Babs responds to waved-off goal in Game 3

[Nightfall 871]

Well yeah, everyone has a right to be pissed off at the screw job by the refs, but can they also please direct their anger at the team that decided it doesn't want to convert on more of it's power plays? The Ducks forecheck 2 or 3 and somehow come back fast enough to have 4 skaters in the zone ahead of 2 Wings forecheckers. Can we focus more of this anger at the team that isn't playing with the same heart and intensity as the opposing team? Can we focus more of this anger at the team that refuses to throw bodies at the net, and is perfectly content take 30-50ft shots from the outside all game where they're likely to be deflected by a Duck stick/blocked harmlessly to where no Wing can get to it?

I mean, focusing one's anger extensively on this ref issue is really, to me, an escape from how this team is really beating itself more than anything.

I also agree that fans need to just move on. Way too many irrational, panicked fans right now.

This is the best post in the entire thread. Thanks for sharing.

[wings1110 184]

horrible calls like this should not be happening during the playoffs, that could be the difference in who wins the series...............they were gettin the calls all night, while talking about calls this new nhl s*** is bull s***

[Drake_Marcus 890]

During the next couple of games, pay a little extra attention to the Ducks when they retreat and turn around and skate into their own zone to get a puck dumped in deep. Watch the paths that they take when they turn and skate back. They are experts and interfering just enough to slow down the forecheckers but not enough to cause the refs to make a call. Sometimes the interference is really bad and should draw a call but it's never called, even less so in the playoffs. This slowed down the Sharks' forecheck significantly and it's doing the same in this series.

In a way, I really feel like we shoud've been better prepared for this series given how much video evidence everyone had from your series. The Ducks are playing the Wings exactly like they played the Sharks, so there's really no excuse for the Wings being this ineffective, from a positioning and game plan standpoint.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Babcock should be blamed for ONE thing. Not moving Helm up to the Datsyuk line and Holmstrom down. That is ALL. His coaching has been fine other than that. He needs to energize the Datsyuk and Hossa line. Who has the most energy on the team? Helm. Why this is so hard for Babcock to figure out, I don't know. Hopefully, he does soon.

What forward has the worst hands on the team? Helm.

Look, Helm is amazing as a 3rd to 4th liner- I can't wait to see him cause havoc for 82 games next season. But he's not a top six forward by any stretch of the imagination.

It'd be cool to see him crash and bang with Dats and Hossa to pick up the loose pucks for a few shifts, but he's not a viable long term addition to the top six.

[hail2ducks 0]

seriously, the series is not over yet, cant you guys have a little more faith on your team the way the ducks fans have faith on the ducks? honestly the call was BS, but that doesnt take away the fact that our defense and goaltender are just that good right now, and we seem to want it more then the redwings.

[LeftWinger 5,152]

Lets look back.

1999, Wings sweep Anaheim, win the first two games IN Colorado, game 2 a shutout. Come home, flying high, in control, lose the next 4.

2002, Vancouver wins first two games in JLA,Wings fans calling for heads (of their own players) fly out to vancouver, Vancouver riding high, WIngs win next 4.

Bold prediction. Wings win game 4, finish the series in 6. All they need is a solid 60 minute effort, win by more than 1 goal, gain the confidence they need, move on the the next round. Dats with 5 points tomorrow, Hossa with 2 goals...

Go Wings! (and go Caps)

Edited May 6, 2009 by LeftWinger

[hail2ducks 0]

Lets look back.

1999, Wings sweep Anaheim, win the first two games IN Colorado, game 2 a shutout. Come home, flying high, in control, lose the next 4.

2002, Vancouver wins first two games in JLA,Wings fans calling for heads (of their own players) fly out to vancouver, Vancouver riding high, WIngs win next 4.

Bold prediction. Wings win game 4, finish the series in 6. All they need is a solid 60 minute effort, win by more than 1 goal, gain the confidence they need, move on the the next round. Dats with 5 points tomorrow, Hossa with 2 goals...

