Red Wings

[WingsFan]

My point stands; to win the Stanley Cup, your goaltender is going to have to make those saves every once in a while.

Ok I lied, I did go back and watch again. The only way Howard stops that shot is if he was in a different position ie maybe more aggressively challenging the shooter coming out of the net. It was a perfect lucky shot. No goaltender can stop a deflection going 100 mph.

[WingsFan]

How else do you explain this run of luck — from bad to worse to just plain cruel? Todd McLellan, the Sharks' coach, insists there's no magic involved. But he's lucky: That's what the winning team gets to say in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110505/...#ixzz1LVxYZMZU

[WingsFan]

Lions head coach Jim Schwartz believes the Wings can win four in a row;

Source: FoxSportsDetroit.com, Twitter, Jim Schwartz

“If the Lions can win four in a row, I know the Wings can too. Let’s go Red Wings!”

[chemiclord]

Ok I lied, I did go back and watch again. The only way Howard stops that shot is if he was in a different position ie maybe more aggressively challenging the shooter coming out of the net. It was a perfect lucky shot. No goaltender can stop a deflection going 100 mph.

Gee, Howard sure is an unlucky bastard to get so many "perfect lucky shots" go by him in these situations. That's a bullshit excuse. I'm sick of hearing excuses for every goal that is scored on the Red Wings.

How about this: Howard whiffed on a save he has to make. No, it's not fucking easy. Yes, it was a tough shot. But if you are going to win the Stanley Cup, your goaltender is going to face some difficult shots. He's going to face deflections, he's going to get screened. The championship winning goaltenders find a way to stop them anyway.

Your goaltender is going to have to make those tough saves at least some of the time. He's going to have to steal a game or two. You can't stockpile the talent that suffocates opponents and only gives up 20 shots a game anymore. Those days are gone.

I don't "blame" him for the first two games. I blame him for giving up one goal in OT that he has to make if the Wings are going to go all the way. There's no way around it. If he can't make those saves, he needs to be replaced somehow.

If you want to talk about the shitty penalty kill, yes, it's just as culpable. Or the fact that the Wings couldn't score in San Jose if they were given a bucket of money and told to make it rain in a club. Those have been real problems against San Jose especially the last two seasons.

I'm not blaming Howard for being down 3-0. I'm blaming Howard for one goal in Game 3 that he (or whoever the Wings goaltender is) will have to stop if they want the Stanley Cup.

[WingsFan]

Your goaltender is going to have to make those tough saves at least some of the time.

Howard has, your blaming him on one fluky goal. He alone, kept us in game one.

[WingsFan]

Not saying Howard's been perfect, but any goalie would have to be playing out of their mind to get wins the way the rest of the team has been playing. Without Howard the Wings are losing these games by 3+4 goals. Howard has been by far the Wings' best player in the playoffs. Howard is on the very bottom of the "blame list."

[chemiclord]

I just don't see it.

I see in Howard a guy who can make the routine saves, but can't consistently handle anything difficult. He's good, but not good enough. He's like Chris Osgood all over again; only without the benefit of having 4 All-Star Defensemen in front of him every game.

Now, if you want to talk about the other jerkoffs taking a huge heaping dump this series. Hoo boy, there are a many. I'm wondering if there's a bonus in Bertuzzi's contract if he averages one boneheaded penalty a game in the playoffs. Same for Rafalski. You can count on those two doing something fucking stupid that puts them in penalty box clinging to a one goal lead. But hey that's okay! The Wings have one of the best penalty kills... oh... wait...

Yes, there's plenty of reasons why the Wings are again going to be humiliated by the Sharks for the second straight year. I'm just sick of hearing the excuses why. I'm tired of hearing about "fatigue" and "lucky bounces" and "perfect shots." The Sharks have been the better team in 8 of the last 9 playoff games against the Wings at damn near every position; including in goal.

[gjdodger]

The Sharks are a better team, period. They had a better record during the season.

[WingsFan]

He's like Chris Osgood all over again;

The 'knock' on Ozzy was letting in soft goals. Howard has been beat cleanly how many times vs San Hose? Im going to be 44 this summer, been a Red Wing fans since I was a boy, I have never seen a luckier team against anyone than the last 2 years.

The Sharks are a better team, period. They had a better record during the season.

Yep, they had one more point - what your point? Washington just got swept by Tampa.

[WingsFan]

Forgot to ask, I didn't see one octopus thrown Wednesday? Bettman

[gjdodger]

The octopus would be appropriate. Win four from Phoenix, lose four to San Jose. That's eight.

[FCRhodes]

Series isn't over yet girls. Shave that itchy shit off your faces if you think it is.

[froot loops]

The Wings never had 4 All Star defenseman in front of Osgood.

This team kind of reminds me of the teams prior to 2002 season. They were still very good teams but at one point had lost 12 of 13 one goal games in the playoffs.

But they also remind me more of the early 90's teams in which they scored a lot in the regular season but had a pretty suspect team defense. In the playoffs they couldn't hold leads, they were trying to sit back an play a defensive style they hadn't played in the season. I see the same thing in this series, they've had the lead and they've tried to sit on it. But they don't play the left wing lock anymore or with any real efficiency.

[gjdodger]

The Wings never had 4 All Star defenseman in front of Osgood.

This team kind of reminds me of the teams prior to 2002 season. They were still very good teams but at one point had lost 12 of 13 one goal games in the playoffs.

But they also remind me more of the early 90's teams in which they scored a lot in the regular season but had a pretty suspect team defense. In the playoffs they couldn't hold leads, they were trying to sit back an play a defensive style they hadn't played in the season. I see the same thing in this series, they've had the lead and they've tried to sit on it. But they don't play the left wing lock anymore or with any real efficiency.

Unfortunately, Holland can't say, "Get me Dominic Hasek!" But I wonder if they will look for veteran goaltending, presuming Osgood is done.

[froot loops]

I think they are going to have to sink or swim with Howard for the time being. He just signed a two year extension. They have to improve the team defensively. Of all the playoff teams in the Western Conference they gave up the most goals, I like Babcock but I think he needs to focus on what they are doing defensively. They are not sound defensively and really haven't been for a few seasons.