1330 replies to this topic

[hankzet40]

I literally sent this e-mail to my friends this morning and of course it happens:

Another thing that will screw us is the press talking about SJ's dismal record in Detroit. I predict overtime HBC or a Jimmy SO. No middle ground here.

[Howard He Do It?!]

Many elite goaltenders. Those who will become franchise goalies are usually good at their rookie seasons already. Tuukka Rask is pretty good. That Nabokov guy wasn't bad either.

He's 26. It's not like he's been in the NL for 3 years but it's not like he's going to develop much either. People think he'll be a franchise goaltender which is total bs. Like I said, I'll be happy if he'll be as good as Ozzie was in his prime. People are just blinded by the hype. Maybe it's because he sucked early at the season and then started to play better.

Someone like Rask, Mason, Varlamov... you can see the potential right away. If he was a big guy like Rinne or Gustavsson I'd have more faith, because big guys develop later. There's a reason why he was in the AHL for so long. Guys mentioned before come and dominate at the younger age already.

Tuukka Rask is very good this season. We don't know if he can be consistent. Nabokov has shown with years of play that he can be consistent.

Just because Howard is 26 doesn't mean he can't develop more. This is his first year in the NHL and he is going to learn. It's not like Jimmy is 35 and set in his ways.

Mason played well his rookie season and played poor in his sophomore season. There is no guarantee that he goes back to the hotshot rookie he was. Varlamov has potential but he is streaky himself. Varlamov hasn't shown the same dominance as a goaltender like Rask. Rinne is streaky as well.

I don't think there are as many people expecting Howard to be a franchise goaltender as you say there are. Overstating to help your argument is pretty sad.

[Finnish Wing]

And I didn't say Howard has been bad this season or anything. He's been great. But you can just see when a goalie has it. He's not fundamentally great and isn't always tough mentally. I don't know how hot prospect he's been since '03. But I've been watching Rask play since 04' and everything he does, there's a huge difference. And I'm not saying because he's Finnish.

He isn't mentally tough like an elite goalie is. He isn't fundamentally skilled like an elite goalie is. He doesn't make game savers like an elite goalie does. He doesn't outplay other goalies like an elite goalie does.

Nabokov has outplayed him so far and even Bryzgalov outplayed him even tough we won the series.

He's been good this season and I think he will be good in the future (not at this good in the next season probably). I'm just kinda sick of all that blind hype thinking he'll be a franchise goalie for us. I'm very happy with Ozzie vol. 2.

[brett]

i think the wings started losing right when VS started streaming it LOL

[UP Wings Fan]

Or maybe San Jose is just playing better.........making the Wings legitimately take bad penalties..........you know, like the Wings have done for so many years prior to this. This team was outshot and out "time of possessed" in more games this season than probably the rest of the decade combined. Thinking its was all going to change in the playoffs was wishful thinking. They have too many parts of the puzzle who no longer fill the need. I still think our stars are good enough. It's the role players on this team who are not as good as other teams have. Rolling 4 lines used to be a strength............this season it has put them at a disadvantage. This is a transition year.........just as next year will be if Lidstrom retires. Holland needs to earn his pay. And I'll have another vodka and cranberry.

I don't disagree with you for the most part. The Wings have taken bad and untimely penalties, but any true hockey fan can see that the refs have turned a blind eye on many of the things that the Sharks are doing, ie obstruction and diving are huge issues! The Wings need to make some changes in the off season, not sure what will do it, but for the most part, I don't see the same heart and dedication to perfection that the Wings have historically had!

[Finnish Wing]

Rask is an exception to the rule. Sometimes you are a hot shot rookie and continue to be a hot shot throughout your career. Sometimes you are a hot shot rookie and that's it. Rask is having an amazing season but their is no guarantee that he is this good next season.

Every goalie is different. There is no one way to develop a goalie.

LOL. Rask is three years older than Howard. He's been the top goalie prospect IN THE WORLD, since he dominated the Finnish National League at young age. He's a big guy, unlike Howard. He's fundamentally great. More importantly, he has the mental calmness.

If you've watched both Bruins and Wings games, you can SEE the difference. You can just see when a guy is a one-season wonder and when he's the real deal. Rask OUTPLAYED RYAN MILLER.

[GMRwings1983]

You didn't notice that Lilja only played 7 or 8 mins in the last game and Ericsson played 14? Lilja was really huffing in the 3rd period of game 2. I think that has something to do with the choice to sit him.

You'd be huffing too if you got that much tail every night.

[Hossa4Life]

So angry cant even make a construtive post just need to vent
GOD DAMN JASON WILLIAMS.
Why did he even get a shift in ot. If it went into 9 ots i would have been pissed to see his skates touch the ice.

Edited by Hossa4Life, 04 May 2010 - 10:29 PM.

[Howard He Do It?!]

Still whining about the calls (or lack of) eh? Sad.

Face it, all four goals tonight were scored 5-5.....So I guess you need to come up with another excuse. By the way, do you guys still want to stick with the "Wings don't dive?" thing after tonight? See ya Thursday night boys.

Do you want to use your eyes and read the posts in this thread? Very few are blaming officiating. There are some, but the majority place the blame on poor team play in the 3rd period accompanied by sloppy goaltending.

I like how you ran away when the Sharks were losing and decided to come back after the game ended. Gutless troll.

[UP Wings Fan]

Still whining about the calls (or lack of) eh? Sad.

Face it, all four goals tonight were scored 5-5.....So I guess you need to come up with another excuse. By the way, do you guys still want to stick with the "Wings don't dive?" thing after tonight? See ya Thursday night boys.

