Because I figure some of you guys might post once or twice during a game.

Darts? Polo? No clue here.

This is my first game of the year, so I'd apreciate it if they win for me.

Mtl 1 RWs 0

WTF?

Jeez. I've missed the whole second period because of a phone call. I'm sort of glad I have.

Of course I'm also missing the Pistons...

Ty Conklin looks like crap. He has been letting in a lot of soft goals as of late.

Helm needs to not play with the puck in his own zone. I love the energy he brings to the team but sometimes you need to calm down and just get the damn puck out of the zone.

Franzen's goal was fantastic!

Didn't know we had this or I'd have posted in it during the game.

The only RWs I've been able to watch all year was the 3rd period and OT of that wonderful game vs Pitt. I still have the clinching game of the Stanleys on my DVR, been thinking about watching that one more time before I delete it.

It would be a worthwhile watch.

Should we change the thread title to 2008 RWOST since this will probably be the game thread for most of the season?

If there's one team I hate losing to the least, it's Montreal.

:cogent:

Should we change the thread title to 2008 RWOST since this will probably be the game thread for most of the season?


Good point. We should probably even change it to 2008-2009 RWOST.

And there you have it. Two huge Wings fans on the board want the title changed. Make it happen!
Please?

Nice goal by Z. Hope he can finally get out of that slump.

Normally a Columbus game wouldn't be too interesting but with the Jackets acting like little punk bitches tonight's game might get fun.

Lilja's becoming a mad fighter. That's the second time I've seen him drop the gloves this month.

Where are you getting this game...as in what network?

It's on FSN+.

I'm not getting it for some reason.

I am watching UofM vs the #1 Gophers in Hockey though.

UofM 4-1. Gophs just scored on a 5 on 3.

It was on some random "local programming" channel and it wasn't even listed in the guide on the cable box but I managed to find it and watch the second half of the game. I can't believe Ozzy let in a center ice shot (granted, it was tipped by Hossa, but he still had plenty of time to adjust). Franzen almost had a nice goal but Leclair made a beautiful save diving across the net. We outshot them by about double but through their first 11 shots they had 10 scoring chances while we only had 11 in 21 shots (I think that was through 2 periods but it might have been after 1), so we're still giving up way too many good opportunities.

The problem is we gave up the puck and the Jackets took the puck from us too much. To beat my favorite dead horse we need to control the puck more down low in their end. Teams are going to press our point men and in the neutral zone to get an odd-man rush. It's the best way to stop that.

And tell me that I'm not the only one watching an original six match-up right now.

And that Boston breakout goal shows how forechecking is also a part of defense.

I had to go to a family Christmas party. The only time my dad's side of the family ever gets together, couldn't really skip that.

I can't believe Ozzy let in a center ice shot (granted, it was tipped by Hossa, but he still had plenty of time to adjust).

That was his claim to fame early in his career.

It was supposed to say 'another' and not a. I remember him doing that a few times as a youngster.

It was supposed to say 'another' and not a. I remember him doing that a few times as a youngster.

Referring to Osgood, or yourself?

You must have been all of 8 or 9 years old.

I was 12 when we won the cup in 98. I was a youngster, and he was a youngster in his career.

This "letting in the first shot of the game" BS needs to stop. 1-0 Ducks.

WTF, Moen (I think that was the name they said) boarded Draper with 2 seconds left in the period for NO reason, right next to a ref (they ran into him) no less, and there's no call? Knocked his helmet off and everything.

Yeah, that first goal was just awful. Ozzie's having at least one brain-fart a game. Trouble is that every time it's a goal.

Went to the game. I still can't get over all the empty seats. Detroit's hurting.

Good game. Hossa's a beast. They played a lot better tonight. Not incredible, but a lot better.

I'd be going to more games with a buddy of mine but a couple plants closed where I worked and they had to cut down on the business end people. Lowest man on the totem pole sucks.

Happy to say that I got to go to the game last night. The Joe wasn't packed but pretty filled up and there was some good energy in the crowd. It was fun to watch.

I freely admit I worship at the altar of Babcock but I also think that he's a tiny part of why the Wings have trouble at home sometimes, especially when they play a team that checks and takes the play to the Wings. I think he's overmatching his lines, switching up too many shifts to get the best match-up. Sometimes it's best to just roll your four lines and let the players get in a groove. And, even if they don't score, if you get some good pressure and checking from your third and fourth lines, that energy can carry over into your top lines.

