(1) Detroit Red Wings vs.
(8) Edmonton Oilers
Analysis by Shawn P. Roarke | NHL.com | April 19, 2006

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Series Breakdown:
Schedule | Game Breakers | X Factors | Facts | Quotable | Crystal Ball

The Skinny

Don't blink or you might miss an important play in this series, which will be played at a breakneck speed by two rosters full of individual talent capable of fitting into their respective team systems. Although separated by 29 points in the standings, the teams are very similar in the way they play the game. Plus, Detroit's point total is clearly padded by the fact it feasted on the weaker opponents in the Central Division, which boasted just two teams -- Detroit and Nashville -- with winning records.

The Red Wings went 25-3-4 within its division, taking 54 of a possible 64 points in the process. Edmonton, on the other hand, played in the rugged Northwest Division, which featured all five teams possessing winning records at the close of the season.

In fact, during the regular season series between these two teams, Edmonton claimed five of a possible eight points to show that it can play with the unquestioned class of the Western Conference. Most importantly, Edmonton has the speed and skating skills to keep up with Detroit's lightning-quick fleet of forwards and its transition-happy defensemen. It also has the heft on the back line that can neutralize a good deal of the cycling game Detroit is happy to play once it gains the offensive blue line.

Plus, this series features two young coaches that have shown the ability to get the most out of their rosters and change tactics on the fly to press the advantage. Detroit's Mike Babcock took Anaheim all the way to the Finals in 2003. Craig MacTavish has only 12 games of postseason experience, but has pushed his limited team to winning regular-season records in each of his first five seasons in Edmonton.

Detroit Game Breakers


1. Pavel Datsyuk: Detroit's speedy, crafty playmaking center leads the Wings in scoring with 87 points in 75 games. He hasn't played since April 3 because of a charley horse, but coach Mike Babcock has guaranteed his return for Game 1 of the playoffs. Datsyuk is the team's most-gifted puckhandler and must be countered by deploying a top-tier defenseman against him, opening up opportunities for scorers on other lines. He also is a staple of the Wings' first unit on the power play, combining with Henrik Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom. Datsyuk has 11 power-play goals, tied for third on the team.


2. Nicklas Lidstrom: Like Chris Pronger across the ice, Lidstrom eats up copious amounts of ice time, playing a touch more than 28 minutes per game. He is effective, yet understated in his own end, snuffing out forays toward the net with seeming nonchalance. He has a plus-21 rating. But, it is on the offensive blue line where Lidstrom, a perennial Norris Trophy candidate, truly shines. He is an adept mover of the puck, distributing it in a fashion that often leads to breakdowns by the defense as they chase his attempts to change the angle of Detroit's attack. Plus, he has a blistering, yet easily deflectable, shot from the point. It is one he uses with relish on the power play, where he has tallied nine of his 16 goals this year.


3. Tomas Holmstrom: Nobody likes playing against this big Swedish forward. Holmstrom has made enemies throughout the League because of his zeal for planting his big, immovable body at the edge of a goalie's crease and refusing to vacate that hard-earned patch of ice -- no matter the negative attention he receives from said goalie and his defenseman. Holmstrom has 29 goals, including 11 on the power play, and it is no exaggeration to say that more than two-thirds of those tallies have come from within 10 feet of the opposition's net. His 6-foot, 205-pound frame also wears out defensemen after a night spent leaning on them and suckering them into post-whistle confrontations.

Edmonton Game Breakers


1. Ryan Smyth: An elite power forward, Smyth is the type of player that can cause tremendous headaches for a defense, especially in a seven-game series. His willingness to play the body on the offensive cycle and crash the net with gleeful abandon wears down opposing defenseman over the long haul. Plus, Smyth has the ability to score from those down-low positions as evidenced by his career-high 36 goals this season and above-average 15.65 shooting percentage. With a career in Edmonton that dates back to 1995, Smyth is the on-ice leader for this squad of over-achievers.


2. Chris Pronger: This elite defenseman has been all Edmonton could have hoped for, and more, since his arrival this year in a trade with St. Louis. Pronger has become the stud defenseman Edmonton has always craved, playing 28 minutes per game and dominating in all facets of the game. Defensively, he is an excellent penalty killer and shot blocker and has the ability to handle even the biggest forwards in front of the net. Offensively, he can key Edmonton's lethal transition game and is devastating on the power play, where he has scored 10 of his 12 goals this season.


3. Dwayne Roloson: Roloson's arrival as Edmonton's savior did not start well, as he struggled in his first few games after landing with the Oilers from Minnesota at the trade deadline. In fact, Edmonton almost fell out of the playoff race as Roloson tried to find his footing. But, the veteran goalie has stabilized nicely. In his last six games, he has allowed more than two goals on just one occasion, a three-goals-against win against Chicago. In fact, during that six-game stretch, Roloson has allowed just 10 goals and stopped 156 of 166 shots for a spectacular .933 save percentage.

X Factors


Steve Yzerman (DET): Before being shelved for three of the final four games of the regular season because of a lower-body injury, Yzerman was a man on fire. He registered a point in 11 straight games, going 5-9-14 over that span with a plus-7 rating. If he can recapture that form upon his return, Detroit is an infinitely more dangerous team. Even when not scoring, Yzerman is a boost just for the leadership and experience he brings to the dressing room. But, his chronic bad knee and his susceptibility to breaking down on a fairly regular basis merit consideration and have to be a cause for concern in Motown.