Go Wings! (and go Caps)

see that is what im talking about, more faith on the team!!! i dont think that is going to happen unfortunatly for you guys.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

As much as we got screwed, its not nearly as heartbreaking a loss as losing a Cup-Winning game in the last 10 seconds.

[Chris L 0]

see that is what im talking about, more faith on the team!!! i dont think that is going to happen unfortunatly for you guys.

He is right tho. The Wings generally beat themselves when they lose. They're strong enough, skilled enough and experienced enough that it doesn't matter what the Ducks do, the Wings have a tool to stop them.

They didn't play with the intensity that we know they have. The truth is, right now, the Ducks want it more than the Wings. The Ducks have something to prove -- they're trying to dispel an awful season where they underperformed for their caliber. Also I think the Ducks are tying to wing one more for Neidermeyer, so he can retire on high.

Until the Wings, as a team, decide they want it badly, they will continue to lose games to the Ducks.

The Wings do not win on talent alone, but heart.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

see that is what im talking about, more faith on the team!!! i dont think that is going to happen unfortunatly for you guys.

Of course you don't You wouldn't be much of a Ducks fan otherwise!

The Wings can still win this series.

Being down 2-1 in a series is not a death sentence. And it should be noted once again that the games have all been one goal games- no one is dominating the other, so there's no reason to think the Wings can't win tomorrow- they could have won either of the two games they lost- just needed a better bounce or two (for example- Neid's goal happened when the best defenseman in the world tried to clear a puck and it landed right on Scott's stick, then as he shot it he came forward and pushed the goalie into the net. That's not a dominating goal, it's a hardworking playoff goal that could've been called off).

I'm counting on the Wings playing with a chip on their shoulder tomorrow. I'm counting on Hossa's controversial goal in game 3 being a formative moment for the team.

If the Wings play 60 minutes of the kind of hockey they played after Zetterberg's goal yesterday they'll be able to take this series. The slow starts are just killing them.

And Red Wings: NO MORE UNSCREENED PERIMETER SHOTS!

[Wingsallwin 0]

What forward has the worst hands on the team? Helm.

Look, Helm is amazing as a 3rd to 4th liner- I can't wait to see him cause havoc for 82 games next season. But he's not a top six forward by any stretch of the imagination.

It'd be cool to see him crash and bang with Dats and Hossa to pick up the loose pucks for a few shifts, but he's not a viable long term addition to the top six.

Perfect post.

Even though Helm is playing great hockey by the amount of expectation, he is not a quality of 1st line with Datsyuk. I would call up Leino if we need some change in our 1st liner and send down Samuelsson if it is possible.

Helm has provided the great amount of energy we were looking for before going into the playoff and there is no wrong in our 4th line indeed.

However, the bottom line is, if our 1st line has not been clicking FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES, and still not working, this issue is solely on the fact Babcock has been too stubborn in his choice.

Besides, I agree with one guy who posts Holmstrom cannot do anything without two skilled players' great performances. We knew ZDH line is working is Hank and Pavel have crazy chemistry together and Nick and Rafalski who can shoot hard from the point through the screen made by Homer. However, for Hossa and Datsyuk line, that play has been dismissed and killed the Wings. I know Holmstrom has not been bright but Hossa has been just SUCKS so far even though I am not bashing him that severely.

If we lose game 4, this series is over. We can win game 5 but this level of play now will be dead in game 6 if nothing is seriously changed.

[hail2ducks 0]

Of course you don't You wouldn't be much of a Ducks fan otherwise!

The Wings can still win this series.

Being down 2-1 in a series is not a death sentence. And it should be noted once again that the games have all been one goal games- no one is dominating the other, so there's no reason to think the Wings can't win tomorrow- they could have won either of the two games they lost- just needed a better bounce or two (for example- Neid's goal happened when the best defenseman in the world tried to clear a puck and it landed right on Scott's stick, then as he shot it he came forward and pushed the goalie into the net. That's not a dominating goal, it's a hardworking playoff goal that could've been called off).

