Nabokov stole the game last night - focus on the positives

[stevkrause 1,247]

He stopped EASILY at least 5 "should-have-been" goals and made 50 saves...

we need wins, and it sucks... but lets not flame the Wings, they played one hell of a game(one of the best they have all year) and there's nothing you can do about a lights out goalie...

[Guest mindfly]

I guess I would have to agree, had this been a playoff game they would have played OT until a team scored and sharks basically had nothin goin on through most of the game, it's ridiculous that important points are still handed out in pathetic skills competitions, screw you bettman!

I think i forgot do they play 4on4 or 5on5 OT in the playoffs?

[stevkrause 1,247]

I guess I would have to agree, had this been a playoff game they would have played OT until a team scored and sharks basically had nothin goin on through most of the game, it's ridiculous that important points are still handed out in pathetic skills competitions, screw you bettman!

I think i forgot do they play 4on4 or 5on5 OT in the playoffs?

5-5 until someone wins - real hockey

EDIT: as a sidenote, I like the dog and pony show in the regular season (ties suck and you don't need games going on forever for a reg season game) as long as it NEVER bleeds into the playoffs, but it needs to be fixed (longer OT, point system fixed, etc, etc, etc)...

but that is another topic all together that has been beaten ad nauseam on this board...

Edited February 12, 2010 by stevkrause

[Guest mindfly]

So that means wings would have had a very good chance to come out on top had they played real hockey, true true.

[Guest Howard He Do It?!]

Datsyuk should know better. He has got to elevate the puck on that shot and it goes in. Keeping the puck on the ice allowed Nabby to throw his blocker down and make a great save.

Edited February 12, 2010 by Howard He Do It?!

[stevkrause 1,247]

Datsyuk should know better. He has got to elevate the puck on that shot and it goes in. Keeping the puck on the ice allowed Nabby to throw his blocker down and make a great save.

and Lidstrom should have shot the puck higher on his slap shot from the slot and Rafalski should have shot while there was traffic in front on the PP and Zetterberg should have shot instead of passed while in the slot on the PP

We could break this down to a ton of moments, but the long and the short is, we outshot them and got more quality scoring chances by more than a 2-1 margin and still lost... if we play like that night in and night out - we wouldn't be in the spot we're in right now and this loss wouldn't hurt as much...

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Datsyuk should know better. He has got to elevate the puck on that shot and it goes in. Keeping the puck on the ice allowed Nabby to throw his blocker down and make a great save.

I'm fairly confident Dats wasn't completely balanced, which forced the shot to stay on the ice. He had to get a shot off quick to even get one in the first place and not allow Nabby the chance to properly set for the shot. It's hard to look at that one save by Nabby as the sole reason the Wings didn't win the game in regulation given all the opportunities they had to bury the puck.

Lady luck just wasn't on the Wings' side last night and although it's frustrating to lose once again, this team played exactly like they're capable of last night. If they play like that the rest of the way, they will make the playoffs.

[Guest Howard He Do It?!]

I'm fairly confident Dats was off balance forcing the shot to stay on the ice. He had to get a shot off quick to even get one in the first place and not allow Nabby the chance to properly set for the shot. It's hard to look at that one save by Nabby as the sole reason the Wings didn't win the game in regulation given all the opportunities they had to bury the puck.

Lady luck just wasn't on the Wings' side last night and although it's frustrating to lose once again, this team played exactly like they're capable of last night. If they play like that the rest of the way, they will make the playoffs.

I'm not looking at that shot as why the Wings lost the game. It was just one of the Wings' many chances that stuck in my head.

[cupforwings 138]

my biggest problem with the game last night was Babcocks setup for that 4 on 3 powerplay... we have plenty of skilled guys that can move the puck around and get a good shot off... that "Homer on the 4 on 3 in OT" was not a good idea... they only had 3 people cycling rather than 4... bad call IMO

[stevkrause 1,247]

my biggest problem with the game last night was Babcocks setup for that 4 on 3 powerplay... we have plenty of skilled guys that can move the puck around and get a good shot off... that "Homer on the 4 on 3 in OT" was not a good idea... they only had 3 people cycling rather than 4... bad call IMO

I really wanted to see Dats and Z together during the 4 on 3 in OT with Lids and Raffi on the backend, then Flip and Bert with Stuart and Williams... hindsight 20/20... if they had scored with the lines Babs used, we wouldn't even be talking about this...

