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Advantageous

Good line from Barry Trotz following last night’s game.

Daily Tennessean

“The formula for Detroit is that if they get two power play goals in a game against us, they generally win,’’ Predators Coach Barry Trotz said. “When they get five, they always win.’‘

Detroit went into last night’s game leading the league with a 26.8 PP percentage and left it at 28.1.

Ty Conklin has won 20 for the first time in his career (and is now 7th in the league in GAA at 2.33) while little Oompa Loompa reached the 20 goal mark for the first time.

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Comments

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mrfluffy's avatar

I don’t care who Tick Tock signs; it’s still gonna be heartbreaking to see who’s gone next year…

Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 02/19/09 at 07:50 AM ET

Pharazon's avatar

DAMN THE CAP!

Posted by Pharazon from England on 02/19/09 at 07:52 AM ET

Nathan's avatar

So, is there ANY doubt amongst the 19 that this team plays with significantly more confidence in front of Ty Conklin? They are more assertive defensively and on the PK. They pressure the other team more with the Conk in back. With Ozzie, they collapse to the net more, give teams room to gain the zone, set up, cycle freely, and shoot from the tops of the circles.

Conklin gives them confidence, and I think no matter what Babcock says, if the playoffs really started tomorrow, he is the starting goalie.

I almost had a panic attack when Hossa started decking Suter in the helmet… good on him, but geez, don’t break a hand/finger.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 02/19/09 at 08:22 AM ET

Animal Drew's avatar

almost had a panic attack when Hossa started decking Suter in the helmet…

Likewise, the passionate Wings fan of me was saying “Oh yeah! Don’t back down and stand up for your teammates/self”  But the more sensible Wings fan in me was saying “Please don’t do that again”.

So we need HOSSA(!!!) to start fighting our battles for us?  We need to send Lilja or Abadabadoo to the Derek Boogaard school of hard knocks.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 02/19/09 at 08:27 AM ET

cementslinger's avatar

The way Oompa, Franzen and Hossa played last night, it sure makes it alot harder for Tick Tock this year.

Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 02/19/09 at 08:29 AM ET

Nathan's avatar

Lilja has never backed down from standing up for his teammates, when it’s worthwhile. Remember, the culture that Scotty started is still here—if you can stick up for a teammate, do it, but don’t put your team down a man or down a good player in a close game.

Fact is, something really just pissed Hossa off because he totally snapped… it was away from the play, it wasn’t the same guy that even hit Hudler. I think it was totally unrelated and Hossa was just feeling a little feisty, maybe because he the Preds, for as bad as they were, did a decent job shutting him out of the game.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 02/19/09 at 08:37 AM ET

Jeff  OKWingnut's avatar

Sorry I missed the L.B., had to assist with the 10 y/o’s science project; but I did manage to see the majority of the game, my takes:

5 of 6 on the PP against the #4 PK, sweet;
Wings PK 80% last night also sweet (NHL on the Fly noted Wings last 4 games 20/24 on the PK);
Lidstrom and Mule with 2 each, awesome;

Hossa dropping the gloves, priceless.

From Dave Wadell at the Windsor Star:

The five power-play goals is the most for the NHL’s top power-play unit since they had five against Toronto on Dec. 9, 2006. . .

Johan Franzen had two power-play goals and an assist in his return after a five-game absence, while Jiri Hudler reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time.

Even Mike Babcock got in on the milestones, becoming the fastest Wings’ coach to reach 200 wins. Babcock needed 304 games to reach the plateau, besting Scotty Bowman’s mark of 331.

“Any time you can go four years and average 50 wins, you must be doing something good as a franchise,” Babcock said. “I think we’re getting better, too.”

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 02/19/09 at 09:02 AM ET

w2j2's avatar

Franzen is a beast.
He is so big, and protects the puck so well, that defenders give him room.
Then he has the puck on a string, and….scores!

The Wings really need to keep this guy.
He adds size to an otherwise small team.

And speaking of size, I take back everything I ever said about Lilja.
He is another beast the Wings should keep.

Meech looked good last night, too.

Posted by w2j2 on 02/19/09 at 09:07 AM ET

Jeff  OKWingnut's avatar

You just have to appreciate Uncle Mike’s take on Hossa’s fight, from “The HighLander” at the Macomb Daily:

The most notable occurrence in the third period, however, was a fight between Detroit’s leading goal-scorer, Marian Hossa, and Nashville’s Ryan Suter. The two exchanged cross checks and slashes on the previous shift and when Franzen and Dan Hamhuis started jawing, Hossa and Suter sought each other out.

