gdt 10/11/14 GDT: Game 2 | Ducks 3 @ Red Wings 2

[themcityblues 249]

Ericsson's play has been concerning

Yeah! All that time off threw a wrench into his game.

Edited October 13, 2014 by themcityblues

[Internet.Unknown 422]

2 games and no Cleary or Weiss! Awesome!!!!!!

Still rooting against a guy the Wings have signed for YEARS for MILLIONS. Makes no sense.

[wings4thecup06 504]

I like that kronwall addressed that he needs to stay on his feet there. The defense in general was a level better against the Bruins although DD has been nothing but solid both games. Ericsson's play has been concerning

So solid in fact that I have barely notices him in the first two games. Which always is a good thing.

I've been really impressed with lots of guys and just the overall team in general. Franzen has been the best for me thus far. Being physical, coming back defensively, making an effort every shift and actually setting up quite a few goals. Him with Z and Gus looked really good for the short time they've been put together. Once Datsyuk comes back I'd love to see the 3 of them stay together but we'll see what happens.

[joesuffP 1,746]

Nyquist is as exciting to watch as Datsyuk. I expect him to get a nice long term contract when the seasons over. It might be wise to try and sign him early before he puts up godly numbers

[Barrie 900]

I think Kronwall being stronger on his skates isn't the issue, any other time in the game Getzlaf gets called for hooking. It's typical NHL reffing inconsistency late in the 3rd period. One thing that drives me crazy about hockey is how much the officiating effects the outcome of the game. It's not like that in Baseball and Football. I wish it was something the NHL would address. The players should have the biggest effect on the outcome of a game, instead of the refs.

[Guest DeGraa55]

I think Kronwall being stronger on his skates isn't the issue, any other time in the game Getzlaf gets called for hooking. It's typical NHL reffing inconsistency late in the 3rd period. One thing that drives me crazy about hockey is how much the officiating effects the outcome of the game. It's not like that in Baseball and Football. I wish it was something the NHL would address. The players should have the biggest effect on the outcome of a game, instead of the refs.

And at the end of the end of the day the players did affect that outcome. Read the thread people have said everything that went wrong numerous times. A missed call was only one of many things. If any of kronwall Ericsson Howard and Franzen did something different things code been different regardless of a missed call.

But it's one game. Why are people so hung up on one game? It's an 82 game season and whether people like it or not. Calls will go our way as well as against us. And over 82 games it's usually balanced out.

[Richdg 267]

Still rooting against a guy the Wings have signed for YEARS for MILLIONS. Makes no sense.

Rooting against? No. Wanting to see our best players play every game they can? Yes. It isn't my fault that Holland signed a overrated always hurt player. The new trend here is Babcock is doing what he has been saying: The best play regardless of age/contract status/experience etc..... That is something everyone should be excited about!

[Dave 324]

Rooting against? No. Wanting to see our best players play every game they can? Yes. It isn't my fault that Holland signed a overrated always hurt player. The new trend here is Babcock is doing what he has been saying: The best play regardless of age/contract status/experience etc..... That is something everyone should be excited about!

He's only played 26 games as a Red Wing.....26. Again, he's only played 26 games as a Red Wing. I can't imagine why anyone has written him off after only ~32% of a single season. It's just utter nonsense.

[AndrewK80 39]

"But it's one game. Why are people so hung up on one game?"

Remember 6 months ago when we barely made the playoffs? Every game matters.

2 points in October count as much as 2 points in April.

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

"But it's one game. Why are people so hung up on one game?"

Remember 6 months ago when we barely made the playoffs? Every game matters.

2 points in October count as much as 2 points in April.

I disagree with this statement and here's why. Both games we played against 2 top 10 teams in the NHL and we outplayed both of them, not to mention we haven't looked this good (small sample size) since 2009. We have a perfect blend of elite players, mixed with up and coming kids, and the 4th line is playing fantastic and causing havoc.

Our D have been pinching in and making good plays, which hasn't been done since Rafalski, Lids, Kronner and Stuart days. We are fine, it's only 2 games into the season and I say that will full confidence. We aren't going 82-0.

[kliq 3,763]

Rooting against? No. Wanting to see our best players play every game they can? Yes. It isn't my fault that Holland signed a overrated always hurt player. The new trend here is Babcock is doing what he has been saying: The best play regardless of age/contract status/experience etc..... That is something everyone should be excited about!