Get lost puck ass!

[kylee]

it's been a good run folks...

[KonstantAdvisor]

Does anybody on this goddamn team have the balls to get to the front of the net with the puck?

You don't win along the boards. You gotta be in the middle of the ice. They did it exactly ONE TIME after the first and they happened to score on that ONE TIME.

You're wrong. Abdelkader made a move and almost scored in the middle of the ice ten seconds before the game ended in OT. I expected Helm, Cleary, Miller and Abdelkader to score tonight...really, Cleary should have had the GW goal, the team should have easily been able to make Zetterberg's goal stand up as well. Howard was not in position to stop the last three goals - maybe you fault experience there, but he wasn't responsible for letting the Sharks hold the zone or get the odd-man break for those chances and he made amazing stops throughout the game, too. Nabakov didn't really do better.

Holmstrom will sacrifice the body every night and so will many Wings if it means a goal. The team did not outwork the Sharks and took bad penalties. Maybe it is lack of respect for San Jose? Lazy clearing attempts when they are on defense and miscues on line changes have killed this team.

[Nightfall]

Well, here is my analysis of the game in a nutshell.

If the Wings want to win games in the playoffs against a hungry team like the Sharks, they need to play a full 60 minute game with equal intensity. Yes, the team played hard, but there is a difference between playing hard and playing with intensity. Getting your nose dirty in the corners, outskating your opposition, and being a ultra hungry team are all intense qualities. Then you have the statistics in the game. Losing faceoffs in key situations, poor passing, sub-par goaltending by Jimmy tonight (yes I said it, sub par), and the most important thing.....playing like you have the game in the bag for the 3rd period and OT. Taking that ill-advised chance in OT resulting in an odd-man rush was just fitting.

Sure, many Wings fans will blame the reffing entirely. This goes far beyond the reffing alone. Wings fans have to see that. If they don't they will think this team is a winner. I stress to everyone here, this Wings team needs some tweaking in order to go deep in the playoffs. The refs alone did not screw the Wings. The Wings screwed themselves.

[MulesWillFly93]

You know what really bums me out? I think the Sharks have only beaten us once - in Game 1. The refs and Jobu beat us in Game 2, and we beat ourselves in Game 3. I really don't think the Sharks have been putting THAT much more effort into it, and it bums me out that they're going to win this series (yeah, you heard me) because I don't think they really deserve it so much more than we do.

I mean, they deserve it in a general way, in that they've played well all year and should definitely be here, but I don't think they're showing themselves to be the clearly superior team in this series. Not that the Wings dominated against the Coyotes, but for the most part both teams really slugged it out. Somehow, I would have been more satisfied if the Coyotes had beaten us over the Sharks, but I would have been a lot madder because I dislike a lot more of the Yotes players. Anyway, it rankles me that the Sharks are going to take this one without having to duke it out.

[GMRwings1983]

Is there any D-man in the league that plays a 2 on 1 as incompetently as Rafaslki does?

If Lidstrom was the guy in that position, it would have turned out differently.

Not a coincidence that the last two GWG's in this series occured with Rafalski on a 2 on 1.

[sixer]

To the Sharks fans trolling on our board, come back when you've actually made it to a Stanley Cup Final.

[GMRwings1983]

To the Sharks fans trolling on our board, come back when you've actually made it to a Stanley Cup Final.

This is their SCF.

Once they make it to the coference finals, that's enough for them as they've exceeded all expectations.

[Howard He Do It?!]

LOL. Rask is three years older than Howard. He's been the top goalie prospect IN THE WORLD, since he dominated the Finnish National League at young age. He's a big guy, unlike Howard. He's fundamentally great. More importantly, he has the mental calmness.

If you've watched both Bruins and Wings games, you can SEE the difference. You can just see when a guy is a one-season wonder and when he's the real deal. Rask OUTPLAYED RYAN MILLER.

There is no talking to you when it comes to Finnish goaltenders. It's like trying to tell a Southerner that NASCAR is a waste of time.

Rask is 3 years younger than Howard and I missed where a 6 ft 205 lbs guy was small.

Not every rookie is going to be exceptional like Rask. Goalies like that are a rare find and something special. Not every rookie is going to lead their team to the promise land. Development takes time. Time will tell if Rask can be an elite goaltender and time will tell if Howard can improve his game. I'm not ready to throw Howard under the bus because he is having a poor playoffs as a rookie. Ozzie didn't have the greatest of beginnings to his playoff career.

Is Howard going to be an elite goaltender? Most likely not, but that doesn't mean he cannot a goaltender that wins games and Cups.

[Yzerman191]

I still didn't feel like the officiating was balanced, but is it ever? Someone is always getting screwed, and it just so happens that it's us this series. With that said, the officiating wasn't why we lost tonight. I think our loss was a combination of some bad puck luck, some careless plays, lack of finish, and some poorly timed goals. Overall, the Red Wings just look so tired and things just aren't clicking.

It's extremely unlikely we come back from this, and that could just be for the best. Even if we did manage to come back and win the next four games, we'd still have to go through either Chicago or Vancouver before facing whoever comes out of the East (likely Pittsburgh or Boston). I'm just not sure they have it in them, barring some miracle. Either way, I'll watch all the remaining games this season and hope for the best.

[Carman]

It's ok Finnish is just a biased Finland fan. Can't blame him, Rask is the real deal and I'd cling to him like a god too if that's the only thing good to ever come out of my country.