I think, long-term, the Chicago matchup would be the most fun.

With Colorado, it would be trying to recapture the feeling of a past rivalry.

With the Blackhawks, it would be starting something new - and between two historic hockey cities.  A vibrant Original Six rivalry would be amazing.

I think the easiest series to win would be against Nashville.

That being said, a series against either Chicago or The Dive would be the most fun to watch.

Once I find my luggage, I’m getting off this damned train!  I’m getting off at the next stop - Sunday when Bubba comes to Hockeytown.  Sunday, when St. Nick is once again (supposedly) going to grace Wing Nation with his presence and artistry on ice.  St. Nick who plays ridiculously effortless defense, and who moves the puck with blinding speed and accuracy out of the zone and onto the attack.  Who mans the point on the power play as well as or better than anyone else—ever.

Yes to the other 18 readers of “A2Y”, I’m getting off—the train that is (it is only my own insanity that keeps me buying the damn ticket in the first place).

Charlie Buckets, Cheli—get better and soon; but in the meantime rest easy—The Red Wing Machine appears to be getting in stride for the playoffs.

Playoffs—Last three spots are WIDE OPEN for, at least seven teams.  Standings from NHL.com:

Rank GP W L OT Pts
1 Detroit Red Wings* 68 44 18 6 94
2 Dallas Stars* 70 41 24 5 87
3 Minnesota Wild* 67 37 25 5 79
4 San Jose Sharks 67 38 21 8 84
5 Anaheim Ducks 69 38 24 7 83
6 Calgary Flames 67 35 23 9 79
7 Colorado Avalanche 67 35 26 6 76
8 Nashville Predators 67 34 25 8 76 __________________________________________________

9 Vancouver Canucks 66 32 24 10 74
10 Phoenix Coyotes 67 34 28 5 73
11 Chicago Blackhawks 67 33 28 6 72
12 Columbus Blue Jackets 68 30 28 10 70
13 St Louis Blues 67 29 28 10 68

It seems spots 6, 7, and 8 are up for grabs among the (F)Lame, ‘Dique, ‘Bubba,
‘Nucks, ‘Yotes, ‘Hawks, and BJ’s.

After last nights pathetic showing by the Blues, you have to think they are done.  What a bunch of freaking goons.  The hit on Kopecky, who is only about fifty feet from the puck, by Woywitka is worthy of suspension from the League.  Woywitka’s blind-sided two-hander to the chops—also calls for some serious retribution!  On March 25th, at STL, I fully expect Downey to lay waste to that punk, and maybe another of the Blue Goon Squad—just for good measure.  The Blues are nothing but a bunch of classless, pathetic, tools!! 

Good on ya Rafalski!!!

Personally, I could care less who ends up taking those last three slots.  All I care about is who is going to take the number one spot.  It certainly looks like the Wings are rounding into form—I’m getting off this damn train (at least for the moment, I’m leaning to hanging onto my tokens though—you know, just in case).

Easiest:

1.  Bubba
2.  Dive
3.  Hawks

Best match-up

1.  Hawks
2.  Dive
3.  Bubba

Leave it to Bruce “Almighty” MacLeod, at Red Wing Corner, to come up with the news Wing Nation is interested in hearing: 

Coach Mike Babcock said in the post-game interview that Tomas Kopecky was shake but fine after the late hit by Jeff Woywitka with 40.6 seconds left in Detroit’s 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues.
“He’s fine; He’s fine,” said Babcock. “The only problem is he got dazed.”
The Red Wings have tomorrow off, so Friday’s practice will be the next opportunity to check if Kopecky is doing OK.

Late hit? I don’t recall Kopecky having ever been in on that play!!  If he was, the puck had long since left his stick. 

Cheap Shot!!  Really Cheap!!

One more post on the Kopecky hit.  KHAN! has some (priceless) comments from Downey about the hit on Kopecky and the scrappy play afterward:

Woywitka received an interference penalty. Andreas Lilja tried to go after him and Brian Rafalski ended up scrapping with Lee Stempniak, eventually body-slamming him to the ice.

“It’s unfortunate what had to happen to Kopy, but I really don’t think Jeff Woywitka had any intention of hurting Kopy because I know that kid, he’s just a nice, little farm boy and he’s soft as butter,” Downey said. “I just went out there, kind of had a feeling I wasn’t going to start anything, but I knew if I could suck one of the them in they’d at least come after me. It was kind of exciting for fans at the end of the game and kind of exciting for me.”

Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek, however, didn’t like what he saw.

“I think it was a dirty hit on Kopy and everybody was pumped up,” Hasek said. “There were guys stepping up, a few fights. It’s for the good spirit of this team.”

Said Babcock: “The guy stepped up on him. When you don’t have the puck you don’t expect to get hit. I don’t even know if the kid meant to hit him or thought he was getting the puck and bumped into him.”

