Why is St. Louis doing so good?

[titanium2 867]

That was probably another game that showed hard work beats skill when skill doesn't work hard.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Doing good now, they are not.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Guys, come on.

You all know that St. Louis played a pretty damn fine game. The way they played for those 50 minutes was impressive. With all their injuries they were still right there up until that point. I just hope the Wings look out the next time they play the Blues.

Voice of reason...shut, shut, shut your mouth. you sound real stupid right now.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Guys, come on.

You all know that St. Louis played a pretty damn fine game. The way they played for those 50 minutes was impressive. With all their injuries they were still right there up until that point. I just hope the Wings look out the next time they play the Blues.

^ This.

Red Wings have shown that they are more than capable of quick offensive outbursts, and last night wasn't the first time.

However, the Blues took the play to them for probably more of the game, and Halak made some pretty solid saves (EDIT: before the 3rd) despite his brainfart in the first period.

Can't always expect offensive surges like the one in the 3rd period to carry a team fully through.

Edited November 18, 2010 by SouthernWingsFan

[donfishmaster 62]

Those paying attention to the Blues could see this coming over the past couple seasons...and then they added Halak without losing anyone from their NHL roster, which instantly made them significantly better.

Great goaltending...solid system on defense...great transition game.

And they just won in Boston and beat the Rangers in NY in back to back nights without their best offensive threat (Perron) and half of their defensive corps (Polak, Carlo, Jackman)...all our out with injuries.

Really, the only thing they need to work on is the power play, which has been pretty bad. If they could get that on track a bit, they'd be dominant.

Davis Payne has done a great job since taking over last year. They've won 12 games in a row at home dating back to last season and of course are 9-1-2 so far this year, and currently #1 overall in the NHL.

Blues teams have always been known for working their asses off...and this team is no different. They work hard, and it is paying off. Hard work doesn't go into a slump.

But I can't see them keeping up this pace without either the power play improving, or them scoring more 5 on 5 goals. They can't keep winning games 1-0 and 2-1...or at least I don't think they can.

Who?

In all fairness, when you post this on an opposing team's board, and you just got drilled like the Boos did last night, (I know, injuries, good effort, sun was in their eyes, blah, blah, blah...nobody cried a river FOR US when the Wings were the Walking Wounded last year!)you've got to kind of expect to have a certain degree of negativity expressed in your general direction.

[evilzyme 769]

The Red Wings were injured last season? No one cared about it? Everyone was laughing that we wouldn't make playoffs? Don't expect special treatment when your boys start dropping like flies. We've all dealt with it, the Blues aren't the first nor the last to have a surge of injuries, welcome to the NHL. You should start thinking of the positives instead of throwing excuses everytime the Blues lose now.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I didn't realize how pretentious our community was. Last night I would say that for the most part the Wings looked like clueless children out there. You guys are educated enough to know that the score was incredibly deceiving. If Halak played 60 minutes instead of 50, or if Howard looked human for some of those Blues opportunities, the Wings very well could have walked out of that game with 0 points and deservingly so.

[truebladearmy 33]

^ This.

Red Wings have shown that they are more than capable of quick offensive outbursts, and last night wasn't the first time.

However, the Blues took the play to them for probably more of the game, and Halak made some pretty solid saves (EDIT: before the 3rd) despite his brainfart in the first period.

Can't always expect offensive surges like the one in the 3rd period to carry a team fully through.

Well, Detroit is also the 2nd best team in GA for the 3rd period right now.

Detroit really does start slow, and pick up the pace. It's kind of nice. It's like, if the opposition does just so happen to score 1-2 goals early off, there is absolutely NO loss of hope that Detroit will tie it soon.

Try being New Jersey, and getting scored on first. Might as well just forfeit.

I do agree that Detroit is only bringing it for "parts" of every game, and somehow winning, but I don't see that being a bad thing. It means they find a way. A W is a W. The fact that they are winning in so many different situations, is a very positive sign. Sure, this was the first 3-3 game 40 minutes in, and they exploded. Sure, you can't "count" on that type of production, but they've been doing crazy stuff to win all season. No two games look the same, but they're the same outcome.

That means to me that they're not just a "good" team, who is better than their opponents, they're a team that can find a way against any opponent. It means even on a bad night, someone will step the hell up and do something.

Realistically, I was thinking about it last time I posted a prediction on these boards. I was trying to think of who on the Wings would score. And normally when you do that there are 2-3 safe players to pick. On Detroit right now, you could even pick a 4th liner and have a good chance of being right. I ran into a dilemma, and I thought OK St Louis has lost a lot of games. It's going to be close. I want to predict a 3-2 win. Then when I got around to thinking of who has high potential to score for Detroit, like 12 names came to mind. I clearly would look like a special ed student if I called a game of 12-2 though.