Sergei Samsonov (EDM): Obtained at the trading deadline from Boston, Samsonov has used his speed and undeniable skill set to fit right in with the high-flying Oilers. In 19 games with his new team, Samsonov has five goals and 11 assists. But, the smallish Samsonov has found the sledding much tougher in the postseason, often struggling with Boston during the first seven years of his career there. He has just nine goals in 35 career playoff games and managed just two in 12 games during Boston's first-round elimination in each of its past two playoff appearances

SERIES SCHEDULE
Fri, April 21 7:00 p.m.
at Detroit (OLN, NBC)
Sun, April 23 1:00 p.m.
at Detroit (NBC, CBC)
Tue, April 25 10:00 p.m.
at Edmonton (CBC, OLN)
Thu, April 27 9:30 p.m.
at Edmonton (CBC, OLN)
*Sat, April 29 3:00 p.m.
at Detroit (NBC, CBC)
*Mon, May 1 TBD
at Edmonton (CBC, OLN)
*Wed, May 3 7:00 p.m.
at Detroit (OLN, CBC)
*if necessary
-- All times Eastern


FIVE FAST FACTS
1. Elite Company -- Detroit's 124-point total is the fifth most in NHL history. Montreal holds the mark with 132 points in the 80-game season of 1976-77. Detroit registered 131 points during an 82-game season in 1995-96 and, Montreal managed 129 points in an 80-game season in 1977-78 and Montreal also had 127 points during the 80-game 1975-76 season.

2. Elusive Double -- Since the inception of the Presidents' Trophy in 1986, only six teams have won both the regular-season crown and the Stanley Cup in the same year. Detroit did it in 2001-02 when its 116 points led the League. A year earlier, Colorado (118 points) also did the double. Dallas (1998-99, 114 points), the New York Rangers (1993-94, 112 points), Calgary (1988-89, 117 points) and Edmonton (1986-87, 106) are the other teams to pull off this hard-to-duplicate feat.

3. Iron Men -- Edmonton's Chris Pronger and Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom are two of the three busiest players in the League when it comes to time on ice per game. Toronto's Tomas Kaberle, who will not take part in the postseason, leads all skaters by averaging 28:11 per contest. Lidstrom is second at 28:06 and Pronger third at 27:59. Fourth place is not even close with Anaheim's Scott Niedermayer averaging just 25:30 per game.

4. Long Time Coming -- Edmonton will be looking to get out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 1998. That year, the Oilers beat Colorado in a memorable seven-game series before Dallas took the second-round series, 4-1. Since then, Edmonton has qualified for the playoffs four times, losing to Dallas in the first round on each occasion.

5. Fond Memories -- Edmonton has met Detroit twice in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, winning both series by a 4-1 margin. In 1987, the teams met in the third round of the playoffs and Edmonton won the final three games after a split of the first two in Edmonton to advance to the Cup Finals, where they beat Philadelphia in seven games. The next year, the two teams met in the third round again. This time, Detroit won Game 3 at home before succumbing. Edmonton advanced to sweep Boston in the Finals.



QUOTABLE
"Edmonton isn't the easiest place to play. The media is quick to get on you, especially if you're a new guy. He could have very easily folded it up and moved on to a different team, said it didn't work out here. But he stuck with it. Now, who knows what we can parlay this into."
-- Shawn Horcoff on Dwayne Roloson, who was imported in early March to give the Oilers a top-flight postseason goalie.

"The regular season is all forgotten, and we start from scratch, but the history between Detroit and Edmonton is we've always had close games. Both teams are really built on speed and skill. I anticipate a very difficult, very close series."
-- Detroit GM Ken Holland



CRYSTAL BALL
Detroit Will Win if: It can keep this series short. The Red Wings must start out fast at home and put Edmonton immediately behind the 8-ball. Not only would the Red Wings love the extra rest that will come from dispatching the Oilers in four or five games, but they want to avoid any chance of Edmonton getting its confidence up and entertaining notions of pushing this series to a sixth or seventh game. Detroit must also find ways to get on the power play, where its devastating wave of man-advantage specialists -- who have combined to give Detroit a League-leading conversion rate of 22 percent --can wreak appropriate havoc against the Oilers penalty killers and wear down players like Pronger.

Edmonton Will Win if: Roloson stands on his head. Usually, upsets in the first round can be traced back to clear dominance in the goaltending department. Nobody is convinced yet that Detroit's Manny Legace is a proven playoff performer, After all, he has only 230 minutes of playoff experience and just two wins. So, if Roloson can continue his recent stellar form, and the Edmonton attack can rattle Legace, the Oilers could find themselves extending this series into the sixth and seventh games, where history has proven that anything can happen. Also, Edmonton will have to play the body at every turn, hoping to wear down Detroit's older players, as well as slow down some of the team's walking wounded.

If anyone wants to watch some fantastic playoff hockey, then this is the series. Actually...any West matchup this post season will be fantastic. All good teams with lots of speed.

I seriously can't wait.

i'll be watching this series
the Predz series
and the buffalo and carolina series with special interest

the rest is just icing on the cake

Although it's always dangerous to look ahead, I would love a finals re-match with either Jersey or Carolina.

Actually...Jersey would be the best. Now all The Wings have to do is make sure they can get there.

Dude, I cant wait. Hockeys regular season is ok, but in the playoffs, its great!

