Ozzy for game 4?

[JerBaz 0]

They need to win. Howard has looked terrible. 11 goals in three games doesn't get it done in the playoffs. Osgood is a proven winner in the playoffs. 74 career wins to 1. What do you think?

From a defensive standpoint, I think it needs to be done. Howard was solid in the regular season, but I think his inexperience going for the Cup has gotten to him. He over-commits on first moves and leaves the opposition a wide open net. Osgood is, like you said, a proven winner, and was clutch during our last two runs to the Cup Finals. I think now is the time to let Ozzie play; he was put into the thick of the action in 2008 when we needed him, and lo, and behold, we won the Stanley Cup.

The defense as a whole must improve, but we need a stronger man between the pipes.

[Dynheart 42]

To watch Osgood do just as bad? This team has one option in goal and his name is Jimmy Howard. It's glaringly obvious and it doesn't matter who you have allegiances to.

Two Cups while playing, one while watching.

Not really a "fan" of any player on the team. But I have seen your replies. You will stop at anything to give a quick jab towards Osgood. You would think he would have shut up people like you after all these years. Guess not, though. Shoot 'em while their down. I guess you may have forgotten that Osgood played, cold...and rusty...agaist a hot Philly team. Not to mention they are playing desperate to make the play-offs and also are a high scoring team. He only let in 3 goals. So I think he could get it done once he gets warmed up. All he needs is 1 period.

Seriously though, I believe you, and like a few others, would rather see the Wings fail in the 1st round to get Howard some experience than the possiblity Osgood taking this team to another possible cup run. And nobody here knows if he can do it or not...Christ I just wish the fans would just root for the team than an individual.

Edited April 18, 2010 by Dynheart

[shoe 165]

If Ozzy gets a chance these playoffs I have a feeling he will be pissed off and wanting to "I'll show you" for leaving me on the bench all year long, might be another chapter in the story of how Ozzy is so under rated and over looked.

I think Howard is in to start game 4 unless he shows huge signs of loss of confidence in practice over the next 2 days, but the warning light has gone off, Osgood should be ready in case Howard lets in a really crappy early goals at home. The joe will jump all over him.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

i hope they play howard no matter what

Edited April 18, 2010 by Lidstromboli

[Carman 387]

Not really a "fan" of any player on the team. But I have seen your replies. You will stop at anything to give a quick jab towards Osgood. You would think he would have shut up people like you after all these years. Guess not, though. Shoot 'em while their down. I guess you may have forgotten that Osgood played, cold...and rusty...agaist a hot Philly team. Not to mention they are playing desperate to make the play-offs and also are a high scoring team. He only let in 3 goals. So I think he could get it done once he gets warmed up. All he needs is 1 period.

Seriously though, I believe you, and like a few others, would rather see the Wings fail in the 1st round to get Howard some experience than the possiblity Osgood taking this team to another possible cup run. And nobody here knows if he can do it or not...Christ I just wish the fans would just root for the team than an individual.

Osgood sucks.

[HD30 6]

From a defensive standpoint, I think it needs to be done. Howard was solid in the regular season, but I think his inexperience going for the Cup has gotten to him. He over-commits on first moves and leaves the opposition a wide open net. Osgood is, like you said, a proven winner, and was clutch during our last two runs to the Cup Finals. I think now is the time to let Ozzie play; he was put into the thick of the action in 2008 when we needed him, and lo, and behold, we won the Stanley Cup.

The defense as a whole must improve, but we need a stronger man between the pipes.

The regular season ozzie of 08 isn't the same as this season ozzie. I really do like Osgood and all, but I wouldn't feel comfortable putting him in just because of how few games he's played, not even having anything to do with his ability.

[gcom007 1,465]

This.

Howard would have to let in several Legace-like backbreaking goals before they should yank him to put in Ozzy.

And even then it would be a desperate move. The Wings would probably get a delay of game penalty as they waited for Ozzy to get all the dust off his pads.

How about a goal 20 seconds into the game?

Then how about another with 30 seconds left in the 2nd to surrender a 2-1 lead?

Then how about another 1:30 after we regained momentum and cut their lead to 1 with 10 minutes left in the 3rd?

