They punch guys after the whistle, they cross-check them after the play, and what’s best is that despite all that, they get away with it, because they do it so damn much the refs don’t have the onions to call a penalty every single time. The Ducks’ style of play is everything that’s wrong with the hockey.

To me, that is the most frustrating part of what went on in this series. At a time when the league claims to have an interest in stopping shots to the head, they clearly turned a blind eye to the after-the-whistle crap that defines the Flucks game plan. Babs usually takes the high road in situations like this, but I have a feeling there will be plenty said by Tick Tock at the next GMs meeting.

This “thugery” style of hockey simply has to stop before the game loses all credibility…as if Lil Gary hasn’t pushed it to the edge of that abyss already.

As for the general level of officiating in this series, all you have to do is listen to the things Mickey Redmond was saying last night. This guy is probably the most unbiased color commentator in the league. He never hesitates to point out a bad call that favors he Wings.

Sometimes he chuckles about it. Sometimes he gets serious. But I don’t ever remember him being as furious as he was last night. After the call on Happy, I thought he was going to go postal. And rightly so.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 05/15/09 at 10:28 AM ET

Does anyone have any good quotes from the poultry after last night?

Posted by rwingscup19 from Dallas on 05/15/09 at 10:28 AM ET

I’ve already thrown out all dark thoughts dealing with the Poultry shits in Anaheim.  I lost of lot of respect for Selanne last night.  I guess George Parros’ moustache now takes over as the most likeable Duck.

Now, onto the dark thoughts of the upstart Red Wings clones with Scotty Bowman behind the curtain secretly pulling all the strings.  They’re young; they’re fast, they’re (comparatively) deep.  But, they’re inexperienced.  I’m not even going to try to guess how many games this series goes.

Trust me on this though, the Hawks’ ability to go down by two goals and then catch up later for the win is going to be severely tested in this series.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 05/15/09 at 10:29 AM ET

. Babs usually takes the high road in situations like this, but I have a feeling there will be plenty said by Tick Tock at the next GMs meeting.

This time, Brian Burke (a powerful GM voice, to be sure) won’t be defending the dirtiest team in hockey.  Granted, he built the team, and likely will make the Maple Leafs over in that model, but he won’t be actively defending the ducks.

Maybe that’ll help.  Who knows.

Posted by shanetx on 05/15/09 at 10:32 AM ET

Does anyone have any good quotes from the poultry after last night?

Posted by rwingscup19 from Dallas on 05/15/09 at 11:28 AM ET

“Waaahhhhh!”

/stuffs pacifier in mouth

I’m jsut guessing, though. 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/15/09 at 10:32 AM ET

Haha nice Baroque. I wish I was that clever.

Posted by rwingscup19 from Dallas on 05/15/09 at 10:34 AM ET

I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but Samuelsson was huge this series with his 3 goals.  he played great.  plenty of “why is he on the point for the PP?!” moments, but other than that he seems to have figured out how to hit the net with the puck instead of the popcorn guy in the stands.

I agree about Sammy.  He’s been on the fourth line in this series.  He should also go above Cleary in that list for having more goals than Cleary.

The Pronger elbow-into-an-arm-bar-takedown (which I say should’ve been two minors, one for the elbow, one for interference on the takedown) was later- in the second, maybe?

I’ve seen the game twice now.  It seems that maybe Hossa was a bit rattled or intimidated by that play.  He wasn’t fighting as hard in the third period as he usually is.

Check out the post game presser: http://redwings.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=-6&id=42106 at around 3:50.  When Babcock talks about him and Holland, sitting back to watch and how’s there nowhere to hide during the playoffs, saying: “letting the organization know if you’re a keeper or not”.  It sort of feels like that was directed at Hossa.

Posted by lilja4ever on 05/15/09 at 10:40 AM ET

Btw- anyone got a video of the Z hit on Perry on the first shift of the game?