“We found each other and just dropped the gloves,” said Hossa, who was given a game misconduct for not having his jersey tied down. “I usually don’t tie the jersey down. … I get a major once very two years.”

“Hos is a big man and he’s not going to take crap,” said Babcock. “I used to coach against him in juniors. I know he’s not going to spend a whole lot of time fighting. Yet, he’s not going to let people take liberties with him.”

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 02/19/09 at 09:11 AM ET

J.J. from Kansas's avatar

Tootoo was by far the worst player on the ice for either team last night.  Completely ineffective, out of position and dumb.  The kid’s a pest of the highest caliber, but not even Trotz is going to let him be a liability like that night after night.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 02/19/09 at 09:11 AM ET

Nathan's avatar

Tootoo isn’t an NHL player. At best he’s an AHL player simply because his energy and fighting will sell tickets in the small AHL cities, not because he’s actually got talent to make the team better.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 02/19/09 at 09:34 AM ET

Primis's avatar

So we need HOSSA(!!!) to start fighting our battles for us?  We need to send Lilja or Abadabadoo to the Derek Boogaard school of hard knocks.

No Drew, don’t forget we have Hudler out there to police the ice…

I’ll say it again, we need Downey up.  We’ve had 50-some games of proof, how much more do we need?

Posted by Primis on 02/19/09 at 10:05 AM ET

AndrewFromAnnArbor's avatar

Wow—Conks didn’t even have twenty wins last year when he was busy singlehandedly saving the Pens’ season?  That’s sumpin’.

Hudler’s come a long way since three seasons ago that I wouldn’t be surprised to see him double that twenty goals in a few years.  I just fear it won’t be with us.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 02/19/09 at 10:23 AM ET

AndrewFromAnnArbor's avatar

So bitches, who’s coming to meet me at Det Glob in October?

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/02/nhl_makes_wings_european_0910.html

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 02/19/09 at 10:38 AM ET

Primis's avatar

Hudler’s come a long way since three seasons ago that I wouldn’t be surprised to see him double that twenty goals in a few years.  I just fear it won’t be with us.

You guys want some perspective on how Hudler’s playing right now?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/stats/byposition?pos=C,RW,LW,D

Hudler’s 49 points on the season so far are higher than the following players:

* Travis Zajac (48)
* Martin Havlat (47)
* Jason Spezza (46)
* Nik Zherdev (44)
* Milan Hejduk (44)
* Eric Staal (42)
* Alex Kovalev (39)


His 20 Goals right now are…

...Equal to 20 by Corey Perry, Martin St. Louis, John Toews, and Mike Richards.

..More than:

* Ryan Getzlaf (19)
* Marting Havlat (19)
* Patrick Kane (18)
* Daniel Alfredsson (17)
* Olli Jokinen (17)

I don’t know if there are too many guys as underappreciated as him right now.

Posted by Primis on 02/19/09 at 11:13 AM ET

WingsFanInBeanLand's avatar

I don’t know if there are too many guys as underappreciated as him right now.

That’s why he’s our little Ooompa and no one else’s.  I just hope Tick, Tock can find a way to keep him our little Ooompa.

Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Lidstrom's head telling him 1 more year on 02/19/09 at 11:19 AM ET

Nathan's avatar

I’ll say it again, we need Downey up.  We’ve had 50-some games of proof, how much more do we need?

A few people keep saying that, but I have yet to see this supposed “proof”. The only thing I see is a power play that’s clicking at damn near 30% though almost 60 games. Teams will not screw with that in the postseason—it cannot be afforded.

What happened in last night’s game was hockey—why do people have this idea that you must have an enforcer to “answer the call” and “send a message”? Sounds like a lot of empty cliches to me. A couple hard hits were throw. Hudler got smushed. Draper boarded someone. Kronner lit up Tootoo once, and exploded J.P. Dumont’s kidney with a cross-check.

This team is best when they fight THROUGH the rough stuff—not stop to fight in the middle of it. Keep your head up, be strong on the puck, and don’t let anything from keep you from getting to the goal. That’s how they won the Cup last year, and how they played so well the playoff before the Schneider and Homer injuries caught up to them.

