Bench Rafalski

[TheUltimateWingsFan 1]

My God this guy is so frustrating to watch. Turnover after turnover, followed by enough bad decisions to make me lose my hair. I know he's talented and usually good, but he's been awful these last two losses. At times in the defensive end he's looked disinterested like it wasn't his job to retrieve the puck. Maybe it's the frustration from today's loss talking, but man, give me Cheli or Meech, or really anyone else.

As for Marian, I've been defending his play throughout the playoffs, but in today's game he had virtually no impact. He hangs on to the puck too long trying to make cute plays, and usually winds up turning it over. All he has to do is get it in deep and use his speed and size to go battle for it like Helm. When he does this he's usually successful, when he tries to tip-toe into the zone with the puck, he usually turns it over and play heads the other way.

This game was terrible to watch. We got outplayed, and really put forth a terrible effort when you consider the Cup was there for the taking.

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

bench Rafalski?

Are you friggin serious?

[Guest Four]

Oh please, Ericsson was far worse than Rafalski whom both were far better than Hossa.

[Vincanni 1]

[Norm_Maracle For Vezina 0]

hahahaha.. Chelios???? i love the guy.. but if he was playing, pens are celebrating the cup tonight

[miller76 463]

great idea.

you fail.

[FedorovMan91 1]

I just wonder why people bash Rafalski. Surely, he has been the defensive liability sometimes but where is the thread that bashes Ericsson? Everyone knows who is far worse

[NHLrules? 32]

Rafalski is slow as hell. Tonight he was terrible.

[Red Winged 8]

Samuelson was the worst. Worthless.

[drfnr14 0]

sorry but this is just stupid,"we" all played bad!!!! all of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no ones gonna get benched not for game 7!~

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

He's better at home, and knows what it takes to win the Cup. He aint going nowhere.

[OsGOD 3]

not before Hossa gets to ride the pine in the pressbox

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

What the hell.

How bout no?

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Meanwhile Ericsson continues to be the worst player on the ice...

[greene709 27]

Of all guys to single out tonight? How about Hudler's weak play on the boards all game, or Samuelson's constant hail mary shots, or even Franzen's and Holmstrom's missed passes. Rafalski isn't going to be perfect all the time, nobody was tonight.

[TheOwl 77]

^Ericcson's been BAD this series. But it doesn't matter, the game was 2-1, and not one of our guys could put it in the net. If the Wings lose, it'll be squarely on the heads of Hossa and all the other NO-SHOW forwards. Hudler, Sammy, Hossa, Homer, Maltby have been GHOSTS. And when one guy on a line is dogging it, chucking pucks away, you don't have a chance.

Edited June 10, 2009 by TheOwl

[ComradeWasabi 109]

Rafalski had a pretty strong offensive game, he was making some pretty good plays holding the puck in and getting it to our worthless forwards in the o-zone.

[Guest mindfly]

Bench Ericsson - just hate his rookie mistakes he put up in every game.. and he's freaking 6'5 220lbs but plays like he's 5'8 160lbs

Edited June 10, 2009 by mindfly

[wingsdiehard13 33]

If you're going to start bashing defenseman, bash Ericcson and Kronwall. I don't get the constant love for Kronwall. Don't get me wrong he has some good nights but his turnovers in this series have been atrochious, and people turn a blind eye to that and bash Hossa.

[wmubronco420 25]

please people, its a team sprt one person is not the reason for any loss, we played terribly as a team tonight and basically didnt start playing until we were losing. i dont expect the wings will come out with this kind of effort in game 7 at home, if they do, well we're gonna be watching sid skate the cup around the joe.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Bench Ericsson - just hate his rookie mistakes he put up in every game.. and he's freaking 6'5 220lbs but plays like he's 5'8 160lbs

The guy had a few perfect oppertunities to level a few opponents and instead he did nothing. Playing like someone half his size. Really disappointed in his play.

[IceMunkee 15]

I was disappointed with Raf's play but being benched is just silly!

I was disappointed with Hoss to but I would never bench him!

The title is so ridiculous that I could not even read the first post, sorry man, you lost credibility.

[e_prime 1,936]

Everyone acts like Ericsson is the second coming of Christ or something. Give the kid a break.

How many times has he played in a Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals?

Frustrations boiling over everywhere... and it's not healthy.

[Chelichic 12]

BENCH HOSSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PUT IN ABDELKADER!

[TheUltimateWingsFan 1]

At least Ericsson got his shots on net. And one led to a goal.

Remember Rafalski trying to be sly on the power play and putting the puck wide hoping to get bounce off the boards? That was just terrible and unnecessary. He had time, there were guys open to work the puck around, and of course it backfired and play went the other way. That was just a typical play by Rafalski tonight. Like when we finally had sustained pressure in the offensive zone, and Rafalski tried to pass it to, I think it was Ericsson, who was wide open at the other point, of course his pass was off and the puck came out of the zone. He's a momentum killer.

Holmstrom's been subpar, but he also needs a power play to be successful, and we didn't have many. But yeah there were many times when he couldn't handle a pass, or a puck coming off the boards.

Hudler played better this game than he has all series, but then again, that ain't saying much since he's been pretty invisible through-out the Finals.