Raptor1116

Really? How about that Game 3 against San Jose? Wings in control and then Howard gives up the weakest goal I can remember from the side boards, from the end line, and the Wings lose the game. The entire series was lost on that one goal. If he makes that "save" the Wings win game 3 and who knows where it goes from there. Once that goal slipped over the line the Wings were out of the playoffs.

See I don't think the pressure will be on them for Game 5. Now, they end up losing tonight and holy hell, the pressure that the media will put on them will be unseen before AND the doubt will start to creep in their minds from playoffs past, "oh no, not again..." They come back to Detroit for a Game 6 and the weight of the world will be on SJ. We just gotta bring them back for Game 6.

I still think the Sharks will win the series. Now, if we can steal game 5 I'll really think the Wings can come back and win this thing. Game 5 scares me the most though, and I just don't see the Wings coming back to Detroit with SJ in tow.

Howard. 4 goals against in every single game and he has the incredible ability to give up the timely goal.

That's where I first saw it.

Ah well, honestly I didn't fact check. A guy posted it a few pages back and I was still fuming from the game so I just ran with it because I wouldn't have doubted it if true. My blood pressure is starting to come back down now.

Hmm and if I remember correctly Ozzie found himself on the bench for the playoffs in 95 and 96. Exactly where Howard should find himself next year and should have found himself this year.

Howard has let in as many goals as Ozzie did in '98 while playing 12 LESS GAMES! I don't care what team is in front of you if you are playing in 12 less games you should not let in as many goals as the other guy. And why is it that when Ozzie does well it's always, "Well, look at the team that played in front of him." He has never been given credit and I don't understand it. He was only the best goalie in the playoffs the past two seasons and a 3 time Cup winner.

And how many Games did Ozzie play in that cup run compared to the 10 Howard has played this year? '98 Ozzie played in 22 games. '10 Howard has played in 10 games.

Apparently Washington is playing both Montreal AND Ottawa in the first round as well... He says he hates the trap...has he watched a Coyote game?

Haha, well, that's certainly one way to shut people who thought like me the hell up! Good job. His rebound control still gives me heart problems, but he was much more solid tonight. Keep it going in game 5.

I have never been a Howard fan. All season I've seen the same mistakes. He needs a lot more work and honestly he should not have played as much this season as he did. He should be watching Ozzie this year from the bench, and then next year he should have gotten his first taste of the playoffs. Maybe Jimmy will prove us calling for Ozzie wrong in Game 4, sure hope he does, but from his play in the first 3 games I don't see it happening.

You're right. I don't "know" Howard is tired. I don't "know" Ozzie would be able to turn it on. If you play that game no one knows anything. Here's what I do know, 3.7 That is Howard's GAA, and .889 that is Howard's Save % against the 24th ranked offense in the NHL, and an uncanny ability to give up untimely goals. I'm not buying that Howard is the future, I think the future just played his first season in the AHL this year. Howard has not made great strides in my eyes in the areas he needs to correct. He is the Human Pinball Machine. As amazingly unfair it would be to Ozzie to throw him in Game 4 after only playing in 2 games in 2010 (thanks babs) I would rather go down swinging with the Vet than doing nothing with the rookie. Ozzie could not play any worse.

Actually, he has been the Jimmy Howard of the regular season. Rebounds, rebounds, rebounds, poor angles, over commitment, and poor lateral movement. It's just getting magnified now that we are in the playoffs and teams start crashing the net. I love Babcock and think he is the best coach in the league but he really screwed the pooch on the goalie situation this season. You cannot play one goalie this much in one season, I don't care who your goalie is. It tired Howard out and it basically dry-docks the backup. Go look at Calgary the past few seasons. They continually run Kipper into the ground during the regular season and then he breaks down in the playoffs. At this point I'd go with Ozzie. He can't do much worse than Howard is doing. The first goal is on Howard, the second goal is on Howard, and the fourth goal is on him as well, and that's just game 3. Game 2 were full of gaffs by Howard. This is Phx, the 24th ranked offense in the NHL and they are torching Howard. What on earth is going to happen if the Wings make it out of the round and we have to play a team like Vancouver? Ozzie's a vet. Put him in there, he will be ok. The team would probably even respond to having him in net, knowing he hasn't played in a looooong time and would tighten things up.

Found this on another board, but haven't been able to verify it on NHL.com, what a terrible site that is. eligability: can not have achieved his 26th birthday by sept 15 of the season in question can not have played in more than 25 games in any one previousNHL season. can not have played in 6 or more games in any 2 previous NHL season.