Post-Game Talk: There was a game tonight

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

I gotta say, I am really impressed with Howard so far. Didn't expect this from him at all. If he can play like this in the playoffs, we got a real shot to go far.

Yeah compared to last season, Howard is looking much better. Hope he keeps up the good play.

 

[Frk It]

Especially after Babcock alluded to Smith getting PP time in training camp

It wasn't even really indirect. He said Smith was going to get a chance on the PP, and then he didn't. It's ********.

Wonder if it was Hiller that nixed it so they could go with this new formation that's 2/21. Who knows. It's crap either way.

 

[ElysiumAB]

Wow, lots of whining in this thread.

The no goal call was questionable, if not downright incorrect.

With that said, it was an entertaining hockey game, and the Wings played a decent/good road game against one of the better teams in the league.

Both teams looked overmatched at points, but there was some exciting hockey. I really wish the goal would have stood, not just for an extra point in the standings but because of how great of a highlight it would have been for Pav.

If the Wings can take 3/4 points against Montreal and Pittsburgh they'll be in very good shape.

 

[Gyldenlove]

Wow, lots of whining in this thread.

The no goal call was questionable, if not downright incorrect.

With that said, it was an entertaining hockey game, and the Wings played a decent/good road game against one of the better teams in the league.

Both teams looked overmatched at points, but there was some exciting hockey. I really wish the goal would have stood, not just for an extra point in the standings but because of how great of a highlight it would have been for Pav.

If the Wings can take 3/4 points against Montreal and Pittsburgh they'll be in very good shape.

The no goal was downright incorrect. Price actively went for the contact on Abdelkader and his theatrics in trying to draw a call was what prevented him from attempting the save.

I could live with this kind of call if they would make it every time, but we all know this is the kind of call they make 1 in 10 times.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Chuck Pleiness @wingsfrontman
Wings have decided to have team meetings over practice today. Cleary, Weiss, Lashoff and Gustavsson were on ice before hand working out.

 

[Flowah]

Chuck Pleiness @wingsfrontman
Wings have decided to have team meetings over practice today. Cleary, Weiss, Lashoff and Gustavsson were on ice before hand working out.

Team meetings then a ton of PP work please. Including changing up the system because this point shot crap don't work for us no more. DDK loaded up like 3 times in one PP, missing the net each time and generating nothing. We have skilled forwards who can take it to the net. Let's use that.

 

[Winger98]

Team meetings then a ton of PP work please. Including changing up the system because this point shot crap don't work for us no more. DDK loaded up like 3 times in one PP, missing the net each time and generating nothing. We have skilled forwards who can take it to the net. Let's use that.

What's really confusing is that the Wings new system generally relies on more puck movement lower in the zone to generate its chances. Getting to the point for bombs and tips seems to be an odd fit for it.

 

[Kronwalled55]

That's just how Tatar plays the game. He had stretches last year where people were saying the same thing, then he scores a few goals and everyone is happy. There are times when he gets too fancy but in my opinion you're really overblowing it.

He's not even the go-to player on his own line. He has wasted so many opportunities this season with his selfishness, and last night was by far the worst. I could see his angle if nobody was getting open, but Sheahan and Nyquist were finding open ice clear as day.

 

[detredWINgs]

That's just how Tatar plays the game. He had stretches last year where people were saying the same thing, then he scores a few goals and everyone is happy. There are times when he gets too fancy but in my opinion you're really overblowing it.

Yup. And I think he tends to get fancy and go it alone when things aren't going his way. He seems to have that mentality that if he's no putting up points, it's on him to fix it. And it can be frustrating as a fan for a bit but then he breaks through, starts producing, and we forget about it until the next dry spell.

Personally, I think 6 games with putrid production warrants some experimentation. I'd like to try Helm centering Tatar and see if they can't match each other in speed while having Helm be the simplifying influence on Tatar.

 

[detredWINgs]

He's not even the go-to player on his own line. He has wasted so many opportunities this season with his selfishness, and last night was by far the worst. I could see his angle if nobody was getting open, but Sheahan and Nyquist were finding open ice clear as day.

He's played 1 game with Nyquist. When he's with Sheahan and Jurco, he is absolutely the go-to guy.

Also, "open ice" means nothing if the lanes aren't there.

 

[Dotter]

Smith is probably the most confusing situation in my opinion.

At least with Cleary you understood his past was getting in the way of Holland's good judgement. At least with Quincey you understood Holland panicked and wanted to sign a defenseman who might be top-4.

I don't understand the rationale behind Smith not getting any powerplay time. There is no reason for it, logical or illogical.

Do you think Holland told Babcock he is forbidden to play Smith on the powerplay? I'm not so sure...

 

[D0ctorCool]

I thought the PP looked mostly dangerous. Once set-up, yo guys were quite unlucky not to have 1 or 2 goals out of it. Zetterberg made a series of laughably uncharacteristic plays that ground things to a halt. The system looked fine, the execution was a little rusty. Nothing more than that.

 

[ElysiumAB]

The no goal was downright incorrect. Price actively went for the contact on Abdelkader and his theatrics in trying to draw a call was what prevented him from attempting the save.

I agree. I guess I should have stated myself more clearly, it was the wrong call, but also not one I'm surprised by. Meaning, I assume there will be questionable/wrong calls, I'm used to it.

Still, from a hockey perspective it was a great game to watch.

 

[Kronwalled55]

He's played 1 game with Nyquist. When he's with Sheahan and Jurco, he is absolutely the go-to guy.

Also, "open ice" means nothing if the lanes aren't there.

