12/15 GDT: Avalanche 3, Red Wings 2

[Nev 1,085]

About the only good thing that came out of this game is that 20 minutes of effort didn't pull out a win yet again.

Someone said it after the Dallas loss - we need to score 3+ goals to win.

I'm not even sure that calling up Downey or trading away a player or 2 will change things - the entire roster needs to pull their head out of their asses and get back to Redwings hockey. I fear the only way that will happen is a 4-5 game losing streak.

[P. Marlowe 748]

It would be interesting to watch some regular season games from last year and see what's so different.

[j.hoop 64]

How'd that not go in?

story of the night, had a lot of great chances, just couldnt find the back of the net tonight. i am SO sick of the dump and chase play, it fails as consistently and frequently as we use it. colorado did the same thing to us, and both of them won- using soft dumps that get it out of the zone but dont ice, forcing us to skate back and tire ourselves out. im interested to hear babcocks lame ass excuse tonight - "ehh we played tough ya know, got the puck in but their zsone but uh, ya know colorado got their first and uh we didnt have the chances" FAIL.

i have a real question, hopefully someone can help. what strategy should we use? colorado blocked our shots all night, how do you counter that?

hossas goal was cool

[Sgt. Angry 23]

s***, couldn't get another comback, Hope they come ready to go from the drop of the puck Thursday night against the Sharks.

That would be nice, but I'm definitely starting to doubt their ability to do that.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Wings do need to start thinking of a goalie around trade deadline, maybe a defensive shakeup.

Well you really have to think that Lebda is gone at or before the deadline. No other regular player has been the go-to scratch in some time. But I don't think thats enough.

[puckbags 863]

It would be interesting to watch some regular season games from last year and see what's so different.

Work ethic...end of story !!

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Another great effort by Kopecky tonight. As long as he continues to play this well, I'm going to hold off on saying that we should dress an enforcer in his place.

[Doc Holiday 0]

Well you really have to think that Lebda is gone at or before the deadline. No other regular player has been the go-to scratch in some time. But I don't think thats enough.

There is no way getting rid of Lebda will give us the cap space for anything reasonable.

Especially when people here are talking like we should get a good starting goaltender to replace someone who gets paid dimes and nickels.

[evil204 4]

Well, watching hockey is getting more and more aggravating with every game because of the officiating. I seriously can't stand it anymore. This isn't hockey, and I wouldn't be watching it if I wasn't a Red Wings fan. All the bulls*** interference and hooking calls they make during the game (going both ways)... and they let that blatant interference against Franzen go at the end. It was awful last season too, but it's even worse now.

[I Red Wings I 40]

We've gone over this already. You and I both know this is a fake user name. You're just some other slappy that posts here under another name, and only comes out to protest any criticism.

No fake user name here, you suck though. Have you ever had anything decent to say about Detroit? My gosh, Detroit isn't having the best season, my gosh they aren't winning every game. I'd love to see you and give you a good one across the head and ask how fake did that feel.

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

don't feed the trolls IrwI. he's baiting you and youre biting.

[Sgt. Angry 23]

i have a real question, hopefully someone can help. what strategy should we use? colorado blocked our shots all night, how do you counter that?

Doesn't sound too pretty, but I've always said they should aim a few at the head - the block attempts will stop quickly.

[Guest Shoreline]

Anyways, Wings need to start winning. This game coming up against the Sharks is a pretty good test to where the boys stand. If they get their asses handed to them, it's start to have a long and hard thought about some difficult roster choices to make. Need to stop treating them like celebrities and more like players who are expendable if they don't do their jobs.

Once again I saw a Wings team with no attitude, with no physical bearing down upon the opponent. I can't tell you how pissed off I was seeing the Wings pass up numerous opportunities to lay their opponent out or finish their check, instead twirling around like they're ******* Ice Capades.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Shoreline

[GoWings1905 2,694]

What a sorry effort by the Red Wings. They played like garbage until they got down 3-1 and then decided to try and make a game of it. I feel bad for Ozzie - the defense left him out to dry on all three goals tonight. Sloppy turnovers and poor defensive play especially in the first period. Ozzie was really fighting the puck tonight though, although I don't fault him for any of the goals. It seems that when the Red Wings do give up shots, they are always quality scoring chances. The defense is purely awful right now.