I'm not saying they were all the softest goals the world has seen, but they were all brutal goals to surrender, if at times not utterly soft and backbreaking as well.

I like Howard and i think he's got a future here, but I want to see them go to Osgood if Howard doesn't come out ready and on fire Tuesday. I'd go so far as to say that if he let's in 3 goals, it's time to go to Osgood. Osgood very well may be too rusty, but I'm not about to count him out either.

And if anything, Howard needs to learn now what it takes. He needs to know the stakes. Getting pulled could end up being a good thing for him as he can still learn from it. And it's a simple lesson: the only way to win in the playoffs is to give your best effort every game. We have yet to see anything close to Howard's best in this post-season.

And I think he has only one more chance to prove otherwise...

[Hossa4Life 4]

i had to miss most of the game does anyone have the game highlights.

[10 Minute Misconduct 104]

Some people forget how bad ozzie was this here.

Howard isn't playing too great, but ozzie would be horrible :/

[Jasper84 333]

I don't blame Howard for these losses. Yeah, he gave up that 4th goal that he should have had, but the team is just as fault as he is. He needs to stay in, the team needs to play better.

[b.shanafan14 733]

How about a goal 20 seconds into the game?

Then how about another with 30 seconds left in the 2nd to surrender a 2-1 lead?

Then how about another 1:30 after we regained momentum and cut their lead to 1 with 10 minutes left in the 3rd?

.... or the Wolski goal in Game 2, 40 seconds after Zetterberg tied the game?

.... or the Lombardi goal in Game 2, 50 seconds after Datsyuk tied the game?

.... or the Arnott goal.... oops that was Hasek in 2008

(you should get the point)

Some people forget how bad ozzie was this here.

Howard isn't playing too great, but ozzie would be horrible :/

Easy to forget, he hasn't played more than 1 game/month since December.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Osgood won't be any better. It's Howard or bust.

[Hossa4Life 4]

its pretty funny watching these kind of threads. The older red wings fans all want osgood and all the younger guys want howard. Could be wrong but its just a trend i have noticed.

[Reilly 24]

Unless Howard stinks the joint out, you've got to ride him the rest of the way.

[b.shanafan14 733]

Osgood won't be any better. It's Howard or bust.

I agree. Osgood is too rusty to turn it around in time to save the series. Thanks, Babcock!

[gcom007 1,465]

To watch Osgood do just as bad? This team has one option in goal and his name is Jimmy Howard. It's glaringly obvious and it doesn't matter who you have allegiances to.

Two Cups while playing, one while watching.

You know that I'm not any sort of a Howard hater. But you know, this is Phoenix and he's looked rough. Can you imagine if we were playing Chicago? Like I said, Osgood very well may be too rusty to pull it off again, but if Howard can't get it together in game 4, you might as well give Osgood a chance. It's not as if he's been injured. He's been practicing. He's not wholly cold. I think in the context of his long career, but especially the last couple years, that Osgood has earned a chance if Howard continues to struggle.

And just as I said earlier, you still learn from the bench. Osgood learned plenty watching Vernon win that first Cup. Sure, he played for only two rings, but that doesn't minimize being a part of winning that 3rd ring. That's why I have no problem with Howard watching. He's still going to learn, and to me, you can "earn your ring" as well as the next guy by watching and learning from the bench.

[mb94 1]

I agree. Osgood is too rusty to turn it around in time to save the series. Thanks, Babcock!

I absolutely agree with what you're saying. He hasn't had any match training, so he won't be an option.

[Hockeytown_Ryan 119]

This is why people calling for Ozzy to start more than 1 game in the last few months weren't just blind Ozzy homers. It'd be nice to have the OPTION to go to him, but we really don't have that.

Howard should start game 4 anyway. If he sucks and we lose, I'd go to Ozzy for game 5. Not that it would really matter after that.

NO F'n Way.... Let Howard lose a series while he is on the ice.. dont give Osgood a start in a hostile game 5 .. thats a DICK MOVE.... Howard is making his bed let him lay in it. No one came to Osgood's side when we stuck with him in the past series's that he lost in.... Let Howrad feel the real pressure of big league playoffs... If you want him to grow...Let him cry a little.

