WCQF Game 1 GDT: Red Wings 2 at Coyotes 3

[jollymania 162]

I really wanna see some epic hitting next game, but it seems like the coyotes are all timid around kronwall and stuart, if they aren't going to engage that way the wings need to turn their unwillingness to go to the dirty areas against them. THe wings were first on the puck all night, and were constantly getting nailed, somehow the coyotes got away playing that style, that shows the wings lack of effort overall

[LeftWinger 4,963]

Penix fans have been non-exsistant in here, wonder if they'll show up now that they managed to be handed game 1? Wonder if Doan will get any repercussions from his head shot on Kronwall? The league said they are disciplining all head shots... who am I kidding, they will invoke the Malkin rules for that one...

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Okay, Mindfly.

What did I say that wasn't true.

How could anyone say we outplayed them 5 on 5, when they had our defense gasping for breath in the third with constant possession in our zone.

Williams, Rafalski, Eaves, Cleary, Bertuzzi, Fulppula, Draper, Miller, Lilja, Franzen, WAKE THE f*** UP

If Draper wakes up, I doubt that will improve our chances.

[titanium2 867]

People need to chill. This is a 7 game series. Phoenix is going to be harder than some people thought, that's all.

Phoenix manhandled Detroit the 2nd and 3d period, but obviously the 1st showed that Detroit can dominate Phoenix, too.

I think only the biggest optimists thought that we would sweep Phoenix.

Well maybe this game was more of a rope a dope kind of game. Detroit takes Phoenix's best punch, realizes that "Hey, this isn't that bad" then finally start to play like they know how.

[redwingfan19 293]

People need to chill. This is a 7 game series. Phoenix is going to be harder than some people thought, that's all.

Phoenix manhandled Detroit the 2nd and 3d period, but obviously the 1st showed that Detroit can dominate Phoenix, too.

I think only the biggest optimists thought that we would sweep Phoenix.

hopefully the wings can get a split in pheonix and head back to the joe. If they go down 2 games then I will start to be worried

[DirtyD 38]

I can take only few good things in the game:

1. Howard did not look really nervous out there, the 3rd goal he could save it but terrible faceoff and wide open shot lead to a goal

2. Datsyuk and Lidstrom were playing great tonight.

Other than that, I cannot think anything. Get rid of Williams; freaking useless at all.

One of the good things that may come out of this loss is the fact that I cannot IMAGINE any possible f*ckin' circumstance in which Williams suits up for game 2. Babs has to see that Abdelkader should be in the lineup given the general tempo that Phoenix is bringing. Despite how useless Williams is in every single situation, he is even more useless against a team that plays with as much fire, heart, and speed that Phoenix looks to be bringing. Williams was not genetically equipped with any of those things. Abdelkader is a perfect fit in the series and I'm a little pissed it wasn't recognized sooner. No need to take Draper out, I think. I thought that he actually looked decent in the first period (that is the only fair basis on which to judge him given the fact that the second and third period were total write-offs).

All in all, after the first period in which the Wings played precisely as I imagined they would, our boys reverted to playing the worst hockey that I have seen them play in a long time. I would equate it to the way that we played mid-way through the season with half our team injured, but that wouldn't be fair to the December Wings because they team absolutely showed effort, which is far more than I can say for the clusterf*ck that was tonight's game.

Lastly. Yes, that non-call was an absolute abomination. The fact that four damn "referees" could miss something so blatant is absolutely mind-boggling and, from purely a hockey fan standpoint, unacceptable. However, it should be noted that our powerplay was an absolute abomination tonight. The team could barely be bothered to gather a little speed to gain the zone which is ironic because when we were on the penalty kill, and we simply gave them the f*ckin' zone any time they wanted it. In all though, it obviously stings because we would have had a 5-3 for over a minute and then another three minutes to try and pull something out of our asses.

Okay, so this post ran a lot longer than I had intended. Basically, I can only reflect what most people have already stated. Obviously, I have faith that the boys can make the necessary adjustments and steal back home ice on Friday. We simply have to bring our compete level up so that it is equal to there's, and at that point our skill should be able to pull us through.

[kylee 727]

the coyotes powerplay and forecheck was unreal. Wings looked lost and made way too many turn-overs.

[clutchngrab 12]

If Detroit plays like they did in the first there won't be much of a series for the Yotes.

They let up off the gas, let the Yotes come back in the game and just lost their composure to an intense crowd.

Intense crowd? WTF are you talking about. That had nothing to do with this game.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Well, special teams really let us down tonight. Three PPGA better be an anomaly, goes without saying that's not good enough. Played well in the first but got their asses kicked in the second and third.

Stuart had a good game, but everyone else has room to improve. The Coyotes checked everyone very tightly, but Hank and Pav are going to need to find a way to break through.

[bdavis 28]

The officiating was s***ty, and I'm sure that had some weight on the teams confidence. But yes, even though the officiating was s***, they neeeeeeeeed to kill penalties.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Intense crowd? WTF are you talking about. That had nothing to do with this game.

You don't think the Yotes fed off the crowd and the Wings panicked with the pace of the game? Not at all?

[MTU_Huskies963 398]

People need to chill. This is a 7 game series. Phoenix is going to be harder than some people thought, that's all.

Phoenix manhandled Detroit the 2nd and 3d period, but obviously the 1st showed that Detroit can dominate Phoenix, too.

I think only the biggest optimists thought that we would sweep Phoenix.

People also have to remember the wings are playing on the road. This playing game 1 of round 1 on the road is new territory for us. Just need to steal one in phx. I expected the yotes to come out fired up for the home crowd. I did not expect the wings to play like crap. No hitting, horrible pk, turnovers pretty much every aspect of the game they were horrible.