Here you go, Shane. It’s in the video that Paul posted about the Cleary goal. It’s at about the 13 second mark. Also includes a nice little clip of Jonny throwing Getslapped to the ice (at about the 6 second mark).

http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/lets_look_at_the_dan_cleary_goal/

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 05/15/09 at 10:42 AM ET

because they do it so damn much the refs don’t have the onions to call a penalty every single time

I’m not a big roundball fan, but living in Dallas its hard not to catch some Mavericks talk on sports radio. Apparently this is the style of game that the current Denver Nuggets use, and has been previously used by the Knicks and the “Bad Boy” Pistons era. The thought process being that only the most egregious infractions are called so you get away with a lot of little stuff. Little like Ass-hat Pronger flying elbowing and tackling Hossa behind the net.

Posted by rwingscup19 from Dallas on 05/15/09 at 10:43 AM ET

Your Ducks hatred is similar to my Flyers hatred in the east, but I can always take consolation that they will self destruct as a result of their cheap shot, after the whistle style.  it must really suck that the Ducks get away with all that shit. 
Congrats to you guys. I hate the Ducks because they are the Flyers West, but the Wings are a joy to watch, and because they dominated play they really were the deserving winners.

Posted by dip from philly on 05/15/09 at 10:43 AM ET

Great post, OTC.

I completely agree.

I think too many people think that the type of opinion you and I share means we’re anti-fighting, and let me just clarify that is not the case. A good battle in the ol’ barn is always a fun time.

The problem with the way certain teams and players play between the whistles is that it devolves the game. It slows it down. One scrum in front of the net begets another. And another. And another. And then you get guys that are forced to fight back, even though they’ve got no business fighting. And then the guys that actually want to drop the gloves and square off with some honor can hardly do it, because by the time it develops, the linesman and refs are already in there trying to stop the swats to the head, the facewashes, and the stickwork.

I am of the belief that the utility of fighting, the energy it provides and the way it “polices” the game will return if the refs are instructed to start calling the roughing that occurs between the whistles. It will teach guys that if they have a beef or a score to settle, do it during the play. If you need to have it out with someone, find ‘em while the game is actually going on, and get it out of your system. Right now, the way this stuff is born after the play is over, it makes it easy to have lots of “third man in” situations, which is never ever a good thing. When fights start from the flow of actual play, they are 99% more likely to be one-on-one, no third/fourth/fifth man in. And that’s how an NHL fight should be.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 05/15/09 at 10:44 AM ET

Sometimes he chuckles about it. Sometimes he gets serious. But I don’t ever remember him being as furious as he was last night. After the call on Happy, I thought he was going to go postal. And rightly so.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 05/15/09 at 11:28 AM ET

I swear I heard Mickey say, “Holy shit” just before the Cleary pushed the puck in.  I know thats what I heard.  And it was something to do with him thinking they were going to call a penalty on Hudler or something to that affect.

Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 05/15/09 at 10:51 AM ET

Check out the post game presser: http://redwings.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=-6&id=42106 at around 3:50.  When Babcock talks about him and Holland, sitting back to watch and how’s there nowhere to hide during the playoffs, saying: “letting the organization know if you’re a keeper or not”.  It sort of feels like that was directed at Hossa.

You could be right. Hossa had that two-goal game, so his performance hasn’t been scrutinized as much, but if you look at the complete-ness of the efforts of Datsyuk and Hossa in this series, Pav was far more valuable, and was able to exert his will on more shifts/periods/games than Hossa was, even if he’s been snake-bit in the goal scoring department.

Hossa is too big and too fast for me to think he won’t come around. But against the Ducks he fell into his one weakness—a tendency to float when things weren’t going great for him. I don’t question his desire to succeed, but he definitely needs to dig a little deeper and find that will that made him so dominant in the Cup final last season.

And look—I think he will. He was invisible until those two CLUTCH goals against the BJs. He was invisible the entire series against the Ducks, except for the two-goal game. He’s too big, too fast, too strong, too talented, and wants a Cup too bad to go another seven game series without putting his mark on it. Of that, I am pretty confident.

