Ozzy for game 4?

[b.shanafan14 733]

Oh, I assumed wrongly that you were referring to Osgood playing great in the playoffs. I think Babcock switching to Luongo is a bolder move than switching to Osgood at this point. He pulled that off. I think Babcock still has something to learn about managing the rotation in the regular season, but i think he's learned his lesson about making a move when it counts the most. He's said for awhile that Howards earned the chance to start but they're in the best shape possible because Osgood knows what it takes to come in and win when it counts if we need him. I don't think we'll see Osgood starting in game 4, but I'd say it's far more likely to happen now, this year, than the idea of Hasek being pulled at all in 2008.

Pulling Hasek (a legend) for Osgood in 2008 >>> pulling Howard (a rookie) for Osgood in 2010 (who went on to win the Cup for Babcock in 2008)

Babcocj's had far more success when making a goalie move when it's come up than not. Don't think he isn't thinking about that at this very moment.

I would have to agree with you to a degree. But the management of the goaltenders back then was a lot better than it was this season. Hasek and Osgood were treated as 1A and 1B, with Osgood being a good deal better than Hasek in the regular season while losing the nod to the veteran, former all-star household name Hasek.

This season Babcock essentially sat Osgood in the corner, treating him more like the McElhinney to Howard's Kipprusof. Babcock put himself in a position where asking Osgood to come and save the day now is almost ignorant and hypocritical, like "I'm so sorry! I want you back! Please, just one more chance baby! She can't hold a candle to you, buttercup!".... ummm.... *cough*.... something like that...

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

No. Ozzie is far too rusty.

[Vladifan 680]

As far as I'm concerned, I really understand that Howard is green in the playoffs and he was going to get some lumps. I'm more pissed off that Babcock bet the farm on Howard since December and now we have the best playoff goaltender in the last two seasons rusted pass the point of no return.

Babcock doesn't seem to inspire the team, he plays favorites constantly, and now he has a rookie goaltender that is looking pretty sad between the pipes while the one he owns a ring to is taking stats.

I don't know about the "rusted pass the point of no return", but otherwise this is a helluva post. Thanks for saying it for me too.

[vangvace 12]

Mo Cheese might as well be in goal if the team keeps playing the bipolar way they are.

[zettie85 106]

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.

Phoenix isn't a bad team. We are right now. On paper it's a different story but currently on ice they haven't showed all year except some post olympic games that they can be a contender. Taking out Howard now only robs him of valuable playoff experience. He has let in a couple bad ones but like was mentioned earlier not everyone can be a Ken Dryden or a Patrick Roy in their rookie year.

We made the playoffs with lackluster play and great play from a young goaltender. If we make it to the 2nd round then great. If not there is always next year. The more games Howard gets now the more prepared he will be come future playoffs.

We need to think about the future more now then we do about getting out of the 1st round of the playoffs this year. Ya I would like to see it but not at the expense of Howard losing experience.

[Rockitman 11]

You CANNOT blame Babs for not playing Ozzie this year he had NO choice, to say that is ridiculous.. We needed the points just to get here and you were not going to get them by throwing OZZIE out there this season just to get "warmed" up for the playoffs... But in saying that its because of that we unfortunately can't go with anyone else but Howie right now... Its just been a weird year overall Howie really needs to come up big Tuesday GO WINGS!!!

Edited April 19, 2010 by Rockitman

[Hossa4Life 4]

You CANNOT blame Babs for not playing Ozzie this year he had NO choice, to say that is ridiculous.. We needed the points just to get here and you were not going to get them by throwing OZZIE out there this season just to get "warmed" up for the playoffs... But in saying that its because of that we unfortunately can't go with anyone else but Howie right now... Its just been a weird year overall Howie really needs to come up big Tuesday GO WINGS!!!

you are going to get killed for not having the same opinion as shanny in here.

[Rockitman 11]

I just don't see anyway Osgood can come in and things be any better with the year he's had and the way the D is playing right now. I agree with wishing ozzie would have got more playing time but to me it seemed like there was no other choice the way things went this season...

[Hossa4Life 4]

I just don't see anyway Osgood can come in and things be any better with the year he's had and the way the D is playing right now. I agree with wishing ozzie would have got more playing time but to me it seemed like there was no other choice the way things went this season...

but you are not saying osgood is better then howard. But he is just rusty.

[Rockitman 11]

but you are not saying osgood is better then howard. But he is just rusty.

I WOULD like to have the Osgood of the last two runs in the net but he hasn't been that all season Hossa4Life... and Game 3 is not the time to see if he is going to be ready or not so I guess were stuck hoping Jimmy steps it up...

[clutchngrab 12]

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.