I hated Babcock's constant line juggling tonight too. Find some combinations and give them a chance to work. The original lines for the game are really the best ones. If the Red Wings would quit spotting teams a two-goal lead every night, the line juggling wouldn't be so necessary.

Lastly, our fourth line is utterly useless. I have held off typing it for some time, but they are a trainwreck. I swear every time the fourth line was on the ice, the Avalanche controlled the puck in the Red Wings zone. This team needs Darren Helm. I don't care about Helm getting more minutes at Grand Rapids. He would give the Red Wings some much needed energy on the fourth line. Kopecky can take a seat - he had his chance and he does nothing. I am sick of watching Maltby, Draper, and Kopecky chase the puck and get scored on practically every time they step on the ice.

This was one of the most frustrating games of the season for me. The Red Wings played with no heart and deserved to lose. They better decide to play on Thursday for more than ten minutes or they will get run out of the building.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

About the only good thing that came out of this game is that 20 minutes of effort didn't pull out a win yet again.

Someone said it after the Dallas loss - we need to score 3+ goals to win.

I'm not even sure that calling up Downey or trading away a player or 2 will change things - the entire roster needs to pull their head out of their asses and get back to Redwings hockey. I fear the only way that will happen is a 4-5 game losing streak.

Honestly, I think we have too much talent. I know it sounds crazy, but last season we had a lot of untested or players who had to prove themselves. Osgood, Filppula, Hudler, Cleary, Stuart once he arrived, Rafalski, Franzen. Either they were new to the team or had to prove themselves in bigger roles. Thus, players had the motivation to show what they could do. And other guys - guys like Lidstrom, Hank, Datsyuk, etc. - were more supportive by helping out younger guys and new guys get accustomed to the game and their roles. There was more guidance, and more communication, it seems.

Now its kind of...well...if Lids doesn't make the play, Raffi will. If Raffi doesn't, then Zetterberg will. And if he doesn't do it, then I guess I will. And everyone seems to sort of have this mentality that with all the talent they have, someone else will take care of the problem. But with everyone counting on the team's talent, no one actually does the work.

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

Anyways, Wings need to start winning. This game coming up against the Sharks is a pretty good test to where the boys stand. If they get their asses handed to them, it's start to have a long and hard thought about some difficult roster choices to make. Need to stop treating them like celebrities and more like players who are expendable if they don't do their jobs.

unusual. i agree with everything you just said.

[P. Marlowe 748]

I don't think the Wings played really bad. Couple of mistakes and a hot goalie can change a game. After all, Wings controlled most of the last two periods.

I think all year it's been about couple of fatal details that's ruined or almost ruined games for the Wings. It seems that you need to be fully concentrated all the time in this league, otherwise the puck is in your net.

[Wingsallwin 0]

Ok, now we have to realize something. Our team has been just awful as a defense. I really don't know we can fix this problem as time goes more and more because these guys look to have motivation...We need some big recognition by ourselves.

Some people still say win is win. Yes. Win is a win. But Wings should play way better than this. I know our offenses and defenses have a lot of talent. But talent is only talnet, not winning the game. What leads teams to win games is bringing up a lot of effort with high skill.

To prove this, how many one-goal games do we have this season? We had a lot of comeplete games last season. But this season, Shootout has made us to get 4 or 5 wins and other winning games were almost by one goal game (I did not consider the empty net goals)

From the beginning of the season to today's lose, except for the game against Oilers 4-0 shutout, I never saw any complete games by our teams. After I saw the first game against the Leafs and lost against them, I thought it could be fixed because that was the beginning.

But now, I think we have to start to worry about our team. Even though some people say Ozzie is playing well but having bad records, but I think he became far worse than last year.

