Round 1: (2) Red Wings vs. (7) Blue Jackets

[Guest Shoreline]

I am a little scared about this, I mean we haven't been playing good lately. I hope this becomes a wake up call or something.

I don't think there's any bigger a wake up call than win or go home.

Wings don't have the percentages in their favor of winning, but that's the way it is every season. No point in getting down about losses, just cheer for the Wings to make it as far as they can and enjoy the games.

[betterREDthandead 58]

Here's to no 10:00 games in the first round and also not having to listen to people complain about the Ducks being too physical :)

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Here's to no 10:00 games in the first round and also not having to listen to people complain about the Ducks being too physical :)

I'll devote a thread to the exploits of Chris Pronger in Caleefornya just so no one forgets what a goddamned ******* that scumbag is.

[Guest Shoreline]

Here's to no 10:00 games in the first round and also not having to listen to people complain about the Ducks being too physical :)

Hear hear. Although, 10pm (i.e. 7pm here) games aren't so bad to me.

[ChitownWingsfan 54]

We got off to a slow start but Wings in 6 - LWWLWW

[greenrebellion 415]

I'd call for the sweep, but gotta think Mason will buy them at least one. Go Wings. I absolutely LOVE playoff hockey.

[RyanK 1]

YES! I'm so exited about the playoffs! They're finally here! It's just a shame that the wings haven't given me any reason to believe they can make it deep into the playoffs in the past few weeks. The 8-0 blowout, the fall to the islanders, the 3 game loosing streak going into the postseason. I don't see how some of you can be so confident that we'll even make it out of the first round. Remember that game a few weeks back that Nash scored 4 goals on us? Hopefully we make it, but I don't see any reason why we should.

$0.02

[C-TownWing 0]

I gotta say I'm a little worried about this. Columbus has had some pretty good success over the Wings this season, I hope I'm worrying for nothing and the Wings can douse the Jackets as quick as possible and move on but I think this is going to be a big series. I was really hoping to play the Ducks or Blues in the first round but oh well. Let's Go Wings beat the Jackets!!

Agreed. I just don't see the confidence that most people have about this. You have a team that sees us as an archrival and is making their first playoff appearance ever. Some of you think they'll be just happy to be there? BS. They're going to be UP, and we're going to have to match their intensity to win this series. Insert some cliche about how we're better on paper but games aren't played on paper here. I do think/hope we'll win, but I'm scared to death about this one. Think Washington last year--the way that entire city and team was after sucking for a while and finally making the playoffs. The good news is that they lost to Philly, but not until giving them all they wanted.

I'm not embarrassed to admit that I was rooting for the Avs today with 8-2 in the back of my head. We did okay against the Pens after playing Colorado and Dallas (while they were playing the Rangers and Philly), the travel thing is overrated.

[hankzet40 233]

Obviosly a better matchup than Anaheim but I have a sick feeling Mason will win them the series.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

I'm very excited to see what Red Wings team we get for the playoffs. This has been a rather long and frustrating regular season to watch at times, but now the Red Wings have a chance to do something very special. I have no doubt that the Red Wings are indeed the best hockey team in the world and no one can beat them four times in a series if the Red Wings play with effort and intensity for 60 minutes. I like the matchup against Columbus for travel purposes, but by no means will the Blue Jackets lay down and be in awe of the defending champs. Mason can steal the series for them. That being said...

Red Wings in six.

[Fingercots 6]

I'm not really feeling too good about this matchup. The lack of trips to the west coast is a good thing but the Wings had better pick it up and play a lot better than they have recently or they'll get upset in 5 or 6 games.

[TheUkrainian 49]

Wings in 5 or 6, depending on what Babs does with the rosters/lines. Oh, and if the Wings get their asses in gear and stop lollygagging around.

[shadow47 1]

Like it was stated above; Wings need to contain Nash and keep Mason from getting hotter than a Las Vegas night.

Nights in the Vegas valley can actually be pretty f’ing cold most of the year. And to the guy who says "don't be a Wings fan if you don't have confidence", a fan is someone who likes a team and hopes for the best for them. Having blind confidence all-the-time everytime is just being a stupid fan.

The playoffs are always wide open for make-or-break moments. Last year, had the Predators not scored two late goals in game 3, the Wings would’ve coasted with a 3-0. In ‘02, had luck not allowed Lidstrom to destroy Cloutier's confidence, it's likely the team would've been bounced that year in Round 1. This series is no different in that respect.

Mason is the key. If he plays solidly as he did in the regular campaign I think the Wings have a very good chance of losing this series. This is not Dan Ellis who got on a late run for Nashville last year and disappeared just as fast, giving up huge rebounds left and right, and it isn't Cam Ward who barely played in the regular season in '06 (and not at all consistently I might add) concerning rookie goalies in the playoffs. Mason IS the rookie of the year this year, all year, he‘s had no slumps, barely any bad GAMES. And he's better prepared and trained than Jim Carey during his playoff meltdowns in the 90s, and doesn't have certain obvious weaknesses as Patrick Lalime's messy footwork was. He is not a blind butterflyer like Cristobal Huet who has flamed out for predictability in past seasons. Still, he is young, so time will tell with him. Merely, I wish to illuminate the factors working in his favor to NOT collapse in this series.