I guess it wasn't just an experiment. Down 2-0, I'm glad Babs made the switch. I think he gets 3 good lines out of this if Dats and Franzen mesh. Looking good in this period anyway.

Another fun comeback win.

The line shakeup worked perfectly. You could really see the difference. Z was everywhere and Dats and Mule work great together.

I'm going to have to curb my man-crush on Babcock at some point.

Damnit. I was watching the game back home with my dad but the girlfriend had to get back to Toledo to study for exams. I left after the second period and missed all the fun.

Me too. I missed the last couple of minutes which is when all the action happened. LOL @ MoTown.

Anyone else watch the game tonight? :we: just raped the best team in the league.

Anyone else watch the game tonight? :we: just raped the best team in the league.

Yes, I caught some of it with 2 SJ fans. My wife and boy.

I didn't even rub it in...very much.

Great win!

Just got back from the Joe. It might be the best game I've seen them play.

I do think that you could tell the Sharks were a bit tired from last night, but still, the Wings were great. I loved their positional play. Even when they were out-shot in the first period they were still covering the ice so well and preventing odd-man rushes and good chances close to Conklin. And I loved the passing tonight. None of that tap it ahead shit, they moved it fast and hard.

Datsyuk and Hossa can do what they want out there. It's amazing. When they're moving with the puck no one can stop them.

Didn't get to see the game tonight, basically because I forgot it was on and I was at the rec running. Damn.

I still keep reading this thread as 2008-2009 WORST, like it was a typo or something.

Got my tickets to the Dec 27th game out here last night. I'm looking forward to watching the dejected Avs fans filing out of the Pepsi Center.

Don't know if anyone's watching the game but the first period was all right. The third line is kicking ass IMO. I still wish that Swede line would be more dominant and we didn't have to pay for every time we cough up the puck.

Failed to clear the puck from the front of our own net a little bit too often for my liking. Happy to see that we could keep ourselves in it and pull out the win though.

FWIW, the Blackhawks have been on fire lately, I don't think they've lost a game since we beat them a couple weeks ago via shootout.

So the Wrigley game is shaping out to be a good one.

Wrigley game is on bitches. I was 100% planning to go when they announced it, but didn't really even try. I fail.

this game is chippy. I like it

Unfortunately for the Wings, chippy always helps out the other team. It gets them hyped up and takes the Wings off their game. Hard hitting is fine, but the Wings have to move their feet more and finish some checks. Even if he got a penalty Lilja should have tied that guy up behind the net on that last goal.

what you say makes sense.

Does anyone else think it's cool that Dave Strader's calling the game?

Tie game!!

Dats!!! What a goal!

Amazing period. And the announcers were 100% right; they played simple, skated, shot more and crashed the net.

It's nice to know that 3 of us are watching the game.

4

0

I like that they lined up after the game to shake hands. That was cool.

Great game. I liked how the Wings put it away in the 3rd too.

What was the final, 6-3? I remember it being 3-1 Chicago last time I checked.

6-4

Great 2nd period by the Wings.

Red Wings, My Red Wings

Come on, come on, come on let's fly!

Great game all around. The first period sucked (not just because of the score, but all the power plays). Once they got down to business and played hockey you could see how much better the Wings are.

Got to watch it with the girlfriend's stepdad even though he's a big time Blue Jackets fan (he's from the Dayton/Columbus area). Good thing he's a hockey fan or I'd have been stuck with bowl games all day, which isn't a bad thing but I'd rather have some Wings.

Did you have sex with her in his house?

He did. On her dad's bed too.

Holy shit that was close. Hit the cross bar and straight down, but no goal for the Stars. 3rdP 11:00 Det 4-3

Was working, only got to see sporadic parts of the game. How the hell did :we: manage to give up 49 shots? I can't remember the last time the wings gave up that many shots...

Bush's fault

Was working, only got to see sporadic parts of the game. How the hell did :we: manage to give up 49 shots? I can't remember the last time the wings gave up that many shots...

I only watched the first period (and small snippits during 24 commercials). From what I saw we basically got sloppy on defense. They forechecked and "we" didn't beat it.

What I can't understand is the Wings are #1 in the NHL in penalty killing at home, dead last on the road. WTF?