To me, Dan Cleary and Pavel Datsyuk, in particular, are the two players that embody what the Red Wing way is about. Guys throw flying elbows at them all the time. Try to hack them to the outside of the ice. And they just bare down in the offensive zone, put their shoulders out, take the hit, hold the puck, and drive hard to the rewarding areas of the ice. That’s what Red Wing toughness is about—not dropping the gloves in “retribution” for every little hit the other team lays on your “skill” guys. Toughness is Jiri Hudler taking it on the chin, then getting up, shaking the cobwebs out, and springing for a breakaway a half-minute later. Relentless attack. Don’t let anything get you down or off your game.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 02/19/09 at 11:30 AM ET

Avatar

Toughness also = Holmstrom.

Whack, whack, whack - and that blasted pest just keeps going back right in front of the goaltender.  His “office,” indeed.

* Travis Zajac (48)
* Martin Havlat (47)
* Jason Spezza (46)
* Nik Zherdev (44)
* Milan Hejduk (44)
* Eric Staal (42)
* Alex Kovalev (39)

I know.  That’s why I’m going to throw up if they can’t keep him.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/19/09 at 11:47 AM ET

Avatar

Or cry.

Probably both.  :(

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/19/09 at 12:26 PM ET

PaulinMiamiBeach's avatar

Hudler’s 49 points on the season so far are higher than the following players:

* Travis Zajac (48)
* Martin Havlat (47)
* Jason Spezza (46)
* Nik Zherdev (44)
* Milan Hejduk (44)
* Eric Staal (42)
* Alex Kovalev (39)

His 20 Goals right now are…

...Equal to 20 by Corey Perry, Martin St. Louis, John Toews, and Mike Richards.

..More than:

* Ryan Getzlaf (19)
* Marting Havlat (19)
* Patrick Kane (18)
* Daniel Alfredsson (17)
* Olli Jokinen (17)

you forgot something.  his 49 points are fourth on the Wings, behind only Datsyuk (72), Hossa (60), and Zetterberg (51).  his 20 goals are fifth on the Wings behind Hossa (33), Datsyuk (24), Franzen (24), and Zetterberg (21).

he is one of the top five forwards on arguably the best team in the league that ices players like Datsyuk, Hossa, and Zetterberg.  that’s quite simply an amazing performance so far this season by the little guy.  imagine if he follows in Datsyuk’s footsteps and lives in the weight room for a few months.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 02/19/09 at 12:28 PM ET

CaptainDennisPolonich's avatar

So bitches, who’s coming to meet me at Det Glob in October?
http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/02/nhl_makes_wings_european_0910.html

I wish. I loved Stockholm. Too bad my once in a lifetime trip to Sweden was last October, not this coming October.

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Warm and sunny SoCal on 02/19/09 at 12:43 PM ET

PaulinMiamiBeach's avatar

bilde?Avis=C3&Dato=20090219&Kategori=SPORTS0103&Lopenr=902190436&Ref=TS&NewTbl=1&Q=65&MaxW=344&MaxH=343

ummm…what is Kronner doing to Sammy?  Where is is right hand?

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 02/19/09 at 12:52 PM ET

MOWingsfan19's avatar

Would Oompah put up the same numbers on another team? Same question arises with the Mule.
He’d be given more $ if he goes to the open market and expectations would rise accordingly. Not saying that they couldn’t step up to the elevated expectations.
I always go back to Shannys comment about Feds leaving the Wings.. “Sergie wanted to be THE MAN somewhere, not one of the guys here”.
It’s up to the guys to decide if they want to stay and it’s capology after that. Where there’s a will there’s a way… the will is out of Kenny’s hands (sort of), but he has the “ways” to make it happen.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 02/19/09 at 12:55 PM ET

Avatar

So bitches, who’s coming to meet me at Det Glob in October?
http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/02/nhl_makes_wings_european_0910.html
I’d love to (once I get a passport, of course), but can’t see it happening.  Overseas flights are expensive, plus hotel, etc - I’ve been to Helsinki before and thought the city was absolutely beautiful, but can’t justify flying to Europe to watch hockey.  :(

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/19/09 at 01:04 PM ET

CaptainDennisPolonich's avatar

Would Oompah put up the same numbers on another team? Same question arises with the Mule.