I'm old and I have more faith in Howard bounce-back than an ice cold Osgood.

[Hossa4Life 4]

I WOULD like to have the Osgood of the last two runs in the net but he hasn't been that all season Hossa4Life... and Game 3 is not the time to see if he is going to be ready or not so I guess were stuck hoping Jimmy steps it up...

i think howard is the better goalie but i am alone.

[gcom007 1,465]

Phoenix isn't a bad team. We are right now. On paper it's a different story but currently on ice they haven't showed all year except some post olympic games that they can be a contender. Taking out Howard now only robs him of valuable playoff experience. He has let in a couple bad ones but like was mentioned earlier not everyone can be a Ken Dryden or a Patrick Roy in their rookie year.

We made the playoffs with lackluster play and great play from a young goaltender. If we make it to the 2nd round then great. If not there is always next year. The more games Howard gets now the more prepared he will be come future playoffs.

We need to think about the future more now then we do about getting out of the 1st round of the playoffs this year. Ya I would like to see it but not at the expense of Howard losing experience.

I didn't mean to suggest that Phoenix is a bad team, but they are anything but an offensive powerhouse. They were 24th in the league for the regular season in goals scored at 211. Compared that to San Jose in 4th at 257, Chicago at 3rd with 262, Vancouver at 2nd at 268, and Washington at 1st with 313...if they were playing those teams and they were lighting Jimmy up to the tune of a GAA of close to 4 now, it'd be one thing, but this is Phoenix. They are not a powerful offensive team. That's what scares me about Jimmy Howard going forward at this point.

[Rockitman 11]

I didn't mean to suggest that Phoenix is a bad team, but they are anything but an offensive powerhouse. They were 24th in the league for the regular season in goals scored at 211. Compared that to San Jose in 4th at 257, Chicago at 3rd with 262, Vancouver at 2nd at 268, and Washington at 1st with 313...if they were playing those teams and they were lighting Jimmy up to the tune of a GAA of close to 4 now, it'd be one thing, but this is Phoenix. They are not a powerful offensive team. That's what scares me about Jimmy Howard going forward at this point.

Good post and I agree that is what has scared me about Howie all year! He always seems to give up that pivotal "next goal" if that makes any sense...

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

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?

No, No and 1000 times No. I was was at the game and only 1 goal could have been considered Jimmy's fault. The team stopped playing after the 1st period. The left him out to dry like they they said.

I certainly hope to see a lot better effort on Tuesday.

[gcom007 1,465]

You CANNOT blame Babs for not playing Ozzie this year he had NO choice, to say that is ridiculous.. We needed the points just to get here and you were not going to get them by throwing OZZIE out there this season just to get "warmed" up for the playoffs... But in saying that its because of that we unfortunately can't go with anyone else but Howie right now... Its just been a weird year overall Howie really needs to come up big Tuesday GO WINGS!!!

Osgood wasn't playing as bad as many have come to believe. Howard came in and played great when Osgood got sick, and after that Osgood never once got a decent shot to get going again. This goes all the way back to November when there was plenty of time to sort things out.

Granted, I do believe Osgood brought this on himself to some extent as well by mouthing off, in my mind, it never should have been made to be an issue. I said this WAY back when. There was no point in even creating the possibility for a goaltending issue. There's no drama on this team and these guys support each other. Keep them both warm and see how it goes down the stretch because after all, the playoffs are a different beast. I'm not saying I'm so smart. This is simple s***...really, really simple s***.

This is how simple, and seriously, think back to November when this all started...contemplate:

Don't utterly and completely ostracize a guy who went to the Cup Finals two years in a row, winning in '08 and carrying a battered team to game 7 in '09: good idea/bad idea?

Again, I am absolutely not saying that Osgood made a wise move in running his mouth, but Babcock should not have let it ever get to the point where Osgood would be so upset to uncharacteristically run his mouth to the press. His lack of foresight on the matter was wholly and completely lacking.

And also, don't forget, aside from simply not giving Osgood any sense of consistent starts, he did little to nothing to support Osgood at all in the press in continually saying that Howard gives the team the best chance to win when asked about Osgood. True or not at the time, it's just not going to help Osgood's state of mind when he's already stewing about not getting starts. And again, not saying Osgood was right to respond, but he was responding to fairly blatant criticisms of him that Babcock initially made in the press. And the bottom line is that Babcock didn't need to be saying what he was saying. I've been saying it for a long time, Babcock was creating a mess, and that mess is really starting to look like a mistake.

And to respond to what will likely be the first rebuttal...