Carolina wont make it out of the east
nobody will realize how important erik cole was to that team until they lose out early. that and gerber isnt "ON" right now

too bad i really love watching the canes play

Buffalo and Jersey are on fire right now and im hoping Buffalo comes out of the east

Ottawa is done emery is a reincarnation of lalime in Kanata

Whats the issue with Pavel? When do they expect him back?

Babcock is on WXYT right now

Datsyuk wont play game 1
probable for game 2

http://www.detroitredwings.com/uploads/photos/perm/main/KLCJBKHNLPKN/bring_it_story.jpg

sop the wings play tonight. shit as long as theres no conflict with the pistons, i'll watch 'em.

Manny is the starter going in right?

Wings at 7pm Tigers at 10pm sounds like a solid drunk friday night

and yes Manny is the Starter
his job to lose

Always liked Manny. Wanted him to be named starter when they were going to sign Cujo. I want to see him do well.

This series will be a battle of the career backup goaltenders

5 more hours 'till "Happy Time".

Larry Wigge brought up an intersting point on nhl.com today: The Wings have won The Cup the last two Olympic Hockey years.

I'm actually getting nervous. Edmonton's style has scared me for years - fast paced and very aggressive. I know that Edmonton "backed" into the playoffs while Detroit "bulldozed" it's way in, but something is making me nervous.

(Maybe it's Manny)

Manny is solid, but you are wise to fear Edmonton. Even if they lose, they will give us everything that they have. Some of my favorite playoff series to watch has been Edmonton and Dallas. Dallas would usually win, but they would physically beat down Dallas making them pretty useless against their next opponets.

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/5611/redwingssuck0om.jpg
This child was killed by Pavel D.
He said he's been bored lately.

Wings sweep.

105-87

Edmonton: 2 Goals on 7 shots.

Pathetic.

MALTBY!!!

WOW. 2 clutch saves on an Edminton power play as regulation expired. Nice Manny.

yea if that idiot oiler woulda thought to go high it might have been over. the oilers seem outmatched athletics wise. but they are riding the back of there goalie and passive blocked shot defense. its so hard to be dominant in playoffs of the nhl. the wings gotta be careful every series. i still have memories of the san jose sharks busting on them. [smilie=angry.gif]

OT is fucking awesome, especially after the shitty display the Wings put on in the 2nd and the 3rd.

damn the oilers are plasying some serious defense around the net. they cant do much else though. might not need to.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Typical hockey playoffs 18 OTs in the first game of the first round.

Welcome back old NHL.

MALTBY AGAIN!!!

MALTBY!!!


AGAIN!

that was an odd shot. i'm sure they'll take it. [smilie=applause.gi: [smilie=2thumbsup.g:

What a fucking shit ending. He was just throwing it toward the net. Glad the Wings won but that seemed pretty anti-climactic.

I think to say the oilers are done.

They played thair very best game. Their goalie stopped like 60 shots. They still couldnt win.

What a fucking shit ending. He was just throwing it toward the net. Glad the Wings won but that seemed pretty anti-climactic.

....and the wings have lost how many games on slop shots?

Welcome to the NHL. Ill take it.

climatic enough to me. now if his own man skated from one side to another and scored in his pwn net. that would be dull. funny but dull.

....and thw wings have lost how many games on slop shots?

Welcome to the NHL. Ill take it.


Exactly. Shit happens. Luck is part of it no doubt. But i'll take it any day.

perfect timing, too. The Nuggets/Sonics game 5 from 1994 is on at 11, and i've been itching to record it....

perfect timing, too. The Nuggets/Sonics game 5 from 1994 is on at 11, and i've been itching to record it....
high scoring jumpshot affair? [smilie=angel.gif]

perfect timing, too. The Nuggets/Sonics game 5 from 1994 is on at 11, and i've been itching to record it....
high scoring jumpshot affair? [smilie=angel.gif]

You wouldn't be interested, Delfino's not on either roster.

Obviously you take any win, but it would be nice to see skill win it instead of just wearing down the goalie till he finally let one slip by him.

perfect timing, too. The Nuggets/Sonics game 5 from 1994 is on at 11, and i've been itching to record it....
high scoring jumpshot affair? [smilie=angel.gif]

You wouldn't be interested, Delfino's not on either roster.
you gotta work on your comebacks. i was a dumars fan back then. [smilie=antlers.gif]

Obviously you take any win, but it would be nice to see skill win it instead of just wearing down the goalie till he finally let one slip by him.
but thats hockey. you beat him to death if the other team cant stop you from doing it. that takes quite a bit of skill to dominate shots like that.

Obviously you take any win, but it would be nice to see skill win it instead of just wearing down the goalie till he finally let one slip by him.


...was this your first playoff game? %90 of them dont come down to skill.

No shit. That's what I'm saying. "The more things change ..." Fuck both of you and your "haven't you ever seen hockey before". That's what I'm saying, its the same old clog the neutral zone, make the more skilled team fire long distance low % shots. Thus whatever team gets lucky with one going by the goalie gets the win.

ok, so whats the problem?

This is how hockey ALWAYS is.

It takes two to tango, and edmonton wasnt about to go up and down the ice with us. Nobody does.

No shit. That's what I'm saying. "The more things change ..." Fuck both of you and your "haven't you ever seen hockey before". That's what I'm saying, its the same old clog the neutral zone, make the more skilled team fire long distance low % shots. Thus whatever team gets lucky with one going by the goalie gets the win.
Damn Fool i never seen you so volatile after a playoff win. [smilie=anxious.gif]

What's my problem? Have you not payed attention the last 3-5 years?

