1/7 GDT: Red Wings 2 at Kings 1

[Outsider 42]

The Game is over. The two points are in the bank.

And I am here to say it.

Babcock made the right decision in going with Jimmy Howard tonight.

This was a spectacular performance, and 150% Grand Larceny.

Jimmy Howard was tremendous beyond words tonight.

[Systemfel 33]

What are you talking about? They're a pretty straight up crew. Jim Fox, the color guy, ain particular ways calls it as he sees it. They're nowhere near the homers most other teams' crews are.

Don't care. He went "Shutoutshutoutshutoutshutout" before the faceoff, then again after the tying goal.

Also, that thing he does with his voice at the end of every sentence is pretty annoying.

Edited January 8, 2010 by Systemfel

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

So, who gets the start against San Jose

[clutchngrab 12]

So many thoughts pinging around right now.

1. Obviously the best game of JH's career. That was the definition of stealing a game.

2. 50 shots against? How does that happen? How do we make the playoffs doing that?

3. That stupid Ozzie slappie thread seems just a little bit less relevant after this.

[gcom007 1,465]

What about Lidstrom, Rafalski, Datsyuk? Are they injured too?

Stop making excuses for this team's play. These star players got us in this position. If they played like they do in year's past, we'd have a much better record, despite the injuries.

My post wasn't bulls***. I'm just not afraid to call anyone out when they're not cutting it.

They don't have s*** to work with and Lids and Rafs have not been near as bad as you suggest. Dats has been inconsistent, but not horrid either. We've got 50 points after 43 games despite all those injuries. You really need to stop and think about how amazing of a fact that really is Johnny Drama...

[wingfan1991 221]

going to take my heart out of my mouth now.. WOW just WOW!!

[EuroTwin 240]

Woohoo! A Win! I love Winning!

[AtomicPunk 296]

So, who gets the start against San Jose

The saying "Ride (her) till she bucks you" is in my mind. Hot hand, Howard. (thats not a bad nickname!)

[Pavel Hossyukstrom 2]

yup Jimmy's a gamer! could he be the one!! I think he stole Mason's mojo somehow this year!

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

From the GDT front page:

Detroit 2, Los Angeles 1 Final

Tonight's Three Stars

1. Jimmy Howard

2. Jimmy Howard

3. Jimmy Howard

Edited January 8, 2010 by Hockeytown0001

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

They don't have s*** to work with and Lids and Rafs have not been near as bad as you suggest. Dats has been inconsistent, but not horrid either. We've got 50 points after 43 games despite all those injuries. You really need to stop and think about how amazing of a fact that really is Johnny Drama...

They've had too many nights like this, though, where the first line produces nothing offensively. Datsyuk had Bert and Hank on the same line as him tonight. Yet, we get outshot by a ridiculous margin. The skilled players on the top line have had a lot to work with all season. It's the other lines that have struggled with talent.

If not for Howard and the effort of some of our role players, we wouldn't have won this game tonight. I'm not going to cut the stars any slack, however.

When we play well, everyone here raves about how amazing thos guys are, and how they're as good as Crosby or Ovechkin, but when we lose, people make excuses for poor Pavel Datsyuk.

You people need to be a little more objective. There's too many good players not stepping up this season, and it's not all because of injuries.

[RedWingsRox 614]

Just have to add my wow ... unbelievable. Didn't watch it but looking at the stats ... incredible.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Jimmy ******* Howard!!!!

I said recently in a thread that he'd played well, but hadn't stolen a game as some had claimed.

He sure as hell has now!

He had help a few times with the five teammates piling into the crease, but still the Wings had no business coming out of this with two points. They were outmatched the whole game.

Wow.

[clutchngrab 12]

The Game is over. The two points are in the bank.

And I am here to say it.

Babcock made the right decision in going with Jimmy Howard tonight.

This was a spectacular performance, and 150% Grand Larceny.

Jimmy Howard was tremendous beyond words tonight.

way to man (or woman) up. (edit for gender faux paus).

Edited January 8, 2010 by clutchngrab

[gcom007 1,465]

So many thoughts pinging around right now.

1. Obviously the best game of JH's career. That was the definition of stealing a game.

2. 50 shots against? How does that happen? How do we make the playoffs doing that?