Sorry, I don't buy for a second that Osgood wouldn't have been able to be a part of getting this team to the playoffs if given consistent starts throughout the season. He had some rough starts, but I have no doubt that he would've gotten things together especially down the stretch when things became more critical. Osgood's a big game goalie and he lives for the playoffs; there's no way he wouldn't give all he had to get there if it was on the line. I have complete faith in that.

[b.shanafan14 733]

you are going to get killed for not having the same opinion as shanny in here.

You are very sensitive, aren't you. You've cornered the market on tantrums for people disagreeing.

but you are not saying osgood is better then howard. But he is just rusty.

You really are arguing with yourself. Everyone, including me has said that Howard is better. Osgood is rusty and I wish he wasn't, that's the only thing you are even in the ballpark about.

i think howard is the better goalie but i am alone.

You are not some jaded genius. EVERYONE knows Howard coming into the playoffs was the man for the Wings. He is the better goalie, but until he starts playing like it, we're all left to wonder "what if we had our proven playoff goaltender as at least an option?"

Quit feeling sorry for yourself when someone disagrees, its old and no one sympathizes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQXtOU6Zi00

[Yak19 303]

We wouldn't be in the playoffs without Howard. He plays it out... win or lose, he has earned it.

Wings will comeback and win the series.

GO WINGS!

[Barrie 900]

Stay with Howard win or lose. If he's the future goalie, let him get playoff experience.

[Carman 387]

It's Howard's show.

But if the team just lacks the effort in game 4 and we go down by 3ish then throw Osgood in and blame everything on him.

[Hossa4Life 4]

you shouldnt post your own videos that you created on here. Put it in the creative media forum.

[gcom007 1,465]

No, No and 1000 times No. I was was at the game and only 1 goal could have been considered Jimmy's fault. The team stopped playing after the 1st period. The left him out to dry like they they said.

I certainly hope to see a lot better effort on Tuesday.

No one was stopping the 3rd goal on skill alone; it would've taken a hell of a lot of luck to get that one. All the other goals were stoppable. The first and forth were brutal, and the timing on the 2nd was gut-wrenching as well. In the playoffs, oftentimes when you give up goals means far more than how, and he gave up 3 goals in this game at the absolute worst times possible. There's no way around that one.

And in some ways, objectively we have to say that Howard giving up a goal right off the bat and generally not looking solid thus far in the playoffs is not going to help the confidence of the team.

All year long the argument has been that Howard's strong play gave the team confidence. That has been anything but the case in the playoffs, so why shouldn't we hold him to the same standards used to defend him all year?

I really like Jimmy Howard and I think he'll be fine down the stretch in his career, but this is his rookie year and he's simply not getting the job done thus far. If he gets another chance, he needs to turn it around fast or we have to see if Osgood can help in righting the ship.

[redwingcapt 52]

Its Howard or first round exit. the team has to be feeling the heat now and i have a feeling they are gonna turn this bad boy around. they have no choice now....

[Peadydog 98]

OZZIE NOW!!!!!!!!

[b.shanafan14 733]

No one was stopping the 3rd goal on skill alone; it would've taken a hell of a lot of luck to get that one. All the other goals were stoppable. The first and forth were brutal, and the timing on the 2nd was gut-wrenching as well. In the playoffs, oftentimes when you give up goals means far more than how, and he gave up 3 goals in this game at the absolute worst times possible. There's no way around that one.

And in some ways, objectively we have to say that Howard giving up a goal right off the bat and generally not looking solid thus far in the playoffs is not going to help the confidence of the team.

All year long the argument has been that Howard's strong play gave the team confidence. That has been anything but the case in the playoffs, so why shouldn't we hold him to the same standards used to defend him all year?

I really like Jimmy Howard and I think he'll be fine down the stretch in his career, but this is his rookie year and he's simply not getting the job done thus far. If he gets another chance, he needs to turn it around fast or we have to see if Osgood can help in righting the ship.

This exactly. Three great points:

1) Its not always about whether a goal is good or bad to let in, but the timing can be everything this time of the year. And the timing has been as bad as it can be so far.

2) Howard hasn't instilled confidence, which has been one of his biggest assets down the stretch run. I believe all it takes is one solid game and the team will be back on board with that. If not, this team is doomed.

3) No matter how this season ends, Howard is the future and the number one moving forward. Not every goalie is a playoff tender at the beginning of their career and it was inevitable to expect Howard to take some lumps.

At the end of the day, Osgood is a great backup to have but not with his lack of game action this season. Howard is the man the Wings live or die by now, which at this point is looking far from ideal. Howard still has the ability to shake these first three games and get it going and we all better hope he does. Osgood will be gone after next season and then Howard will be challenged by Larsson or McCollum, but until further notice, Howard is the man.