Said Babcock: “The guy stepped up on him. When you don’t have the puck you don’t expect to get hit. I don’t even know if the kid meant to hit him or thought he was getting the puck and bumped into him.”

Yeah, Mike, he “bumped into him” with his stick at head height. But that’s standard fare for the Notes defensemen. Yes, Quacks are the “dirtiest team in the NHL” but the Notes are a close second, especially when they play the Wings. It seems Davidson has consciously gathered together a group of Jack-ass-man clones to play defense. Looking at their record, I just have to ask, “How’s that working out for ya, John.”

As for Downey’s “antics”, it was priceless to see three, count ‘em, three, Notes chasing him around in the final forty seconds. They’re like: “Come on, fight me.” And Downey’s like: “Sorry, man, I’ve got a chance to score my first goal here so leave me alone. I’ll get back to you next game.” And his Avery-esque grin as it was all going on was a hoot.

Now the Wings have two full practices (tomorrow and Saturday) for Stuart to really get the hang of how the Wings move the puck out of the zone. He’s getting better but you can see it’s still a bit foreign to him. Once he catches on, a Nick-Rafi and Nick Jr.-Stuart top four will be a nightmare for opposing teams. Better rest up their forecheckers now because they’re going to be doing a lot of head-down speed-skating up the ice trying to catch up to the play in the weeks ahead.

Slept like a baby in the sleeper car last night. This damn train ain’t so bad when it stays on the tracks. 

I’m worrying that playoff teams are gonna come after the Wings’ Achilles Heel: the defencemen. The recent shit streak demonstrated the offense is damn near useless without them. Having Downey and McCarty in the lineup will hopefully be enough to discourage that sort of behavior.

I’d rather it be Chicago or the Dive.  Like I’ve said before, I DO NOT want to see Bubba anywhere near the playoffs.  It’s not because I’m scared that we would have to play them, there’s no reason for that.  It’s just that I hate them that much and seeing them miss the playoffs would be a sight for me to behold.  It always is, since I live right in the middle of their “fanbase” and, boy, do I use that term loosely.

Well I wish I could provide some thoughts on the game but thanks to Gary’s NHL Network.  I can’t!  I did watch Alex Ovechkin and company and then enjoyed a Dallas loss.  At least I got to see highlights of the Wings game that way.  Sigh.

I’m still on the stress train, I won’t give up my seat until after the playoffs.

First round matchup, I would love a Wings/Avs series because I could actually go to the games.  The idea of Wings/Hawks first round would be so exciting.  Playoffs back in Chicago, get that city really back into hockey.

Khan’s article on the Kopecky incident and Downey’s response was pathetic.

Your guy gets cheapshotted, and having your enforcer go out and run from fights is a “response?”

Lord, that was embarassing.

I can’t believe Red Wings fans think what Downey did was defensible.

Iwo, my man, get DirecTV!  My apartment manager wouldn’t let me install a dish on the roof so just jimmy’ed the lock, slipped the guy a $20 and had him run the line down the drainpipe.  Works like a charm.

Oh yeah, and screw Bettman.

Downey did exactly what he should have…
The perpetrator Woywitka was already in the box when Downs got on the ice.  Downey was surrounded by 3 ‘notes and laughing at them. 
In the mean time, these thugs were not beating on Hank and Pav et al…
Downey did not need an instigator penalty, and that would not be in the best interest of the team.
When he came off the ice, the Wings were pounding their sticks for him.

Then after the game, he calls the guy “soft as butter” and “a nice little farm boy”.  He is just baiting Woywitka to pound him the next time the teams play.

In my opinion, McCarty cannot come back too soon.  The Wings need both Aaron and Darren (that rhymes!) to protect Hank and Pav and Val during these final 14 games vs the Central division goons.

A little “A&D;Ointment” might sooth a lot of Wings “problems”!

When he came off the ice, the Wings were pounding their sticks for him.

And that pretty much settles that.

They were tapping their sticks over a hit, not because he ran like a girl froma fight.

And really, what instigator? Those Blues would clearly have been the instigator.

And really, what instigator? Those Blues would clearly have been the instigator.

That assumes that the officiating would make sense, however.  Sometimes the penalties are a little illogical, to say the least.

I would like it if Bubba did squeak into 8th. That way I’ll get to see at least 2 playoff games.

Chris from Columbia, TN, if the above does happen maybe I’ll run into you at the SoGay.

They were tapping their sticks over a hit, not because he ran like a girl froma fight.

Yeah. That sounds a lot like Downey.

he ran like a girl froma fight

Seriously, man?  Granted I only caught a frame every ten seconds or so due to having to watch on an illegal stream, but I loved Downey more than ever at the end of that period.  Watching him play with half the Blues on his back was top class entertainment, imho.

Yeah, Sadie. He was serious.  But only to the extent that he could stir the pot a bit.  Not unlike our friend Thom.  Amusing at first, but monotonous in the long run.

TheCritic,

I think you completely missed Downey’s sarcasm. Everything he said was simply to get in the head of Wyowitka and the other ill-tempered Notes.

