats and Hossa. Maybe even swapping Franzen and Hossa around.

That way the top 2 lines would be...

Franzen - Dats - Holmer

Hossa - Zata - (this could be anyone really. Cleary, Huds, Flip)

I don't know, I just don't think it's right to put Hossa with a shooter and someone who makes the same god damn play every single game where he skates into the zone and does that stupid stop/spin move and dish it back to the D. Plus, the way Hossa and Dats' chemistry has been getting better and better every game, I just can't see splitting those 2 up. Other than those 2, do whatever you want with the lines.

I'm not sure Filppula or Franzen would be great for Hossa either, but how do we know if we don't try it? I'm just saying theres really no two guys on this team that are dominating so much together that it would be a risk to set them up. Why not try Hossa with Flip or Franzen? Why not try a stacked line like you suggest? I just don't understand why Babs has to stick to his guns when there arent really a pair of them that are dominant, particularly when Hank and Datsyuk are nearly being eclipsed by the likes of Hudler and Sammy.

With the way Hossa and Hudler seem to be pointing up points with support from all kinds of guys, maybe they'd both be capable of producing with a guy like Franzen or Flip as their center. It'd be worth a shot.

My biggest issue in this is that maybe if we found some better chemistry up front that produced consistently (whether it shows on the score board or not), it might have an effect on the overall team. Same thing with the defensive pairings. Its driving me crazy how Babs is so reluctant to make anything more than minor changes to our lines and pairings despite the fact that we're not playing our best hockey.

[This Is Bida 0]

Do they really though? They've had spurts where they've looked awesome together, but that happens when you spend 25+ games together. With the talent of a top 10 center and a top 10 winger combining, you'd think they'd at least both be operating at a point per game pace. Especially with the offense this team has been putting up. Hudler is one point behind Datsyuk. Sammy is three behind Datsyuk. Zetterberg isn't doing much better. Even without statistics, Hossa and Datsyuk together have been pretty wishy-washy despite 25+ games together and incredible talent.

We're just gonna have to agree to disagree here. Nothing wrong with that at all but I think they've been great together. Chemistry between 2 players like it is with Dats & Z and Dats & Hossa do not just come as naturally as you might think. *Especially* only 25 games of playing together on a line.

I don't think they've been wishy washy at all.

Like I said, I really would like to see our top 3 guys on a line dominating the other teams. Like the Russian 5 used to. I just don't think that Babs is that type of coach though, unlike how Bowman used to like to stack a line. Hell, many coaches will stack their first line. They did it all last year in Ottawa too.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Incidentally, I reckon the Canucks got roughly fourteen goals from rebounds off the backboards against us in the season series.

The defense is certainly struggling, and they're not getting any puck luck to help them along.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Sorry, Reem... but they won for you anyway! Proud of Meech, aren't you?

Happy Birthday!!

Thank you!!

Meech was awesome. What a goal!

[Casey 145]

For God's sake, reunite Dats and Hank. Dats and Hossa are playing well, but Z+D is one of the best pairings in the game.

I'd also let Ozzie sit a bit. I'm a fan, I'll back him, but his confidence is taking a beating.

[Yak19 303]

Ya Meech got us going with that goal

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Ya Meech got us going with that goal

It was a good goal, but Sanford really blew it on that play. He bit hard on the fake shot (or it just seemed like the threat of a shot, don't think Meech even made a fake) when the play was at a really poor angle. And like they pointed out on the replay, he was waaay off his post so he couldn't push off and even try to get over.

To his credit, though, Meech made no mistake. He put that one into the roof.

[egroen 384]

Datsyuk and Hossa has definitely grown stale. I'm ready to see some Euro Twin Power Activated. Hossa would do fine with Franzen and Hudler.

[VM1138 1,921]

Missed the game. I got excited when I saw the 6....and then I saw the 5.

What exactly is the problem here? Did the defense suck again? Is there ANY sign of improvement on their part?

[Yak19 303]

It was a good goal, but Sanford really blew it on that play. He bit hard on the fake shot (or it just seemed like the threat of a shot, don't think Meech even made a fake) when the play was at a really poor angle. And like they pointed out on the replay, he was waaay off his post so he couldn't push off and even try to get over.

To his credit, though, Meech made no mistake. He put that one into the roof.

He stood on his head last game against us, good thing he was beat on a goal he should have had then.

[Slave 31]

i for one would love to see the eurotwins together again i think it would be awesome them, awesome for the team and awesome for the fans.

As an aside though and it doesn't hurt me to say this too much; I think one of the best players on the wings tonight was Sammy, he must have been reading these boards lol He was go go go all game and didn't make any glaring mistakes and not once did i yell "F#@^ YOU SAMMY" at the tv. I was very pleasantly surprised, If he keeps it up I might have to change my tune on him a bit.

Lots of offense, great getting secondary scoring just wish the top 2 lines would do more, something is definately not right there, I think they have the chemistry but the puck just does not seem to be going in for some reason. Couple bad breaks on the vancouver goals, i think we should have won about 8-2 but a win is a win and we will take the 2 points, and now we won't see them till the playoofffs...maybe.

[j.hoop 64]

At the very least, there were 3 of those 5 goals that Ozzie had about zero control over: The rebound off of the back board, the rebound off of his shoulder, and the almost high-stick deflection. About the only "should have known better" goal was the 2nd one where he left a gap in between him and the post.

Letting in five goals sucks, but I don't think Ozzie's the main problem.

dude, the first one was weak as hell. i cant believe no one called him out on it, or i missed it. he sat there and watched it go, at the very least wasnt prepared for it at all.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Cleary

[Yak19 303]

Cleary

Indeed

[Doc Holiday 0]

So howd we do?

[RusDRW 155]

Zetterberg looks completely lost out there... Like someone suggested he needs a puck carrier on his like. Right now he is getting no help from his linemates. At least, we need to try to demote Samuelsson to the third line. What is about Leino?

[Casey 145]

Zetterberg looks completely lost out there... Like someone suggested he needs a puck carrier on his like. Right now he is getting no help from his linemates. At least, we need to try to demote Samuelsson to the third line. What is about Leino?

Ummm... maybe the one he's had for years? Pavel somebody?

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Just got back from the game, good to get the win. Hossa was unbeliveable out there tonight, and there's nothing like seeing Jiri Hudler score 2 goals in person!