No one (except the Devils) wants this kind of hockey to dominate the playoffs, particularly after a season where they practically made it a rule that teams traded power plays to get "more excitement" into the sport. My problem is the same old bullshit = snooze-fest playoffs (IMO) and people pretending like every OT is edge of your chair exciting when after the first its really just a bunch of guys too whipped to skate the length of the ice, making off-target passes, that create endless turnovers that no one can capitalize on because all they have the energy to do is lob shit at the net while the goalie always has enough energy to stick out a blocker.

My problem is, that I was hoping shit would be different and though its only one game, those hopes appear to be dashed.

Oh, and I'm not looking forward to resigning myself to checking the score the next day instead of watching the games because I don't have the time or devotion to sit up for multiple OTs every other game.

[smilie=anxious.gif] someone get Fool some ice.

...and some midol.

Not that I particularly enjoy this kind of game, but its HOCKEY.


This is like going to a basketball game and complaining that there is too much dribbling involved.

Not at all actually. That just shows your lack of appreciation for the sport.

go wings. and the most exciting playoff games are 0-0 defensive struggles with lots of good checking. i didnt see this game but it didnt sound like anything that would bore me.

Fans of the Oil are bitching up a storm about the favoritism the Wings get from officials. Nevermind the penalties were 7-7 last night and Edmonton was on the powerplay for pretty much 4 minutes straight in the 3rd period and for the last 2 minutes. This is an avatar that is being used in an Edmonton forum I've been visiting.........

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/4386/avatar697961ra.gif

Pathedic if you ask me. [smilie=angry.gif]

Fuck em. The Wings have mad haters just like the Yanks and
the Lakers. It comes with having a storied franchise.

Good win for the Wings. A game winning goal in double OT
is a game winning goal in double OT IMO. I'll take whatever.

Does anyone have any wings mp3s? I have Hey Hey Hockeytown, but just cant seem to find any of the other cheesy one. Im really looking for Mickey's "Get your red on", but would like to have as many as I can. Please PM me if you can help.

I have a giant 6 foot tall Stanley Cup that I put in the bed of my truck and used to have a CD with all the mp3s on it to play. Yeah its corny but the kids love it.

Thats freekin awesome. Welcome to the forums.

I think my mom got the CD when they were giving them away free with Little Caesars pizza. If I run across it, i'll rip it for you.

Thats freekin awesome. Welcome to the forums.

I think my mom got the CD when they were giving them away free with Little Caesars pizza. If I run across it, i'll rip it for you.

Ill take some pics after I get it mounted in the truck this year. I don't like to do it till the 3rd round. I think its bad luck to do it sooner. After that my truck can be seen driving around downtown most game nights ... home or away.

;)

Fuck em. The Wings have mad haters just like the Yanks and
the Lakers. It comes with having a storied franchise.

Good win for the Wings. A game winning goal in double OT
is a game winning goal in double OT IMO. I'll take whatever.
to the wings credit, unlike the yankees they built a winner with and w/o the salary cap. proof that they are smart gm's. not just rich ones.

Well, Manny gave up 2 shit goals at the end of the 2nd. Looks like we're playing from behind again.

Same old wings.

Watched both playoff games so far and so far the Wings and the NHL playoffs have been a disappointment.

Seems once again that the skilled teams don't flourish in the playoffs and it's the grind it out teams that trap and play pesky that go further.

The series is 1-1 but the Wings have been outplayed about every period. Seems like it's the same thing year after year. Too much finesse and not enough grit, at least thus far.

Watched both playoff games so far and so far the Wings and the NHL playoffs have been a disappointment.

Seems once again that the skilled teams don't flourish in the playoffs and it's the grind it out teams that trap and play pesky that go further.

The series is 1-1 but the Wings have been outplayed about every period. Seems like it's the same thing year after year. Too much finesse and not enough grit, at least thus far.

do people have something against playing strong Defense?

is the point of the game not to stop the other team from scoring then make opportunities for yourself?

there are ways to beat the trap
and the trap has failings in itself

its just a form of the game and i know why it gets hated on but sometimes i just dont understand people

they cheer for a stong Chicago Bears Defense
they cheer for the Pistons Bad boys who played stifling defense
they cheer for the pistons when they were shutting teams down to less than 70 points a night every game

but hockey gets hated on for playin strong gritty D

slightly hypocritical if you ask me

If you ask me, its because the way that defense translates. I don't mind a strong defensive team. I mind the trap. Forcing a team to lob shots at the net and tripping them up in the neutral zone yet never getting an odd man rush out of doing so isn't entertaining. Watching Ben swat someones shit into the 8th row or watching Ray Lewis plant a running back like a rail spike is fun to see.

I love seeing a big powerful defensive line (in hockey) or even incredibly smart and efficient defensive players lock down a team's offensive output. Turning every opponent's possession into a shorthanded rush by putting all 5 of your guys behind the center line isn't entertaining.

how about taking it to the defense?

heres a novel idea if they are going to put 4 guys back
maybe you should put 4 guys up?

or heres a more realistic look at it
if they are forcing the puck carrier down the left hand side of the ice
bring the winger in right behind him skate in the I formation when the defensive player comes to isolate you like he would if you were alone normally the puck carrier hits the defesive guy taking him out of the play and leaving the puck for the man behind him to carry or dump in which in turn draw more players to him (then you pass off to another winger) or draws more players to his side of the ice (then you rifle it around the boards to the opposite side where you would have a guy all alone maybe a winger and a Dman all alone.,


the trap can be beat

Great, I'll email Babcock.

