...As in out of the playoffs! For now, anyway. I would rather have been dropping a hard Kenny Powers line after a win, but I think it fits tonight. Fair warning - I think Nat and I both were irrationally angry after this game.
So tonight's game was absurd. Maybe I'm a completely crazy fan, but this loss made me mad. You are battling for a playoff spot. A spot in the playoffs that the team you're playing can take from you by beating you. In this scenario, you are leading the game 2-1 at the start of the third...get outshot 15-4 in the last period and lose 4-2. That, to me, is a big sack o' horseshit. Where was the effort? I believe it was the good folks at Helm Street today who stated that this Wings team can be the best team in the league for about 20 minutes, and it's a pretty true statement. The second period? Amazing. Third period? Oy vey. My timely observations, with a few questions sprinkled in:
1. I'd love to hear someone who actually plays hockey on this (Chris from NOHS, Petrella, I'm looking at you, and probably others I'm forgetting ) - Was Jimmy kind of suspect tonight? He looked out of position a lot early, seemed to fight the puck a lot and have rebound issues. Maybe I'm crazy. Though I'm saying this, I don't think you can really blame him for the goals tonight....and this isn't pro-Ozzie-he-should-be-playing-right-now crazy talk. He shouldn't. Jimmy is our goaltender, for better or worse, and I think for the better. Jimmy just seemed shaky tonight.
2. I know it was mentioned a lot at the end of the telecast, but Hank, um, doesn't really look good. I mean, the guy is a warrior, so I don't judge. I think any of us would rather see a half strength Hank instead of, oh, I don't know, Jeremy Williams. But it is what it is.
3. Pav, Homer, and Franzen - Domination. Franzen looks great.
4. If only the Wings were in the East...
5. I can't even count for you the amount of swearing I edited out of this. This game was sad. It just makes you think - how can this team have a third period like this? NOW? At this point in the season?
I know I'm not even coherent right now so I turn it over to you the readers. Talk me, Brian, off my over-reactory ledge.
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ummm.. I played some hockey, but I was more into the Homer role than supporting the goalies, so I wouldn't know, but to me he has looked shaky since the break.
ReplyDeleteHank looks hurt. It's as easy as that, he just seems to lack a step and some strenght.
And you are definitely not alone on the pissed thing. I was so angry last night and I am angry again today. This game was a disgrace
I missed the 2nd period...
ReplyDeleteFirst period not so great, but not terrible. Had we kept up that effort I believe the Red Wings would have prevailed.
Third period. Yuck. No look passes to nowhere. Getting beat in every battle in the corners. Losing every race to the puck. The goals weren't Jimmy's fault. Our team defense let Jimmy down by letting the Flames camp out in the crease.
Nick Lidstrom will be in the hall of fame someday. He's one of the best defensemen to ever play the game. Last night though, he stunk, plain and simple. He just looked bad. I saw him make more of those little no-look passes than I've ever seen before. Just awful.
In a huge game at home, the Red Wings looked flat and uninspired. Maybe they need to miss the playoffs this year to get some "want to" back into them.
Andy - I did not know you played. Glad someone out there is sharing the anger. Another bad game, another presser with everyone afterwards saying "Oh, well it wasnt good enough in the 3rd period. Not acceptable". No kidding. Fix it.
ReplyDeleteMichael - The second period, the one bright spot....I hope you're wrong about missing the playoffs. That is something a lot of us haven't had to experience in our lifetime. I lived through getting bounced in the first round by the 8th seed Sharks.....um, I would need a week off work to recover after not making the playoffs. But yeah, I bet they would come back pissed off next year.....
Brian, did you really mean it when you said you censored swearing out of this post? Do I even know you anymore?
ReplyDeleteI played from Mites into high school, then hurt my back and had to stop. Coached kids teams some. Ran out of time and had to quit doing that. Now I just watch.
ReplyDeleteThe December 2009 edition of the Red Wings with all the replacement players was a better "team" than this current edition. It was full of young, hungry guys that listened to their coach. The March 2009 edition looks like they already have tee times for April. Where's the urgency?
What really stood out for me last night was that Jason Williams was the best player. What!? He was one of the few keeping their feet moving and making some effort. Even Mickey Redmond started to notice that the feet weren't moving. Keep the feet moving, and good things will happen. That's just as true with squirts as it is with pros.
For me, this will be the first time since I was a North Stars fan (I grew up in Minnesota) that I will see my team miss the playoffs.
Michael, "urgency" is the key here. The truth is that nobody knows what's going to happen over the course of the next couple of weeks, not only with the Wings but with all the other bottom-rung teams struggling to make it to the postseason. The Wings have to play 60 minutes of hockey over the next several weeks like every game is the deciding bout of who makes the playoffs. Brian captured it perfectly in his recap: It was BEYOND disappointing to see them lie down like that in the third period, knowing what's at stake. If they're not going to play with urgency now, when will they?
ReplyDeleteHappy to oblige Brian. It's my professional (note: not professional) hockey opinion that Howard's been a tad off since the break ended. Remember at the beginning of the season, how he was having a lot of trouble with rebounds...and then started to get a handle on them? Well he's back to having trouble with rebounds...though not nearly as bad as he was in October. I don't think (and never thought) he'd be one of those quick starters that is in All-Star form from Game 1 through a Finals. He needs time and rhythm and he's proved when he gets that, he acquits himself just fine.
ReplyDeleteAn 80% Howard, six games later is better than a 100% Osgood anytime, as far as I'm concerned.
Not only Howard, most of the team looks a little off. Pavel Datsyuk looks great, for the most part, but something's missing. They're just totally uninspired...and I can't figure out why. Competitors are usually rabid for the opportunity to fight for their place - but these guys don't seem that concerned. That, in itself, is the most concerning thing.
That trickles down to the goaltending. If he senses his mates aren't willing to fight, he won't stand on his head for them, either. It's not morale, it's human nature.
Motherfucker.
ReplyDeleteMy Timbits were excellent, at least.
Wow, I just looked at these posts from "March 10" and looked at my calendar that said "March 9" and couldn't figure out why I was off a day. Oh yeah, I watched the game last night! I guess pretending like it didn't happen isn't going to work.
ReplyDeleteUrgency? I think someone needs to roll out the colossal pot of cheese that is Foreigner's Urgent for the next game - whenever that is and whoever it is against.
Oh man, Krononymous. That's Disch's department, but don't tempt him. HA!
ReplyDeletePetrella: I think one of the things that is off, is that they don't play together. You see Flip doing great stuff alone, when Z does something good, it is alone, when Cleary does something, it is yet again alone. The Pasha line and the Vettes line are the only two that to me plays with a team effort, that positions themselves well so that they can be pass options and who has chemistry right now. And yes, Z IS hurt...
ReplyDeleteDena, you've just gotta rub it in about those fucking Timbits, right? Eh, well, at least they made your night a little bit better. Now how's about sending me some?
ReplyDeleteKrononymous, if you devise a way to impart amnesia on one's person after a horrendous experience like last night, count me in. TSO has no qualms about mind-altering substances and their effects on the pain of everyday existence.
@Brian: I not only played hockey, but I'm confident that I am the only reader of this blog with a National championship (under 15). Of course that was in Norway and I was benched much of the final game. I also have a silver from the next year and we won the league every year.
ReplyDelete