The 2nd period on out was possibly some the worst hockey they've played this year (though Dallas did a great job checking). If not for some great saves by Ozzie, Dats' overall brilliance, and two or three good penalty kills, they'd have lost 8-2.

Maltby is being benched tonight for Meech.

Is he playing winger? Right now I think he's a better checking winger than Maltby.

:gutsy: win for the Wings in a great game tonight. Loved Franzen's goal and my mancrush on Dats is getting scary. Ozzie looked really good too.

Went to the game tonight. Yuck.

I hate the officiating now in hockey. It's a trend that's happening in most sports, especially basketball, but I hate how officiating changes the outlook of a game consistently during the season. Sure you used to have a bad call or two cost a team a game in the past. But with the making the rules subjective to interpretation and calling 4-6 cheesy penalties a game, the NHL has hurt the game of hockey IMO.

The penalties against Draper and Hossa were ridiculous. They weren't even penalties. But with the need to enforce subjective rules and with refs today (in all sports) so damn afraid to swallow a whistle, we get horrendous calls like that.

And the Homer goal they took away? Incidental contact?? What the fuck is that?!?!?!? Either he interfered with the goalie and gets a penalty or he didn't and it's a goal (which it was because HE GOT SHOVED INTO TURCO!!).

That said the Wings didn't deserve to win because they came out flat in the 3rd. No motivation and no skating at all. And :we: suck in our own end, both at even strength and even on the penalty kill tonight. And Ozzie's pretty hot and cold this year. He's not bailing out the team on a nightly basis like he did last year.

Dallas owns us. Oh well.

Taking two goals away from any team will drain their energy. The Homer goal was an awful call. I saw we kill the refs and fuck their daughters.

Taking two goals away from any team will drain their energy. The Homer goal was an awful call. I saw we kill the refs and fuck their daughters.
Thanks Darko...

That goal they called back on Homer was a fucking joke. He got barrelled over! How can you not see that and allow the goal, or in the very least call a penalty? It was completely inexcusable.

Anyone watching the game. Babcock pretty much is making sure that he's got both Dats and Lidstrom on the ice with Ovechkin. I'd sure do the same.

Nice, Lieno gets called up and scores in his first game. That's a good way to stick around.

:we: suck in our own end. I'm sick of them playing "positional" defense and trying to cover space. They end up not skating and any team moving on offense just goes around them and finds the open passing lane. If they moved their feet and were aggressive on the puck and still got beat, I'd be ok with that, but this is awful.

While I didn't like the third period, the first two periods were the best hockey I've seen the Wings play in quite a while. Edmonton also sucked, but the Wings played great.

I sure do enjoy watching these guys possess the puck. Datsyuk, Hossa and Z are almost impossible to get off the puck 1 on 1. Fillpula and Hudler are damn tricky too. I like the way Lieno fits right in with these guys too. Hopefully he learns to back check like the first 3 while he's up here.

If only Ozzie could get his game going.

I sure do enjoy watching these guys possess the puck. Datsyuk, Hossa and Z are almost impossible to get off the puck 1 on 1. Fillpula and Hudler are damn tricky too. I like the way Lieno fits right in with these guys too. Hopefully he learns to back check like the first 3 while he's up here.

If only Ozzie could get his game going.
That Ozzie point is key right now.

Conklin is playing very well right now, however. He might need to be the starter in the playoffs.

I'm sure they'll play whoever is hot at the time and ride him. They did it last year when hasek was expected to be the guy.

If Conklin is playing better when the playoffs roll around, I have no problem with them using him as the starter. Osgood hasn't proven to be reliable yet this season.

Per SI.com

The story: After slinking by St. Louis in a shootout -- Legace called himself "the worst player" in the NHL that night and the Blues took him at his words by waiving the veteran and sending him to Peoria -- Osgood played poorly in the last two periods of a 5-4 win over Phoenix two nights later. Coach Mike Babcock said his team should have won 4-2 and lauded it for "picking Ozzie up." When a reporter mentioned that Osgood (save percentage .880) suggested the Wings were too tight and should be looser, a veiled criticism of the coach, Babcock bit his tongue. Ty Conklin was in goal for back-to-back games over the weekend, a home laugher against Edmonton and a shutout in Pittsburgh fewer than 24 hours later.
The bottom line: Assuming Osgood ramps up his play, the Stanley Cup-winning veteran will start Game 1 of the playoffs. He has important supporters in the organization, especially GM Ken Holland and goalie coach Jim Bedard. But if Osgood falters early, Detroit would not hesitate to switch to Conklin, just like it moved from Dominik Hasek to Osgood in the first round last season. The Red Wings have been constructed in such a way that their goalie doesn't have to be the best player. (Detroit is paying a mere $2.25 million for its pair this season.) But no goalie can sabotage the work of one of the best 18-man agglomerations in the league.