I kept saying to bring Howard or Larsson from our farm, but people say it will not change anything. But lets give them some chances to play at least. When I was watching Howard's play, I started to consider him as our next generation goalie, who is very stable and relax the team well.

Besides, our checking 4th line do not look good either. More importantly, Kronwall and Stuart have given us no help at all, they sometimes look just holes of our team right now.

Lidstrom is not playing his best but he is playing fine. Stuart-Kronwall line is just dismal.

Our latest games and even some game are always in same patterns. Screwing up the first period then get one goal in 2nd period and lose another goal. And making some sensational comeback in the 3rd period. But it did not work today and we cannot make this kind of way of playing everyday.

I know we are the 2nd in the west and 3rd overall in the league and still not having even 30 games. But come on. If it is still going this way, it will not be helpful and if we dont fix this to the playoffs,.....dont want to imagine.......

I hope today's game will help Wings in many ways. Bring up the effort and stop thinking we are champions. Yes we were, but this season is 08-09, not 07-08. Need motiviation.

Our real test will be on Thursday against the Sharks, the team I am really scared of and having a lot of talent. Also a lot of effot, which Wings do not have at all.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

There is no way getting rid of Lebda will give us the cap space for anything reasonable.

Especially when people here are talking like we should get a good starting goaltender to replace someone who gets paid dimes and nickels.

I meant in terms of roster changes. Not overall. A goalie isn't going to help us at all with anything we have to trade, except for our star players, which obviously isn't going to happen. It would take a guy like Lundqvist or Luongo to help make up for our defensive mistakes.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

No fake user name here, you suck though. Have you ever had anything decent to say about Detroit? My gosh, Detroit isn't having the best season, my gosh they aren't winning every game. I'd love to see you and give you a good one across the head and ask how fake did that feel.

Hmm...thats strange. Cause I never see you post anywhere else but in GDTs to come in and defend your beloved Wings from ANY negativity - even if its deserved. And considering the fact that you're virtually threatening me with vicious physical assault AND using hyperbole to defend your arguments, you're only strengthening my suspicions.

Edit: Yeah. I read all your GDT posts. All you do is verbally attack people who post any criticism against the Wings.

Edited December 16, 2008 by YoungGuns1340

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Horray, Keith Jones says the Wings still have the best D

[Doc Holiday 0]

I meant in terms of roster changes. Not overall. A goalie isn't going to help us at all with anything we have to trade, except for our star players, which obviously isn't going to happen. It would take a guy like Lundqvist or Luongo to help make up for our defensive mistakes.

You know I don't think he had a terribly bad game. He made a couple good moves position wise and could have saved a goal had Osgood stopped the penalty shot.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Well you really have to think that Lebda is gone at or before the deadline. No other regular player has been the go-to scratch in some time. But I don't think thats enough.

Good.

The sooner the better.

[Nev 1,085]

It seems that when the Red Wings do give up shots, they are always quality scoring chances

To be fair, that was the case last season - I regularly said it when pimping Ozzie for the Conn Smythe. Difference was last year Ozzie was a wall, this year he's a sieve

if Lids doesn't make the play, Raffi will. If Raffi doesn't, then Zetterberg will. And if he doesn't do it, then I guess I will. And everyone seems to sort of have this mentality that with all the talent they have, someone else will take care of the problem. But with everyone counting on the team's talent, no one actually does the work.

You know, that sounds almost identical to a quote in Roy Keane's autobiography when talking about the great Manchester United team that won the Champions League in '99 and their decline in the early 2000s. All these hugely talented, very rich, multiple championship winning superstars going through the motions and waiting for someone else to be The Man. And failing to win anything.

[P. Marlowe 748]

You know I don't think he had a terribly bad game. He made a couple good moves position wise and could have saved a goal had Osgood stopped the penalty shot.

Someone here wrote after the Avs' second goal that Lebda is the worst player in the league. I don't think he was on the ice during either of the goals.