Have fun this weekend Chief. Enjoy your time away from us pirates. See ya Sunday?

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa. on 05/23/09 at 07:52 AM ET

I’m not sure that groin pull thing is really a major issue-- I read it as Drapes was lost to the rest of the game.  It’s not really clear either way, but I think unless it’s something that the docs rule him out for, he’ll be taking The Gilchrist for Game Four-- he probably feels he’s missed too much of these playoffs already, knowing him.

And Chief-- you act like the League will analyze the facts, review the video, and then make a calm, reasoned decision.  They’ll shoot from the hip and if you and I don’t like it, tough shit.  That’s all you deserve for cheering on a consistently good franchise instead of knowing what’s good for you and pulling for a team in a place where it never freezes that has never won a playoff round and would actually have to get significantly better just to be the underdog.

With that said...sharpen your cutlasses, load the twenty-pounders, and set sail for League offices, mates.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 05/23/09 at 08:16 AM ET

Someone made the point over at that thread that the refs were just covering their asses because Havlat was unconscious on the ice-- in case of serious injury, they wanted to be seen to have DONE SOMETHING at the time.  This sounds the most reasonable explanation I’ve seen, given that the majority of officials have cranial posterior disorder.  Also given that Kronner’s already been suspended for nearly a whole game, and been assessed a five-minute major, I feel better that the League may view this as punishment enough and just leave it at that.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 05/23/09 at 08:37 AM ET

Damien Cox, Toronto Star:

As Hockey Night in Canada pointed out so expertly with video evidence, neither referee put his hand up on the play to signal a penalty. Then, out of thin air, Kronwall was banished from the game with a five-minute interference major and game misconduct, a preposterous call.

The Wings killed it off and, after falling behind 3-0, fought back to force overtime before losing. Would Kronwall have made a difference there? Maybe, and having to play the entire game with five defencemen probably wore the Detroit blueliners down.

But there was just no need for the call. Even worse, clearly one of the on-ice officials simply made it up after seeing Havlat on the ice and deciding something illegal must have happened without actually seeing a foul. . .

Sorry that Havlat got hurt, but hockey’s a contact sport and Kronwall’s hit was absolutely clean.

What a screwup by four officials who should be reprimanded for such an egregious error in a playoff game of that magnitude.

You can say that again.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 05/23/09 at 08:55 AM ET

Brian Costello, The Hockey News:

The Detroit Red Wings absolutely got jobbed on the terrible major and game misconduct penalty to Niklas Kronwall, but the Chicago Blackhawks survived a scare and were deserving of their 4-3 victory in Game 3 Friday.

In case you haven’t seen it by now, Detroit was trailing 2-0 in the first period when Kronwall flattened Martin Havlat with a perfectly timed shoulder check that knocked the Blackhawk out cold.

Predictably, the Hawks bench went wild and Chicago players swarmed Kronwall as Havlat lay prone, exposed and unaware beneath the skirmish.

The immediate reaction of referees Dave Jackson and Dan O’Halloran was proper - no arm in the air, no call. Why would there be? It was as clean as the hockey gods could have blueprinted - stiff shoulder against player with puck. But for some reason - perhaps because Havlat was knocked out or perhaps because the game was in Chicago - Kronwall was given a major and game misconduct.

Appalling. Disgraceful.

The Hawks were unable to capitalize on the five-minute power play, but did go up 3-0 before the Wings battled back to tie the game without Kronwall.

Did the Wings lose the game because of the officiating blunder? Probably not. A lot happened before and after incident, but it was a shame nonetheless.

At the very least, it was nice to see three of the game’s best TV analysts - Craig Simpson, Mike Milbury and Kelly Hrudey on CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada - chastise Jackson and O’Halloran for the brutal call and commend Kronwall for the textbook hit.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 05/23/09 at 09:03 AM ET

Roy Slover, The Sporting News, from his game blog (and a jab at “the Don"):

Detroit, down 2-0, needs some energy—and the next goal.

