What to do to beat the sharks

[McAwesome 754]

I say we dress Miller, and send him out there with one goal in mind: take out Joe Pavelski by any means necessary. Seriously, the guy dives enough, might as well give him a reason to flop around on the ice for real this time. Even if it means getting suspended, get that ugly soccer-playing pantywaist off the ice for as long as possible.

Seriously though, we should stack the top 3 lines something like this:

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary

Franzen-Filppula-Bertuzzi

Abdeklader-Helm-Eaves

and have a "4th line" that never plays as an even strength line:

Hudler-Draper/Miller-Holmstrom

Roll 3 lines and keep the 4th liners as situational players, put Hudler and Holmstrom out on power plays only, and have Draper or Miller kill penalties, but not much even strength unless you are subbing them on the other 3 lines to give someone else a breather.

[sandyeggo wingnut 19]

I say we dress Miller, and send him out there with one goal in mind: take out Joe Pavelski by any means necessary. Seriously, the guy dives enough, might as well give him a reason to flop around on the ice for real this time. Even if it means getting suspended, get that ugly soccer-playing pantywaist off the ice for as long as possible.

Seriously though, we should stack the top 3 lines something like this:

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary

Franzen-Filppula-Bertuzzi

Abdeklader-Helm-Eaves

and have a "4th line" that never plays as an even strength line:

Hudler-Draper/Miller-Holmstrom

Roll 3 lines and keep the 4th liners as situational players, put Hudler and Holmstrom out on power plays only, and have Draper or Miller kill penalties, but not much even strength unless you are subbing them on the other 3 lines to give someone else a breather.

Dude whatever your smokin I want some of it. Homer on the 4th line and PP only!?!? WTF?!?! (edit: this has to be a joke or shark fan )

Edited May 1, 2011 by sandyeggo wingnut

[Firehawk 305]

We need to hit them often like we did Phoenix. There was little to no hits given by the wings most of the game. I thought the wings came out good but after the first period they went to sleep. I don't really know why, but that's what it seemed like. They sat back way too much, they didn't forecheck hard, and that cost them precious offensive pressure time.

[Z and D for the C 712]

We lack break out quickness. Modano is one of the faster guys on the team, get him out there along with Draper over Miller and Hudler and maybe we can produce more offense. Nothing against Miller or Hudler, but I think we need more speed out there.

Hudler was one of the better wings on Friday. If you want someone replaced on the second line, make it Franzen.

[Liberation 11]

Blocking shots...

The Sharks had nearly 2x as many shots on net, but the Wings only blocked 21, but the Sharks blocked 27.

[YzerPucks19 4]

This series all comes down to Power Plays.

Last year vs the Sharks.

Wings were 2nd least pims in regular season.

Sharks 27 PP

Red Wings 15 PP

Again this season WINGS 4 least pims in regular season.

Game 1 Wings had 5 straight penalties. The WINGS got deflated.

Give the WINGS 5 straight Power Plays and they win.

[uncle ovipositor 6]

Homer on the 4th line and PP only!?!? WTF?!?! (edit: this has to be a joke or shark fan )

As a Sharks fan, I completely endorse these line changes.

Does anyone here honestly think that the Wings need to make some big line change to beat the Sharks? I mean, I can see distributing the talent across 3 lines in a pinch I guess, but for now keeping the top line together seems like it's going to yield better results. I mean, the D for the Wings is decent, and while I think the 2nd and 3rd lines for the Sharks have an advantage, the Wings' D can handle their own end okay once they calm down and shake off the rust. But top line against top line I think the odds favor Detroit. If these are going to be 1 goal games, that's enough of a difference. Dats and Z really can win this series - at least potentially.

Did I mention I'm a Sharks fan? Yeah? Look: there aren't going to be any easy wins in this series, and whichever team takes it is going to lose one or two. Maybe even 3. I'm not saying that was a great game by the Wings, but it wasn't an embarrassment - they were in it all the way through. Even if the Wings spotted the Sharks a game, this is still a series, and the Wings have every chance to make it out.

[Guest Crymson]

Babs:

The only mistake Babs made was to put Z and Dats in the same line. If you want to beat the Skarks you have to bring on the ice at least 3 balanced lines (remember the Skarks’ lineup).