3. That stupid Ozzie slappie thread seems just a little bit less relevant after this.

I really don't think so. I think if you and everyone re-watched this game with emotions down a bit, you'd see that sure, Howard played a really amazing game. But at the same time, he played a s***ty game. The thing is, there's no way in hell L.A. would've gotten anything close to 50 shots if Howard controlled the puck better. I think this honestly was one of his worst games in terms of puck control. I mean, again, he was amazing in actually stopping everything, but he had to make those extra stops because he failed again and again at controlling the puck after the first shot and getting caught in compromising positions. That doesn't help the defense either who ends up having to scramble not only with multiple rebounds but half the time you've got guys diving in to cover the net that Howard's not in front of!

And I'm telling you, go back and watch this, don't take my word for it.

And I still think it's pretty funny that Howard didn't even touch the puck on that diving "save" earlier that Ken Daniels just about s*** his pants over. It went wide of the net!

But I mean, this was a weird, weird game for Howard if you ask me because it was as amazing, but it was almost just as ugly in some ways.

Edited January 8, 2010 by gcom007

[Wings17 1]

J HO, J HO, J HO, J HO !!!!!!!!!!!

Wings baby !

[AtomicPunk 296]

When we play well, everyone here raves about how amazing thos guys are, and how they're as good as Crosby or Ovechkin, but when we lose, people make excuses for poor Pavel Datsyuk.

You people need to be a little more objective. There's too many good players not stepping up this season, and it's not all because of injuries.

I've said this many times. Watch a lot of other teams and their star players and you will see that ours are not dominating games like others are.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Don't care. He went "Shutoutshutoutshutoutshutout" before the faceoff, then again after the tying goal.

Also, that thing he does with his voice at the end of every sentence is pretty annoying.

Honestly I think they're among the better announcers in the league, and less homers than Mickey for sure.

And speaking of which, Mick did the "shutout" thing very recently when calling a Wings game. Though he was more subtle, but he still managed to say "shutout" like 15 times in 2 minutes.

[Pavel Hossyukstrom 2]

one thing now that pisses me off!!! WHY IS QUICK ON TEAM USA AND HOWARD NOT INSTEAD!!!

[Z and D for the C 712]

Howard gets the #1 star on NHL.com.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I've said this many times. Watch a lot of other teams and their star players and you will see that ours are not dominating games like others are.

Agreed.

I'll give Z a pass this game because he just got back, but Datsyuk I've been hard on because as a star player who scored 97 points the last two seasons, he's nowhere to be found most nights when this team needs him more than ever. He's still good defensively, but he looks so uninspired offensively. It's a totally different personality we're dealing with, but honestly it's shades of Fedorov out there.

Last game the one shift he looked like he was hussling, it immediately led to a Wings goal.

[Third Man In 2,091]

Don't care. He went "Shutoutshutoutshutoutshutout" before the faceoff, then again after the tying goal.

Also, that thing he does with his voice at the end of every sentence is pretty annoying.

Yeah, he did the shutout thing, but that's more cheering for your team, which sports announcers do all the time. But both of the announcers are unbiased in their analysis.

But that voice thing is annoying. You should hear the Ducks radio play-by-play guy...

[dragonballgtz 273]

one thing now that pisses me off!!! WHY IS QUICK ON TEAM USA AND HOWARD NOT INSTEAD!!!

I say good. It will give him time to rest and if he continues to play how he is then he is gonna need it, as I am sure Babs will play him a lot.

[clutchngrab 12]

I hardly ever get to watch the post game show... Keating is certainly a ******.

[gcom007 1,465]

They've had too many nights like this, though, where the first line produces nothing offensively. Datsyuk had Bert and Hank on the same line as him tonight. Yet, we get outshot by a ridiculous margin. The skilled players on the top line have had a lot to work with all season. It's the other lines that have struggled with talent.

If not for Howard and the effort of some of our role players, we wouldn't have won this game tonight. I'm not going to cut the stars any slack, however.

When we play well, everyone here raves about how amazing thos guys are, and how they're as good as Crosby or Ovechkin, but when we lose, people make excuses for poor Pavel Datsyuk.

You people need to be a little more objective. There's too many good players not stepping up this season, and it's not all because of injuries.

Datsyuk and Bertuzzi came real close in the second I believe. It wasn't a total wash. Remember, it's going to take a game or so for Z to get up to speed let alone for yet another new line to gel. And on top of that, you've got Cleary back to and Holmstrom going down. That's a fair bit of change that can throw things up a bit.

And your buddy Rafalski actually played a real good game.

Again, I really think if people went back and watched this again, they'd see a few things they missed the first time around. L.A. was able to do a hell of a lot more than they should have been able to not so much because of the D but because again and again there were huge rebounds. Those lead to scrambles that aren't really conducive to getting your offense rolling through the neutral zone.