gdt ECQF Game 3 Post-GDT: at Red Wings 2, Tampa Bay 0

[Jacksoni 418]

Luke Glendening was great. First star of the game if you ask me.

Smith good, Mrazek good. It's scary how aggressive he plays, he's out 10 feet from the net at times.

If Glenny can't perform as well in the next game we are going down.

As a side note Zetterberg exceeded 3 miles per hour in this game. Not by much but I haven't seen him this "fast" for about a year.

[marcaractac 3,963]

Exactly. Pressure is not Jimmy Howard's friend it seems.

Truth. The key for Mrazek was to get out of the first period unscathed. The team did a great job helping him out. Hopefully that has his confidence rolling again as he has definitely had some rest.

Luke Glendening was great. First star of the game if you ask me.

Smith good, Mrazek good. It's scary how aggressive he plays, he's out 10 feet from the net at times.

If Glenny can't perform as well in the next game we are going down.

As a side note Zetterberg exceeded 3 miles per hour in this game. Not by much but I haven't seen him this "fast" for about a year.

Backhand Jesus was a beast all night.

Hank and Goose have always played well together. I'm actually surprised it has taken this long for them to be reunited.

[VM1138 1,921]

I'm not going to all of a sudden claim to be on the Smith bandwagon, but he proved why he belongs playing. I'll take him over KFQ or Ericsson all day. This is also why he may generate some interest in trade. Like I said, he should be in over E and now it seems over KFQ, but if you aren't going to play him all the time, trade him. He needs to play.

Smith can't keep it up. He almost made a boneheaded move that could have given Tampa momentum, but Mrazek physically restrained him because he knows how much of a hothead Smith is.

He did have a good game, I just seriously doubt he can keep it up.

[brett 1,029]

smith addition was good. i thought he played well

abs glen sheahan really pissed off the johnson line it was awesome.

like i said theyre a one line team shut that line down and you win

they crashed the net. love it. dirty goals love it

on the other hand i think game 4 will be a completely different game and well go back to our ways

[gcom007 1,465]

Smith can't keep it up. He almost made a boneheaded move that could have given Tampa momentum, but Mrazek physically restrained him because he knows how much of a hothead Smith is.

He did have a good game, I just seriously doubt he can keep it up.

Ha. That might have been Mrazek's best save of the night though.

[VM1138 1,921]

This is my prediction for the rest of the series, but first a disclaimer...

Anyone who has been around here for a while knows i'm always the positive one, i'm rarely negative, I always have faith in this team, I always predict they win and move on and drive forward. I've been watching this team for a very, long time, and this is going to be a first for me. You have been warned.

I think this was a bit of a fluke. Granted, Mrazek came in and played a good game for us tonight, but I am not confident at all going forward in this series. Knowing what I know and seeing what i've seen, this is how I see the rest of this series playing out.

Game 4 we get beat, bad. Like 5-0 or 6-1 bad. Just when we win a game, we get a bit excited, start thinking "We won one game, we win the next and it's a 2-2 series and back to a best of 3". They have a victory and fill us with a bit more confidence, that they can play hard, play with energy all game, and get a win against a team we aren't favored against. And then they move on to the next and just get embarrassed.

Game 5 is a bit of a tease, maybe we start off down 1-0 or 2-0 and come back to tie it up, late in the first or early in the 2nd. Then the rest of the game we are shown why we aren't a team that is going beyond the first round, any ounce of hope is pulled away. They go up by a goal, we eventually tie it, followed by another opposition goal within two minutes flattening our hopes once again. We drop the game 5-3 or 5-4, outplayed most of the way, and pretty much put in our place and reminded why we likely shouldn't have gotten a spot in the playoffs to begin with.

I'm just being a realist and logical, we are in a somewhat of a rebuild, a lot of younger players given the chance but not used properly or enough on the ice. There is too much reliance on the veterans who have lost step, and aren't able to play a full series at full effort because they are past their prime, yet are still expected to play like they are 28 while robbing time from the guys who have earned it, deserve it, and should be out there winning games for us.

I don't want to come off as cynical here, because that isn't me at all, but it's truly how I feel as a fan right now and what my expectations for the rest of the series are. I really, really hope they prove me wrong, but i've gotten my hopes up as the underdog way too many times and been disappointed at the end. Maybe a different approach will send some vibes to the team and they really pull this off, but i'm not holding my breath nearly as long this year.

Still love this team and the direction it's going, but I've lost confidence and am ready for our youngsters to be used properly and the next phase of this team to begin dominating the NHL once again.

You aren't being negative. That's the pattern they've established many times this year. There's no reason to expect the Wings to string together four wins in five. They haven't shown consistency all year.

It was a good game, though.

[motorcitykid 42]

To see Konstantinov at the gate .... what could've been if not for that limo ride. What could've been.

And what a spark Smith bought to the lineup. A year ago we were running him out of town.

Biggest concern going forward is the line match ups. Blashill needs to keep rolling those lines tomorrow.

AA still can't get more minutes though huh

Only complaints is the PP and people still not crashing the net.

But that Abby line NEEDS TO STAY TOGETHER!!!!

Tomorrow we will we see how serious this team is. Anything less than what they gave tonight and they were all just playing games.

No way Tampa of 2016 is head and shoulders above us. So LETS DO THIS!!!

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

Maybe he was just keeping it quiet? No need to let the opposing team know your plans. Maybe not though, but you gotta think he can't be THAT stupid not to know AA deserves more ice time.

I was reffering to him saying he wasn't an "elite" player in the AHL and isn't one in the NHL. So, no he isn't--yet, but you don't say that to the press--sheesh.

In my mind, the fans at the Joe should have received the first star, they were awesome!