The issue I responded to is if its hypocritical to like defense and not like the trap.

The trap to me is the gret equalizer of talent. It's not even fair or close to compare the trap to great defensive teams in other sports. In what other sport can you find consistently that lower seeds have a good shot at beating higher seeds?

There is none. I thought hockey was trying to make itself more appealing by opening up the game for it's stars and making it prettier to watch. Hockey is about as imperfect of a sport right now as there is. In fact you could take the worst team in hockeyand I bet they would stand a fair chance at winning a series if they employed the trap.

When less skilled teams are able to negate any advantage the higher skilled teams with more talent have there may be an issue. This conclusion is not from 2 games either. Look at the teams that have made it deeper into the playoffs the last few years.

Also, why is the officiating changing from period to period or from regulation to overtime? It's insane, inconsistent and drives away fans.

Just seems that fewer skilled teams and more teams employing the trap are going further is all I am saying.

Don't take this as a dig against hockey Fraserburn. think of it as concerns an average hockey fan like myself has along with lots of other people. At least I am watching the games trying to understand why the NHL seemigly can't get it right

Anyone have Mickey Redmonds "get your red on"? Or know where I can get it? My 9 year old girl loves that song and I lost my copy somewhere. Please help.


PS - I hate the trap too. It really makes a game hard to enjoy.

I post alot on www.sportsinferno.com and rather than rehash what i've already said there i'll just quote myself

here are a couple of my posts on the problems in hockey/possible solutions



and who is bettman and where did he come from
He is an american and he was david sterns jock strap

he had this grand vision of the NHL being the NBA on ice with body contact

where are the NHL teams?
do they jsut happen to be in places where there are NBA franchises?

where did those teams come from?
Hockey markets
Winnipeg, Minnesota, Hartford, Quebec

Toronto the biggest hockey market in the world
has 1 team and nobody except big wig execs can get tickets without selling their youngest son

move pittsburgh to Toronto
move carolina back to hartford
combine the dallas stars and the minnesota wild into one team in minnesota
get rid of Florida but leave tampa
get rid of anaheim and san jose but keep LA
see ya columbus hockey doesnt need you they can drive to chicago or detroit
bye atlanta
move phoenix back to winnipeg
leave colorado
move washington to quebec

so by my count i've subtracted 6 teams
and moved 4 back into hockey markets


good start


10 6'4 235 LBS Skaters
2 Goalies in Friggin HUge equipment
4 Referee's

all on the ice at the same time

and you wonder why theres no room to move?

widen the ice give them some space to move
they'll have an easier time breaking the trap
more room to free wheel
longer stretch passes and better passing in general

I'll go even further to suggest take the 2 linesmen OFF THE ICE
put them in little boxes on the blue lines and they can call the offsides from there. The boxes can be like penalty boxes so if theres a fight the door opens and they can come out and help break it up, but it gets 2 more people off the ice during play

Forward thinking is a wonderful thing..........take your reactionary bull bettman and shove it up your ass

I will wait until the end of the playoffs and after I have watched some more games before I make a conclusion on if hockey has improved.

Good point on the Bettman wanting to make the NHL into the NBA and I also like your contraction odeas.

Does it appear to you that the NHL is losing their identity and is having trouble figuring out what their product should look like?

I think the problem is that they are trying to force hockey on people and thus alienating their core fan. Whatvever, I have been out of the loop for a while so I am not sure what I say is accurate I just know I don't like the product I see as much as I did as a kid.

I just scored tickets to game 5! I had hoped that there would be no game 5, but I may as well enjoy it since there is.

I was at Sundays loss ... I hope it's not me thats giving the bad luck.

I just scored tickets to game 5! I had hoped that there would be no game 5, but I may as well enjoy it since there is.

I was at Sundays loss ... I hope it's not me thats giving the bad luck.

me too.


Just playin'. I bought tickets for game 1 of round 2. I hope that I'm not the one jinxing the team.

Edmonton up 3-1 with 16 Minutes left in the 2nd period.

3 goals on 12 shots for Edmonton.

Legace has had his first horrible game of the series thusfar.

Of course, the team around him sucks.

I also never want to see Pavel Datsuk in a Wing uniform ever again. He's replaced Keith Primau as the biggest pussy ever to wear the wonged wheel.

Any chance Fischer can suit up and play?

Man, do the wings ever suck......

It sure is fun to watch them:

-take a shot at the blue line, miss the net by 10 feet

-turn the puck over

-get a penalty

-repeat

121 points and they look like a minor-league team out there.

Bunch of fucking chokers. They dont dezerve Yzerman. He should have retired last year.

Legace has had his first horrible game of the series thusfar.

Of course, the team around him sucks.

I also never want to see Pavel Datsuk in a Wing uniform ever again. He's replaced Keith Primau as the biggest pussy ever to wear the wonged wheel.

I realize that Datysuk has been pretty bad but let's not forget that he has been out for 3 weeks before the last 2 games.

Besides outside of Yzerman, everybody on this team has looked like absolute shit.

Tied!

Wow!