Another thing to consider is how Nash feasts on Chris Osgood in particular. That will be a matchup I will be watching, yeah, people will go on and on about how “all Detroit has to do is shut down Nashâ€, well they are never able to do it when they play the CBJ’s so you’d think people might be more concerned over this, particularly with an Osgood playoff start. I admittedly prefer Osgood starting over Conklin at this point but Nash is a tough draw for Chris personally.

Columbus has real depth. Vermette has been a better player than he was on Ottawa since joining, Jason Williams will want to play well against his former club. Hardworking grinders like R.J. Umberger and Chris Gratton, young gun smooth Russian Nikita Filatov and the scoring of Kristian Huselius, and not to be outdone a leader in Michael Peca who’s already taken a team within two games of a Cup title. Not to name every player, I’m just having a look at their roster, Columbus is a very good team, very good, both on the ice and on paper. Hitchcock’s coaching has always been tough.

With Detroit they’ve got no guarantee Hossa will be back to gamebreaker status he’s been all regular season (go figure, signs for the playoffs and now a ?), goaltending, should Osgood falter, Ty Conklin is not exactly as dependable as having Osgood and Hasek two men with playoff track records to fall back on. And then there’s motivation. Detroit played last year having been bitterly disappointed against the Ducks, they had that extra drive. This season, mostly the same players, they’ve already won the Cup, they’d like to again but I question whether they feel they HAVE to. I think not.

Should be a good series.

[gowings00 545]

pessimism and bandwagoning aren't synonymous.

I'm just SO tired of regular season bitchin'. Of which, I have been guilty of.

However...now that we're finally here....This is what we have to look forward to:

1) Big hits

2) Playoff Beards

3) Draper's breakaways (missing the shot, of course)

4) Homer getting the crotch shots from the goalie

5) Franzen and Hossa wristing a few past the goalie when he thinks he is perfectly squared up for the shot.

6) Cleary grinding it out and creating chances.

7) Dats and Z....well....just being Dats and Z

8) Octopodes gracefully flying to the ice (yes...I had to look up the correct plural version of octopus)

9) etc...etc..

Ahhhhhh......lets get it on!

[grwingfan 21]

I'm new here but a very long time Wings fan.

This series with Columbus has me nervous. They have a hot goalie and Nash has killed the wings this season.

The D better get its act together and fast!

[cboth686 0]

No Pronger...No Neidermeyer, No Getzlaf, No Perry, No Ryan, No Giguere....Instead we get Mason, Nash, and Huselius (though i heard he's hurt). I'll take this matchup waaaaaaaaaaaaay before I take the Ducks. I think it's good Columbus spanked us one game too, hopefully Detroit will come out with the hammer down and show them the caliber they don't have to make a push like our red and white do.

Wings in 6

[Wings_Rule_1010 4]

Anyone know when the date/time will be released?

[rage 24]

Cool. Can't wait!

[finalfilppula 2]

we need to EARN this.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Anyone know when the date/time will be released?

I read somewhere that it should be released around 9 PM tonight.

[Casey 145]

Wings in 5. Time to get some work done.

[Cruiser008 37]

I like this because...

Its good for travel

Its good for waking up to go to work the next morning

its good for hockey in general no better way to get Columbus fans into the game then to play a local team, same for 2 cali teams (local interest)

I feel better going up against the jackets than the ducks just something about that team.

My thoughts as well.

Of the 3 lower seeded teams Columbus is the best matchup for Detroit IMO. I'm not saying they're the weakest opponent as I can see the BJs scoring an upset in 6 if the Wings continue to play inconsistently like they have for most of the past 5 months. However the Wings have 3 important factors going for them in this series:

1) Nash is Columbus's only elite offensive threat and a huge target for the Wings to shut down (easier said then done though as Nash has historically excelled against Detroit).

2) Mason may win even win the Vezina, but he is all of 20-years old and a rookie. Teenage stars playing in their playoff debut do not have a great track record.

3) Detroit's PK has been atrocious but Columbus is dead last in the NHL on the PP at 12.7%. The Wings will have a chance to work on their defensive coverage on the penalty kill and should win the special teams battle.

Given Detroit's past 1st round struggles (we've been upset in the first round 3 of the past 7 playoffs) I suspect we'll split the first 4 games and have some hairy moments, but my prediction is that Detroit takes it in 6. If Detroit avoids the upset they will be in a better position to win the cup going forward after this test.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Cruiser008

[Grateful Gadsby 10]

Agreed. I just don't see the confidence that most people have about this. You have a team that sees us as an archrival and is making their first playoff appearance ever. Some of you think they'll be just happy to be there? BS. They're going to be UP, and we're going to have to match their intensity to win this series. Insert some cliche about how we're better on paper but games aren't played on paper here. I do think/hope we'll win, but I'm scared to death about this one. Think Washington last year--the way that entire city and team was after sucking for a while and finally making the playoffs. The good news is that they lost to Philly, but not until giving them all they wanted.