I’m sure tick tock asks their agents that question. Then he drops Marty LaPointe’s name into the conversation. And Viola! Home. Town. Discount.

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Warm and sunny SoCal on 02/19/09 at 01:04 PM ET

CaptainDennisPolonich's avatar

Hmmm. Do you think Marty LaPointe would now rather have the extra bank or the extra 2 cups???

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Warm and sunny SoCal on 02/19/09 at 01:06 PM ET

Avatar

I’m am so preoccupied about losing Hossa, Mule, Oompa or any combination thereof that I actually dreamt about it last night—Lidstrom had my family over for dinner asked I him whether they’d take big enough pay cuts to stay. (For the record, Norris simply replied, “I hope so.”)

Thanks for the salary cap, Gary, Ass—you little retarded midget f*ck.

BTW, did anyone else think that the most promising element of last night’s game was Kronwall’s play? His assassination of that little whore Tootoo almost made me weep.

Posted by Bella from Clark St. on 02/19/09 at 01:15 PM ET

Avatar

Lidstrom had my family over for dinner asked I him

Uh, we were speaking Swedish.

Posted by Bella from Clark St. on 02/19/09 at 01:17 PM ET

RWBill's avatar

You Bitches are too smart for me.

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 02/19/09 at 01:17 PM ET

Mandingo's avatar

I’m am so preoccupied about losing Hossa, Mule, Oompa or any combination thereof that I actually dreamt about it last night—Lidstrom had my family over for dinner asked I him whether they’d take big enough pay cuts to stay.

I had a dream last night that Marian Hossa was serving me dinner in a French maid’s outfit. Then, out the dining room window, I saw a train go through a tunnel and a volcano erupt.

Are there any psychologists in The 19, perhaps of the Freudian school, who might be able to interpret this dream for me?

I think it may have something to do with my reservations about buying a new car next month, but I can’t be sure.

Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 02/19/09 at 01:42 PM ET

IwoCPO's avatar

Thanks for the salary cap, Gary, Ass—you little retarded midget f*ck.

Nice.

His assassination of that little whore Tootoo almost made me weep.

Really nice. 

You can stay Bella.

Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 02/19/09 at 01:42 PM ET

Nathan's avatar

ummm…what is Kronner doing to Sammy?  Where is is right hand?

Sammy’s in his 30’s now… a little early for the prostate exams, but perhaps he’s had erratic urination patters and a weak, inconsistent stream, and wanted Kronner to just take a look for precautionary reasons.

You Bitches are too smart for me.

We still love you. Just show us some V… or unleash the red—your choice.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 02/19/09 at 01:49 PM ET

Mandingo's avatar

Sammy’s in his 30’s now… a little early for the prostate exams, but perhaps he’s had erratic urination patters and a weak, inconsistent stream

His wife complains that he often shoots too early in the sack and sometimes misses the toilet in the bathroom.

She also claims that sometimes she’ll give him a perfect opportunity to score and he’ll blow his shot right off her shin pad and over the glass into the fish tank.

Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 02/19/09 at 01:59 PM ET

Incognetis's avatar

Sammy’s in his 30’s now… a little early for the prostate exams

Should I be worried that my doctor gave me one at age 24?  He didn’t even take me out to dinner first.

Posted by Incognetis from Delaware... Hi... I'm in... Delaware on 02/19/09 at 02:00 PM ET

Primis's avatar

why do people have this idea that you must have an enforcer to “answer the call” and “send a message”?

There’s no “answering the call” or “enforcer” about it.  I dont’ see why peopel can’t separate the physical game fomr fighting or enforcing…

Last year the Wings had a cannonball of a Kronwall, a Dallas Drake, and then Downey who could hit anyone on the ice at any time.  Plus they had an agitator in Samuelsson (who’s only agitated sporadically this season).

It has nothing to do with an enforcer or fighting—it has everything to do with the fact that Wings are missing a bit of sandpaper right now.  I don’t know how many times during games I’ve sat there thinking “God, now would be a good time to send Downey out on a shift to hit some guys”... but there’s nobody on the Wings to do that right now.

The Wings DO respond when Downey comes out and has a big shift—they’ve done it a lot after he’s had 2 or 3 big hits (see last year), they feed off it a bit.  There’s nobody to feed off of right now though if things aren’t going well…

The fighting or enforcing aspect has nothing to do with it.