I'm counting on the Wings playing with a chip on their shoulder tomorrow. I'm counting on Hossa's controversial goal in game 3 being a formative moment for the team.

If the Wings play 60 minutes of the kind of hockey they played after Zetterberg's goal yesterday they'll be able to take this series. The slow starts are just killing them.

And Red Wings: NO MORE UNSCREENED PERIMETER SHOTS!

yeah i was pretty impressed on the how the ducks where not letting the redwings do anything in the first half of the game, but i noticed when detroit just stepped up their game and i said to myself, o god OT is for sure going to happen again... it was a great game with some really bad calls on both sides ( but the most hurtful one on your side ), but that makes playoffs so great! cant wait for thursday.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

yeah i was pretty impressed on the how the ducks where not letting the redwings do anything in the first half of the game, but i noticed when detroit just stepped up their game and i said to myself, o god OT is for sure going to happen again... it was a great game with some really bad calls on both sides ( but the most hurtful one on your side ), but that makes playoffs so great! cant wait for thursday.

Me neither!

[Dabura 12,232]

I understand the "direct your anger at the team" argument. And true enough, the team played like s*** for most of the game and will need to play better if it's going to advance.

But the team really picked it up in the third, stole back all the momentum, and ended up tying it. If that game goes to OT, the Wings probably tear the Ducks apart and go into 4 up 2-1.

Yeah, the team needs to learn how to play a complete 60 minutes. But the refs also need to learn how to call a ******* game.

[Guest MrSandMan]

I don't understand how anyone can say Wings played poorly? They didn't dominate like can, but they didn't play poorly. Wings were on fire through the 3rd. The 2nd period was about a wash, but I give Detroit the edge, they just got raped on the calls in the 2nd.

Ducks dominated Detroit in the 1st, but Detroit dominated Ducks 2-fold in the 3rd.

How anyone can say Detroit played poorly is beyond.me. News flash, Ducks are not just a unskilled BS team like the BJs, they are a good team.. but not better than Detroit. Ducks are just fortunate that Refs are giving them the games, Wings are unfortunate. It's the way it goes.

Wings need to just keep playing hard (work on the first 20 minutes) and keep doing what they're doing. I have no worries about this team.

[titanium2 867]

All they need is a solid 60 minute effort, win by more than 1 goal, gain the confidence they need, move on the the next round. Dats with 5 points tomorrow, Hossa with 2 goals..

If you want to be a minimalist, then really all they need is a 40-minute effort right from the start of the game.

[mjlegend 155]

seriously, the series is not over yet, cant you guys have a little more faith on your team the way the ducks fans have faith on the ducks? honestly the call was BS, but that doesnt take away the fact that our defense and goaltender are just that good right now, and we seem to want it more then the redwings.

Yes, it's not like Ducks fans to get hung up on officiating. Because that would be like, terrible. Ducks fans are known for their unquestioning loyalty and unconditional support for their team, its coaches and its players.

[talex 1]

seriously, the series is not over yet, cant you guys have a little more faith on your team the way the ducks fans have faith on the ducks? honestly the call was BS, but that doesnt take away the fact that our defense and goaltender are just that good right now, and we seem to want it more then the redwings.

Your defense and goal tender were only better because of an obvious bad call, (in my opinion 2 because the Niedermayer goal was interference, but at least excusable in comparrison to the no goal call). The ducks came out hot in the 1st I'll give you that, in the 2nd it was a wash and in the 3rd the Wings dominated so unless you are talking only about them wanting it more just in the 1st, I think your whole post is a load of b.s.

[Wingsallwin 0]

I don't understand how anyone can say Wings played poorly? They didn't dominate like can, but they didn't play poorly. Wings were on fire through the 3rd. The 2nd period was about a wash, but I give Detroit the edge, they just got raped on the calls in the 2nd.