This is going to be ugly: Martin Havlat is flat on the ice, apparently out cold for a while, on a massive—and clean—hit by Niklas Kronwall. Havlat got caught looking down to snag the puck and lost view of Kornwall, who was coming on like a freight train. The resulting scrum left Havlat in danger of getting stepped on or slashed.

The resulting five-minute major and game misconduct is a joke. Five and a game for a hard, clean hit? Don Cherry is probably screaming—and for once we agree with him.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 05/23/09 at 09:07 AM ET

There won’t be a suspension.  If Brown wasn’t suspended for the Hudler hit (which was more suspendable than this one IMHO), then Kronner is OK...he’ll be wearing a target, but he’s OK.

And if there is a suspension....*#$%@& the NHL.

Posted by cephalopod from Chicago, on the poop deck, not over it yet on 05/23/09 at 09:19 AM ET

If there is a suspension...you can guarantee there will be 19 of us who will be emailing that photo to the league. Nothing will happen, nor will anyone get a response, but maybe, just maybe, it’ll get someone fired.

Posted by mrfluffy from Cincy on 05/23/09 at 09:30 AM ET

Have fun this weekend Chief. Enjoy your time away from us pirates. See ya Sunday?

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa. on 05/23/09 at 08:52 AM ET

Absolutely...will be back well in time to watch the Wings take a 3-1 series lead.

Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 05/23/09 at 09:35 AM ET

With that said...sharpen your cutlasses, load the twenty-pounders, and set sail for League offices, mates.

I’ve got my matches and plastic sporks ready - not having pitchforks and torches at my disposal.  (But I think being disemboweled with sporks would be just as painful as using a cutlass.)

And be sure to use sunscreen, Chief - especially your daughter.  She wouldn’t want to follow up getting a puck with a nasty sunburn.  Very cool move from Conklin.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/23/09 at 09:50 AM ET

So all of the folks at CBC and all of the folks at Versus and pretty much every hockey writer in the nation who lives outside of Chicago thinks Kronwall’s hit was “clean” or “legal” and they label the refs actions as “a joke” or “a jobbing” or “egregious”. That has to be a first. Usually someone (other than a hometown apologist) finds a reason why the Wings should have been shafted by a ref’s call.

That doesn’t do the Wings any good now, but it sure as hell makes it clear to the league that Lil’ Gary’s zebras blew this one big time.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 05/23/09 at 09:54 AM ET

From “The Fifth Feather"-

–Nikolai Khabibulin has already been ruled out for Game 4, according to Comcast SportsNet’s Josh Mora, so the once forgotten Cristobal Huet is back.  Before everybody bemoans this turn of events, let’s look at the facts.

I like it. Sure Huet stoned a half-dozen or so shots last night, but I’d say this is good for the Wings. Pepper the hell out him, and remember the game starts at 3:00 PM EDT, or 2:00 PM CDT (15:00/14:00 for you military type). Win this game to spite the zebras. Win this game to spite little Gary.

Posted by mrfluffy from Cincy on 05/23/09 at 10:11 AM ET

QUESTION:

IF the play had been exactly the same EXCEPT that Havlet got up and skated away, would there have been a basis to call Kronwall for any penalties?

Posted by stonehands-78 from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 05/23/09 at 10:12 AM ET

2nd Question:

AND would there in fact have been any penalties called on that basis?

Posted by stonehands-78 from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 05/23/09 at 10:13 AM ET

Answer 1:  No.

Answer 2:  No.