Speaking of Legace, I remember so many young goalies we let go that I felt never got a fair chance. The funny thing is, none of them have done anything since. So props to Holland on seeing that.

What are the chances we actually hold on to all the young talent in goal that we have in the minors?

I don't know. I think they'll need to play Howard next year or deal him.

We've had some sweet goalies 3rd goalies:
Norm Miracle
Manny Legacy
Kevin Hodson
Jimmy Howard

Was it Miracle or Hodson that ended up with Pittsburgh. I think it was Hodson. I just remember that whoever it was ended up with a sweet helmet in Pitt.

Tried to find it with Google but nothing came up for Miracle's other teams. Google images only showed Hodson with the Wings and Lightning.

I did find a list of Red Wings goalies over the last 20 years though.
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/Red_Wings_Starting_Goalies_in_the_Last_20_Years/381852

Edit: Looked through the list. Ken Wregget is the guy I remember that played for the Pens. His helmet, not as cool as I remembered. I thought he was the guy that had the penguin egg cracking.

Great game on tonight.

Haven't seen the Wings play in weeks and my first game back is against the Sharks. I'm hyped. Hope we step up and make them pay for that loss back in California. Hope even more that this game has that one's playoff intensity.

Great first period. Great intense play.

I love when the Wings get garbage goals from their third and fourth lines. I always feel confident about their chances when that happens.

Big win tonight. 3 points behind but the Sharks have played two less games. Hopefully their losing ways continue.

I'm hopeful. It's pretty hard, but they'll have to deal with some pressure that's for sure.

As amazing as Z's second goal was tonight, it was his first goal that reminded me of Z last year. He blocks a shot, skates down the ice, gets into the slot and spins a goal on Nabakov. He was everywhere and flying the whole play. Very cool to see.

Can't wait for the highlights on Sportscenter. Oh yeah... shit.

Can't wait for the highlights on Sportscenter. Oh yeah... shit.

Ha, they actually had Zetterberg's spin goal and Leino's goal in the top ten.

But the other 8 Top Plays were LeBron dunks... even though he didn't play last night.

Why is it that Nashville has made :us: their bitch? Man, do they play :us: tough. And is it the Wings that bring these crowds or is Nashville really like this all the time? That would be amazing.

8-0? Ouch.

I'm sure Gl'enn enjoyed it.

8-0? Ouch.

I'm sure Gl'enn enjoyed it.

In all honesty, it did make me smile when I saw it on the bottom line.

We bring that crowd. Nashville doesn't usually do that well on attendance. They whipped our asses, thoroughly.

I realized there was a game on TV, I got happy, I turned it on, and BAM! the Wild ties it up right away. This happens every time I turn a RW game on. Maybe I should just stop watching them.

^ Was that you who did that? I now know who to blame.

^ Was that you who did that? I now know who to blame.

Not just today either... every nationally televised game this season.

Well don't watch during the playoffs. :)

Well, the difference with that is I'll have the game on before they drop the puck. The problem is when I turn it on during the game. I didn't ruin the playoffs last year ;)

Some pretty nice tending my the Minnie goalie

Damn, Stew couldn't get anything on that one.

HOSSA!

Man, I turn off the game for one second!!
jk, totally saw that

^ LOL

Seriously, it looked like Hossa went right at his glove. The goalie did a really good job in the 2nd and 3rd. Hossa went right at him and snuck it through. The goalie wasn't blocked or anything. Hossa blew it by him, imo.

Yeah that was nice. The Wild defense blew that play though, the announcers were spot on with that.

Yep, Hossa was basically 1 on 1 with the goalie.

Beautiful game. First one I've been able to watch/listen to in a while.

^It has been a while since it wasn't the Rangers playing on NBC.

Anyone else getting extremely annoyed with that?

^It has been a while since it wasn't the Rangers playing on NBC.

Anyone else getting extremely annoyed with that?


Not me.