GDT 3/27 GDT - Canadiens 5 vs. Red Wings 4

[b.shanafan14 733]

In the last 18 games, Howard has 10 sub-.900 save percentage performances. Of those 10, 9 resulted in a loss, including the last 3 games. His goals-against over the last 18 games is 3.333 per game.

Is his defense crap? Yes, but at what point do we stop making excuses for him and accept that if you are going to be a good goaltender, you have to make the difficult saves, especially at crucial points in the game. As I've said elsewhere, he allows his glove hand to dip, resulting in two goals tonight, his rebound control is as bad as its ever been (which is really saying something with Howard), and the way he has been the last few games reminds me of his early season stretch of awfulness. By the the second goal you could read in his body language that he was feeling sorry for himself. He looks lethargic at times and he is allowing back-breaking goals.

Is the problem honestly that this injury-depleted team can't score an average of 4+ goals per game to win? Bad as our defense has been, Howard has been just as bad, and getting worse.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

What did babs say exactly??

Ya I don't really like our chances now. At all actually

I don't either, but who knows with this team. Columbus and Washington appear to have easier schedules than the Wings and the Leafs are in a freefall, but the game on Saturday could change that.

They have given away so many points through the course of the season, you just feel like that is ultimately going to be their undoing at the end.

Edited March 28, 2014 by GoWings1905

[RedWang 422]

Man St.Louis is good. Just manhandling Minnesota. I hope they win the cup. A talented young team with a great sports city.

[Nyquistfan14 489]

I don't either, but who knows with this team. Columbus and Washington appear to have easier schedules than the Wings and the Leafs are in a freefall, but the game on Saturday could change that.

They have given away so many points through the course of the season, you just feel like they is ultimately going to be their undoing at the end.

This team just allows so many deflating goals. It's honestly scary how much they let in

[wings87 1,290]

No one person is responsible for this loss, everybody sucked defensively.

Edited March 28, 2014 by wings87

[RedWang 422]

In the last 18 games, Howard has 10 sub-.900 save percentage performances. Of those 10, 9 resulted in a loss, including the last 3 games. His goals-against over the last 18 games is 3.333 per game.

Is his defense crap? Yes, but at what point do we stop making excuses for him and accept that if you are going to be a good goaltender, you have to make the difficult saves, especially at crucial points in the game. As I've said elsewhere, he allows his glove hand to dip, resulting in two goals tonight, his rebound control is as bad as its ever been (which is really saying something with Howard), and the way he has been the last few games reminds me of his early season stretch of awfulness. By the the second goal you could read in his body language that he was feeling sorry for himself. He looks lethargic at times and he is allowing back-breaking goals.

Is the problem honestly that this injury-depleted team can't score an average of 4+ goals per game to win? Bad as our defense has been, Howard has been just as bad, and getting worse.

Also, thankyou for being the voice of reason. Everyone loves to blindly defend Jimmy just because hes our goalie.

[trule23 119]

Shame on nyquist for not having another two goal game, we should trade him for another rental next year. go holland

[LeftWinger 4,949]

couldn't watch the game, was on the road, my satellite radio is being borrowed by Uncle Fritz. Haven't read this thread, but I gather by a few of the posts I read, jimmy s*** the bed again. Go figure. I am sure Q screwed up a few times and Franzen floated most the game. Lets hope with his one goal tonight, he starts another 6 game streak of scoring. I don't like him, but we need someone else other than the kids scoring...

Also, thankyou for being the voice of reason. Everyone loves to blindly defend Jimmy just because hes our goalie.

not everyone....

[Holmstrom96 347]

We're screwed.

[kylee 727]

I hope we can somehow manage to get in 7th place for the playoffs because if we finish in 8th Boston is going to obliterate us.

[RedWingsRox 614]

Judging from boxscore ... Howie has got to keep us in it ... sorry, he has to do better than 5 goals.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

Man St.Louis is good. Just manhandling Minnesota. I hope they win the cup. A talented young team with a great sports city.

LOL.

Half the town doesn't know they have a football team and their hockey fans are arrogant pricks always bragging about their team, which has won zero Stanley Cup Finals games in 45+ years of existence.

It's a baseball town. That's it.

[RedWingsRox 614]

Only thing that might make me feel better is if Canucks lose tonight.

[MPT 18]

The Howard-bashing needs to stop. He certainly hasn't looked great this season, but his track record (especially in the playoffs) should give him the benefit of the doubt. He made some amazing saves tonight despite his defense ending up out of position on almost every play. The first goal was broken coverage that gave Plekanec an open shot from the slot. This was probably one that Howard could have stopped, but good shooters score from there all the time. The second was a horrendous turnover in the neutral zone that resulted in a perfectly executed 3-on-2. The third occurred after a blatant interference non-call and was a screened shot with eyes that probably even shocked Desharnais when it went into the net. Number four went off Kronwall; no goalie can stop deflected shots unless they get deflected right into them. Number five was another blown coverage and another deflection that Howard had no chance of saving.

If you want to blame someone for Howard's save percentage, blame our defense.

[b.shanafan14 733]

The team absolutely needs a new philosophy and identity.