How the fuck did they do that?

I switched to see the Spurs - Kings game and switched back after the Manu FT and the game is tied. :confused:

How the fuck did they do that?

I switched to see the Spurs - Kings game and switched back after the Manu FT and the game is tied. :confused:


a PP goal then a minute later a shot from the corner by Stevie, I think.

We are headed to OT. [smilie=yourock.gif]

Red Wings WIN!!!

Scooooooore!

Red Wings Win!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

lol, nvm.

Obviously, spoke too soon...

It's all good, just time to re-group.

Nevermind.

It was ruled a no-goal.

How can there not be a penalty for the goalie bumping the net off the moorings? I understand why it wasn't a goal but I think that there should be a penalty for delay of game just like if a goalie shoots it over the glass.

it can only be a penalty if it was intentional.

Did Yzerman get injured or something?

I think that is BS then, because in years past I have seen goalies unintentionally shoot the puck over the glass and that is still a penalty, so I feel net issue should be treated the same.

2nd double-OT game in 3 games....

Double OT.

Fuck!!!

Well, it was a good season while it lasted....

...not really.

Another season down the toilet. Fuck the Wings.

Nice Job by Manny, he might has well thrown it into the net, what a half assed attempt at clearing it.

The entire roster should be scrapped.

Every single red wing should be given a bus ticket out of town.

The only Wings I have any respect left for Are Zetterberg, Yzerman and Lidstrom. Other than that, theyre all a bunch of losers, and theyre proving it in this series.

Easy boys. This is the first game that the wings looked like they had an offense. If they can carry that in to game 4, they should win out.

I'm not ready to give up on them yet. The Wings are still a very good team and can get hot in a hurry

Could the Wings be frauds?

They stuffed the standings with wins against division opponents like Columbus, Chicago & St. Louis, while teams like Edmonton were battling night in and night out in a division where every team was over .500.

The playoffs are a pretty good equalizer, IMO.

This is nothing to get too excited about. The last time The Wings won the cup they were behind in every series they played in. If we win one this Thursday then we still have retained "home ice" advantage. Sure, Manny looked a little rough...and that last goal was absolute garbage...but the third peroid was encouraging.

I will not give up on them.

man people are already into the life boats with this team:rolleyes:

Im not bailing yet. I will have to try some new "luck" tactics tomorrow night though. I will be adding some patched to my #19 Jersey, and I will break with tradition and roll out my Stanley Cup early. It will be on my lawn by the time the puck drops.

>crosses fngers<

man people are already into the life boats with this team:rolleyes:

Yeah, isn't that wild? Imagine what they're feeling in Dallas right now? ...or maybe in Philly?

Yeah, isn't that wild? Imagine what they're feeling in Dallas right now? ...or maybe in Philly?

If you ask me they shouldnt be surprised in Philly
they'll be pissed for sure thats how the city of brotherly love functions, but Buffalo is the team to beat in the west in my opinion and they are showing it

and theodore was going to be the wild card
if he steps up he's all colorado needs to be back to championship status
if he continues to suck they'll lose out.....

The funny thing is that Thedore really hasn't been playing great hockey....Colorado is just scoring goals....although I admit that I haven't seen a great deal of any of their games.

Oh, and secretly I LOVE seeing Philly struggle. Flashbacks of '97

I secretly love Philly getting pounded

flashbacks of Felix the Cat beating up crazy ass Hextall

This is a GREAT thing to agree on.

The wings are soft. And legace is getting outplayed for 2 periods every game. If he doesnt play in the 1st and 2nd like he does in the 3rd the wings are screwed. Honestly they win both games easy if he stops the few shots he's facing. the other goalie is getting barraged with shots and holding up better so far.

I fucking stayed up till 2:30 for nothing.

Oh well, i'm gonna shave my playoff beard. Maybe that'll change things.

I fucking stayed up till 2:30 for nothing.

Oh well, i'm gonna shave my playoff beard. Maybe that'll change things.

no way! You don't bail on the beard when they are still in the playoffs.

Fuck.

Yzerman might be out for Game 4 with a back injury. He has been one of the Wing's better players.

Fuck.

Yzerman might be out for Game 4 with a back injury. He has been one of the Wing's better players.

THey don't deserve him.

Fuck.

Yzerman might be out for Game 4 with a back injury. He has been one of the Wing's better players.

This is HUGE. Everytime The Captian goes out with an injury in the post season, we lose. I'll bet he finds a way to play.

I fucking stayed up till 2:30 for nothing.

Oh well, i'm gonna shave my playoff beard. Maybe that'll change things.

no way! You don't bail on the beard when they are still in the playoffs.

