12/23 GDT: Blackhawks 3 at Red Wings 0

[Tommy_Like_Wingy 25]

I was just asking a question. Just pointing out all the hypocritical whiners in the other thread.

[Brevard 6]

You guys?

I'm not playing in this game. I'm way better than this.

You keep calling out the Hawk fan for using that (or We) yet don't seem to notice the numerous Wing fans who do the same, why is that?

[Miller Brew 0]

That's it, Wings aren't winning the Presidents trophy, dammit.

[stuck in socal 56]

That's it, Wings aren't winning the Presidents trophy, dammit.

Awww shucksss! :nonono:

[BlueMonk 102]

Can't win without players. It's no fun to watch but you can't really blame the team for struggling. If you subtract 10 starters from a team's lineup, it's not going to be able to win games.

[commadore183 103]

Niemi should be start #1.

Well boys, as much as I'd kind of like it if you didn't make the playoffs, good luck on getting healthy as I'd rather see the Hawks try to beat a healthy team than a bunch of fill-ins. If any of you are tight with mother nature pull some strings for me as I'm attempting to drive from KC to northern Iowa for the holidays. Good night folks.

I do agree that Niemi should have gotten the 1st Star. And good luck with the trip. I hate winter weather here in the Midwest .

Gotta grind out this wave of bad luck as Holland can't do anything major right now. Flipper should be back on Sat, so hopefully that will jumpstart the team.

I am disappointed that The Todd has reverted back to just Todd. Datsyuk isn't stepping up like he should. Leino, well, yeah, he's a rookie, but one would think that with all of the players out, he should have elevated his game, but he hasn't. I've lost patience with Lebda, she should be gone. Lidstrom didn't play spectacular, not did he play s***ty. Just, average. And with the problems this team has in scoring, that's not good enough. Not by a long shot. PP, as usual, has been lower than whale s*** (haven't scored a PPG in, what, 6 games now?), but at least the PK is keeping the teams off the board more often than not.

Every game is absolutely crucial. I'm not worried about getting the division lead, I'm more worried about getting into the top-8 in the conference. We are now in 10th place, 1 or 2 points out of the playoffs. And losing to conference opponents in the top-8 has a double whammy in that we get twice as far behind than if we lost to an Eastern Conference team. Have to grind this out and grind out every point when possible. That means crashing the net if the team isn't given room to shoot, getting to OT at the very least, and just grind and hope there are no more injuries along the way.

Essentially, half of the team is the Grand Rapids Griffins, and when you have 9 starters and about 200 goals out of the lineup on any given night, opposing teams would have no problem beating us. This is a painful time for any Wings fan this season.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

Can't win without players. It's no fun to watch but you can't really blame the team for struggling. If you subtract 10 starters from a team's lineup, it's not going to be able to win games.

Like I said earlier, if Pavel, Hank and Lidstrom were having the kind of season they usually have, we'd have one of the best records in the West right now even with the injuries.

These guys have shown me that they're not superstar players and can't carry a team when the team needs them.

They're all-star players, but not superstars in the same league as Ovechkin, Crosby or Iginla.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Can't win without players. It's no fun to watch but you can't really blame the team for struggling. If you subtract 10 starters from a team's lineup, it's not going to be able to win games.

But thatz no excuse!!!11!!!! Detroit suckss doh hoho!!!

[ShanahanMan 473]

Flip + Ericsson + pick/prospect for Kovy please

goal scoring problem will be solved

[BlueMonk 102]

Like I said earlier, if Pavel, Hank and Lidstrom were having the kind of season they usually have, we'd have one of the best records in the West right now even with the injuries.

These guys have shown me that they're not superstar players and can't carry a team when the team needs them.

They're all-star players, but not superstars in the same league as Ovechkin, Crosby or Iginla.

Crosby couldn't carry his team with even one regular (Malkin) out, let alone 10. Nobody is capable of doing that.

[HereComeTheHawks 1]

I just wanna say that the rivalry between the 2 teams and 2 cities is all in good fun, but in all seriousness, I want to wish everyone here a very Happy Holidays...and I really do mean that!!

[Carman 387]

Crosby couldn't carry his team with even one regular (Malkin) out, let alone 10. Nobody is capable of doing that.

I beg to disagree. Crosby is god.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

They aren't going to win with this line up right now -- Datsyuk can't be expected to help put three on the board every night, not even Gretzky was capable of that. But he's not playing to the level he's capable of, and neither is Lidstrom (or Zetterberg, in times long passed), so it's a concern now as it was then. They could at least compete if the top line PP had any pop at all, but it's lifeless.

[BlueMonk 102]

They aren't going to win with this line up right now -- Datsyuk can't be expected to help put three on the board every night, not even Gretzky was capable of that. But he's not playing to the level he's capable of, and neither is Lidstrom (or Zetterberg, in times long passed), so it's a concern now as it was then. They could at least compete if the top line PP had any pop at all, but it's lifeless.