Holland keeps bringing in players to try to tweak the Red Wings machine and keep it running for another year, but it stopped working a few seasons ago.

This offseason they can shed a lot of dead weight and have a big opportunity to change the philosophy and identity of this team.

Babcock is the best coach in the business. I disagree with a lot of what he does, but lately in interviews, I get the sense that the change in philosophy and identity can come with Babcock still in place. The way he has been handling these kids and the injury replacements this season has been stellar in my opinion.

Holland is much more of a problem than Babs is. If Holland stops clinging to the old guard (see Cleary, Bertuzzi), and seeing what we can do with our young prospects, allows the kids to take a larger role, I think we could be primed for another run in the next few years. Holland needs to stop signing these after-thoughts and "bargain" players. If there isn't a perfect fit on the market or big worthy acquisition, I'd rather see bigger roles for young players in our organization already. We are starting to see our prospects mature, with more and more bubble players that just need a chance.

Mind you, I'm not condoning Holland's "injured players as 'deadline' acquisitions" or "forcing 3rd-line grinding winger onto the 1st line means we got our new top-6 guy" bullsh*t. I'm saying I'd rather bring in a young bubble player in coming years rather than signing plug after plug for the sake of filling roster space. If we continue to incrementally bring in our young guys and supplement them with only actual good fit or big impact signings, I can see Babcock's coaching get new life in the coming years while remaining with the Wings.

[Euro_Twins 4,475]

How about Greg Amadio?

Lol he isn't even very good in the ahl and he's 32

[Nyquistfan14 489]

Jurco better start the year in detroit next season

[wings87 1,290]

Also, thankyou for being the voice of reason. Everyone loves to blindly defend Jimmy just because hes our goalie.

I'm not blind... Damn it where did I put my glasses...

We're screwed.

I vote this as our new motto.

[b.shanafan14 733]

The Howard-bashing needs to stop. He certainly hasn't looked great this season, but his track record (especially in the playoffs) should give him the benefit of the doubt. He made some amazing saves tonight despite his defense ending up out of position on almost every play. The first goal was broken coverage that gave Plekanec an open shot from the slot. This was probably one that Howard could have stopped, but good shooters score from there all the time. The second was a horrendous turnover in the neutral zone that resulted in a perfectly executed 3-on-2. The third occurred after a blatant interference non-call and was a screened shot with eyes that probably even shocked Desharnais when it went into the net. Number four went off Kronwall; no goalie can stop deflected shots unless they get deflected right into them. Number five was another blown coverage and another deflection that Howard had no chance of saving.

If you want to blame someone for Howard's save percentage, blame our defense.

Is it Howard-bashing to say that Howard hasn't played well? He hasn't. Its nothing personal, but the fact remains that the stats are crap and the anyone that watches the game can see he isn't tracking pucks well, his glove has been wavering, his rebound control is non-existent, and his body language after goals doesn't instill confidence.

Every game we can do the postmortem on each goal and find a screen, or a bounce, or a "good shot". When we end up blaming zero goals on the goaltender who is routinely letting in 3-5 goals, you might have to look at your own objectivity. I'm not saying every goal is Howard's fault. I'm saying the trend is that he lets in a lot of goals at the worst possible time and he needs to own that as much, if not more than our crappy defense.

[SimonSin 192]

Jurco better start the year in detroit next season

I think he will. What are the chances we keep all these young guns? Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan and Jurco. Do you think we can afford all four when they're up for free agency?

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

We better win Saturday and hope for a caps loss tomorrow or I don't think things are gonna end well

So pissed off with tonight's game

[RedWang 422]

LOL.

Half the town doesn't know they have a football team and their hockey fans are arrogant pricks always bragging about their team, which has won zero Stanley Cup Finals games in 45+ years of existence.

It's a baseball town. That's it.

Fair enough. Still would much rather them win that boston, chi, La etc..

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

I think he will. What are the chances we keep all these young guns? Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan and Jurco. Do you think we can afford all four when they're up for free agency?

I think personally there's almost no chance jurco starts it'll be another nyquist situation as this year .... Check the lineups we'd have especially if we got weiss and legwand ... Jurco will start at Grand Rapids

And holland has to get Tatar and nyquist locked up at cap friendly type deals like he did with kronwall prior

As awesome as they've been of late we can argue they didn't do it for a full season let alone a few so I'm hoping we can get nyquist maybe for 4 per for 5 yrs and Tatar 5 yrs at 3-4 closer to 3

Edited March 28, 2014 by nyqvististhefuture

[Nyquistfan14 489]

I think he will. What are the chances we keep all these young guns? Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan and Jurco. Do you think we can afford all four when they're up for free agency?

I hope so because we are going to need them. They are the future. Need defense badly

[wings_fanatic 677]

I don't care what numbers your looking at jimmy is not good enough this year plain and simple. Tn was not his fault but eventually he has to make saves to win games. We tie it 3 to 3 and they score right after. I don't care if it deflected. How come king Henrik and Rask and even bernier can consistently make timely saves even with deflections? That's a point in the game where he simply has to find a way to save it. Tatar even said that was a let down when it went in.