I'm not embarrassed to admit that I was rooting for the Avs today with 8-2 in the back of my head. We did okay against the Pens after playing Colorado and Dallas (while they were playing the Rangers and Philly), the travel thing is overrated.

Well said. If there is anything that Wings fans should have learned from the last 8-9 years, it's that confident predictions about the Wings' early round success are worth very little. Sure, we all hope that the team will play up to its potential, etc., but 2001, 2003 and 2006 (all years when the Wings were believed to be Cup favorites or close to it) should never be far from anyone's mind. One potential reason for optimism: Babcock. Having just won a Cup and coached a team that's stunned the Wings with a first-round sweep, hopefully he's got the right playoff coaching skill set to get the Wings playing their best now that the games really count.

[MidMichSteve 1,115]

Wasn't it about a month ago when we had just dismantled these guys that Hitchcock said that if the Wings play up to their potential that nobody could beat us or something to that effect.

Good point and I think Hitch knows more then a little about NHL hockey.

[Vladifan 680]

Nights in the Vegas valley can actually be pretty f’ing cold most of the year. And to the guy who says "don't be a Wings fan if you don't have confidence", a fan is someone who likes a team and hopes for the best for them. Having blind confidence all-the-time everytime is just being a stupid fan.

The playoffs are always wide open for make-or-break moments. Last year, had the Predators not scored two late goals in game 3, the Wings would’ve coasted with a 3-0. In ‘02, had luck not allowed Lidstrom to destroy Cloutier's confidence, it's likely the team would've been bounced that year in Round 1. This series is no different in that respect.

Mason is the key. If he plays solidly as he did in the regular campaign I think the Wings have a very good chance of losing this series. This is not Dan Ellis who got on a late run for Nashville last year and disappeared just as fast, giving up huge rebounds left and right, and it isn't Cam Ward who barely played in the regular season in '06 (and not at all consistently I might add) concerning rookie goalies in the playoffs. Mason IS the rookie of the year this year, all year, he‘s had no slumps, barely any bad GAMES. And he's better prepared and trained than Jim Carey during his playoff meltdowns in the 90s, and doesn't have certain obvious weaknesses as Patrick Lalime's messy footwork was. He is not a blind butterflyer like Cristobal Huet who has flamed out for predictability in past seasons. Still, he is young, so time will tell with him. Merely, I wish to illuminate the factors working in his favor to NOT collapse in this series.

Another thing to consider is how Nash feasts on Chris Osgood in particular. That will be a matchup I will be watching, yeah, people will go on and on about how “all Detroit has to do is shut down Nash”, well they are never able to do it when they play the CBJ’s so you’d think people might be more concerned over this, particularly with an Osgood playoff start. I admittedly prefer Osgood starting over Conklin at this point but Nash is a tough draw for Chris personally.

Columbus has real depth. Vermette has been a better player than he was on Ottawa since joining, Jason Williams will want to play well against his former club. Hardworking grinders like R.J. Umberger and Chris Gratton, young gun smooth Russian Nikita Filatov and the scoring of Kristian Huselius, and not to be outdone a leader in Michael Peca who’s already taken a team within two games of a Cup title. Not to name every player, I’m just having a look at their roster, Columbus is a very good team, very good, both on the ice and on paper. Hitchcock’s coaching has always been tough.

With Detroit they’ve got no guarantee Hossa will be back to gamebreaker status he’s been all regular season (go figure, signs for the playoffs and now a ?), goaltending, should Osgood falter, Ty Conklin is not exactly as dependable as having Osgood and Hasek two men with playoff track records to fall back on. And then there’s motivation. Detroit played last year having been bitterly disappointed against the Ducks, they had that extra drive. This season, mostly the same players, they’ve already won the Cup, they’d like to again but I question whether they feel they HAVE to. I think not.

Should be a good series.

Dire and/or negative predictions are such a waste. Alll the reasons why we can't possibly win... I still say "fans" do this so that when and if their team loses, they can say "See??!!" What a self-centered pile of poop.

Here's what I want and hope will happen. Hossa will play his ass off. Not only that, he'll be signed sometime in June. Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Homer will give it their all. Osgood will do just fine because he knows he has to. I believe and predict that even Cleary will pick up his game. The grind line will shine. Again. The defense will Come To Play, and the only one I'm not sure of is Stuart.

Motivation? This is the playoffs, and they have all played long enough in this league to know what's required of them. Why would anyone not hope that they figure it out? We've all seen moments during the season where they've had their act together, so why not now? The potential is there. I still believe they're the best team in the NHL, with the classiest of owners, management and coaching.

If it doesn't happen, I will feel rotten for them. But I will also know that I supported them all the way and hoped for the best kind of outcome for them.

I'm not saying any of the above will happen, but I sure hope to hell it does. Why? Because I'm a fan of the Deetroit Red Wings.