Here my combination:

Franzen-D-Huds

Homer-Z-Cleary

Abdelkader-Flip-Berts

Helm-Draper-Eaves

Defense+Howie:

They gave us the opportunity to win the game

Forwards:

Lack of grit, net presence… It is mainly due to the fact explained above.

“Rusty factor”:

I’d prefer talking of what really happened on the ice instead of what could have been happened… Don’t you?

For next games:

Change the line and stop taking f****** penalties. If we play well nobody can stop us. Let’s hope for an improvement.

You forgot "start diving."

[Z and D for the C 712]

Even if the Wings spotted the Sharks a game, this is still a series, and the Wings have every chance to make it out.

NO. WE LOST ON A FLUKE OT GOAL AFTER LEADING 1-0 FOR 45 MINUTES. CHANGE. WE NEED CHANGE.

Edited May 1, 2011 by Z and D for the C

[McAwesome 754]

Dude whatever your smokin I want some of it. Homer on the 4th line and PP only!?!? WTF?!?! (edit: this has to be a joke or shark fan )

Neither a Sharks fan nor smoking anything, sorry to disappoint. I am simply repeating an opinion that has been stated by several others over the last 3 years or so that I have been reading these boards: Holmstrom is often a liability on the first line, especially when we are playing a team with bigger forwards necessitating more of a dump and chase approach. I'm not saying he is completely useless, no one in their right mind could honestly say that, but a lot of the time Homer's impact is less when we are chipping the puck in and having to go after it, he is better when Zetterberg or Datsyuk can carry the puck into the zone and he can head straight to his office. Based on what I saw in game 1, I feel that the Wings need to try playing more dump and chase, and the lines that I posted are what in my opinion suit that style better.

[wings_fanatic 677]

how is homer a liability on the first line?? The first line was the ONLY good line last game for the Wings, and homer was part of the success. Honestly it is amazing how quickly fans turn on players after ONE loss. I have beeen reading how Bert needs to sit, how Franzen needs to sit, Homer needs to be taken off the top line and so on. Did everyone forget how awesome Bert was last series? Or how tough Mule was? Fact of the matter is everyone has a bad game here and there and I am sure Bert and Mule and every forward not named Pavs, Hank, Homer or Hudler will be better today for game 2.

Also, if Homer is such a "liability" on the first line, then wouldn't he be even MORE of a liability on the 4th line?? I mean at least playing with Pavs and Hank he doesn't have to do much and Pavs and Hank are work horses that can make up for anyone's mistakes. Nonetheless, Homer has been fine this playoffs and when the wings win their game everyone will stop whining about Homer, Bert and so on.

[McAwesome 754]

I'm not turning on anyone, my last post was in defense of my first post which someone called out. What I said is that Homer CAN be a liability WHEN the play of the other team dictates a dump and chase style over a carry into the zone style, which I observed happening a lot last game.

You have a better idea, fine lets hear it, that's the point of this thread, isn't it?

[Broken 16 381]

I'm not turning on anyone, my last post was in defense of my first post which someone called out. What I said is that Homer CAN be a liability WHEN the play of the other team dictates a dump and chase style over a carry into the zone style, which I observed happening a lot last game.

You have a better idea, fine lets hear it, that's the point of this thread, isn't it?

Nuking lines and changing schemes seems a little over the top for a game one loss. The point is, you don't let the other team dictate play and force you to change your game plan. And to me, it didn't look like San Jose was dictating much. An amazing play and a pinball goal sandwiched between a couple highly questionable calls isn't enough reason for upheaval imo.

Edited May 1, 2011 by Broken 16

[wings_fanatic 677]

Yes as the poster above said, you do not go into panic mode and call for a ton of lines to be switched, players to sit out after ONE loss. It was one loss and it had nothing to do with the lines, but rather the lack of players not named Dats, Hank, Homer or Hudler trying. Babs changing lines won't fix that. AS fans we need to be less worried about the lines after the game 1 loss and more worried about players showing up for the full 60 minutes (and more if OT is needed).

So what do I propose? I propose we leave the lines the same (though I am a firm believer that Mike Modano should be in the line-up... he adds depth that the Sharks for sure cannot compete with). I propose that the players all show up ready and willing to do whatever it takes to get a W and tie this series up heading back to the Joe. I propose they play the Red Wings hockey that we all know and love... that will win us this series and eventually the Cup.