4/9 GDT: Predators 4 at Red Wings 3 (SO)

[fifthandbroadway 4]

Would love to see the Wings destroy Anaheim - and that'll happen.

As for the Preds making it - too many things have to fall their way, most of which is out of their control. Scrappy-ass bunch, but just not in the cards this year.

Exactly how I feel. Not only does Anaheim give the Wings a reason to be hardcore motivated, but we all know what happens when the Wings get the energy pumping in the first round.

[Guest Four]

Datsyuk tipped Lidstroms shot I thought..

[Guest Shoreline]

Why are some of you acting like this was some sort of make or break game for the Wings?

Happens after every loss.

Edit: And Four, Dats hasn't got credit for that goal yet? It looked rather obvious to me that it was dipped by Dats, or maybe the replays were playing tricks on my eyes?

Edited April 10, 2009 by Shoreline

[Lazerbeam 13]

Why are some of you acting like this was some sort of make or break game for the Wings? The playoffs are a whole new beast. What they do in the last 2 games isn't going tor reflect on how they perform in the playoffs. Yeah it's better to go in on a roll, but it's not the end of the world. Calm down.

Totally Agree

If you all can remember, the Sharks have gone into the playoffs each of the last 2 seasons, ON FIRE! their last 20-30 games were the best in the NHL yet they failed in the PO's!!! REMEMBER THAT!!

[Vladifan 680]

As mentioned, like yesterday or two days ago, chances are high of getting the Ducks, so..

Hopefully the boys rest the last two games, forget the 100/1000 milestones, and prepare for the playoffs.

And all these injuries to Hossa are adding to my skepticism of signing him to a contract for next season and beyond.

I'm still hoping that it's not serious and that if any Wing can take himself out of the game for precautionary reasons, it's Hossa. As much as I'd like to see them beat the crap out of the Hawks, I'd rather they'd all be playoff ready. At least, physically.

[shadow47 1]

Blow a late lead 4-3 to Nash?! What is it, 2008 again? Too bad they don't have Osgood to come off the bench anymo...oh.

[Vincanni 1]

Only real disappointment from tonight was Datsyuk not getting a point, I'd actually love to see all five central teams make the playoffs and this made that possible and we still got a point out of it.

Edit: Forgot to mention Hossa's injury, that'd be the other dissapointment I felt from the game. Still don't give a dman about the lose at this point of the season.

Edited April 10, 2009 by Vincanni

[Vladifan 680]

Did you watch the game??? the Wings had only 4 skaters on the ice--count em 4--while the predators had 6 skaters on the ice--count em 6!! that leaves 2 skaters that the Wings players CANNOT cover---JJJEEEEESHHH!!

Yeah!!!!!!!!! I watched the game!!!!!!!!!! I suggest to you that if you can, you watch that play again??????? I can count too, oh exclamation/question mark happy person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[VM1138 1,921]

Sucks to lose, but I feel like this is a "normal" loss. They didn't play bad. Ozzie was stellar for us. Just wasn't in the cards this time. Even with the loss it really seems like the Wings have finally shaken off whatever was messing with them all year.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Sucks to lose, but I feel like this is a "normal" loss. They didn't play bad. Ozzie was stellar for us. Just wasn't in the cards this time. Even with the loss it really seems like the Wings have finally shaken off whatever was messing with them all year.

Good call. Couldn't agree more.

[tingnoel 4]

I agree, any loss sucks, but at least this wasn't too terrible of a game. Did anyone notice how it seemed like Jason Arnott was the only Predator on the ice? I wrote more about it in my blog, the link's in the signature.

[ben_usmc 253]

fun game to watch, really wish we would have won but Preds wanted it more. Congrates to them and I hope they do make into the playoffs and finally beat SJ in the 1st round. Ozzy looked great tonight, the 2nd goal was all Lids fault. I have no idea why Babcock thought Cleary should go 4th that was a horrible choice. Lastly Flip is looking stronger and stronger on his skates each shift, I'm telling you he will become our next Datsyuk.

[ben_usmc 253]

Sucks to lose, but I feel like this is a "normal" loss. They didn't play bad. Ozzie was stellar for us. Just wasn't in the cards this time. Even with the loss it really seems like the Wings have finally shaken off whatever was messing with them all year.

exactly if you lose games that way, it wasn't from a lack of effort and was a good game, Nashville just worked at it.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Osgood, Kronwall and Filpulla were amazing this game. I wish Flip would get to paly with Z and Franzen.

