4/16. Red Wings @ Predators. West Conf Qtrs. 9:00 pm. Game 4. Vs./FSN-D

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Airborn

My quick thoughts on last night's game....

1. Versus sucks! I live out of town, so I couldn't even see the first period, and then all Versus really did was carry the CBC feed.

2. I guess Hasek is the sacrificial lamb by the media and blame-loving Wing fans, but several other Wings have played just as bad if not worse.

3. Memo to Babcock - You have a timeout, you might want to try using it at some point.

4. Datsyuk and Zetterberg were great last night.

5. What was up with the refs completely burying the whistle in the 3rd period? That was awful convenient for Nashville.

6. I know I'll get a lot of disagreements on this one, but Bill McCreary is one of my least favorite refs.

7. If there were an award for Least Valuable Player, it should go to Samuelson in honor of his performance last night. He was awful!

8. Hudler and Cleary are two guys I do think are playing very well right now.

9. What happened to Franzen? He was so hot, and now it's like he disappeared.

I agree with you on all points. IMO, if the WINGS don't fix what contributed to their melt down in Nashville, i.e. net-minding, power play, offense and marginal defense, they do not get to the Conference finals this year. Plain and simple. Net minding, IMO, has been suspect since shortly after, Osgood re-signed back in January. True there were other factors -- a multitude of key player injuries and the fact that the WINGS were so far out in front of everyone there wasn't a terrible lot of enthusiasm or need to come to the rink with their "A" game -- but, lets face it, neither Osgood nor Hasek sparkled in very many contests. The irony is that there are times those times when the WINGS are clicking on all cylinders where they look unbeatable. The last two games they look like a third rate bunch of has beens. Why the discrepancy? That's the $64 thousand (million) dollar question IMO, the WING still show signs of a team unable to work thru adversity and take the "bull by the horns" to WIN close contests or hold on to leads late in games. Mental toughness is ten times what physical or even skill during the playoffs. I'm concerned about the mental toughness at this point.

**lordstanley** · 04-17-2008, 01:18 PM

I think the ref should pretty much swallow the whistle in the last 5 minutes of the game and OT. Should be tightly called before then though. If not for a borderline call against the Wings vs Anaheim last year in the final 2 minutes of Game 5 in a game the Wings had dominated, the Wings might have won the game, the series and the Cup.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 01:24 PM

And oh yes .... addendum to my last comments ..... its time some "role" players step it up --- i.e. Franzen, Filppula, Samuelsson, Draper, Drake, Rafalski, Lebda, Kronwall, Chelios, to name a few. The WINGS can't win with only Datsyuk and or Zetterberg or their fancy play-making.

Its time to see the WINGS play with a killer instinct. Its now or never in 2008.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by lordstanley

I think the ref should pretty much swallow the whistle in the last 5 minutes of the game and OT. Should be tightly called before then though. If not for a borderline call against the Wings vs Anaheim last year in the final 2 minutes of Game 5 in a game the Wings had dominated, the Wings might have won the game, the series and the Cup.

How about McCreary's call on Holmstrom for "cross checking" ...? To me that was just one example of b.s. whistle blowing for inconsequential play. I don't recall specifics on any others, but there were several in the first half of the game, where IMO, it very much negatively impacted the flow and spirit of the action.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 01:29 PM

And oh yes, the border line call on Datsyuk for interference in the final minutes of game 5 against Anaheim last year was truly an example of whistle-blowing gone awry. That was indeed a call that through the game in favor of Anaheim and sealed the WINGS fate.

**lordstanley** · 04-17-2008, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by skyguy52

IMO, the WING still show signs of a team unable to work thru adversity and take the "bull by the horns" to WIN close contests or hold on to leads late in games. Mental toughness is ten times what physical or even skill during the playoffs. I'm concerned about the mental toughness at this point.

The Wings are just a very streaky team. Have been for at least a decade. If they're on all cylinders, they appear unstoppable. But if you knock them offstride or the opposing coach makes adjustments, they have an amazing propensity to suddenly go on 3-4 game losing streaks in the playoffs. Plus I think '02 was the only time in the past dozen years that they've won a game when facing elimination. I still think the Wings are in good shape, fully capable of winning the Cup, and that winning the Cup is more likely than getting knocked out in this 1st round - unfortunately, either could happen. The one good thing from last night is that Osgood got minutes, looked OK, and will be game-ready from the get-go in Game 5 - I would have been nervous throwing him cold into Game 5 in a must-win situation.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by lordstanley

The Wings are just a very streaky team. Have been for at least a decade. If they're on all cylinders, they appear unstoppable. But if you knock them offstride or the opposing coach makes adjustments, they have an amazing propensity to suddenly go on 3-4 game losing streaks in the playoffs. Plus I think '02 was the only time in the past dozen years that they've won a game when facing elimination. I still think the Wings are in good shape, fully capable of winning the Cup, and that winning the Cup is more likely than getting knocked out in this 1st round - unfortunately, either could happen. The one good thing from last night is that Osgood got minutes, looked OK, and will be game-ready from the get-go in Game 5 - I would have been nervous throwing him cold into Game 5 in a must-win situation.

