3/24 GDT : Coyotes 5 at Red Wings 4 (OT)

[chaps80 1,591]

Of course the Wings are the team the Coyotes end their 8 game losing streak against.

I now see that Cole left the game with an upper body injury and Kronwall did'nt play due to a lower body injury. Just great.

Just watched the OT goal. Essensa could have stopped that with his eyes closed.

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

It's tough after a bad loss to come on here and have to scroll through the same crap game after game.

And counting.

Yes it is.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

This needs to be a dominating win

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

It's tough after a bad loss to come on here and have to scroll through the same crap game after game.

And counting.

I have to ask then...Why do it? =)

Whats even more tough is no one willing to talk about the elephant in the room in fear that the LGW mafia will get them.=)

Im going om u te krijgen

Edited March 25, 2015 by hillbillywingsfan

[wings87 1,290]

I have to ask then...Why do it? =)

Whats even more tough is no one willing to talk about the elephant in the room in fear that the LGW mafia will get them.=)

Im going om u te krijgen

To answer your question I come here to talk Red Wing hockey.

The fact is I didn't name any posters by name, so if anyone took offense to my fairly benign comment. That's their own s***,

I'm assuming by the elephant in the room you mean Howard? Although to me it's surprising that you feel noone wants to discuss him, since it feels like we've been discussing him since before dinosaurs ruled the earth. I'll give you that some posters have become overly protective of him, but some posters have become overly critical as well. But things like that fuel discussions, which is what a message board is supposed to do. Some other posters come on here not to rationally discuss anything just to vent frustration and start s***. Saying crap like Howard sucks replace him, means nothing. Who are we replacing him with? Is Quick hiding behind the cooler somewhere? Our best bet to replace him is an equally inconsistent rookie goalie. Who if he starts to struggle will be pissed on just as much as Howard. What then? Nah what ails this team the most is not Howards inconsistency (it doesn't help of course) but the fact that the team D is atrocious, that and the fact that unless the PP is involved the team can't score.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

To answer your question I come here to talk Red Wing hockey.

The fact is I didn't name any posters by name, so if anyone took offense to my fairly benign comment. That's their own s***,

I'm assuming by the elephant in the room you mean Howard? Although to me it's surprising that you feel noone wants to discuss him, since it feels like we've been discussing him since before dinosaurs ruled the earth. I'll give you that some posters have become overly protective of him, but some posters have become overly critical as well. But things like that fuel discussions, which is what a message board is supposed to do. Some other posters come on here not to rationally discuss anything just to vent frustration and start s***. Saying crap like Howard sucks replace him, means nothing. Who are we replacing him with? Is Quick hiding behind the cooler somewhere? Our best bet to replace him is an equally inconsistent rookie goalie. Who if he starts to struggle will be pissed on just as much as Howard. What then? Nah what ails this team the most is not Howards inconsistency (it doesn't help of course) but the fact that the team D is atrocious, that and the fact that unless the PP is involved the team can't score.

It looked that way.

Lets not be so passive aggressive. Name names. haha Would make it much better in here.

Edited March 25, 2015 by hillbillywingsfan

[ami 273]

is that a tendency or what? for the last 10 or 12 games, commercials after half of the second period seem more entertaining than the ******* wings game...

[Andy Pred 48 337]

I think because of Howard's $5.2m contract the vast majority of posters expect him to play lights out every game. Deep down we all know that ain't gonna be the case but it's the too frequent times he does have poor games that gets to the fan base. 5 goals on 22 shots is bad enough against an elite team but to give that effort versus the Coyotes is hard to take. It's not Howard's fault he got paid the money he has that lies elsewhere but it has put a lot of pressure on him to be an elite net minder and his talent isn't at that level.

The plus side of this game is although it was brutal in the result and goals conceded we came out of it with a point which puts us 3 games clear of Boston with ten to play.

Edited March 25, 2015 by Andy Pred 48

[wings_fanatic 677]

Howard did not earn his money last season and is now not earning his money this season. Without Pete, we wouldn't be in a playoffs spot right now because we have not been good since he was playing while Jimmy was out and it was Pete winning us games. Jimmy has been so inconsistent that it is not even funny. The goals he gave up last night were laughable and he was the reason we lost that game. There is no denying that. He is not a terrible goalie, but he lacks consistency and he is hurting the Wings right now. If I am Babcock I would sit Jimmy for now and play Pete. If Pete plays good keep playing him. The team always plays more confident in front of Pete and they move the puck out easier too because of his puck ability. Simply put if Jimmy Howard starts for us in the playoffs if he is as he is now, we lose in 4 games. We have 10 games left and I am tired of betting on Jimmy to be consistent.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

Howard did not earn his money last season and is now not earning his money this season. Without Pete, we wouldn't be in a playoffs spot right now because we have not been good since he was playing while Jimmy was out and it was Pete winning us games. Jimmy has been so inconsistent that it is not even funny. The goals he gave up last night were laughable and he was the reason we lost that game. There is no denying that. He is not a terrible goalie, but he lacks consistency and he is hurting the Wings right now. If I am Babcock I would sit Jimmy for now and play Pete. If Pete plays good keep playing him. The team always plays more confident in front of Pete and they move the puck out easier too because of his puck ability. Simply put if Jimmy Howard starts for us in the playoffs if he is as he is now, we lose in 4 games. We have 10 games left and I am tired of betting on Jimmy to be consistent.

Petr is that you?

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Good god that Howard versus Mrazek discussion is so annoying.

Fact is that ever so good kid has had a bad stretch in his last games before being sent down, also he didn't play that well in his last game. Yeah sure - if this team makes the playoffs - go into it with a streaky rookie who is either hot or playing bad that's for sure a receipt for success.