The Wings still have a pair of games against the Blues. Downey knows that. If his sarcastic, subtle jab at Wyowitka gets them a power play or two, great. It not, nothing is lost.

I don’t believe anyone that has seen at least half of the games this year could really think Downey wouldn’t stand up for Kopy.

It does no good for Downey, Kopy, or the team for Downey to go cave in the skull of one of the players that DIDN’T cross-check Kopy in the face. As has been mentioned, Wyowitka was in the box, so it’s not like Downey could force him to answer the call.

It’s cheap and dirty to go after a player on the other team for something he’s not responsible for. It’s one thing if a guy like Mayers challenges Downey and they drop ‘em fair and square to settle the score, but Downey can’t be a dirty punk and go starting fights with guys well below his weight class.

D Town, if Bubba does squeak into the playoffs, we’ll definitely have to meet up.  We can wear our Wings stuff and piss off the locals, which is always fun.

Woywitka’s hit was cowardly and cheap, but it really isn’t out of the ordinary for most of our opponents to resort to the cheap stuff once the outcome of the game has been determined.  I blame the refs for most of the physical stuff that happened last night.  They’re the ones who have to control the game, and as usual, they didn’t.  All through the third period last night, there was b.s. that was let go...Backes blindsiding Franzen? not called interference, McDonald leaping to cross-check Homer in front of Legace forcing Homer to do a hand pass, and then Backes throwing Flip into the corner after the whislte at the end of the very same play.  Not to mention Malts getting cross-checked in front of the Wing bench, then getting jumped on by 2 Notes players and Malts gets called for roughing???  What the hell did he do to deserve that?  I laughed my ass off when Downer had those 3 guys chasing him at the end of the game, all the while sporting that sh*t-eating grin of his.  It only would have been funnier if we would have scored while they were chasing him.

Downey did exactly what he should have…

Yeah, which was play his shift pretty much like any other.  It was his one clean check against the boards — moderate, perhaps, but not all that hard — that set the Blues off.

I think he made exactly the right decision to (try to) skate away.  If I have the rule correct, be tabbed as the instigator in the last 5 minutes and you’re automatically suspended for a game… and the coach is fined $10k.

I thought, too, that his “soft as butter” and “nice little farm boy” comments might have been veiled stabs at Woywitka.  But I wonder about his claim that Woywitka wasn’t headhunting or trying to hurt anyone.  When you use two hands and your stick to slam the head of a guy who’s half a rink away from the puck, what else could you be doing???

OH man.... I must say Cheif… This is some of your best work. You have been spot on for about two weeks. I have been crying tears of laughter reading your posts. Its refreshing, unique, and hilarious.  Keep up the great work.

I can’t believe Red Wings fans think what Downey did was defensible.

Rafalski did the ‘defensible’ deed by bodyslamming Woywitka.  Downey did his own deed by drawing 2 penalties at once.

IWO, it doesn’t sound like Downey.

But that’s what Downey did.

Sadie, what made you love Downey? Just that he got under their skin? Seriously, that’s Kirk Maltby’s job, and he does a damn good job at it.

Downey’s job is to take care of business.

Nate, maybe I did miss Downey’s sarcasm. But I disagree with you when you say

It does no good for Downey, Kopy, or the team for Downey to go cave in the skull of one of the players that DIDN’T cross-check Kopy in the face. As has been mentioned, Wyowitka was in the box, so it’s not like Downey could force him to answer the call.

What does it matter who Downey fights? He wouldn’t have fought a light weight like Woywitka anyway.
The point is, you either make a team pay for cheap shots, or you don’t.
If you support the idea of an enforcer, then you should expect Downey to handle business on that shift.

Critic: all good points.

Thought:

Maybe Downey wasn’t put out to fight or be a deterrent so much as to do exactly what he did - occupy the attention of most of the Blues on the ice so they wouldn’t bother going after anyone else because they were trying to goad him into something?

Distraction rather than an enforcer in this instance.

(I’m guessing, as I didn’t see what was going on that closely because the game was essentially over by then.)

Downey:  The Machiavellian Masher?

Seriously though, it’s not like the Wings have, or need, a legitimate heavyweight.  A guy like George Parros or something, sure, you expect that guy to just go out there and thump people in the head.

Downey’s role on the Wings is a little more circumspect.  The team doesn’t want him out there fighting every night, or even every oter night.  They want him out there to defuse and deflect as much of the cheap bush-league crap thug teams like St. Louis try and pull as possible.

He was, clearly, incredibly successful at that last game.

In other words, it’s not like the threat of Aaron Downey muscleing up is going to scare off teams who, let’s be honest, usually carry a toughy guy or two who would kill Downey in a fight.

But agitating, banging some heads, drawing some penalties, and then thumping some guy when it’s on his timetable?  That’s much more useful to a team like Detroit.

HiHD,
Are you Downey’s publicist? You’ve earned your check