3/7 GDT: Blue Jackets 8 at Red Wings 2

[Demolition Man 0]

For a team with 40+ plus wins, 90+ pts and in the top 3 overall in the league we have come up with some pretty stinky efforts this year....4-1...not over yet !!

This year I've wondered why everyone always seems to think that every team in the league doesn't have games like this. Just as an example, everybody wants to talk about how great Brodeur is, yet he gave up 6 goals on 26 shots today (and he did not look too good). The Caps have looked absolutely dreadful this past week, and Boston has been losing left and right.

We definitely belong at the top of the league. But games like this happen every year.

[Vladifan 680]

How many times this season has someone said that? So all 5 goals were Osgoods fault? So all 6 goals were Osgoods fault? That's just my point, he's not getting better, he won't get better. So might as well ride Conklin. This whole loyalty thing is getting old.

No, the loyalty thing isn't getting old but your consistent negativity surely is. Your statements are extreme to the point of being totally unrealistic. "He won't get better"? "Send him down"? "Ride Conklin"?

You and Mindfly are like flamers on your "own" board. Unbelievable...

[albo23 10]

I just registered to say WTF Osgood. Umm.. Seriously what the hell are you doing? Mason is 30-31 and you are 16-20, just go back to the AHL you idiot. Keep the damn puck out of the net. Your job is to step up regardless of how the defense is playing, when was the last time you stopped a breakaway anyways? Mason stopped one ten minutes ago.

This year I've wondered why everyone always seems to think that every team in the league doesn't have games like this. Just as an example, everybody wants to talk about how great Brodeur is, yet he gave up 6 goals on 26 shots today (and he did not look too good). The Caps have looked absolutely dreadful this past week, and Boston has been losing left and right.

We definitely belong at the top of the league. But games like this happen every year week.

Fixed.

Edited March 8, 2009 by albo23

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

Yes perhaps, but to honestly believe Osgood's 3.2 GA and the worst Sv% in the last 5 years among all goalies, is the D not playing well, is bs. He's really bad. He is by far the worst goalie in the league, and has the worst Save% of any goalie in the last 5 years. Yes, the last 5 years. He is bad.

So I was referencing anything other than this game? No I wasn't. Osgood hasn't played anywhere near what he should have all year long, but at least be fair to the man.

I know, impossible, the Wings should be free of the salary cap and should have anti-aging techniques to bring back Terry Sawchuk and Stevie Y.

Get some ******* reading comprehension skills and come back later.

[bonan78 1]

I smell a comeback, 6-4 Wings, Zata and Dats each with the trick

[Shaman 713]

I just registered to say WTF Osgood. Umm.. Seriously what the hell are you doing? Mason is 30-31 and you are 16-20, just go back to the AHL you idiot. Keep the damn puck out of the net. Your job is to step up regardless of how the defense is playing, when was the last time you stopped a breakaway anyways? Mason stopped one ten minutes ago.

Fixed.

Thank you for registering, please, delete your account now...

[TheOwl 77]

Thank you for registering, please, delete your account now...

He's right though.

[Vladifan 680]

When the defense plays this bad you could play 2 goalies and it won't matter.

The Wings care, they shut teams down. When the other team plays with more desperation, the Wings have lost every game this year.

You can think what you want, I just want to be fair. If the defense helps Osgood out at all in the 1st this game is at most 2-1 BJs.

Kinda like the last game between the teams in Columbus, without Osgood, this game is significantly uglier.

Amen!

[ShanahanMan 473]

I just registered to say WTF Osgood. Umm.. Seriously what the hell are you doing? Mason is 30-31 and you are 16-20, just go back to the AHL you idiot. Keep the damn puck out of the net. Your job is to step up regardless of how the defense is playing, when was the last time you stopped a breakaway anyways? Mason stopped one ten minutes ago.

Fixed.

um....Welcome to the boards!

[Guest mindfly]

I smell a comeback, 6-4 Wings, Zata and Dats each with the trick

Red wings haven't had a single hat trick this year why would two(2) players score a hatty each in one(1) period... silly.

Edited March 8, 2009 by mindfly

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

He's right though.

Yep Shaman is right.

Maybe you should delete yours too....

[Shaman 713]

He's right though.

This game really is a team effort at horrible play, not just Ozzy...

[interminded 1]

And as usual, the GDT becomes an Ozzie-goaltender-playoffs-Ryan Miller-save percentage-beachball thread...

Same old same old...

[55fan 5,133]

Red wings haven't had a single hat trick this year why would two(2) players score a hatty each in one(1) period... silly.

Aren't you a bit young to be drinking heavily?

[sureWhyNot 19]

That's the thing, I'm NOT looking to point the finger. I don't feel the need to make me feel better about myself by blaming others.

I'm just hoping they get better.

Sorry, I was doing a preemtive protection post just in case you were thinking about blaming him.

Why? Simple. Because none of it is his fault.

I forgot to include (on the blame list):

1) Rafalski (specifically). So he ahs 51 points and is a +15, he is garbage. You can blame him instead of Ozzie.

2) "Bad bounces". Everyone gets them, and clearly deserve a portion of the blame -- NOT OZZIE.

Ozzie won Stanley Cups here guys DON'T YOU REMEMBER?

All we have to do is keep telling ourselves and each other that he will be ready come playoff time and it will happen. Duh, everyone knows that. We just need to tell ourselves and each other more that he will be ready and poof -- we will see him morph overnight.

I am sick of fair weather fans questioning his 3.16 GAA (and rising after tonight 19 shots and 15 saves so far) and his .883 SV%. Who cares he is dead last in the league among goaltenders playing at least 20 games -- He is Ozzie and he will be ready for the playoffs.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Eh, he did great last season, and they won the cup. Lots of other teams would love to have that happen. I was pretty much done with Schneider when he left. They needed a change.