You forgot something.  his 49 points are fourth on the Wings, behind only Datsyuk (72), Hossa (60), and Zetterberg (51).  his 20 goals are fifth on the Wings behind Hossa (33), Datsyuk (24), Franzen (24), and Zetterberg (21).

I didn’t forget—I just felt Hudler’s numbers meant more tot he 19 stacked up against some other names from around the NHL than against those on our own team.

Would Oompah put up the same numbers on another team? Same question arises with the Mule.

I think the better gauge is the fact that Hudler’s been scoring when others have been slumping.  For the Wings, that’s more-important than what he’d do on another team.  Hudler and Hossa are the only two who’ve shown their capable of scoring on their own, when everyone else is slumping.  And well, Hossa… he’s an animal and everyone knows it so nobody is surprised.  Hudler though?....

If Mule weren’t always hurt in some form, it would be the main question for him as well.  Unfortunately, he’s now saddled with Havlat-Gaborik Syndrome, and he needs to prove he can shake it…

Posted by Primis on 02/19/09 at 02:01 PM ET

AndrewFromAnnArbor's avatar

Aw come on, guys!  Captain Dennis, you LOVED Stockholm!  What could be better than Stockholm?  Try the Wings beating up on the Bitter Blues in Stockholm!  We missed each other last time, so…And Baroque, dear Baroque, Helsinki IS truly a lovely place—but Stockholm’s more lively.  And if it’s a matter of passports, I have two, I’ll give you one!  It’s Red Wings hockey, korvkiosks, and really expensive Scandinavian beer, how can you miss it?  Come on guys, I can’t be the only A2Y Michigander representin’ there!

Argh.  Damn credit crunch.  Damn real life.  And of course, DAMN DAMN DAMN the cap.  Apparently the Detroit News has a report today about how Hossa and Mule are about to ‘accept’ contract offers to stay in the Winged Wheel—though this was on a ticker on ESPN America (formerly NASN), so I don’t know how credible that report is.  I’d just as soon not give the Snooze’s website another hit.  But they did use that word, ‘accept.’  Though what that means is beyond my ken (geddit?!?).  If this is true, then we might as well kiss Oompa goodbye, unless he’s willing to take a pay CUT just to stick around.  Maybe it’s back to my original thought—the first of the Big Two to sign the contract gets the contract, and the other one gets to wait until after the playoffs?

I raised the question of whether Mule would ever have another year like this if he went somewhere else a while ago.  Truth be told, I think his overall style of play is such that he would—he’s mostly physical, only using finesse when he needs to.  And if he could stay healthy for a whole season…Hudler, on the other hand, would need a top six role with a more physical player on his line, and there are no guarantees that a team that took him wouldn’t want him to be THE STAR—thus attracting all the attention of opposing defenses.  I’m not sure he’d put up the same points on another team—especially one that doesn’t have as many snipers as this one—and you could be relatively certain that his impressive development would hit a brick wall.  The little guy’s clever, maybe he’ll work it out for himself, take scale pay for a year with the promise that the bank vault will be opened when Nick re-signs after next season for three million a year.

And while we’re dreaming, I’d like a firetruck full of puppies and hookers.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 02/19/09 at 02:06 PM ET

MOWingsfan19's avatar

Last year the Wings had a cannonball of a Dallas Drake,

To quote Uncle Mike:
“Dallas likes to run D early in a game. I like it when he runs D early in a game”. Babblecockianly simple.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 02/19/09 at 02:08 PM ET

AndrewFromAnnArbor's avatar

I had a dream last night that Marian Hossa was serving me dinner in a French maid’s outfit.

Can’t…breathe…laughing…too..hard…damn…you…Mandingo…

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 02/19/09 at 02:11 PM ET

PaulinMiamiBeach's avatar

Hudler, on the other hand, would need a top six role with a more physical player on his line, and there are no guarantees that a team that took him wouldn’t want him to be THE STAR—thus attracting all the attention of opposing defenses.

great point.  on the Wings, he’s a medium fish swimming around with some HUGE fish.  the big predators (dmen) focus on the HUGE fish and he sneaks in behind them, playing against second and third defense pairings.  this has undoubtedly helped him.  it’s not a bad thing, it’s just his role and reality of things.  I agree that if he went somewhere else with fewer (if any) stars like D/Z/H, opposing defenses would have an easier time of shutting him down because of his size.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 02/19/09 at 02:15 PM ET

Sullyosis's avatar

I had a dream last night that Marian Hossa was serving me dinner in a French maid’s outfit. Then, out the dining room window, I saw a train go through a tunnel and a volcano erupt.