If they lose game 4, its coming off :eek:

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VENUE: Rexall Place

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GAME: Detroit Red Wings at Edmonton Oilers.
PLAYOFF SERIES: Western Conference quarterfinals; Oilers lead 2-1.
TIME: Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EDT.
Goaltender Dwayne Roloson has been good - and lucky - in helping the Edmonton Oilers take a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference quarterfinals against the Red Wings.
He looks to turn in another strong performance as the teams play Game 4 at the Rexall Place.
Roloson has been spectacular in net thus far, turning aside 131 of 139 shots for a .942 save percentage in the three games as the Oilers have used defensive trapping to try and neutralize the Red Wings' free-flowing offense. The goaltender made 44 saves as the Oilers posted a 4-3 double overtime victory Tuesday on a goal by Jarrett Stoll 8:44 into the second extra period.
"This is just great for the team," Roloson said. "Emotionally, it was a very draining game."
But Roloson - acquired from the Minnesota Wild prior to the trade deadline - also got some help from the video replay officials. A shot by Red Wings center Jason Williams in the first overtime period appeared to be the game-winner, but the replay showed it went in through the side after Roloson bumped the net off its moorings.
"It's tough when you think you win," said Kirk Maltby, Detroit's hero in Game 1 after he scored the winning goal in a second overtime period. "We were hoping if we got off the ice soon enough, they wouldn't review it."
Oilers defenseman Chris Pronger had an assist and played another strong all-around game while logging nearly 48 minutes. Pronger has two goals and two assists in the three games and has played almost 38 minutes per game.
"It's big for everything," said Stoll, whose goal ended the Oilers third-longest overtime game and first home playoff game in three years. "We needed that win and we needed it bad."
Manny Legace made 28 saves for the Red Wings, including a difficult one on Sergei Samsonov that led to the rebound Stoll converted for the game-winner.
"I thought I had the overtime winner in my glove," Legace said. "It must have popped off my thumb."
Edmonton has taken a 2-1 series lead against Detroit on two prior occasions, winning both en route to Stanley Cup titles in 1987 and 1988. But the last time the Oilers held a 2-1 lead in a series, they lost to the Dallas Stars in six games in the 2003 conference quarterfinals.
The Red Wings struggled for most of the game, but rallied on goals by Henrik Zetterberg and Mathieu Schneider in an 18-second span midway through the third period to force a 3-3 tie.
Zetterberg has scored all three of his goals in this series on the power play, and Schneider has a goal and three assists. Two of the top offensive players for the Red Wings, left wing Brendan Shanahan and center Pavel Datsyuk, have combined for just one assist.
In addition to the loss, the Red Wings may enter this critical game without captain and center Steve Yzerman, who played just two shifts in the first overtime due to a back injury. Coach Mike Babcock will not commit to juggling his lineup until a decision is reached on Yzerman.
"If he can go, he is definitely going to play," Babcock said. "His contribution to our team is not just measured in what you see."
The Red Wings, who were the NHL's best road team this season with a single-season 31 wins and winners of the Presidents' Trophy, would be on the verge of elimination with a loss in Game 4.
The series returns to Detroit for Game 5 on Saturday afternoon.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Red Wings - 124 points; 1st seed. Oilers - 95 points; 8th seed.
PLAYOFF TEAM LEADERS: Red Wings - Zetterberg, 3 goals; Schneider, 3 assists and 4 points; Kris Draper and Andreas Lilja, 6 PIM. Oilers - Pronger and Stoll, 2 goals; Shawn Horcoff, 4 assists; Horcoff and Pronger, 4 points; Marc-Andre Bergeron, 8 PIM.
PLAYOFF SPECIAL TEAMS: Red Wings - Power play: 21.0 percent (4 for 19). Penalty killing: 83.3 percent (15 for 18). Oilers - Power play: 16.7 percent (3 for 18). Penalty killing: 79.0 percent (15 for 19).
GOALTENDERS: Red Wings - Legace (1-2, 0 SO, 2.34 GAA); Chris Osgood (no appearances). Oilers - Roloson (2-1, 0, 2.08); Jussi Markkanen (no appearances).

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

The wings actually look like the wings tonight.

They're still missing the net, but at leats theyre doing it from 5 feet instead of 30 feet, and off of 3 crisp passes instead of 1-timers.

I guess theyre going to keep letting Edmonton play 5 on 3 until they take the lead....

The Wings fought really hard to kill all those penalties...momentum is theirs heading into the 3rd period.

How did Legace look so far? And Datsyuk?

Did Yzerman sit out?

How did Legace look so far? And Datsyuk?

Did Yzerman sit out?

No Yzerman tonight, from what I can see.

Legace has played outstanding tonight, especially in the two 5-on-3 penalty kills.

Datsyuk has looked visible tonight, and thats a start.

More great passing sets up a 5-on-3 for the Wings for once.

Bang!

The Oilers have been diving all night. They werent going to get that call.

Wow.

Manny almost gave that away.

I take back everything I ever said about him playing well.

SCORE!!!

Great Play by Datsuk & Zetterberg.

DATSUK SCORED A POINT! HELL IS FREEZING OVER!

That's game. The Wings fought their way back into this series.

BTW Osgood was apparently hurt in practice. Supposedly a groin tweak.

Jimmy Howard has been recalled from GR in his place.

Whole new series now...

Assuming they dont choke away game 5 at home, they just might be able to escape this series.

HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF!

I will be at the game tomorrow ... hope it goes better then the last one I was at.

Does anyone go to a lot of wings games? Anyone know if there is somewhere I can get any sort of access to the players either before or after a game? Players lot maybe? How long before a game do players show up? If I could get my daughter close to Lidstrom, I would be a hero for life.

Lots to talk about with this one. First of all, Edmonton are a bunch of diving cheaters. What a bunch of shit. The Chelios call was legit...his stick was clearly up in that guy's face for sure....but there were a number of phantom penalties again tonight. I really hope that Edmonton gets a diving call soon. I'm not saying that it was all against The Wings. Edmonton should be pissed too. This officiating is just about as bad as I've ever seen.