The lanes were absolutely there.

Tatar can go through dry spells and sacrifice potential production from other line mates as long as it looks like "he's trying." He's a puck hog; plain and simple. It doesn't show much promise when he's at his worse doing that with Nyquist on his line.

 

[jkutswings]

I'm glad there have been at least some measured responses.

While I will never understand the notion of a non-reviewable play, one questionable call does little to change the facts that Detroit has scored 12 goals in 6 games, with only 2 tallies on the power play all season (both from Nyquist).

Thus far, they've been better defensively than I expected, but I very much see shades of the Curtis Joseph playoff, where the offense completely hung him out to dry, then a good portion of the fans blamed him for the early exit (while ignoring his more than respectable stats).

L2Score, and you won't put yourself in situations where a bad call decides the game.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Do you think Holland told Babcock he is forbidden to play Smith on the powerplay? I'm not so sure...

No that wasn't my implication.

 

[Vladdy84]

Still Michigan MAD about the game last night.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

I have no problem with the call. Abdelkader was clearly in the crease, as the one video angle showed. It is annoying how inconsistent it is or is not called, but it's definitely not an easy view for refs.

The bottom line is that Detroit only scored 1 goal. They played well enough to win, but they need to start burying their chances. The new Kid line had several good shifts, but again, nothing to show for. I thought the Jurco-Helm unit had some decent shifts where they forchecked and cycled hard, but it never really turned into prime opportunities. The PP is going to score better than 8%, I can promise you guys that. I'm not too worried about it yet. Not for the long run.

Overall I again really loved the speed, tenacity, and support that this team is playing with. If they keep it up and we continue to get good goaltending, we're going to win a lot more games than we lose.

 

[Shoalzie]

Was it an iffy call...sure. In the end, it cost them only a point. The Getzlaf play cost them two...and that one could've gone either way. I always look at games down the road where a call gives the Wings a game they shouldn't have gotten. It tends to even out for the good teams.

 

[opivy]

I agree. I guess I should have stated myself more clearly, it was the wrong call, but also not one I'm surprised by. Meaning, I assume there will be questionable/wrong calls, I'm used to it.

Still, from a hockey perspective it was a great game to watch.

Price IS allowed to actively pursue contact in his crease, and if contact is made it's a waved goal. That is the rule, the call was the right call, Price did the right thing and if Abby just stops another 10 inches shorter it's a 2-1 win.

Those are the breaks, it was a good hockey play and the ref got it right.

 

[PullHard]

The no goal call last night was nothing compared to how bad some of Holmer's reputation calls were. We are used to this, we shouldn't be complaining. We have the guns to score more than 2 goals a game on average. Need them to keep pushing for it.

 

[aar000n]

Still Michigan MAD about the game last night.

same but time to move on. It was a screw job. When the refs made it 4-4 they knew what they were doing. The habs power play sucks but if they made it 4-4 the Wing defence would change with less people.

 

[opivy]

Was it an iffy call...sure. In the end, it cost them only a point. The Getzlaf play cost them two...and that one could've gone either way. I always look at games down the road where a call gives the Wings a game they shouldn't have gotten. It tends to even out for the good teams.

The Getzlaf play was also not the fault of the ref. There was no trip whatsoever and the hook/slash was absolutely borderline at best. The real culprit of that goal was a team not backchecking when there were four people around him with such a short time, there is NO WAY at all a player should be able to walk through that much ice all alone with four bodies around him. Just poor play on the part of the players on the ice and a good play by Getzlaf.

 

[odin1981]

I'm starting to worry but we need about another 5-6 games before I'll be scared. In all reality though at the least we need to be able to average at least 2.5 gpg to not give games away. We are 3-3 atm basically on pace for last year. Sadly I feel this year we really probably need to split up z and d. I hate it because if we want them with gas in the tank for the postseason we can't really do it anymore but we need to get the kid line back down to feasting on third pairing d and bottom six matchups. They are still a little raw to play top 6 matchups.
I really don't want to watch Thursdays game but I will because I am a glutten for punishment. Because unless Fleury thinks its the playoffs and flubs it I just don't see how we are out producing pitt in goals scored. Also Fleury generally plays against us well as well. Hopefully in 2 weeks or so Mantha can play and they decide to give him a couple games but he will probably be better served in GR at least for 15-20 games getting up to speed but to have any chance of doing well this year we need 3 scoring lines and without him or pulkinnen coming up and taking a spot we are lacking in scoring line capable forwards atm.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

I'm starting to worry but we need about another 5-6 games before I'll be scared. In all reality though at the least we need to be able to average at least 2.5 gpg to not give games away. We are 3-3 atm basically on pace for last year. Sadly I feel this year we really probably need to split up z and d. I hate it because if we want them with gas in the tank for the postseason we can't really do it anymore but we need to get the kid line back down to feasting on third pairing d and bottom six matchups. They are still a little raw to play top 6 matchups.
I really don't want to watch Thursdays game but I will because I am a glutten for punishment. Because unless Fleury thinks its the playoffs and flubs it I just don't see how we are out producing pitt in goals scored. Also Fleury generally plays against us well as well. Hopefully in 2 weeks or so Mantha can play and they decide to give him a couple games but he will probably be better served in GR at least for 15-20 games getting up to speed but to have any chance of doing well this year we need 3 scoring lines and without him or pulkinnen coming up and taking a spot we are lacking in scoring line capable forwards atm.

No we're not, we're 3-1-2. I hate it when people twist our record like that to make us seem worse than we are, as if the loser point shouldn't count for us when it does for everyone else