kipwinger

If this is anything like Ducks teams of the past (and I think it is) then they are going to take a lot of dumb penalties throughout this series.  I hope our power play responds well. 

p.s. I hope Kronwall separates Selanne from the puck...hard.  I don't hate Teemu or anything, but I would love to hear him cry about it. 

 

 

 

Yeah, pretty much. Downey / McCarty / Drake / Tootoo... these kinds of players not only bring grit (Drake the least) but they bring and inspire passion. I doubt any player would have dared to smash Z's head against the glass if we had a proper enforcer. I want to see Tootoo get matched against the top Ducks line after they start getting rowdy for the sole purpose of demolishing one of them with a big hit... he's due for one, and it's a good of time as any!

Colton Orr?

Goes without saying that Dats and Z > Getzlaf and Perry, so what's the deciding factor in this series?  Can Abby shutdown Ryan?  Will our second line out perform theirs?  Goalies?  How well the young kids respond to the added playoff pressure. 

All the headlines are talking about the matchup of the star forwards, but I think this series is decided by everything other than what Dats, Z, Perry, and Getzlaf do.

This doesn't surprise me, we've been pretty good since right about the time Ian White got yanked from the lineup/Kyle Quincey pulled his head out of his ass.  Good for them though, they played real good defense, given what was expected out of them. 

Don't retire his number, but do give him the credit he deserves...which is to say, Pavel Datsyuk is the best puckhandler in the history of the National Hockey League.  Period.  The only defenseman who could have conceivably defended him with any sort of regularity was on his team. 

I like the things Bryz says.  I hear he's weird, but what he said there made sense.  In fact, it was almost wise.  Maybe he's just too smart for his own good to thrive in a sports environment.  Sports writers are among the worst paid writers in the world, after all.They seldom think critically, rely on formula and cliches to churn out article after article, and sensationalize everything.  They're bad writers, too.

 

I wish we lived in a world where deviating from the talking points didn't make headlines.

You just described every article Mitch Albom ever wrote. 

I agree.

I judge the play on what happened, and not the call. I don't think Smith should get the extra two and I do like what he did.

Well then what's your judgement on putting your team shorthanded in the biggest game of the season, in retaliation to a clean hit?

I generally save all of my most serious fanboying for any game seven in the playoffs.  Typically this involves me getting loaded and listening to Motley Crue all day until puck drop.  But considering this is a HUGE game, and it's a Saturday, I might have to make an exception.  C'mon Red Wings...KICK START MY HEART!!!!

 

I want to see all original 6 teams face each other in the first round.

 

Columbus would screw that up.  Please Bettman, screw this team.  

 

 

I just hope the Wings will play on the road like they did at home this week.  I'll take a shootout loss this time.  

I can respect wanting to see the original six play each other.  That would be pretty cool.  However, I want nothing to do with Chicago in the first round.  Also, because of how tight this has been down the stretch I've been watching a lot of Columbus' games and they're a real fun team to watch.  They work their asses off and never go away.  They're obviously not as talented, but they remind me of the 2010 USA Olympic hockey team.  They don't have the star power of their competitors, but they'll nickel and dime you to death with their work ethic. 

Happy we're winning.  Still upset Columbus is winning too.  Had a feeling that team wouldn't go away and we'd have to take all 4 games this week.

 

I hope the refs screw the s*** out of them next game.  No one wants to see their s***ty franchise and their non-existant fanbase in the playoffs.  

I do.  Just not at our expense. 

It's good to see Franzen and Filppula heating up.  However, I don't think that it's some sort of miracle or something.  With Datsyuk and Zetterberg on the same line, teams have to put their best defensive units on the ice against them, and Franzen and Filppula end up taking advantage of the mismatch.  Also, having Filppula back at his natural position does wonders as well.  I'll admit I wasn't a fan of having D and Z back together at first, but the proof is in the pudding and it's working for both lines.  Kudos to Babs for finally getting the lines sorted out.  I do sort of wonder if it's worth putting Bert back in the lineup now though.  On the one hand I think he's probably better than Abby OR Cleary on their respective lines, but on the other hand I'd be hesitant to mess with success. 

I really hope that Minnesota loses out and both us and Columbus make it in.  I think Columbus is exactly the type of team that could upset Chicago and lord knows I'd love to see it.  That team does not go away.

I hope to God Babcock has a speech ready for the first intermission.

Every team that's playing Columbus can be the spoiler so there is some motivation there, especially for the Preds.

 

esteef

Isn't the same true for every team playing us though?  They all know we're still in the hunt. 

As far as the game goes, I don't really miss much.  With the exception of diving, which isn't as out of control as some make it seem, I think the game is better in pretty much every way now than it used to be.  Goalies are tougher to score on, forwards are super skilled and moving faster, and even the lower end guys need to be able to play the game.  I love not seeing the Marty McSorley types bungling up and down the ice.  Tough guys need to be able to play now, and I love it.  Sidebar:  I love watching Brandon Prust play hockey. 

I guess the only thing I miss are the individual players who were so good over the years.  Lidstrom, Yzerman, Fedorov, Shanny.  All amazing.  And when I think about how much time I spent watching them, and knowing that I'll never see them play again, bums me out a bit.  I'll see other amazing players...and have (Datsyuk)...but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't do just about anything to see Fedorov take an outlet pass and race up the ice and do this one more time...