Agreed. Thanks for adding an optimistic or fair assessment. My point is maybe a little too cynical for the situation. I think that's my nature ..... lol ... I'm not saying they can't do it --- break out of the funk --- but, I am saying they are going to have to work thru it. They are more than capable if they tweak a couple of things and take over in game 5.

**Airborn** · 04-17-2008, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by Euphdude

It's the NHL playoffs - what else did you expect? Despite what the League wants you to think, playoff hockey is still officiated quite differently than during the regular season.

In game 1, there were 2 third period penalties
In game 2, there were 4 third period penalties
In game 3, there were 4 third period penalties
In game 4, there were 0

I just find it awful convienient that this occured in the one game where Nashville had a 3rd period lead and completely benefited from the refs burying their whistles.

In fact, I haven't seen a single game in this years playoffs where the refs decided to just not call anything because it was the 3rd period. I agree that used to occur, but not anymore (at least it shouldn't).

I'm not a big fan of calling penalties in the last few minutes, unless they are completely obvious. However, there were several completely obvious calls that went unnoticed, and many of them were well before the last few minutes of play.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 08:41 PM

Well, the problem is the League has a problem with calling something one way, and penalizing someone for some infraction, and then ignoring the very same thing in the 3rd period or in the last five minutes of third period of a play-off game. The league created this situation when they instituted the current policies and penalty calling a couple of years ago. The league, or a team, can't have it both ways. IMO, it should either be one way or the other. There can't be two different policies. No consistency leaves both players and fans with a lot of frustration. I say go back to the old way of doing playing the game (which I know, and everyone else knows, is NOT going to happen).

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 11:09 PM

Airborne: Yes you make the comment about how PATHETIC Versus is.

The OTHER game tonight Colorado Vs. Minnesota not shown tonight in my area, at least at this hour--- why --- because VERSUS and CBC/HNIC -- is the same feed, broadcasting the Calgary / San Jose game.

How pathetic is that?

Which brings to the fore front another issue with the NHL -- which is why is viewership so poor?

Pissed me off, not sure about anyone else.

**Shinma** · 04-17-2008, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by Shinma

Online links for games currently going on:
Wild/Avs mms stream 250k
Cal/SJ 855k, Vs Direct
Cal/SJ, **2000k SOPCAST** NASN

=)

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by Shinma

=)

Haha.. yes thank you Shinma. You are a good man. However, tried to raise your link to the AVs / Wild game and NADA ...

tar and feather bettman and the nhl bean counters.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 11:15 PM

Shin: Server for mms is down for me .... not sure why / what technical aspects are at work here ....

But thanks for the aid anyway.

**Shinma** · 04-17-2008, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by skyguy52

Haha.. yes thank you Shinma. You are a good man. However, tried to raise your link to the AVs / Wild game and NADA ...

tar and feather bettman and the nhl bean counters.

Im watching that feed right now. What does it do when you try to open it?

**Shinma** · 04-17-2008, 11:18 PM

Ah, I screwed up the link.

Try it again.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 11:19 PM

I'm using Mozilla Firefox. Page comes up saying the mms site is busy ... re-try a couple times .. same result.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 11:21 PM

haha. thanks. opened it up ... got something now ... but commercial break...
stand by .. wow.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 11:22 PM

Ahhh .. Shin .. you're a technical MARVEL .. .got it!

Wow... Thanks mega.

**lordstanley** · 04-17-2008, 11:25 PM

I imagine what a laughably nervous bunch we'll be in Game 6 or (yikes! gulp!) Game 7. I can just see it ... the Wings will be leading 3-1 with 24 seconds to go in the 3rd period and a faceoff in the neutral zone and we'll still be terrified cuz that's plenty of time for Nashville to stave off elimination.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 11:44 PM

Wild haven't yet solved the AVs .... 3-1 late 3rd.

Thanks Shin...

game now ended. Looks like AVs prevail.

**skyguy52** · 04-17-2008, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by lordstanley

I imagine what a laughably nervous bunch we'll be in Game 6 or (yikes! gulp!) Game 7. I can just see it ... the Wings will be leading 3-1 with 24 seconds to go in the 3rd period and a faceoff in the neutral zone and we'll still be terrified cuz that's plenty of time for Nashville to stave off elimination.

Haha. yep. I think its going to be brutal.

Anyone watching the Sharks / Flames ... wow. determined bunch they are.