As for Datsyuk, again, let’s not get down on him, fellas. This isn’t the pre-2007 Datsyuk that’s not scoring in the post-season and isn’t doing much else. He is clearly holding the stick a little too tight and playing tentative when he finds himself a scoring chance, but to encapsulate his huge effort this series and his impact on the game that doesn’t show up on the scoresheet, look no further than the 5-on-3 PK in the first, and the 4-on-3/5-on-3/5-on-4 PK later in the game. And the final sequence defending the one goal lead—he was magnificent. No mistakes in his own zone in those critical situations. Clearing the blue line. Knowing exactly when to eat the puck and let five or six seconds fade off the clock. Stellar stuff.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 05/15/09 at 10:51 AM ET

Right now, the way this stuff is born after the play is over, it makes it easy to have lots of “third man in” situations, which is never ever a good thing.

and the league’s rule where the faceoff goes outside the zone if the offensive team’s d-men come down from the blue line to get involved just promotes this kind of after-the-whistle crap.  it gives the defensive-zone team an automatic manpower advantage in the pushing and shoving.  or penalizes the other team’s players for sticking up for each other.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 05/15/09 at 10:52 AM ET

Dats will get the goal scoring going in the conference finals, and when he does, he’ll be on fire.

Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 05/15/09 at 10:56 AM ET

This is what is so frustrating. The slash called on Getzlaf and the hook called on Selanne were horrible, weak calls. But the refs clearly called them because they knew they needed makeups for missing the play where Pronger flying-elbowed and hog-tied Hossa (I think it was him) behind the net, and the cross-check into Hiller

The problem with that is the Pronger “hog-tie” was after all of that.

Wow you have the mental fortitude to mention probably the two best known players, period.  So clever of you, playing on the blog name like that.  It channels true knowledge and analytical skill as it regards our wonderful sport.

It is actually a pretty good book.  I recommend it to any hockey fan.

Posted by Gretzky_to_Lemieux on 05/15/09 at 10:57 AM ET

Now that the kids are all put to bed, it’s time for the grownups to party.

Screw you, Hawks fan.  Sure your team lasted longer against weaker opponents, but it’ll take your team years to put these Wings fans in this much post-victory hysterics.

I’ll grudgingly take sh!t from these guys—at least their team beat us.  Gloating from an outside observer, though?  Unmerited.

Posted by Earl Sleek from Anaheim, CA on 05/15/09 at 11:00 AM ET

Really well put Nathan.  That’s pretty much exactly how I feel about the Ducks.  I think the only player on their roster who I have respect for is Selanne, and I suppose I can tolerate the younger Neidermeyer. 
This is why everyone says, “the better team won”.  And why everyone still would have said “the better team lost” if the Wings had lost.  Not because our team is entitled to win the Stanley Cup, but because they actually play an entertaining brand of hockey that the league claims it wants to promote.  The Ducks play a game that loses like in the regular season when they call penalties, but works out in the playoffs when the refs start letting obstruction go.
The non-call on Pronger tackling Hossa is beyond me.  It was right in front of the ref.  The call on Hudler was terrible, but I can at least see how they might have missed it since it happened so quickly.
The 2 calls on Getzlaf were just as confusing, since 30 uncalled things happened that game that were way worse than what he did.  Also, we’re lucky Stuart only got 2 when Selanne was bleeding.  Not sure I understand that one.

Posted by Nick on 05/15/09 at 11:01 AM ET

Also, we’re lucky Stuart only got 2 when Selanne was bleeding.  Not sure I understand that one.

Because it was an interference call not a high sticking penalty.

Posted by Gretzky_to_Lemieux on 05/15/09 at 11:04 AM ET

The Ducks play a game that loses like in the regular season when they call penalties, but works out in the playoffs when the refs start letting obstruction go.