But getting 7-2 this game, is pretty freaking close as far as high scoring goes.

We're lucky. Detroit is a very talented team. Sure, no Ovechkin, and no Crosby, but damn......the overall....talent so far.

I like it. This Detroit team is surprising.

Edited November 19, 2010 by truebladearmy

[titanium2 867]

I do agree that Detroit is only bringing it for "parts" of every game, and somehow winning, but I don't see that being a bad thing. It means they find a way.

The Wings are not the only team that plays like that. A lot of fans complain about their team's pacing themselves.

[Guest Shoreline]

To a couple rather generalized and politically correct posts that don't directly quote or specifically address anything in particular -- what is it in particular you find pretentious?

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

Wings had 4 days off.. just like every other game after a long break like that this season they start terrible the first period or so. I don't really understand why everyone is panicing.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Well, Detroit is also the 2nd best team in GA for the 3rd period right now.

Detroit really does start slow, and pick up the pace. It's kind of nice. It's like, if the opposition does just so happen to score 1-2 goals early off, there is absolutely NO loss of hope that Detroit will tie it soon.

Try being New Jersey, and getting scored on first. Might as well just forfeit.

I do agree that Detroit is only bringing it for "parts" of every game, and somehow winning, but I don't see that being a bad thing. It means they find a way. A W is a W. The fact that they are winning in so many different situations, is a very positive sign. Sure, this was the first 3-3 game 40 minutes in, and they exploded. Sure, you can't "count" on that type of production, but they've been doing crazy stuff to win all season. No two games look the same, but they're the same outcome.

That means to me that they're not just a "good" team, who is better than their opponents, they're a team that can find a way against any opponent. It means even on a bad night, someone will step the hell up and do something.

Realistically, I was thinking about it last time I posted a prediction on these boards. I was trying to think of who on the Wings would score. And normally when you do that there are 2-3 safe players to pick. On Detroit right now, you could even pick a 4th liner and have a good chance of being right. I ran into a dilemma, and I thought OK St Louis has lost a lot of games. It's going to be close. I want to predict a 3-2 win. Then when I got around to thinking of who has high potential to score for Detroit, like 12 names came to mind. I clearly would look like a special ed student if I called a game of 12-2 though.

But getting 7-2 this game, is pretty freaking close as far as high scoring goes.

We're lucky. Detroit is a very talented team. Sure, no Ovechkin, and no Crosby, but damn......the overall....talent so far.

I like it. This Detroit team is surprising.

We're currently in 1st/2nd place in the conference I think. I have no doubt we're an a** kicking team.

Neverthless, counting on 4-goal outbursts to win you every game is unrealistic, regardless of if we're playing St. Louis, the Islanders, the Maple Leafs, or Walla Walla Washington.

On paper, probably should've taken this Blues team to school for the whole game and win by 4 or 5 without much of a sweat. Didn't happen that way though.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

We're currently in 1st/2nd place in the conference I think. I have no doubt we're an a** kicking team.

Neverthless, counting on 4-goal outbursts to win you every game is unrealistic, regardless of if we're playing St. Louis, the Islanders, the Maple Leafs, or Walla Walla Washington.

On paper, probably should've taken this Blues team to school for the whole game and win by 4 or 5 without much of a sweat. Didn't happen that way though.

Currently first overall in the West.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

We're currently in 1st/2nd place in the conference I think. I have no doubt we're an a** kicking team.

Neverthless, counting on 4-goal outbursts to win you every game is unrealistic, regardless of if we're playing St. Louis, the Islanders, the Maple Leafs, or Walla Walla Washington.

On paper, probably should've taken this Blues team to school for the whole game and win by 4 or 5 without much of a sweat. Didn't happen that way though.

Detroit was able to stay in a game against a team that simply wanted it more. Eventually the Blues' forechecking caused them to make some mistakes that cost them in the third, and the Wings got a win with a 4 goal differential.

It is one game. Detroit got the W and learned some things. If the team continues to win, I will be happy regardless.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Detroit was able to stay in a game against a team that simply wanted it more. Eventually the Blues' forechecking caused them to make some mistakes that cost them in the third, and the Wings got a win with a 4 goal differential.

It is one game. Detroit got the W and learned some things. If the team continues to win, I will be happy regardless.

At the end of the day, a W is a W.

[Theophany 110]

At the end of the day, a W is a W.

After last year, we should be thankful for how well this team has been playing and that there have been no serious injuries.

I keep reminding myself of that fact every time I see one of our guys under performing. Last year, we would have given pretty much anything just to see these guys on the ice instead of Eaves potentially being on the second line, Helm centering the third, etc.