As I have taken a class in psychology, with a solid background in Freudian thinking, I can actually interpret this for you.  The volcano you saw erupting is a sign of the explosion of goals you enjoyed last night on a great goaltender, and can be a precursor to a great explosion of dominance the Wings will enforce from here on. 
The train, obviously, symbolizes someone packing their bags and leaving Detroit, the tunnel represents the mystery of us not knowing where they’re going (could be to a rival team).
Marian Hossa in a French Maid’s outfit is a statement of how much you adore him.
And the dinner he is serving you is actually a penis, once you interpret it.

Posted by Sullyosis from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 02/19/09 at 02:15 PM ET

Avatar

This is why I never discuss my hockey-related dreams.  Too private.  wink

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/19/09 at 02:23 PM ET

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For the record, I wasn’t the one to bring up French maid outfits. However, if Sullyosis’ interpretation of the penis dinner is correct, I will admit I did mention Bettman first.

Posted by Bella from Clark St. on 02/19/09 at 02:29 PM ET

Mandingo's avatar

And the dinner he is serving you is actually a penis, once you interpret it.

Thank f*cking God.

I thought it might mean I’m secretly gay or something.

Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 02/19/09 at 02:30 PM ET

Mandingo's avatar

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Some of my best friends are gay…I’m convinced of it.

Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 02/19/09 at 02:39 PM ET

J.J. from Kansas's avatar

Some of my best friends are gay

...At least that’s what I call ‘em after I’ve been drinking.  raspberry

There have been somwhat recent games that I’ve been watching thinking that it would be nice if somebody would go nuts out there and start running people for a whole shift (the recent loss at the hands of the BJs comes to mind).  I don’t think we need Downey to do it though.  Helm has been a little wrecking ball out there, sometimes I just think that Uncle Mike needs to tell him “take the leash off for a shift and go hit some people”.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 02/19/09 at 02:56 PM ET

Nathan's avatar

it has everything to do with the fact that Wings are missing a bit of sandpaper right now.  I don’t know how many times during games I’ve sat there thinking “God, now would be a good time to send Downey out on a shift to hit some guys”… but there’s nobody on the Wings to do that right now.

The Wings have looked much better in this area since Helm came into the lineup. He’s hitting right from the get-go, every shift if he can line a guy up. It’s energized Sammy’s agitator game too, playing on the same line and all.

I agree they need another guy to step up in that area (Kopecky, looking at you), but Downey is not the answer. Yeah, there were good times to put Downey on the ice to throw a couple hits, but those were also good times to watch him get burned in the neutral zone because he’s got awful hands and awful feet.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 02/19/09 at 02:58 PM ET

calquake's avatar

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Some of my best friends are gay…I’m convinced of it.

So just because Bubba fans like to wear ass-less chaps that doesn’t mean anything in particular.  I’m convinced of it. cheese

Posted by calquake on 02/19/09 at 03:03 PM ET

Animal Drew's avatar

BTW, did anyone else think that the most promising element of last night’s game was Kronwall’s play?

Yes and no.  It’s great that he’s stepping up his offensively, but I can be patient about him flying around out there and laying people out.  With the lineup Detroit ices every night, teams we’re playing that have little, or no hope, or Anaheim, wouldn’t be afraid to take cheap shots against him in retaliation of those “clean” open ice hits he loves so much.  If he has a switch to turn it on and off, like Datsyuk does, I tell him to leave that ace up his leave until it’s playoff time…like Datsyuk does.  We don’t need another broken tail bone, or exploded kidney, or god knows what else the injury prone Kronner could incur by using his body like the dodgeball we whipped at the fat kid in gym class against a team that is in last place in the conference.

Patience, my friends…patience.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 02/19/09 at 03:16 PM ET

moore00's avatar

Downey = There will be blood.

Posted by moore00 from Columbus, OH/Grand Rapids, MI on 02/19/09 at 03:33 PM ET

Animal Drew's avatar

Downey = There will be blood.
Posted by moore00 on 02/19/09 at 03:33 PM ET

Find that picture and post it here, Self-hating-goalie.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 02/19/09 at 03:48 PM ET

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