[cupforwings 138]

I really wanted to see Dats and Z together during the 4 on 3 in OT with Lids and Raffi on the backend, then Flip and Bert with Stuart and Williams... hindsight 20/20... if they had scored with the lines Babs used, we wouldn't even be talking about this...

true, but they didn't... the first thing I thought when I saw that setup was "what the hell are they doing".. even ken and mick were surprised... I've just never really seen that and didn't really get it... Hank and Pav could have made something happen, same with Flip and Mule... I just think the odds are better to move the puck around and get an open shot, especially the way the team had been playing.

[Guest Random]

[Vladifan 680]

I'm fairly confident Dats wasn't completely balanced, which forced the shot to stay on the ice. He had to get a shot off quick to even get one in the first place and not allow Nabby the chance to properly set for the shot. It's hard to look at that one save by Nabby as the sole reason the Wings didn't win the game in regulation given all the opportunities they had to bury the puck.

Lady luck just wasn't on the Wings' side last night and although it's frustrating to lose once again, this team played exactly like they're capable of last night. If they play like that the rest of the way, they will make the playoffs.

Agreed. I also thought it was one of the best games the Wings have played. One of the highlights for me was all the traffic they produced in front of Nabokov. And he's not exactly an iffy goalie. What is he now, 10-0 away from home?

[stevkrause 1,247]

Agreed. I also thought it was one of the best games the Wings have played. One of the highlights for me was all the traffic they produced in front of Nabokov. And he's not exactly an iffy goalie. What is he now, 10-0 away from home?

he's been lights out, for sure...

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

"Jonathan Ericsson? I've seen him. I'd put him somewhere between a snake and a mongoose."

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

You all have it wrong:

"MICHAEL!!!!"

[Travis 576]

You all have it wrong:

"MICHAEL!!!!"

I came in here to do that.

I have been defeated.

[stevkrause 1,247]

I came in here to do that.

I have been defeated.

[stevkrause 1,247]

I just helped derail my own thread... oh well, I love The Office...

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

Nabby played well no doubt, but there really weren't to many saves you can look at and say were blatant steals. It simply doesn't matter what the Wings do... their offense is pure garbage. They've consistently made most every goalie they've faced look Vezina worthy... and unless some guys regain their focus over the Olympic break, and maybe a few lines actually develop something resembling chemistry, I don't see our goal scoring troubles subsiding any time soon.

[stevkrause 1,247]

Nabby played well no doubt, but there really weren't to many saves you can look at and say were blatant steals. It simply doesn't matter what the Wings do... their offense is pure garbage. They've consistently made most every goalie they've faced look Vezina worthy... and unless some guys regain their focus over the Olympic break, and maybe a few lines actually develop something resembling chemistry, I don't see our goal scoring troubles subsiding any time soon.

I agree with most of your secondary points, but your first is way off - Nabokov made at LEAST 5 saves that were sure goals any other night...

[ltgator333 3]

I know, it's hard to see it happen again like so many other times, especially when it really counts like last night. Major thumbup to Nabokov tho, if he can steal some like that the Sharks will look better than their usual in the playoffs to say the least.

[stevkrause 1,247]

I know, it's hard to see it happen again like so many other times, especially when it really counts like last night. Major thumbup to Nabokov tho, if he can steal some like that the Sharks will look better than their usual in the playoffs to say the least.

Big Joe choke will be the biggest factor for their playoff run...

[ltgator333 3]

Big Joe choke will be the biggest factor for their playoff run...

lol yeah, isn't he always though? I assume it at this point.

[Jericho613 74]

He stopped EASILY at least 5 "should-have-been" goals and made 50 saves...

we need wins, and it sucks... but lets not flame the Wings, they played one hell of a game(one of the best they have all year) and there's nothing you can do about a lights out goalie...

Agreed, if the Wings can just keep up the way they've played against the Sharks in every game from here on out, we'll easily make the playoffs.