Howard hasn't been himself but the team as a whole is streaky, they either win a lot or lose a lot and this can't be soley blamed on the goalie. Is Howard elite ? Hardly he is a good goalie and in my mind a better one than that overrated Mrazek.

but man I should stop expecting 2 points against weaker opponents this team simply is too streaky..

[RusDRW 155]

Howard is the only reason we lost tonight.

[DRW Dominance 255]

i really don' believe it matters if ottawa leapfrogs us or not. it's too late to get a high pick so me might as well continue the streak. but i don't think it matters who we play in the first round. at this current state we ain't beatin' no one. hopefully that changes in the next 3 weeks.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

Good god that Howard versus Mrazek discussion is so annoying. Fact is that ever so good kid has had a bad stretch in his last games before being sent down, also he didn't play that well in his last game. Yeah sure - if this team makes the playoffs - go into it with a streaky rookie who is either hot or playing bad that's for sure a receipt for success. Howard hasn't been himself but the team as a whole is streaky, they either win a lot or lose a lot and this can't be soley blamed on the goalie. Is Howard elite ? Hardly he is a good goalie and in my mind a better one than that overrated Mrazek. but man I should stop expecting 2 points against weaker opponents this team simply is too streaky..

Overrated? He's hardly played in the NHL and is a ROOKIE! Some people just don't get it. .

[GoWings1905 2,694]

I think Mrazek should definitely start on Thursday and then you go from there. If the Wings make the playoffs, I still believe Howard starts Game 1, but more importantly they need to get there first.

Edited March 25, 2015 by GoWings1905

[MrazekFanBoy 223]

Not not really I'm pretty sure Mrazek could've won at least half those shootouts and games, Howard has lost a lot of points for us.

To answer your question I come here to talk Red Wing hockey.

The fact is I didn't name any posters by name, so if anyone took offense to my fairly benign comment. That's their own s***,

I'm assuming by the elephant in the room you mean Howard? Although to me it's surprising that you feel noone wants to discuss him, since it feels like we've been discussing him since before dinosaurs ruled the earth. I'll give you that some posters have become overly protective of him, but some posters have become overly critical as well. But things like that fuel discussions, which is what a message board is supposed to do. Some other posters come on here not to rationally discuss anything just to vent frustration and start s***. Saying crap like Howard sucks replace him, means nothing. Who are we replacing him with? Is Quick hiding behind the cooler somewhere? Our best bet to replace him is an equally inconsistent rookie goalie. Who if he starts to struggle will be pissed on just as much as Howard. What then? Nah what ails this team the most is not Howards inconsistency (it doesn't help of course) but the fact that the team D is atrocious, that and the fact that unless the PP is involved the team can't score.

Stop comparing them Mrazek is way more consistent look at the win column...

[MrazekFanBoy 223]

He's a rookie who has a better winning percentage than your starter but I guess he's just as inconsistent? He had one bad stretch so what, how many has Howard had? And no you can't just put them blame on Mrazek for that stretch because when Jimmy does it it's the team, the team wasn't playing good during that stretch either nimrod.

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

I hope it's Mrazek tomorrow night (I already have him starting via my first game day thread tomorrow)

[kipwinger 8,521]

Sooooo, what the hell is going on with the Red Wings anyway?

[wingfan1991 221]

Howard blew it last night. All on him this one.

[nawein 324]

Sooooo, what the hell is going on with the Red Wings anyway?

My theory is we got too many points too quickly. A few weeks ago we were locks for the playoffs and battling for the top spot in the east. For the first time in a few years we weren't battling for our playoff lives for the entire season. We started to relax because we were definitely going to make the playoffs. Then we relaxed more. Now we can't seem to get it going again. It'll come. Hopefully.

[Rivalred 630]

Smith for Vezina tonight

Smith for Oscar

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

He's a rookie who has a better winning percentage than your starter but I guess he's just as inconsistent? He had one bad stretch so what, how many has Howard had? And no you can't just put them blame on Mrazek for that stretch because when Jimmy does it it's the team, the team wasn't playing good during that stretch either nimrod.

To be fair, winning percent has nothing to do with a goalie stats.

[kipwinger 8,521]

I'm completely perplexed by all of this right now. Sure our goalie isn't playing great. Sure our defense isn't spectacular. I completely get that. But is our defense any worse than Pittsburgh, or Ottawa, or Vancouver, or Minnesota? Is our goalie worse than Winnipeg or Calgary? I mean, what confuses me is why we're falling off a cliff right now. If we were just a mediocre team, I'd get it. But mediocre teams are playing more consistently than we are. We've got the same weaknesses as every other mediocre team, but they're staying the same or trending up, and we are in a tailspin at a time in the season when you want to be heating up. We added a 20 goal scorer, a 30+ point defenseman, and they're both playing great...yet somehow we're worse off for it. How does that happen?

[mvanpop 98]

I'm completely perplexed by all of this right now. Sure our goalie isn't playing great. Sure our defense isn't spectacular. I completely get that. But is our defense any worse than Pittsburgh, or Ottawa, or Vancouver, or Minnesota? Is our goalie worse than Winnipeg or Calgary? I mean, what confuses me is why we're falling off a cliff right now. If we were just a mediocre team, I'd get it. But mediocre teams are playing more consistently than we are. We've got the same weaknesses as every other mediocre team, but they're staying the same or trending up, and we are in a tailspin at a time in the season when you want to be heating up. We added a 20 goal scorer, a 30+ point defenseman, and they're both playing great...yet somehow we're worse off for it. How does that happen?

It could be that other teams have figured out how to shut us down or maybe their simply playing better than us. Last night could've been a great chance for a solid win for Howard and everyone else to gain confidence and get back their game. That didn't happen by a long shot so we'll have to try again next game.