[evilmrt 636]

stuck in parking lot traffic at the arena. Gotta say two things: one, the wings pk sucks. Two, the phoenix coyote fans are pretty freaking classless. What a bunch of hicks.

[Wing-in-avs-town 123]

In Helm's defense, that last goal shouldn't have happened.

meaning they shouldn't have lost the draw so cleanly?

[Z and D for the C 712]

meaning they shouldn't have lost the draw so cleanly?

Good point, but if Helm didn't get interfered with then that goal never gets scored and we're still watching a hockey game.

[Trapt1307 81]

meaning they shouldn't have lost the draw so cleanly?

Meaning there was blatant interference, I'm assuming.

Really not all that concerned though. If they lose the next game, I'll be worried, but this is pretty much what I expected. Nobody thought this would be a sweep, and it's extremely rare that the Wings don't lose a couple of road games in every series, so there's no real cause to panic or anything.

Penalty killing needs to be better obviously.

They'll be fine.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

You don't think the Yotes fed off the crowd and the Wings panicked with the pace of the game? Not at all?

Agreed.

There was at least one point where I was shocked that Babcock didn't call a time out.

And anyone who's blaming Howard tonight is a retard. He let in one softy (the 3rd goal). Big deal. He also had to face 20 shots in the 3rd period and only let one goal in that period. He gave the Wings a chance to score the equalizer.

The PK failed us. Big time.

And Z's line needs to crash the frigging net. I'm tired of Bertuzzi looking for the pass-- take it in and drive it home!

I think the turning point was that iffy call on Shane Doan behind the net when he hit Kronwall. The team seemed to rally around him and killed that off really well.

[lightthelamp13 0]

lets take it down a notch here.

what was expected? phoenix to lay over and die in their first playoff game in 8 years? let alone a home playoff game? they fed off their crowd. whatever, it happened.

a team is never in trouble until they lose on home ice.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

lets take it down a notch here.

what was expected? phoenix to lay over and die in their first playoff game in 8 years? let alone a home playoff game? they fed off their crowd. whatever, it happened.

a team is never in trouble until they lose on home ice.

Yep, pretty much.

Kind of like Columbus last year.

[crotty99 302]

Agreed.

There was at least one point where I was shocked that Babcock didn't call a time out.

And anyone who's blaming Howard tonight is a retard. He let in one softy (the 3rd goal). Big deal. He also had to face 20 shots in the 3rd period and only let one goal in that period. He gave the Wings a chance to score the equalizer.

The PK failed us. Big time.

And Z's line needs to crash the frigging net. I'm tired of Bertuzzi looking for the pass-- take it in and drive it home!

I think the turning point was that iffy call on Shane Doan behind the net when he hit Kronwall. The team seemed to rally around him and killed that off really well.

Period.

[Theophany 110]

And Z's line needs to crash the frigging net. I'm tired of Bertuzzi looking for the pass-- take it in and drive it home!

Bertuzzi doesn't seem to have a middle ground between playing like a wuss and punching people in the back of the head.

YOU ARE A BIG MAN BERTUZZI, PLAY LIKE IT PLZ.

Also, I almost had to buy a new TV after the refs didn't call that high stick. Nick looked like he was getting stitches on the bench, FFS.

[Trapt1307 81]

As long as they don't go down 3-0, I'll be confident...just because they'll have two straight games at home. How many times in the last few years have the Wings gone up 2-0 in a series at home only to come back home for game 5 tied 2-2?

[clutchngrab 12]

Forgetting about the officiating for a moment, let's focus on what we can actually affect.

1. Obviously, Tippett knows the Wings having been pretty much beaten like a drum through his Dallas career. Dave Tippet is a good coach and will have his guys hit and forecheck and contend pucks as much a possible. This is the exact team the wings have trouble with. Taking away time and space against the wings is a good strategy. This strategy has been employed effectively by other teams in the past and Phoenix will push it. The way to deal is to play with the same level of passion and physicality and to make them pay as well. We have done this both successfully and unsuccessfully against the Flames. I see this series as being very similar to those Flames series.

2. Faceoffs were horrible tonight. Especially Z. Don't know why he sucked so bad, but that cost us big time.

3. PK - was also horrid - though the breakdowns were mostly off the face off.

If we bear down and play like we did in the first half of the game we'll be fine over 7, but I must say that giving a young team confidence like we did tonight is not a good idea. The Yotes look alot like Mikes Anaheim team to me.

[RedLightGoesOn 81]

PK was stunk to high heaven. I felt Jimmy let in a softie, but he did make some nice stops. The Wings started off strong but just got worse and worse as the game went on. If we got to a 2-0 lead I think it would have changed the pace more. Why the f*** is Williams on our PP?

Just a note, Phoenix can't beat us if we play solid defense. We have to play with a lead and have a PK that won't let beach balls in the net.

And of course, here is the cliche comment of the night:

I think we should mix our lines up. I think Bert-Filp-Franzen would be a good line. Notice what I did there? That means ZDH gets reformed.

[clutchngrab 12]

Bertuzzi doesn't seem to have a middle ground between playing like a wuss and punching people in the back of the head.

YOU ARE A BIG MAN BERTUZZI, PLAY LIKE IT PLZ.

Also, I almost had to buy a new TV after the refs didn't call that high stick. Nick looked like he was getting stitches on the bench, FFS.

If Franzen and Bert decide to be the ******* they like to be when they are lazy, then we lose this series. Plain and simple.