Oversimplified, dude.  The Ducks were playing at a different level than the regular season, and it wasn’t only because of referee allowance.

Besides, the Ducks in the regular season were shorthanded some 7.7 minutes per game.  In the playoffs, it dropped to something like 7.3.  Doesn’t seem distortive enough to suggest that it was the only difference.

Posted by Earl Sleek from Anaheim, CA on 05/15/09 at 11:07 AM ET

I keep saying during the liveblogs that I don’t care if Dangle doesn’t score again in the playoffs as long as he keeps doing what he’s already doing.  Everything else, the playmaking, the hits, the stellar defense, they make up for it.  Hossa, I don’t know.  I think he’ll come around as well, especially this next series, when he doesn’t have to face as strong a defense.  We’ve just beat the team with the strongest defense corps and strongest overall team defense left in the playoffs, and Hossa and Datsyuk were the primary recipients of their attention.  The defense around them will not be as tight from Chicago, and given room to breathe, I think both will make up for any scoring shortfall in the second round.

Perhaps the Schmucks get away with so much of their shit because of where they are located—they’re a rare successful team in a non-traditional hockey market, and to take away the method of their success and make them suffer would drive away what few fans they do have, and they may go the way of the Coyotes.  So to give them carte blanche to play the game they want to play as long as they win and hence stay financially solvent is the League’s way of making sure they survive.  Disgusting, but that’s the NHL for you.

A related point is that I know one Ducks fan from Irvine, but I’ve known him longer than the Ducks have been around, and he’s a bandwagoner like the rest of them—never a peep out of him about the Schmucks, even though he knows how much of a massive Wings fan I am, until after they won the Cup.  And he’s generally a good guy, but has just taken up hockey and knows f-all about it.  He’s also a weird Libertarian, a faux-Scottish American (yes, okay, you’re related to William Wallace, really), and can be abrasive, so take that as you will.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 05/15/09 at 11:12 AM ET

I think too many people think that the type of opinion you and I share means we’re anti-fighting, and let me just clarify that is not the case. A good battle in the ol’ barn is always a fun time.

I’m 100% in that camp, Nathan. The fighting that belongs in the game is fighting that occurs, as you described it, “from the flow of actual play”, not this after-the-whistle cheapshot nonsense or the staged “Hey, buddy, wanna drop the gloves after the faceoff?” bullsh!t. Both cheapen the game.

I also think true fans of the game want to see the style of play described in the Dave Staples quote that Paul posted on the main page:

This year’s version of the Detroit Red Wings reminds me of another Big Red Machine of years gone by, the Soviet National team.

Those Soviet teams were defined by a similar kind of player, tough and courageous but not rough, skilled but not individualistic, strong but not generally huge, talented enough to win on talent, but smart enough to do it with brains.

There’s a huge difference between “tough and courageous but not rough” hockey and the “thugging and cowardly but not honorable” style the Flucks play. The consolation that we all have is that, in the end, they got exactly what they deserved. They not only lost, but they’ll have an” issue” that will keep them whining for the whole summer. It’s sort of a gift that keeps on giving for Wings fans.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 05/15/09 at 11:17 AM ET

I think you guys are right on about Hossa and Pav.  I think Pav’s playing fine.  That pass to Sammy was great.

In my opinion, and something that I don’t think’s been reported on much this morning, is that Babcock won last night’s game.  Spreading the talent out throughout the four lines was brilliant, especially after Carlyle was able to get some good matchups in game six.  It takes guts to skate Hossa with Helm on a third or fourth line.  Takes guts to put together a line of Pav, Sammy, and Fil.  Those lines scored, though, and I think made the matchup game irrelevant.  How do you time the deployment of your best line or best checking line when all four of the opponent’s lines are balanced for scoring, defense, and faceoffs.

Very well done.