Ducks dominated Detroit in the 1st, but Detroit dominated Ducks 2-fold in the 3rd.

How anyone can say Detroit played poorly is beyond.me. News flash, Ducks are not just a unskilled BS team like the BJs, they are a good team.. but not better than Detroit. Ducks are just fortunate that Refs are giving them the games, Wings are unfortunate. It's the way it goes.

Wings need to just keep playing hard (work on the first 20 minutes) and keep doing what they're doing. I have no worries about this team.

The thing is, if Detroit is better than the Ducks, the Wings have to take the series lead. I know the ref surely screwed up the game plan but the Ducks played better than the Wings in every first period. In fact, as we play this kind of sloppy hockey in the first period, it really hurts. It does not matter how we can respond in the 2nd and 3rd periods because there are totally different situations; trailing or leading. The Wings, however, they always have to trail the Ducks except for once. Everyone seems to forget the fact that the Ducks have also experienced players, not only Wings.

Being too optimistic does not help at all. The genuine fact is that, the Wings do not find any way to win. The key for the series was being physical against the Ducks, which is built for the playoff action. However, while we can HIT HARD, we do not play to WIN THE GAME. In you last paragraph, you misunderstand the series. If the Wings keep playing hard, yes they will win the series but if you say keep doing what they are doing right now, we are gonna be f***ed up again.

The Wings cannot do anything on 5 on 5 play while the Ducks score many even strength goals. Something has to be done before the start of game on Thursday. Wings' now playoff playing level is absolutely brutal. It does not matter who shoots more and more because it is not the regular season. There is not a lot of tomorrow and there is surely no back in the playoff. There must be urgency on this team right now. If we do not win the game 4, we will not come back this series. Some people can bring up the example of Caps-Rangers series but the Caps dominated the most of series; but the Wings are not DOMINATING the Ducks at the same time. If you still think the Wings are better team than the Ducks by only name value in front of the roster, you are on a wrong way

[ducks4cup 0]

Your defense and goal tender were only better because of an obvious bad call, (in my opinion 2 because the Niedermayer goal was interference, but at least excusable in comparrison to the no goal call). The ducks came out hot in the 1st I'll give you that, in the 2nd it was a wash and in the 3rd the Wings dominated so unless you are talking only about them wanting it more just in the 1st, I think your whole post is a load of b.s.

An obvious bad call it was not. The ref lost sight of the puck, refs are supposed to blow the play dead when that happens. No doubt it would have been a goal if he hadn't lost sight. Very very very unfortunate for the wings/ wings fans but it's part of the game. Happens ALL the time. Heck we even had a goal called off in game one of this series.

Reffing was indeed TERRIBLE in all the games & game 3 especially. The no goal call and Stuart's penalty for the wings were bad calls. On the other hand the wings have had a TON of calls/ no calls in their favor. Chelios obviously diving in the third, Kronwall leaving his feet and elbowing Carter in the Face, Brown being ejected and a 5 minute major on a clean hit, Franzen running Hiller, Homer's elbow to Wiz, etc...

OOOO and by the way if anyone actually payed attention you would see that Getz was OBVIOUSLY tripped behind the play when the wings tapped that lose puck in.

Officiating has all around been horrid. Calls & no calls have gone both ways. I am sick of going on boards of wither team and seeing all the bias. We all love hockey. Emotions run high, stuff happens.

Edited May 6, 2009 by ducks4cup

[talex 1]

An obvious bad call it was not. The ref lost sight of the puck, refs are supposed to blow the play dead when that happens. No doubt it would have been a goal if he hadn't lost sight. Very very very unfortunate for the wings/ wings fans but it's part of the game. Happens ALL the time. Heck we even had a goal called off in game one of this series.

Reffing was indeed TERRIBLE in all the games & game 3 especially. The no goal call and Stuart's penalty for the wings were bad calls. On the other hand the wings have had a TON of calls/ no calls in their favor. Chelios obviously diving in the third, Kronwall leaving his feet and elbowing Carter in the Face, Brown being ejected and a 5 minute major on a clean hit, Franzen running Hiller, Homer's elbow to Wiz, etc...

