Red Wings

[Fairley Suhn]

What a fucking game. They left everything they had out there on the ice. Pure will and determination by Pavel on the Lidstrom goal.

[*JD*]

I may have found a rally shirt.

[FCRhodes]

Just watched about 5 minutes. Not going to bother to watch any more...

Stay away from our Red Wings, you non-believer.

[*JD*]

What a fucking game. They left everything they had out there on the ice. Pure will and determination by Pavel on the Lidstrom goal.

I think Tomas deflected the Lidstrom shot for the game winner.

[WingsFan]

Bamn!!

[WingsFan]

Jimmy Howard !!

[FCRhodes]

Thornton taking out Franzen's ankle really pissed me off. Fricken thug.

[gjdodger]

Even the announcers commented that it looked like the teams had swapped jerseys. I don't remember who it was, but there was a play in the second where a Wing was just sitting by the boards waiting several seconds for a rebound, and he got levelled as soon as the puck got there. The Sharks were all over Howard the first two periods.

[WingsFan]

WHooooo!!!! The irony when we lost games when we dominated and outshout teams!! Back to the D !!!!

[Tom]

I wish Howard would make a save once in a while.

Seriously, Datsyuk's effort to set up some of those goals and Lidstrom's blast were just awesome.

Once the Wings were down 2-0 I thought about turning it off just cause they looked like they just didn't have it. Then, when they went down 3-1, I had pretty much given up hope. But at the end, the announcers were right, It looked like the teams had reversed jerseys.

I don't know if all the pressure is on San Jose yet. They did seem to start choking near the end of this game so maybe it is but the Wings are still the team facing elimination.

And even if they end up losing this series, unless Lidstrom retires, I doubt the Wings make significant changes. They finished 3rd in the West, Howard is looking like a goalie that's capable in the playoffs, and they still have a lot of talent. Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Franzen, Helm, Filpulla, Cleary, and Bertuzzi can all still play very well. The defense seems to need an upgrade as does the overall team defense and PK.

[*JD*]

I still want to see Modano out there.

[Fraquar]

It's just nice to see all that hard work get rewarded. Datsyuk is just plain sick.

[CGVT]

Somebody tell CGVT he missed a great finish.

I'm glad I lied...;)

[chemiclord]

I wish Howard would make a save once in a while.

Seriously, Datsyuk's effort to set up some of those goals and Lidstrom's blast were just awesome.

Once the Wings were down 2-0 I thought about turning it off just cause they looked like they just didn't have it. Then, when they went down 3-1, I had pretty much given up hope. But at the end, the announcers were right, It looked like the teams had reversed jerseys.

I don't know if all the pressure is on San Jose yet. They did seem to start choking near the end of this game so maybe it is but the Wings are still the team facing elimination.

And even if they end up losing this series, unless Lidstrom retires, I doubt the Wings make significant changes. They finished 3rd in the West, Howard is looking like a goalie that's capable in the playoffs, and they still have a lot of talent. Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Franzen, Helm, Filpulla, Cleary, and Bertuzzi can all still play very well. The defense seems to need an upgrade as does the overall team defense and PK.

I have my reservations about Howard, especially if they keep the defense as is. I don't think he's the sort of goalie that will be able to steal games where the Wings look like molasses defensively. If they can stabilize their defensive rotations somehow and keep Howard from having to be a miracle worker, he'll be able to do enough.

Then again, maybe the fellow takes the next step again, and completely proves me wrong. He's been getting steadily better with each season. Not huge massive strides, but a little better each time he comes out.

But yes, the big improvement has to be on defense, even if Lidstrom comes back another year. I don't know how many times I've seen two or three Wings in the corner, losing the battle, and having an opponent perched unguarded right on Howard's pads for an easy goal.

[Tom]

I have my doubts about Howard too but I think he's played very well in these playoffs so far. Not great but very well. The defense hangs him out to dry a lot.