Abel to Yzerman
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Pre-Dallas Digging
by IwoCPO on 01/02/08 at 06:24 PM ET
Comments (75)
1855: We’ll do the liveblog on this post tonite.
Man…getting old sucks. And no, that’s not a lead-in for a Chelios story. I’m talking New Year’s recovery time. Pepe Lopez appeared again, and the results were not good.
Yes, I DVR’d the loss to our little sisters from St. Louis. Yes, I watched it yesterday morning. No, I don’t recall much of it. No, our lead diminishing to a mere 19 in the Central does not have me concerned.
How will the Wings respond? Oh, I think they’ll be just fine…especially considering the return of the future captain. Fortunately, he returns to a team that appears much more balanced than it was prior to his injury. Uncle Mike’s splitting up the Circus.
“I’ve been talking about it forever and no one ever wants me to do it,” Babcock said of splitting up Zetterberg and Datsyuk. “To me, for us to be the team we’re capable of being, in the end they gotta play apart. But we gotta have enough development of our players so they can. They gotta have guys to play with.”
Agreed and agreed. No way he was going to put Datsyuk and Zetterberg back together with the way Hudler, Filppula and—yes—Samuelsson have been playing. The potential is too great for two dominant lines. Zetterberg-Hudler-Samuelsson/Datsyuk-Cleary-Filppula. Name a player among those six that isn’t on fire. Oh, and Datsyuk?
He’s been named the NHL’s “second star” for the month of December.
Datsyuk ranked third among NHL scorers for the month with 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) and posted a +11 rating in 15 games. He recorded points in 11 of 14 games, including two goals and an assist against Montreal Dec. 4, three-assist games against Minnesota Dec. 7, Washington Dec. 17 and St. Louis Dec. 26 and the game-winning goal and two assists against Phoenix Dec. 29. Datsyuk is second in scoring on the Red Wings and ninth among all NHL players with 49 points (15 goals, 34 assists) in 40 games.
Mark Hartigan’s been sent back to Grand Rapids, as a result of Zetterberg’s return. Homer’s almost ready, and Maltby should be back within two weeks as well.
Khan(!)
“Back’s feeling a lot better, the main thing now is just getting the legs and the lungs back into game shape and the only way you can do it on the ice and getting into some games,’’ Maltby said. “Hopefully about a week of practice and then I’d like to get into a game sometime definitely in the next two weeks.’
And, just as the Wings are getting healthier, Bubba Sr. continues to win despite some fairly significant injuries of their own.
Jussi Jokinen is out two to three weeks with a sprained knee; the Stars have been successful filling holes left by Jere Lehtinen and Philippe Boucher, and they’ll need that again.
“With injuries to key people, we’re asking others to step in and do the job. But they can’t do it alone,” coach Dave Tippett said. “It has to be a team effort. That’s the way we’ve been successful in the past, and that’s how we’re going to be successful in the future. Simple as that.”
Worse news for the Stars, Sergei Zubov has been scratched with an “upper body injury.”
Finally, A2Y favorite photog—David Guralnick from the Detroit News—posted an up close and personal look at a nice battle wound to his eye…and claims it was work-related.
Guralnick, Detroit News
I’ve been shooting the Red Wings for nine years now with only one scratch to show for it (from Homer’s skate). And then the college kids come into town for the GLI tournament at the Joe over the weekend and one of them confuses my head for the puck. I was even wearing a helmet at the time. Six stiches later (thank you Dr. Colucci), here I am.
Sure thing Dave. When you’re describing facial wounds to wives and bosses (especially wounds that occur on New Year’s) always make it an on-the-job injury. No one believes it but it sounds better. This one time in Pusan…
Nevermind. Live blog here tonite.
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Comments
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Drake! Makes up for that boneheaded shot by Franzen.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 01/02/08 at 09:24 PM ET
Downey gets a point and Drake gets a goal.
What a bizarre game.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 01/02/08 at 09:25 PM ET
Woo…first one for Drake. Good point from Murphy: “see what happens when he plays with Zetterberg?” I was just going to type (before the goal) that Franzen’s miss (and cleary’s from the first) would hopefully not come back to haunt us.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 01/02/08 at 09:26 PM ET
you called it Chief!
wait… that’s it? now I know how my wife feels! 
Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 01/02/08 at 09:30 PM ET
Can’t really fault Ott for that hit, but I would’ve liked to have seen something more from Drake.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 01/02/08 at 09:30 PM ET
That’s what happens when you hit Nick Lidstrom.
Now all Drake needs is an assist!
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 01/02/08 at 09:32 PM ET
My bad, I thought it was Downey. ‘game aint over yet. There’s still hope!
Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 01/02/08 at 09:35 PM ET
Coming back from the commercial Homer’s supposed to tell us what he’s done that everyone thought impossible. Sit out for a month because of a “bruise” perhaps?
A “deep bruise” to the same knee.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 01/02/08 at 09:37 PM ET
I was going to correct you slinger, but thought better of it.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 01/02/08 at 09:37 PM ET
Frigging Datsyuk. Amazing.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 01/02/08 at 09:42 PM ET
Not to nitpick, but what exactly was Ellis hoping to do by kicking at the puck? If only he had a tool with more reach…a stick of some sort.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 01/02/08 at 09:44 PM ET
Classic, Gabe.
Kopecky with an injured left hand. Hartigan or Homer for Saturday.
Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 01/02/08 at 09:49 PM ET
Good win, I’m glad it picked up there from the start.
Baroque, as there’s no game on Friday, happy birthday!
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 01/02/08 at 09:53 PM ET
Downey. Player of the game. I know it’s cold outside but I don’t think hell is frozen yet. Way to go Downey!
Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 01/02/08 at 09:54 PM ET
I’m betting Homer’s back on Saturday Slinger. And agreed, that was a classic from Gabe. Another big win against an “elite” out of division opponent…following a nap loss to someone in the Central. Weird.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 01/02/08 at 09:55 PM ET
That’s it till Saturday.
Take the edge off those skates boys, you’re headed for Crappy ice.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 01/02/08 at 09:55 PM ET
Oh that’s right… Happy Birthday Baroque. As I’m sure Chief would agree, beware of Pepe Lopez!
Have a happy, healthy and safe one!
Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 01/02/08 at 09:57 PM ET
Thanks, Gabriel. 
38 years old. Good god, that sounds old.
(Although when I complain about feeling old to my mom, I get absolutely no sympathy. I wonder whay that is?)
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 01/02/08 at 09:59 PM ET
And thanks from you too, Slinger.
Don’t worry about Pepe Lopez - my baby sister has a birthday on Saturday (she is eight years younger) and the family is getting together for cake and ice cream.
Goodnight, everybody!
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 01/02/08 at 10:03 PM ET
Great win by the Wings.
Happy B-day, ‘Roque! Hope you get spoiled rotten.
Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 01/02/08 at 11:02 PM ET
And just to keep things honest, Bruce MacLeod brought up a great point:
—This is probably the most dominant regular-season Red Wings team since the 1995-96 season. The stat that the team is throwing out there that this year’s team has 30 wins through 41 games and the 95-96 team had just 29 (on its way to a league-record 62) is bogus though. Four shootout wins so far this season means that by 95-96 rules, the Red Wings have 26 wins this season. That puts these Wings behind the 1995 team through 41 games as well. Still, a monumentally great season thus far.
Sorry ‘bout raining on the parade but we still have a long season to go.
Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 01/03/08 at 01:42 AM ET
SYF, it doesn’t matter. Does anyone seriously care if the Wings surpass that record? If I remember, regular season wins didn’t mean jack in the Conference Finals.
I don’t care if the Wings slide through the rest of the season picking up only enough points to secure the 8th seed in the West. As long as they bring home the Cup, all is forgiven and forgotten.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 01/03/08 at 11:24 AM ET
Ah I love seeing the Evil Empire Jr. get beat down by the Wings. Much joy in my house last night! Still hoping to be able to participate in a liveblog one of these nights. Sigh.
Baroque, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 38 isn’t so bad. I just turned 40 and I get no sympathy from my Mom either. Of course my daughter delights in saying, “In only 10 years you will officially be an artifact!” Doesn’t matter, I’m having fun playing “Guitar Hero III” and refusing to grow up.
Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 01/03/08 at 02:15 PM ET
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Her, not him, but that’s a good point. She won’t sleep for weeks.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 01/02/08 at 09:22 PM ET