Posted by TDeters on 05/15/09 at 11:18 AM ET

Uncle Mike in the presser “the way they play is beligerent”. Well said, nice little dagger with class. Love his response to the Cleary goal & The Gods bit too.
When asked about CHI wanting to play Detroit… “Do you think we wanted those marathons of 3 hour time changes? CHI is 45 minutes away, c’mon”. BWAAAHAAAHHHAAAA. MSM dumbass.
As Cap’ Dennis said yesterday, game 7 of this series was the epitomy of a team that plays the game the right way versus a team that doesn’t.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 05/15/09 at 11:29 AM ET

Gordie in the background during the Helm interview….. Nice.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 05/15/09 at 11:31 AM ET

Knowing exactly when to eat the puck and let five or six seconds fade off the clock. Stellar stuff.

Datsyuk’s play on that 5-on-3 where he comes onto the ice and immediately takes the puck deep into the Ducks zone, passing up the 1-man-to-beat chance to get on goal, skating so slow Chelios could’ve done laps around him, then eating the puck in the corner?

Show me one of the other MVP candidates having the smarts and selflessness for that.  I would love to see it.

Posted by shanetx on 05/15/09 at 11:46 AM ET

Another thing:  I watched the Versus broadcast and four different times the announcers said, “Perry loses track of the puck.” or “The puck gets away from Getzlaf” or something to that effect when it was a clear, blatantly obvious, case of Nick Lidstrom either poke checking the puck away or lifting a stick.

It’s pretty easy to see why non-wings fans don’t realize the man’s greatness.  The announcers- who should know he’s the best ‘play the puck’ defenseman the league has ever seen- can’t figure it out and give credit, why would you expect the tv-watching fan to?

Posted by shanetx on 05/15/09 at 11:54 AM ET

Thomas Kinkead.

The Partridge Family’s manager, right?

Posted by O-Joe on 05/15/09 at 11:55 AM ET

I care of Datsyuk scores again - but that’s because he’s worked his behind off the entire playoffs, and he should have some goals.  It will make him happy.

I love to watch him play defense, though.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/15/09 at 12:00 PM ET

Here’s what’s even better: for all their filthy nasty play, Niedermayer, Beauchemin, and the cheap-suit duo of Marchant and Niedermayer are all UFAs this summer, and Ryan is an RFA, prone to a massive offer sheet given his Calder candidacy.  Niedermayer may retire, Beauchemin, Marchant, and Niedermayer may go somewhere else, and bingo bango, their defense is depleted.  Next year, Selanne and Pronger are UFAs, and if they don’t improve, I could see the same scenario—Selanne retires, Pronger goes elsewhere.  It’s either huge, up-against-the-cap numbers, or it’s downhill for the next few years.

Ahh, schadenfreude.  The perfect digestif to a Game Seven victory.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 05/15/09 at 12:13 PM ET

Bobby Ryan is one summer away from being an RFA.

The key decision is Scott Niedermayer’s, but at least it seems that most UFAs are happy in Anaheim.  I’d be somewhat surprised if Scott went to another team this summer—it’s likely the Ducks or retirement, I think.

Posted by Earl Sleek from Anaheim, CA on 05/15/09 at 12:18 PM ET

It will make him happy.

I can approve of this!

Anyone else think Babcock played some “*#$%@& with Homer” mindgames in practice yesterday?  He looked pissed today.  I thought he was extremely noticeable and not just in the ways he normally is- he made some nifty defensive plays and had a couple takeaways that were pretty impressive.

I’m guessing one of the following took place:
A.  Babcock told him he was scratched for Drapes up until about 3 minutes before warm-ups.
B.  Albom’s article was translated to Swedish and pasted all over the lock room.
C. Holland suggested package deal to package Holmstrom and Albom in a trade for Malcolm Gladwell.
D.  Z ate, and blamed Pronger for doing so, his stash of pepparkakakors!  (Ginger cookies… You can get Anna’s Pepparkakor’s in most good grocery stores- and even in the nicer walmarts now, wtf, here in Texas!  I highly recommend them to everyone:  http://www.annas.se/artikel.asp?strukturId=22 )

Posted by shanetx on 05/15/09 at 12:18 PM ET

I’d be somewhat surprised if Scott went to another team this summer—it’s likely the Ducks or retirement, I think.