Things I liked:

- The Wings finally playing with a lead. The difference is like night and day with just a one goal lead. The Oilers looked lost, and no amount of diving was going to save them.

- Pavel Datsyuk. Now THAT'S what I'm talking about. He looked strong.

- Schnieder and Lidstrom were plenty involved in the offence. Sure, it helped that we didn't spend the entire game on the penalty kill (just the second period), but it was still excellent to see. Those two are in a whole different league.

- Bret "mutha fuckin'" Lebda. This kid was aces.


I, too, will be at the game on Saturday. Sadly, I have no idea how to get access to the players. The parking lot is probably the best place to start, but I have no idea what time the players actually get there.

trying to see players during playoff time is virtually impossible
they are completely focused on what they are doing

i dont know if they'd let anybody get too close to them

The officiating is making this series unwatchable. Its just bad on so many levels.

The officiating is making this series unwatchable. Its just bad on so many levels.

isnt the officiating bad in all sports

the officiation in the NFL
umpring in the MLB
Line Judges in Tennis
subjective and fixed judging in shit like figure skating.......

Well at least it's exciting on an "I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen next" type level.

Well thats true to both posts, but its been even worse in this case

Had a good time at the game. Wish the wings could have showed up. I was about 4 feet from Konstantinov during warm ups. He looks pretty good.

Chris Draper gave my daughter a practice puck too. That guys always been a class act.

What a shitty ass game...

Edmonton is hustling their asses off
hats off to them

Game Time!!!

Good initial start for the Wings.

Score!!!

Zetts nice play

LANG!!!

2-0 Wings.

i keep thinking that I wont be watching the wings again this year but in all reality I could be watcing the wings for another couple months

wow brutal call by that linesman.......

S H I T

And just like that, the Oilers are back in the game.

Tie game.

SCORE!!!

3-2 Wings.

Great goal. Roloson's given up a few dangerous rebounds like that all game and we finally had someone in front of the net to knock it home.

WTF?

How did they get the goal?

Are you kidding me?

They fucking ruled that a goal.

I think it was a goal. Lidstrom pushed him in. Tough break, they should of called the high stick right before there.

Fuck!!!

Oilers score.

I hate the Red Wings now.

God fucking damnit. How can we repeatedly leave Oilers alone in front of the net like that!?!?!?!

Fuck!!!

Fuck!!!

Fuck!!!

that'll go down as one of the best playoff comebacks in NHL history

and yes that was a good call on that "kick" goal

they fucked up when they didnt call the high stick thats the problem

[smilie=anxious.gif] someone get Fool some ice.WTF are you doing here?

Anyway what a chokejob. Fuck the Wings. GO PISTONS.

And now.......your Atlanta Red Wings......or is it the Detroit Braves!?

Ridiculous.

Can we officially burn the NHL forum after this one?

No you cant

Can we at least burn the wings?

I think the Oil already did that

Yzerman played with torn rib muscles. [smilie=stunned.gif]

I hope that that wasn't his last game.

Could the Wings be frauds?

They stuffed the standings with wins against division opponents like Columbus, Chicago & St. Louis, while teams like Edmonton were battling night in and night out in a division where every team was over .500.

The playoffs are a pretty good equalizer, IMO.

BUMP


Welcome to WTFDetroit.com. If you're already a member, we've changed the place a bit, just in time for the championship run of our Detroit Pistons and Red Wings.

Looks like we need an edit, Matt.

The Wings need to move on here and remake their roster. God bless Yzerman he was the best payer at 41 years of age, which is a problem in itself, but it's time to retire Stevie. it's also time to lose Shanny and Chelios.

the Wings have tried to win with this group now the past 4 years and have been embarassed each year. I think the team needs to take a step back to go forward again.

Yzerman played with torn rib muscles. [smilie=stunned.gif]

I hope that that wasn't his last game.


I'm fairly certain that it was. What a horrible way for one of the best players of all time to go out. I'm speachless.

Only a couple of our supposed stars really showed up in this series. The Wings have a bunch of young talent but a bunch of guys have to go:

Robert Lang - invisible in the playoffs
Chris Chelios - old and ineffective
Brendan Shanahan - non-factor in the playoffs
Manny Legace (as a starter) - mediocre in the playoffs
Chris Osgood - old and not very good
Steve Yzerman - still had the heart, just too old and injury prone

I don't even like hockey that much, and it embarasses me big time. Well not really me, but for any one who lives in the city.

Only a couple of our supposed stars really showed up in this series. The Wings have a bunch of young talent but a bunch of guys have to go:

Robert Lang - invisible in the playoffs
Chris Chelios - old and ineffective
Brendan Shanahan - non-factor in the playoffs
Manny Legace (as a starter) - mediocre in the playoffs
Chris Osgood - old and not very good
Steve Yzerman - still had the heart, just too old and injury prone

I agree.

We could probably still win it next year with a solid FA.

^all those players but Cheli should be gone next year. Cheli signed for extremely cheap and he's a very good penalty killer and solid D. He shouldn't be our 2nd best D, which he is right now. He should be a good 3rd unit D. I'd like to see him back, but he shouldn't be counted on.

Yzerman played with torn rib muscles. [smilie=stunned.gif]

I hope that that wasn't his last game.

I'm fairly certain that it was. What a horrible way for one of the best players of all time to go out. I'm speachless.

Its better than the way he almost went out last time.

That's true. I still remember seeing pictures of what his eye looked like afterwords. Wow.