But there still would have been that bull**** “how dare you actually HIT someone in hockey!  I’m so upset I will demonstrate both my manly testosterone levels and my displeasure by engaging in a mindless time-wasting scrum instead of going back to playing hockey, the game I love to play and have trained so many years for, because letting a hit go and responding in kind with an equally hard, but clean, hit later goes against my complete misunderstanding of neanderthal fairness in sport!” crap right afterwards, where a player has to “defend” himself after every hard hit.  Babies.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/23/09 at 10:34 AM ET

Someone made the point over at that thread that the refs were just covering their asses because Havlat was unconscious on the ice-- in case of serious injury, they wanted to be seen to have DONE SOMETHING at the time.  This sounds the most reasonable explanation I’ve seen, given that the majority of officials have cranial posterior disorder.  Also given that Kronner’s already been suspended for nearly a whole game, and been assessed a five-minute major, I feel better that the League may view this as punishment enough and just leave it at that.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 05/23/09 at 09:37 AM ET

I am going to go ahead and just agree with this for now, because the other option is not pretty.  That is a horseshit excuse sure, but as much as we point out we get hosed all the time by Gary.Ass and his minions if Kronwall gets suspended I will hold the conspiracy party at my house because I will be a true believer.

Posted by AxeMaster9 on 05/23/09 at 10:49 AM ET

Oh and for the record I do not think he will be suspended.  And not because they dont think he should be but because it would be to obvious.

Posted by AxeMaster9 on 05/23/09 at 10:51 AM ET

That diagram is one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen.  Somebody mail that to the league office so we can begin getting reparation payments.  Actually screw that—they’ll just send us Coyotes tickets.

Well done Nathan/Moocat.

Posted by Triple Deke Tyler from Lansing on 05/23/09 at 11:06 AM ET

On the Chicago Sun-Times Sports Prose blog, some Hawks fan linked to Nathan’s pic and called it a clean hit.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2009/05/martin_havlat_knocked_out_of_g.html

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Sunny SoCal on 05/23/09 at 11:28 AM ET

I haven’t read everyone comments yet and I am new here, but I have been reading your blogs for awhile though. Fun fun stuff ...  anyway I heard that the CBC announcers were saying last night that the NHL should ban those refs for the rest of the playoffs after making that lame call.

Posted by MsRedWingFan on 05/23/09 at 11:35 AM ET

On the Chicago Sun-Times Sports Prose blog, some Hawks fan linked to Nathan’s pic and called it a clean hit.

A Dallas fan on Mirtle’s site also pointed it out.  Famous Nathan! (and Moocat)

I haven’t read everyone comments yet and I am new here, but I have been reading your blogs for awhile though. Fun fun stuff ...  anyway I heard that the CBC announcers were saying last night that the NHL should ban those refs for the rest of the playoffs after making that lame call.

Posted by MsRedWingFan on 05/23/09 at 12:35 PM ET

Welcome.  Don’t let the reprobates scare you off - they are really mostly harmless. 

I’m not surprised CBC said that, actually - they are pretty uniformly against anything they perceive as taking the physical element out of the game, and despite the fact that Kronwall is European they ignore that because of how hard and clean (usually) he hits.  No way that happens, though - the NHL doesn’t have enough (even marginally) qualified referees as it is, and they can’t afford to throw anyone away.

Besides, with our luck they’d just replace one of them with the infamous Mr. Watson.  :(

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/23/09 at 12:10 PM ET

Well we now know what the NHL"s mo is . If a Red Wing opponent is lying on the ice in a puddle of goo after a hit, it must be a gary ass rule infraction. As for Nik jr,now the league will have him on the list of “questionalbe hits” when similar incidents happen, which they will now view with a electron microscope. It is his game and alot of the league hates it dirty or not.

Posted by cigar_nurse from Greenville South Cakalakee on 05/23/09 at 12:32 PM ET

Sorry. Questionable is the word. Just a bit pissed at the the whole ordeal.

Posted by cigar_nurse from Greenville South Cakalakee on 05/23/09 at 12:34 PM ET

No way that happens, though - the NHL doesn’t have enough (even marginally) qualified referees as it is, and they can’t afford to throw anyone away.

