2/11 - Against San Jose - Biggest Game of the Year to Date

[Guest DatsyukianDeke13]

As of right now, we are 2 points out of the teams in 7th and 8th place, with a game in hand. Ideally, one of those teams will lose their next game. If Detroit wins, we are tied for a playoff spot with one game (home against Ottawa) until the Olympic Break. I think if we can get a playoff spot before the Olympic Break, that could be huge. Especially if we can get a 2 game win streak going into the break . But back to Thursday's game. We've had San Jose's number this year. Franzen is now back (looked good tonight btw) and Kronwall and Holmstrom should be back as well. We always seem to play well against San Jose so maybe with addition of Kronners and Homer, it will provide an even bigger boost to this team. It will definately be a playoff atmosphere at the Joe Thursday night.

Also, it would not surprise me in the least bit if we lost when we had almost everybody back, yet we beat them when we were missing half of our team

[Echolalia 2,961]

It truly is amazing that we're still so tight in the playoff race with all the losing this team has been doing. I really hope they can take advantage of the lack of killer instinct of the rest of the Conference.

[Guest DatsyukianDeke13]

It truly is amazing that we're still so tight in the playoff race with all the losing this team has been doing. I really hope they can take advantage of the lack of killer instinct of the rest of the Conference.

What I am amazed by is that every night I pin my hopes on Jimmy Howard. In October I thought he was going to be terrible and he wasn't an NHL caliber goalie....mmmmm crow taste good

[cjm502 165]

It truly is amazing that we're still so tight in the playoff race with all the losing this team has been doing. I really hope they can take advantage of the lack of killer instinct of the rest of the Conference.

The thing is now that players are returning we are doing worse. The whole injury excuse isn't going to fly anymore, we have the team back and are still playing like garbage.

[Guest DatsyukianDeke13]

I think once players started coming back, the team got lazier. They stopped working hard with the thought process that because the injured returned, they can win games with skill and not hard work.

[titanium2 867]

They've beaten them three times already. Makes me think a loss is coming.

[cjm502 165]

I think once players started coming back, the team got lazier. They stopped working hard with the thought process that because the injured returned, they can win games with skill and not hard work.

They dominated a bit of the 3rd like they would do last year, thats a good sign. There is just no urgency to their game. If the Wings are starting to get as nervous as I am, they will step it up.

[Echolalia 2,961]

The thing is now that players are returning we are doing worse. The whole injury excuse isn't going to fly anymore, we have the team back and are still playing like garbage.

I'm willing to shift the excuse train to lack of consistent chemistry. Players have been shuffled pretty much the entire year given the plethora of injuries/returns and their consistent timing. Just when a line is starting to mesh, someone gets injured, or someone returns to the lineup and Babs has to juggle things up again. Its no wonder that Helm and Draper have been the hub of the Wings' most consistent line, considering they're really the only piece that's been together the whole year.

Of course excuses don't get you to the playoffs.

[Guest DatsyukianDeke13]

They've beaten them three times already. Makes me think a loss is coming.

I'm thinking the same thing. I'll be there so I hope that is not the case lol

[GSBrooks13 204]

What I am amazed by is that every night I pin my hopes on Jimmy Howard. In October I thought he was going to be terrible and he wasn't an NHL caliber goalie....mmmmm crow taste good

Thats funny.. I just read on NHLSourcesSay's twitter something like.. the Wings need goaltending and would obviously be inquiring about Marty Turco.. and to think I actually took his account seriously up until now.. oh well..

Now more seriously.. Im pretty sure there have been threads about each game the past 2 weeks and how it was the most important game of the year.. yet the Wings keep failing and somehow remain in the race.. now.. I gotta think eventually one of these threads is going to be right.. and I think this may be it.. Franzen's back.. the team is atleast close to healthy.. its time for the Wings to put up or shut up.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

It truly is amazing that we're still so tight in the playoff race with all the losing this team has been doing. I really hope they can take advantage of the lack of killer instinct of the rest of the Conference.

In the last 15 games the Wings are 4-6-5. Let that sink in.

Like you said... they've been doing a lot of losing.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Every game is the biggest of the year at this point.