Between 2006-2012 Weiss never played less then 74 games in a year. In 2013 he did miss half the season, but with a broken wrist which is not an injury you need to worry about following you moving forward. When Holland signed him he was not injury prone, sure he missed a couple games here and there, but other then the wrist thing he didnt miss significant time for years. Nobody could have predicted he would have the groin issue he has last year.

[Euro_Twins 4,485]

Between 2006-2012 Weiss never played less then 74 games in a year. In 2013 he did miss half the season, but with a broken wrist which is not an injury you need to worry about following you moving forward. When Holland signed him he was not injury prone, sure he missed a couple games here and there, but other then the wrist thing he didnt miss significant time for years. Nobody could have predicted he would have the groin issue he has last year.

We could have predicted that a non wing brought in from the outside would be in babs doghouse to start the year though.

[toby91_ca 620]

I'm not complaining too much about the Getzlaf goal, I'm more upset with Kronwall than the refs. I know if the reverse happened and the refs called a penalty on Detroit, I'd be complaining a bit....one hand reach with the stick, barely makes contact...no call as far as I'm concerned, but would still complain about it because it's against Detroit...that's the bias.

The other thing to consider is the goal Detroit shouldn't have gotten earlier when Franzen failed to clear the zone (unless I'm missing something) - clear offside on the Glendening goal...shouldn't have been 2-2 at that point anyway.

[kipwinger 8,755]

I'm not complaining too much about the Getzlaf goal, I'm more upset with Kronwall than the refs. I know if the reverse happened and the refs called a penalty on Detroit, I'd be complaining a bit....one hand reach with the stick, barely makes contact...no call as far as I'm concerned, but would still complain about it because it's against Detroit...that's the bias.

The other thing to consider is the goal Detroit shouldn't have gotten earlier when Franzen failed to clear the zone (unless I'm missing something) - clear offside on the Glendening goal...shouldn't have been 2-2 at that point anyway.

It's an easy play to get incensed about because it was the game winner and it was there was a questionable no call. But, truth be told it was flukey and it'll even out at some point. Much more troubling to me were the two seemingly routine plays that ended up in the back of our net. Howard and Smith's turnovers were both due to an inability to handle the forecheck effectively. It's a problem we had last year too. Babs needs to get that sorted out pronto, because unlike flukey no-calls, and defensemen toe picks, this problem is likely to repeat itself over and over as other teams realize the best way to beat Detroit is to forecheck the hell out of us.

[Ekmanc 586]

this problem is likely to repeat itself over and over as other teams realize the best way to beat Detroit is to forecheck the hell out of us.

But in all fairness isn't that the best way to beat pretty much any team?

[kipwinger 8,755]

But in all fairness isn't that the best way to beat pretty much any team?

Maybe, but if you transition well then teams generally won't forecheck as hard for fear of giving up odd man rushes. Our defense doesn't get the puck up very well, so teams don't have to worry about laying back. They seem to press hard knowing that they're not going to get burnt deep.

And even if that's the same game plan everyone has, we seem to be especially susceptible to it for a couple of seasons now.

[Ekmanc 586]

Yeah pretty much all except for the most elite defenders have issues when forechecked hard.

[kipwinger 8,755]

Yeah pretty much all except for the most elite defenders have issues when forechecked hard.

I don't think so. Not every team has an elite defenseman, and yet we don't ever seem to create goals by forechecking other teams hard. We've got pretty good forecheckers. Remember Helm giving Jovanovski fits a few years back? If it was the Achilles heel of pretty much every defender on every team I'd expect to see some positive results for our team. But I suspect we don't forecheck hard because that would increase the likelihood that teams (not all of whom have anything close to elite defensemen) would create offense going the other way...and our defensemen aren't good enough to deal with a steady diet of odd man rushes. Teams do it to us for the same reason we don't do it to them. Their defensemen are better than ours.

[joesuffP 1,746]

Part of the responsibility is on the forwards as well. I watch LA and they'll make 3-4 quick passes in the defensive zone and then fire up the outlet. Look and recognize the safe play that will give you space. Forwards have to be back as an option. Puck support in all three zones

To be honest I don't think we've been that bad. Smith's play was just a brain fart, an attempted quick pass for a forward but nobody was supporting. Howard had plenty of time and Kronwall just has to stay on his feet. We had time to make a play just goofed it

I do agree we don't handle a tough forecheck well. You can tell the wings are playing well when they're making those quick one touch passes to break down the forecheck. They made a lot of smart plays like that against Boston, not so much against Anaheim