There are plenty of qualified and competent referees and linesman.  You will not see a competent crew in the NHL until they stop giving them confusing and contradictory instructions.  Micro-management never works out and only drives talent away.  That has been proven over and over.  Why the NHL has chosen to go against the grain (just like government) is a mystery, and only proves the incompetence of all in authority.

Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don�t live up to my expectations on 05/23/09 at 12:36 PM ET

On the Chicago Sun-Times Sports Prose blog, some Hawks fan linked to Nathan’s pic and called it a clean hit.
A Dallas fan on Mirtle’s site also pointed it out.  Famous Nathan! (and Moocat)

It wasn’t really a Hawks fan, hence the

The problem with most lurkers is they really don’t do it very well. One doesn’t undermine a fanbase and get them to question their team by bombastically declaring, “You’re team sucks!” One has to be subtle.

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Sunny SoCal on 05/23/09 at 12:38 PM ET

It wasn’t really a Hawks fan, hence the

The problem with most lurkers is they really don’t do it very well. One doesn’t undermine a fanbase and get them to question their team by bombastically declaring, “You’re team sucks!” One has to be subtle.

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from The Land of Myopic, Crying Poultry Fans on 05/23/09 at 01:38 PM ET

Capt’n D, you’ve made the 19 proud!

LET’S GO WINGS!!!

(I’m still so ANGRY I could just ... just ... Oh! never mind! AARRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!)

Posted by stonehands-78 from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 05/23/09 at 01:31 PM ET

F-ck, this Al Cimiglia guy truly is an idiot to behold.  I’ve read some of his previous stuff.  He thought Chicago should win the series, because it is what the NHL wants and that’s what counts, read for youselves.

Boarding, are you effing kidding me?  It would at least require Kronwall to push him into the general direction of the boards, which by the way is the far the more effective way to hurt another player.  No, Kronwall did it the old-fashioned open-ice way — a rare, difficult and most importantly legal move, which even the CBC couldn’t disagree with.

There are too many of these hockey dilettantes since Chicago suddenly has a competitive team.  I went to some Chicago forums a few weeks ago when they acquired Pahlsson for Wisnewski (guess Pahlsson wasn’t enough of a frat boy loud mouth douchebag for that team, Wisnewski seems to be the better whiner).  The bandwagoners are out in full effect.

To me that was a bargain, remembering how Pahlsson had a hand in dismantling the top lines of Minnesota, Detroit and Ottawa.  Everyone, except maybe one or two on the Chicago forums was lamenting the acquisition of Pahlsson.  “What is an old minus tenner doing in our team - and he’s sick with mono”, was the consensus.  Had they watched ice hockey for more than, say a year (Pahlsson was Conn Smythe material in 2007), they would maybe have known who he was.

Let’s put these guys out of their misery, quickly.

Posted by lilja4ever on 05/23/09 at 01:52 PM ET

Damnit, I forgot to write the conclusion.  The vomit all over the keyboard makes it difficult to write.

Pahlsson walked away with a goal and an assist yesterday.  He’s been 61% in face-offs on average over the past three games, which was the reason they wanted him in the first place.

Now, where is my medication.

Posted by lilja4ever on 05/23/09 at 01:59 PM ET

I have to say while I appreciate being mentioned with Nathan, all I did was pathetic little screen cap of the moment of contact. Nathan went all C.S.I. with it and deserves all the credit for pointing out the abject absurdity of the call.

Posted by moocat on 05/23/09 at 02:15 PM ET

Double damnit.  He actually takes it back further down the article.  That makes him even more of an idiot. Yes, I’m reaching.

The lesson here people: don’t post after an OT loss.

Posted by lilja4ever on 05/23/09 at 02:15 PM ET

The Highlander says no Pasha or Drapes at the Wings skate today. *#$%@&

Posted by Bella from puddle of her own vomit on 05/23/09 at 02:41 PM ET

The Highlander says no Pasha or Drapes at the Wings skate today. *#$%@&

Oh, no. I was actually feeling alright about last night till I saw that. Sucktasm. Saw in the Free Press that CokenPepsi lobbied to return but was told it wasn’t going to happen.