The worst part is the Hossa injury.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Actually, scratch that. The worst part were those disgusting april in the D commercials. Horrible, horrible. That lead singer should never sing a song again.

[wingfan1991 221]

f*** nashville makes me sick, these guys never die! 3-1 lead at home, tie the game with 1 min left.. then go to shootout, must score to tie with a rookie shooter and they ******* do! we better pray we dont play these guys or we're done for sure. we can have a 5-0 lead with 5 min left in game and they would tie it and win it.

[titanium2 867]

Osgood, Kronwall and Filpulla were amazing this game. I wish Flip would get to paly with Z and Franzen.

The worst part is the Hossa injury.

I feel like Z hasn't scored a goal in a long time. I just want him to have a linemate with above average passing ability that can set him up for some goals so that Z doesn't have to be the primary puckhandler all the time. Some days I think Fil can be that guy. Other days I really wonder where his confidence went.

[Hockeytown Red Wings 245]

So I guess it's just me that it bothers that we let another team come back on us after Uncle Mike said we'd "turn it on". Ok. This is a really backwards night apparently.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

The turning point was, oddly enough, Lidstrom's ill-advised pass. Everything was well in hand before that gaffe. The other goals went in because they went in, and I won't ever argue with three goals for, so the whole thing basically hinged on that. All things considered you gotta give Nick a pass for that one.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

So I guess it's just me that it bothers that we let another team come back on us after Uncle Mike said we'd "turn it on". Ok. This is a really backwards night apparently.

I'm quite bothered as well. Not so much for losing, but the way the Red Wings lost (again). Far too many blown leads at home in the third period because of poor defensive effort. This team has sat on leads all season. It's a bad habit that needs to go away quickly. It may be meaningless in the standings for the Red Wings, but it's concerning that they still can't play well in their own zone when leading a game. Too many turnovers and a terrible inability to clear the puck.

I will believe the Red Wings have turned the corner when they start playing 60 minutes of defense.

[MotorCityMadness 388]

anybody question why Babcock didnt use Franzen as the 4th shooter in the SO? I mean nothing against Cleary, but you have one of the hottest players since the playoffs last year sitting on the bench.

[Z and D for the C 712]

I feel like Z hasn't scored a goal in a long time. I just want him to have a linemate with above average passing ability that can set him up for some goals so that Z doesn't have to be the primary puckhandler all the time. Some days I think Fil can be that guy. Other days I really wonder where his confidence went.

Flip looked as confident as he ever has today. He just looks amazing out there.

[clutchngrab 12]

Flips been gearing up for the playoffs .. no complaints

[clutchngrab 12]

And all these injuries to Hossa are adding to my skepticism of signing him to a contract for next season and beyond.

So you are you saying Hossa is injury prone and Holland won't sign him?

[stormboy 47]

I'm quite bothered as well. Not so much for losing, but the way the Red Wings lost (again). Far too many blown leads at home in the third period because of poor defensive effort. This team has sat on leads all season. It's a bad habit that needs to go away quickly. It may be meaningless in the standings for the Red Wings, but it's concerning that they still can't play well in their own zone when leading a game. Too many turnovers and a terrible inability to clear the puck.

I will believe the Red Wings have turned the corner when they start playing 60 minutes of defense.

i wonder, though, is there a way they could lose that would be an alright way to lose by your standards? because i'm kind of not thinking so...which just means that any loss from the wings is due to lack of effort/skill/coaching/something that WILL make them lose in the playoffs. sure, you never like to lose, but late in a game, this team was playing for their absolute lives. we weren't. to the preds, this game was more important than the first few games of a playoff series. this was a game seven for them.

this is probably the loss that has bothered me the least all season. despite losing, they looked good overall. our PK was 5-6 while our powerplay was 2-4. at this point, those stats are the most important to me going into a playoff series. i mean, look, preds were doing their absolute damndest this game, and we still killed them on special teams. and again, yeah, it's the regular season so they won and i'm not taking anything away from that, but them winning a shootout is nothing like winning a playoff OT.

i personally think babs picked cleary because he knew the extra point wasn't that important for his team and was hoping that if cleary scored, it would give him a confidence boost, which he could use. franzen is obviously doing alright confidence-wise right now, so i don't disagree with that choice.