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

Anyone at the end of the game see the fan throw the beer at Boyle in the scuffle?

[VM1138 1,921]

It's still concerning that we only scored two goals in a game we dominated. We need to capitalize on at least one power play a game.

[puckloo39 5,686]

Abby on a line with Glenny and Sheahan was a stroke of genius on Blashill's part. The TB magic triplet line - Johnson, Killorn and Kuchie-Kuchie - got ZERO shots on goal in Game 3. That line scored 7 (seven) goals in the first two games. Abby is the key.

LGRW,!! do it again tomorrow night, boyz!!

[amato 3,210]

Last change is the key but yeah that shutdown line was fantastic. Just gotta find a way to get them out there against "the triplets" as often as possible playing at Tampa and we should win this thing.

Edited April 18, 2016 by amato

[puckloo39 5,686]

Anyone at the end of the game see the fan throw the beer at Boyle in the scuffle?

wasted an $8 beer, but yeah. LOL~ And Boyle's chicken dance made me laugh. More fuel for the Big Red Wing Machine...

[kickazz 5,459]

Truth. The key for Mrazek was to get out of the first period unscathed. The team did a great job helping him out. Hopefully that has his confidence rolling again as he has definitely had some rest.

Backhand Jesus was a beast all night.

Hank and Goose have always played well together. I'm actually surprised it has taken this long for them to be reunited.

They were reunited a few times this year but Nyquist was terrible in those times.

[plopster 136]

Just out of curiosity, and I'm only asking because I'm

Still trying to figure out how they're seeding the post season and assigning opponents with the new conferences, but if the wings pull off the miracle and the islanders knock off the Panthers and the caps and pens win, who would Detroit play?

Edited April 18, 2016 by plopster

[kickazz 5,459]

Just out of curiosity, and I'm only asking because I'm

Still trying to figure out how they're seeding the post season and assigning opponents with the new conferences, but if the wings pull off the miracle and the islanders knock off the Panthers and the caps and pens win, who would Detroit play?

They don't reseed its a standard bracket. Next up is either NYI or Panthers.

[Aethernum 276]

Just out of curiosity, and I'm only asking because I'm

Still trying to figure out how they're seeding the post season and assigning opponents with the new conferences, but if the wings pull off the miracle and the islanders knock off the Panthers and the caps and pens win, who would Detroit play?

I am confused on this point, too. I always thought it was the team with the most points played the team with the fewest points - so in your scenario we would play Washington. However, with the NHL Bracket Challenge thing going on, it has us playing the winner of the Islanders/Florida series no matter what. Then we would play the winner of Pens/Washington.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I am confused on this point, too. I always thought it was the team with the most points played the team with the fewest points - so in your scenario we would play Washington. However, with the NHL Bracket Challenge thing going on, it has us playing the winner of the Islanders/Florida series no matter what. Then we would play the winner of Pens/Washington.

After last night's win, I'm asking myself who're we're going to the play in the Finals this year?

[LeftWinger 4,961]

[13dangledangle 965]

I have to agree that the most likely outcome is back to their usual lack luster play, bone head give aways at the very worst times to the very worst players etc...BUT I couldn't help but think at some point this year they have to put two of these games back to back-I mean theyve only played this good twice that Ive seen but hopefully they keep it going.

[xtrememachine1 795]

It was nice to see some intensity from our guys. Something we haven't really seen since our last game at the Joe against Philly. I don't know who this Brendan Smith is, but I like him A LOT more than the other Brendan Smith we had earlier in the year. Mrazek got the shutout, which is great, but I feel like the defense had more to do with it than him. He seemed shaky at times and the defense bailed him out. Yes, I would have liked to seen more goals, but if you're giving up zero goals and only 16 shots, I'll take that over a ton of goals.

Personally, I think Tampa is being really dumb getting into all these rough stuff. The Wings were out there sleep walking through the first two games, then the thing with Abdelkader and Bluden happens, and now we're all fired up. Rather than staying away from fighting, they basically just keep feeding into it with all that garbage they pulled at the end of Game 3. The intensity will still be there for us and now they'll have to deal with it again. Boyle might have to flap his chicken wings back down to Tampa tied 2-2.

[kickazz 5,459]

I am confused on this point, too. I always thought it was the team with the most points played the team with the fewest points - so in your scenario we would play Washington. However, with the NHL Bracket Challenge thing going on, it has us playing the winner of the Islanders/Florida series no matter what. Then we would play the winner of Pens/Washington.

Rules changed a few years ago. They no longer re-seed. Straight division bracket style now. Look at example below. Division final > Conference final > Cup final.

Edited April 18, 2016 by kickazz

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

F

Rules changed a few years ago. They no longer re-seed. Straight division bracket style now. Look at example below. Division final > Conference final > Cup final.

f*** Boston!

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

Checking in after a long absence.

Smith played a great game last night. Energized the crowd with the big hit on Paquette in the opening minutes. Made a few real nice defensive plays. We need him to play like this every game from here on out.

Mrazek stood on his head. We've scored 2 goals every game in this series; Mrazek is going to need to continue to play stellar if we're going to take this series.

Good on Abdelkader to leave Boyle and Tampa Bay walking away from game 3 with nothing to rally around. At some point he needs to square up with Blunden after what happened in game 2, but this wasn't the right time to do it. Super pumped that this series has taken on such a physical and nasty tone.

Stoked for game 4. Wish I could make it!

[Rhah 195]

It's still concerning that we only scored two goals in a game we dominated. We need to capitalize on at least one power play a game.

I'd like to have some players on the team who don't look surprised every time a rebound comes off to them on the far side of an open net. They can't even get a stick on the puck to even get a bad shot, it skips right past them with a giant half of an open net staring at them.