Earl, do you think he’d be inclined to stick around purely for a shot at the Olympics in 2010?  I don’t know if he puts much stock in that kind of thing.  He clearly values his free time.  (but then, don’t we all?)

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/15/09 at 12:33 PM ET

Screw you, Hawks fan.  Sure your team lasted longer against weaker opponents, but it’ll take your team years to put these Wings fans in this much post-victory hysterics.

I’ll grudgingly take sh!t from these guys—at least their team beat us.  Gloating from an outside observer, though?  Unmerited.

Earl, I am with you on this one.

Look, there was a lot of bad officiating in this series. I am biased, but I think the Wings got the worst of it. At the same time, there’s no doubt the Ducks had some bad calls go against them as well.

Bottom line is that the reason we have heard almost everyone in the Wings organization say in the last 12 hours that “this is the toughest series we’ve ever played”—even though they won a Cup last year—is that both teams are very good teams. I would take the Ducks in a seven gamer over any of the remaining clubs not named the Red Wings.

I will gloat, of course, and despite my many posts expressing frustration for things that went down in this series, I really believe the truth is that if you strip out all the bad calls on both sides, the couple weak goals Hiller let in, and the few weak ones Ozzie may have let in (don’t get me wrong… both goalies were awesome overall), I think you end up with pretty much the same thing—a seven gamer between two teams with a know-how when it comes to winning in May and June, a desire to win those tough games, and a good bit of talent to make it all interesting.

Chicago, on the other hand, while I have been impressed with their resilience, has played two teams that essentially threw down the red carpet for their comeback performances. Calgary and Vancouver both had the Hawks right where they need them in multiple games to both win games convincingly and to put the Hawks into a near checkmate on the series.

For me, a defining point in the Calgary series, and I know it was early in the series, was the game (game two?) where I believe the Flames had a 2-0 lead half way through the game. Chicago gets one back, makes it 2-1. Fine, it happens—Chicago is a very good team, you can’t expect to shut them out. But then, with four minutes left in the third and a 2-1 lead, the Flames essentially lay a yellow-bricked road to the goal from the half-wall for Marty Havlat to walk out, rip it on net, and what’s worse, when Kipper makes the save, his D-men do NOTHING to even slow Havlat from getting his own rebound. Ties it up. At that point, you know Chicago’s going to win in OT. Could the Hawks have tied that game up regardless? Absolutely, they are very talented. But for the Flames to give their best overall player that much time and space at that point in a game is incredible.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 05/15/09 at 12:53 PM ET

Earl, do you think he’d be inclined to stick around purely for a shot at the Olympics in 2010?

I have no insight into the wandering mind of Lightningbeard at all, except I can hope for three things:

1. He does care about the Olympics—I believe that to be true, and I sort of expect one more year in Scott’s career because of it.
2. He’s willing to give Anaheim a discount for his 34-game-vacation last year—may not be true at all, but from a Ducks perspective, that would help a TON.
3. The guy took half a season and simply could not retire last year—I have to think he’s probable to come to the same conclusion (hopefully more quickly) this summer.

Certainly the guy can still play and would be welcomed easily in Anaheim.  But Scott’s a tough guy to read—I’m not sure about what he’ll do at all.

Posted by Earl Sleek from Anaheim, CA on 05/15/09 at 12:55 PM ET

Holy hell, WFIB.  Sometimes, captions do it little justice.

Friggin’ brilliant, man.

Posted by SYF from a "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" on 05/15/09 at 07:35 PM ET

Oh man, Earl, I thought we were friends…

Posted by Forklift from Section 314 in the United Center on 05/18/09 at 10:14 PM ET