OOOO and by the way if anyone actually payed attention you would see that Getz was OBVIOUSLY tripped behind the play when the wings tapped that lose puck in.

Officiating has all around been horrid. Calls & no calls have gone both ways. I am sick of going on boards of wither team and seeing all the bias. We all love hockey. Emotions run high, stuff happens.

Well if you do not think that was an obvious bad call then you have to be retarded so I will treat you gently. There are bad calls some obvious, some not so much. Ones that cost the game are horrid no matter what. I would not want my team to win a game with some crap like that being part of it. No calls/bad calls on non-goal's are one thing when the game is not close or during the regular season, dis-allowing a goal during the playoff's is another.

I do not know if the Wings will show up hungry or not on Thursday, if they show up hungry they will win, if not they will loose, either way I doubt highly the ducks will end this in 5, so there will no doubt be more bad calls, hopefully not ones that cost a game for either team.

Edited May 6, 2009 by talex

[ducks4cup 0]

Well if you do not think that was an obvious bad call then you have to be retarded so I will treat you gently. There are bad calls some obvious, some not so much. Ones that cost the game are horrid no matter what. I would not want my team to win a game with some crap like that being part of it. No calls/bad calls on non-goal's are one thing, no calls on what was obviously a good goal is another.

I do not know if the Wings will show up hungry or not on Thursday, if they show up hungry they will win, if not they will loose, either way I doubt highly the ducks will end this in 5, so there will no doubt be more bad calls, hopefully not ones that cost a game for either team.

Ref's are instructed to blow the whistle when they lose sight of the puck. According to the rule book the play is dead when the ref decides to blow the whistle (NOTE: the book even says the play can be dead before the whistle is heard if the ref has already decided to blow the whistle). The whistle blew the play was dead. No goal. Now like I said, had the ref not lost sight of the puck it should have/ would have been a good goal. Same thing happened in game 1 of this series on a Parros no goal call. Game one was also a one goal game so it could be argued that that call was just as important as this one. See my point.

Ohhh and way to be respectful to someone who was respectful in their first post. And... if you want to get really technical about it watch the replay. Getzlaf was OBVIOSULY tripped behind the play before the "goal". Should have been a delayed penalty ---> Detroit player touches puck ------> play is dead ----> no goal.

Edited May 6, 2009 by ducks4cup

[hail2ducks 0]

Well if you do not think that was an obvious bad call then you have to be retarded so I will treat you gently. There are bad calls some obvious, some not so much. Ones that cost the game are horrid no matter what. I would not want my team to win a game with some crap like that being part of it. No calls/bad calls on non-goal's are one thing when the game is not close or during the regular season, dis-allowing a goal during the playoff's is another.

I do not know if the Wings will show up hungry or not on Thursday, if they show up hungry they will win, if not they will loose, either way I doubt highly the ducks will end this in 5, so there will no doubt be more bad calls, hopefully not ones that cost a game for either team.

now why are you calling people retarded, and regarding my post, if you think its BS well then good for you dude, keep thinking negative and keep making it harder on your self trying to accept the fact that stuff happens, this is the playoffs and the refs are not perfect, you just want to keep making things difficult instead of letting it go, im not going to say that the ducks team by paper is better then the redwings because they are not, but i will say that the effort and heart the ducks are showing out there sure beats your teams and im confident that we will win this series just on that fact!!! good luck tommorow.

[Viperar 16]

hahaha gotta love all the registrations today to discuss this. Simple, play 60 mins of hockey, and this won't matter. Here's to a game 4 victory

[DRWfan 24]

Could anyone clarify for me the F.... rule. The puck clearly got into the net a second before the moron blew his whistle. Does the rule say that even if referee blows the whistle a minute after the puck crossed the line it is still not a goal?

Thanks.