Sure, Rafalski, like many, is having a below-average season. I'd be more concern with contracts for Stuart, Filppula, and Cleary before I worried about Rafalski's. He's only signed for 3 more years after this season, so that isn't too bad. That said, I think a huge part of the problem is the absence of McClellan.

The fact that hes signed for SIX million for the next THREE years is exactly the problem. This teams defense will look markedly different when Raffi retires. Its NOW that we need to implement a new face into the core of our D, or into the net. A guy like Bouwmeester is exactly the type of guy that could replace Bouwmeester. When Holland signed Rafalski for "insurance" when Lidstrom retires, he must've been toking something good. Either that, or he was duped by Rafalski's play in the insular New Jersey system. For a 6 million dollar man, Rafalski is beyond rough on defense. I'd rather have a 35 point Dman that can play top pairing defense, than a 50 point Dman who'd be a weak #4 defensive defenseman if that were his role.

And personally, I'd had higher expectations for Rafalski when he signed here, and he didn't meet them in his first season. When it comes to defenseman, I want defense first, then offense. The fact that he has 50+ points is secondary to me. It means nothng when you play s*** defense more often than not.

Ultimately, Rafalski is better than Schneider, but considering the way Kronwall was really our best #2 in the playoffs, and Stuart's play was up there as well, I think we win the cup with Schneider instead of Rafalski anyways. Especially considering Schneider played great defense for the Ducks last season. The fact that his contract would be up this season, and the Wings would have the option of signing another 6-7M defenseman, or put some money into the net is where the advantage comes in.

[TheOwl 77]

So I was referencing anything other than this game? No I wasn't. Osgood hasn't played anywhere near what he should have all year long, but at least be fair to the man.

I know, impossible, the Wings should be free of the salary cap and should have anti-aging techniques to bring back Terry Sawchuk and Stevie Y.

Get some ******* reading comprehension skills and come back later.

Listen junior, you're un-provable prediction is meaningless. I'm simply stating the fact Osgood has the worst Save% of any goalie in the last 5 years. Osgood is going to let in 3-4 goals every game on average, it's not the D's fault at all. I am being fair. I'm not making up these stats. He's the worst goalie in the league. What more is their to say? It's a fact!

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

And as usual, the GDT becomes an Ozzie-goaltender-playoffs-Ryan Miller-save percentage-beachball thread...

Same old same old...

Speaking of Ryan Miller, what happened to Michigan State? I thought they were good at Hockey in the CCHA?

[RedStormRising 7]

Can someone PLEASE tell me why Conklin isn't getting the majority of starts? I would really like to hear a coherent explanation...

[digitaljohn88 4]

Hey, guess what. We'd be losing with Conklin too. Hell, we'd be losing with Luongo.

Can't expect to win the games in which the other team outplays us. We've been terrible in our own zone.

[Wingsallwin 0]

I do not think Osgood is playing bad but I do not get people who say he plays enough good right now. He allowed 4 goals and no excuse for that; goalie should be responsible for every goal. Remember first 2 goals by the deflection. When there is a deflection, you expect goalie to make a save even though it is tough. However, when Osgood is in the net, how many times can you say you expect him to make a save? Not many times. How about Conklin? Not many times but he sometiems do.

It is only one game and I thought losing 8-0 to Preds could make this team being motivated again like last season. However, was that a fluke illusion? This team is playing with no effort when they do not play against the top teams in the league. I never see this team played that many perfect games against the weak teams.

Youngguns1340, I see your point and I am on your side. I regret the contract with Rafalski for 6 million. He is good offensively but unlike last season, he is playing awful defensively. He is now 35 I think? It is the time he will decline down. There cannot be any improvement from his playing right now. The only positive fact is that Ericsson will be on this team but do you expect this team's defense will get better next season? Hell now. This team's defenses are not like 20 years old. Already stacked up talent but play lazy. If Nick comes to the end of his career, we cannot play any good defensive hockey as past few seasons.

Thats why I want a good goalie on this team. What ridiculous goaltending are you guys expecting from this team in the future? Osgood and Howard? That is a joke. Osgood cannot be better than now. His age is the time that any player is getting worse. Then sign with Conklin? Didn't Osgood protectos just say he is a career back up? And you guys said career backup cannot be consistent. Then what? We have to score then 10 goals every game because we will allow 5 goals every game.

Now, do you guys still think we have to sign with both Hossa and Franzen for a long term? Let's get only Hossa and sign with one good goalie until Luongo will be FA. If we sign both Hossa and Franzen, where are you gonna get the cap space for a good goalie? Are we gonna be the Flyers?

Know the truth. We need a goalie not for only this season but for the long future.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Rafalski is awesome, yeah Babs!

Not. Horrible.

[I Red Wings I 40]

Babcock pwnd him

[Wings_Rule_1010 4]

Babs laughing at Keating's question about line changes, lol.

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

Listen junior, you're un-provable prediction is meaningless. I'm simply stating the fact Osgood has the worst Save% of any goalie in the last 5 years. Osgood is going to let in 3-4 goals every game on average, it's not the D's fault at all. I am being fair. I'm not making up these stats. He's the worst goalie in the league. What more is their to say? It's a fact!

un-proveable prediction? I guess you aren't watching this game.

And I'm simply stating the fact that unless those pucks physically hit Osgood, especially the Umberger and Torres goals, he had NO chance what so ever.

But hell while we're at it, let's blame Osgood for something else he has no control over, like how GM is going to go out of business or the Economy overall. It makes about as much sense logically.

And he's not the worst goalie in the league. That would be the backup goalie on Tampa. If you can't start for a crappy team like that, you shouldn't be in the NHL.