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Abel to Yzerman

Beating Bubba: Keys To Round 1

by IwoCPO on 04/10/08 at 12:15 PM ET
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Let’s be real clear here.  This series has nothing to do with how Bubba plays, and everything to do with what the Wings bring to the table every game.  Detroit can play good hockey and beat Nashville playing their absolute best.  Every game. 

Keys for the Wings:

The power play.  They absolutely must capitalize.  At least one goal per game.  Bubba’s got a kill that is ranked third in the league, but they haven’t faced anyone like the Wings.  What?  8 times already?  Nope. Doesn’t count.  Bubba hasn’t seen the Wings with a (semi) healthy Homer and a scoring force like Franzen…on separate lines.  Both units have the potential to be lethal.  Bubba’s gonna pressure the blue line big time.  Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Filppula, Hudler: will all have room to move deep along the boards.  As long as Rafalski and Lidstrom can handle the pressure up top, there will be many scoring chances.  Slap shot opportunities, I believe, will be limited. But cycling and lanes down low will be available.  If the Wings don’t win this series, we’ll be pointing at the powerplay when it’s over.

Hasek and Ellis.  If the Wings put a 3 spot up on Ellis in the first period tonite: this series is over.  Somewhere in some deep, dark, disgusting place there are bad images of Kipper and JSG and werewolves.  Those need to go away.  Putting a few behind Ellis right away will do that.  Dom?  As usual, we need him insane, active and abrasive.  Steady would be good, outstanding would be better and spectacular sets the stage for a long run.  If Ellis stands on his rookie head and Dom falters?  It’s a long, painful series with lots of controversy and poorly constructed phrases written in a drunken rage.

Secondary scoring.  Yes, we know.  We know that Bubba’s going to come after Hank and Datsyuk and really go after Homer.  But “going after” and stopping are two completely different things.  Monty Babcock’s Flying Circus is going to have to take some pain, but they’ll have their chances.  Detroit can win this series with exclusive production from the top line, but they won’t get past the next round if the other guys aren’t scoring.  So it has to start now.  Franzen has to stay hot.  Hudler needs to produce, at least minimally.  Filppula too.  If adjustments need to be made, I believe we’re going to see Abbadabbadoo as the first replacement.  Late word from the morning skate is that McCarty’s in and Downey’s out.

Speaking of even strength.  Lidstrom is in the negative and so is Zetterberg against Bubba based on regular season numbers.  I don’t have an explanation for that, and I’m not even real sure it matters all that much.  But it’s something to notice.  Bubba’s primary goal will be staying out of the box. 

Violence.  The Wings now know the right tactic when it comes to teams who feel they can outmuscle us.  Babcock drilled it into their heads last year and it worked against three teams who were much better then Bubba.  My hope is that the hitting is initiated by the Wings, often and with the occasional disregard for the safety of people like Tootoo and Webber.  Hit them hard, cheaply and regularly.  They’ll respond, powerplays will ensue, glory will follow.

Coaching.  Barry Trotz has not proven he can win a series.  He’s great at getting teams to perform in the regular season, past what’s expected of them.  But he’s done nothing but fail in the playoffs.  Mike Babcock is a proven playoff winner.  The difference?  Talent of course.  Babcock has plenty.  But so did Trotz the last two years, and has nothing to show for it.  Things go on between the ears of coaches that I could never even guess at, so I won’t pretend to analyze this deal.  But, I’ll say this: Babcock is a great coach, a coach who’s proven he can get a team ready to play the game he feels wins in the playoffs.  Trotz hasn’t done that.

Motivation and memory.  We’ve seen stories hint at it all year, that last year’s loss to the Poultry has stuck with the Wings the entire season, that it was painful enough to drive them to success this year.  I believe that.  As much as it hurts us to recall the fluttering puck from hell in Game 5 and the blowout turned almost miracle in Game 6, I hope that’s multiplied for the Wings themselves. Eclipse those memories.  Erase them and replace them.

Those are the keys.

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