Lidstrom and Datsyuk are definitely disappointing right now. Datsyuk's struggles are somehow less worrisome for me than Lidstrom's. Lidstrom can't score a point, ever. He can't even shoot the puck. If he's running the point on the PP and has an open shot, he hangs onto the puck until a defender skates up to him and then dishes it to the half-boards.

What does this mean? I don't know, but it looks like he is avoiding shooting the puck and waits until the shot's no longer there to have an excuse to pass it away. Injury, age; I don't know what it is. But when they have exactly one offensive defenseman in the lineup, he can't be afraid to shoot the puck.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

Lidstrom and Datsyuk are definitely disappointing right now. Datsyuk's struggles are somehow less worrisome for me than Lidstrom's. Lidstrom can't score a point, ever. He can't even shoot the puck. If he's running the point on the PP and has an open shot, he hangs onto the puck until a defender skates up to him and then dishes it to the half-boards.

What does this mean? I don't know, but it looks like he is avoiding shooting the puck and waits until the shot's no longer there to have an excuse to pass it away. Injury, age; I don't know what it is. But when they have exactly one offensive defenseman in the lineup, he can't be afraid to shoot the puck.

Maybe Lidstrom needs some new contact lenses. His aim is definitely horrible right now.

Hall Gill is shooting the puck better than Lidstrom this season.

[Lovin Jiri Fischer 147]

Maybe Lidstrom needs some new contact lenses. His aim is definitely horrible right now.

Hall Gill is shooting the puck better than Lidstrom this season.

Or some Dr. Rahmani?

[Pavel Hossyukstrom 2]

Well would have been nice to split with Chicago, but look on the bright side we have a back to back with Columbus coming up. I'm not saying both are guaranteed wins but they've been bad. Their defense is a joke. Actually feel bad for Mason.

Edited December 24, 2009 by Pavel Hossyukstrom

[Yzerman191 37]

I understand the criticism of Datsyuk and Lidstrom, as they haven't been their usual selves, but I think Zetterberg has been our best player (or top 3) this season. Before getting injured he was one of the few 'Wings I looked forward to seeing on the ice.

[Miller Brew 0]

Not having Zetterberg is really steep for this team. I think with Zetterberg in the line-up Wings would have took a couple of wins from Chicago. I haven't seen anything from Chicago that impressed me. I have a feeling the cup is going back to the east again if Wings aren't 100% by playoff time.

[stuck in socal 56]

Not having Zetterberg is really steep for this team. I think with Zetterberg in the line-up Wings would have took a couple of wins from Chicago. I haven't seen anything from Chicago that impressed me. I have a feeling the cup is going back to the east again if Wings aren't 100% by playoff time.

I like what I see from San Jose this year. I think this could be the year they get over the hump. As long as they avoid the Wings and the Ducks.

[Dave82RWS 41]

They also lost to the Sharks who are battling it out with them for first in the west. So that was the statement game for the Hawks two nights ago and they lost at home on Versus.

And the previous two games against the sharks? a 4-3 and 7-2 win??? Flames? Penguins, LA, Colorado??

[under_par_00 45]

I understand the criticism of Datsyuk and Lidstrom, as they haven't been their usual selves, but I think Zetterberg has been our best player (or top 3) this season. Before getting injured he was one of the few 'Wings I looked forward to seeing on the ice.

Without a doubt Zetterberg has been the Wings best player this season. Losing him was huge. Lidstrom has been struggling, and Kronwall has been our best offensive defenseman this season. Losing him was also huge. Once these 2 get back, this team will start scoring more. Not to mention Franzen, the Wings most potent goal scorer. He started the season pretty hot (2 goals in 3 games or something?) but we all know what happened there.

I have no doubts that a healthy Wings team this year could (and will) put a spanking on these Blackhawks come April.

[stuck in socal 56]

And the previous two games against the sharks? a 4-3 and 7-2 win??? Flames? Penguins, LA, Colorado??

But we are in December and this is the time of year the games can start to become "statement" games. Teams are finally gelled up and such.

La and Colorado are not statement wins. Not this year atleast.

[Dave82RWS 41]

But we are in December and this is the time of year the games can start to become "statement" games. Teams are finally gelled up and such.

La and Colorado are not statement wins. Not this year atleast.

If it wasnt for Nabokov, I think the hawks would have made the third statement of the year against them.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Sharp also expects the Wings -- who've won the Central Division in each of the last eight seasons -- to get healthy and regroup as the season goes on.

"It feels good to win these last two games," he said. "But we're realistic. We know that the Wings are going to come back with a great team towards the end of the season. It's unbelievable what's going on in their dressing room as far as injuries are concerned. You never want to see that, especially against your No. 1 rival.

"They're going to be there at the end of the season, and until we can beat them in a playoff series or finish higher than them, they're the champs."