It'd be nice if someone would tell that to the team though (6 word alliteration! )

They played desperate for 5 minutes today. That's it.

[cjm502 165]

I'm willing to shift the excuse train to lack of consistent chemistry. Players have been shuffled pretty much the entire year given the plethora of injuries/returns and their consistent timing. Just when a line is starting to mesh, someone gets injured, or someone returns to the lineup and Babs has to juggle things up again. Its no wonder that Helm and Draper have been the hub of the Wings' most consistent line, considering they're really the only piece that's been together the whole year.

Of course excuses don't get you to the playoffs.

That could be part of it. Our 2nd line was looking really good the past few games, but Homers injury messed that up. Our lines were just one big mess tonight, I didn't see any good chemistry coming from any of them. It came down to individual effort, and that wont win us games.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

what was great about that last game against SJ, is after the first period they started pressuring their players, forcing turnovers, and actually trying to shut them down. you know, instead of collapsing in their own zone and letting in point shots and scrambling to clear the inevitable rebound

[clutchngrab 12]

Every game is the biggest of the year at this point.

It'd be nice if someone would tell that to the team though (6 word alliteration! )

They played desperate for 5 minutes today. That's it.

Lately they are getting out-played of a regular basis such that its hard to say they deserve better. They are absolutely horrible in their own end and can't handle a forecheck to save their lives. Wings have always had issues in their own zone, but never ever this bad. It's pathetic to the point of being hard to watch.

[bdavis 28]

Why is it that the Wings show up against 1st place San Jose, but fail against teams 10th and lower... Those teams aren't any better than San Jose. Seems like the team only takes San Jose seriously.. Wings will probably win against them.

[JasonNewEra 84]

What's particularly weird to me is that we have pretty much everybody back and we still can't seem to win. Something is wrong with either chemistry or coaching. I can't find any other explanation. Getting ridiculous though, am I gonna have to start emailing Babcock and yelling at him...

[SiLkK19 67]

They've beaten them three times already. Makes me think a loss is coming.

I fear the same thing...

We can also flip it and say we've lost a bunch of times recently.....................................

Edited February 10, 2010 by SiLkK19

[russianswede919293 95]

If Detroit doesn't win the next 2 games before the Olympic break they are in a very bad place for a playoff push...

Without 4 points over the next 2 games I am going to be very surprised if the Wings eventually do make the playoffs.

They could really use a 7 or 8 game winning streak...2 big wins to end before the break would be huge.

Then we get Lilja and Homer and Eaves and Kronner back.

[Travis 576]

What's particularly weird to me is that we have pretty much everybody back and we still can't seem to win. Something is wrong with either chemistry or coaching. I can't find any other explanation. Getting ridiculous though, am I gonna have to start emailing Babcock and yelling at him...

Like others have already said, I honestly think we're seeing a team still trying to find its on-ice chemistry. With such a large amount of turnover from last year we had an uphill battle on our hands to begin with. Couple that with all the injuries and a lot of these linemates might be as comfortable as they would've been in October.

[T.Low 1,011]

Is Babcock distracted by the Olympics and all the pressure that goes along with being the coach of the Candian team playing at home in Canada? Isn't this like the last thing he still hasn't accomplished is coaching to an Olympic Gold?

Will it rejuvenate him and Dats, Zetterberg, and Lids to play at that intensity level with the best in the world again?

I hope so, and hope that the WIngs get hot and play their best hockey of the year going into the playoffs and ride it all the way home with The Stanley Cup in hand.

[ilmickeyli 40]

play their best hockey of the year going into the playoffs and ride it all the way home with The Stanley Cup in hand.

I'll have whatever he's smoking

[chrisdetroit 189]

The thing is now that players are returning we are doing worse. The whole injury excuse isn't going to fly anymore, we have the team back and are still playing like garbage.

Chemistry. Plain and simple. The guys don't know from one night to the next who they will be playing with.

Patience.

[chrisdetroit 189]

I'm thinking the same thing. I'll be there so I hope that is not the case lol

What are you talking about. If you flip a coin 100 times and it comes up heads on every one of those flips what are the odds of it coming up heads on flip number 101?

It's still 50%.

Us beating them the first 3 times is irrelevant on Thursday.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

What happened to the STL GDT?