And to think there is still a possibility of Kronner being suspended? BAH.

Posted by Deuce from Brooklyn on 05/23/09 at 03:29 PM ET

I’m starting to feel like they have no chance

Too many injuries...the fatigue is mounting...they can’t play a complete game…

*sigh*

Posted by Tyler from Arizona on 05/23/09 at 04:28 PM ET

A picture speaks a thousand words and that one is screaming.  Well done.

Joe Q is whining, Brian Campbell is making threats of retribution, the league remains silent

and....

.....where is the hit loving Canadian Peacock, Mr. Cherry, in all this?  Still checking the birth certificates of Kronwall and Havlat before he chimes in?  Maybe he just refuses to comment when two EuroPeons collide.

Posted by Rumbear from Sandy Eggo on 05/23/09 at 04:51 PM ET

lilja4ever: keep reading that guys blog post.  after what you quoted, he goes on to say after watching the play again it should not have been a penalty at all.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 05/23/09 at 04:58 PM ET

.....where is the hit loving Canadian Peacock, Mr. Cherry, in all this?  Still checking the birth certificates of Kronwall and Havlat before he chimes in?

Ouch. Hammer. Nail. Right on the head, Rumbear.

As for Dats and Drapes being out on Sunday, so be it. I thought Leino played a great game last night (i.e., “There’s the net, let me drive straight to it."). And Abbadabba will do just fine filling in for Draper. The only thing missing in the Wings game right now is one Marian (MIA) Hossa. If he finally decides to show up on Sunday, you can stick a fork in the Hawks.

Either way, less than 24 hours from now, we’ll know exactly where we stand. Twenty-something hours of gut-wrenching, puke-stained hours. God, I love the playoffs...just like I love that annual colon inspection us old farts endure.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 05/23/09 at 05:17 PM ET

Khan(!) says Drapes is out, and Datsyuk is a game time, ‘Buline is out, and Havlat is gametime.  At least a chance Sasha plays:

Update from Wings practice Saturday at the United Center: Coach Mike Babcock said Pavel Datsyuk (bruised foot) will again be a game-time decision for Game 4 Sunday afternoon, but that Kris Draper (groin) will not play. Justin Abdelkader will replace Draper, unless Datsyuk returns. Neither Datsyuk nor Draper practiced Saturday.

“I noticed (Datsyuk’s equipment) was hanging up,’’ Babcock said. “They’re hoping they can get him in his boot and get him going.’’

For the Blackhawks, coach Joel Quenneville said right wing Martin Havlat feels better but that that staus for him and goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin will be determined tomorrow. Don’t expect Khabibulin (lower-body injury) to play, however, as Cristobal Huet indicated he is preparing to start the game. Niether Havlat nor Khabibulin practiced.

The Wings tinkered with their lines a bit, switching Cleary and Hudler.

Franzen-Zetterberg-Hudler
Holmstrom-Filppula-Hossa
Cleary-Helm-Samuelsson
Leino-Abdelkader-Maltby (Meech practiced at forward)
McCarty-Downey

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Ericsson-Lebda
Lilja-Chelios-Kindl (scratches)

Osgood
Conklin
Howard

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 05/23/09 at 05:29 PM ET

found this on facebook…

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 05/23/09 at 05:51 PM ET

“KRONWALLED”

Priceless!!!

Posted by stonehands-78 from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 05/23/09 at 05:56 PM ET

I will just say when I first heard about this hit that is the first thing I thought of. People would compare it with Brown and like that picture says Not interference like the other one is.  Best thing the Red Wings can do now is win. They were close!

Posted by WingsStef from The Thumb on 05/23/09 at 06:14 PM ET

Damage was done. No suspension should happen the Game Misconduct should do. The Wings will bring it on tomorrow.

Posted by WingStef on 05/23/09 at 06:20 PM ET