[b.shanafan14 733]

Howard: 3GP 1-2 3.67GAA 0.888Sv%

And as gcom007 mentioned, this is against a Coyote team that was 24th in the league in goals for, not the Washington Capitals.

Osgood is too rusty at this point to be better fast enough to turn the series around, but Howard is not going to get the job done, and now the pressure is going to be even higher. So really, what are the Wings options?

NO F'n Way.... Let Howard lose a series while he is on the ice.. dont give Osgood a start in a hostile game 5 .. thats a DICK MOVE.... Howard is making his bed let him lay in it. No one came to Osgood's side when we stuck with him in the past series's that he lost in.... Let Howrad feel the real pressure of big league playoffs... If you want him to grow...Let him cry a little.

Exactly. If Howard plays and loses Game 4, he sticks around to lose Game 5.

[gcom007 1,465]

People are forgetting that Osgood didn't play remotely as bad in the regular season this year as he did last year, and that's even considering the fact that he never had a chance to get going in the second half. I don't think Osgood's lost as much as some think, and I'm sorry, but there's just no way i can utterly write him off in the post-season at this point. I'm not saying that there aren't concerns due to rust, but there's also some hopes to that as of now, have a lot more experience to back them up than my hopes for Howard.

[Hossa4Life 4]

I agree. Osgood is too rusty to turn it around in time to save the series. Thanks, Babcock!

yea thanks babcock for playing the better performing goalie at the time so that we could make the playoffs even through all of our injuries. what bad coaching.

Edited April 18, 2010 by Hossa4Life

[Hockeytown Red Wings 245]

Absolutely not. Howard's 4th goal was awful, but he's the beast that got us here and we gotta ride him. Now if he starts off Game 4 looking shaky, I might change my tune quickly.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

I honestly wouldn't mind it, but Babcock made it so going to Ozzie at this point is no longer even an option. It would be a huge risk going to a goalie who has made two starts in 2010, even one with the success Ozzie has put up the past two playoff runs.

I had a bad feeling this would happen in the playoffs. Jimmy just hasn't been very good and today he was truly awful. The team didn't play that strong in front of him but it didn't matter because he didn't even give them a chance to win. The second and fourth goals were momentum killers. He has to control the rebound on Wolski's goal and the fourth was downright pathetic.

I'm not even that mad at Jimmy... it's a tough position to be in and he just hasn't lived up to the expectations he had coming off a super regular season. I'm extremely pissed at Babcock for completely mishandling the goaltender situation. He put the Red Wings in the scenario of sink or swim with Jimmy and now the team is in a tough position with no real alternative because of Babcock's decision. You HAVE to get Ozzie more games in case this did happen - there were a bunch of us saying that numerous times late in the year.

Jimmy Howard has to be better or this series isn't coming back to Detroit. Mike Babcock made it this way.

Edited April 18, 2010 by GoWings1905

[b.shanafan14 733]

yea thanks babcock for playing the better performing goalie at the time so that we could make the playoffs even through all of our injuries. what bad coaching.

That proceeding under the assumption that Osgood would have been as bad playing every third game as he is playing on the second of a back-to-back after not seeing game action for over a month. Howard got us here and should have started the playoffs, no one will argue that. But Babcock did a piss-poor job of managing his goaltenders because he has a huge tendency to play favorites. People forget, that before Osgood got the flu and didn't see game action for months at a time, he wasn't having a horrible season.

[Hossa4Life 4]

That proceeding under the assumption that Osgood would have been as bad playing every third game as he is playing on the second of a back-to-back after not seeing game action for over a month. Howard got us here and should have started the playoffs, no one will argue that. But Babcock did a piss-poor job of managing his goaltenders because he has a huge tendency to play favorites. People forget, that before Osgood got the flu and didn't see game action for months at a time, he wasn't having a horrible season.

Osgood was NOT playing well, so he played howard. That is not poor goalie managment. Dont just have a blind love for osgood because he is a your favorite and give me negative feedback because you dont agree with me. Howard got us to the playoffs and he is playing well enough to keep his starting job. Until he gets a loss when our d is playing up to there full potential you leave him in. Neither of the losses where a result of howard playing bad.