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Downriver? The Puck Bunnies Are Getting Nervous
by IwoCPO on 02/05/09 at 04:03 AM ET
Comments (29)
Literally the worst in the league. Statistically, that’s where Chris Osgood sits right now. The starting goaltender for the Stanley Cup champions is dead last in save percentage, with a sparkling .880. And he sits 42nd out of 44 in terms of GAA at 3.29.
He’s given up at least three goals seven games in a row and ten of his last twelve.
And his coach is about to frigging lose it.
Osgood said the Wings haven’t been as loose as they were last season. Told of those comments, Babcock said, “Well, there’s a way to get that done,” meaning by getting better goaltending.
Asked to elaborate on how to get skaters to play more loosely, Babcock clammed up.
“I’m done with that,” he said.
We are in deep trouble. I’m talking the kind of trouble that has you avoiding even a mention of hockey after 1 May. Chris Osgood says he “feels great.” Lie. He says he had a hangover, but that bad boy’s come and gone. Lie.
Dave Dye
“I feel the tide is turning and pretty soon I’m going to get on a huge roll and things are going to go real good here.”
Jesus. What is it, November? We’ve been hearing that crap for almost five months now. It’s not a hangover and it’s not a slump. It’s not a temporary issue he and Bedard can work out of.
It’s a problem that’s not going away and it’s going to cost this team their 12th Cup. The Red Wings will not win with Osgood playing like this, not in the playoffs.
Oh, and don’t think I’m advocating a Conk fest either. A better option? Yep. But a Cup-winning one? Seriously?
“To win in the end, you need really good goaltending,” Babcock said. “So the challenge for one of these guys (Osgood or Ty Conklin) is to step up and grab the job and look after it.”
No money to buy, rent or borrow one. No confidence in Howard and Larsson’s still unproven. Oh, and a defense that isn’t going to save the ass of whichever goalie Uncle Mike trots out there on any particular night.
This two game winning streak is the most meaningless pile of crap we’ve seen all year. Osgood was just bad last night. The late, game-tying goal? The one that occured when his concentration was supposed to be just laser frigging sharp?
It’s not like the Coyotes were just whipping the puck around, turning Osgood inside/out. It was standard stuff, along the perimeter, over to Lindstrom in the high slot for an unscreened slap shot that Osgood was too slow to react to, then it practically trickled underneath him.
How’s this for fun? A little game. Raise your chubby little hand if you were surprised Phoenix tied it up last night. No you don’t. Put it down liar. Put it down.
You know what’s kinda funny in a sick kind of way? We all saw this coming. Ohh, we never really talked about it over the summer when the Cup was getting pooped in, sipped out of, toured around the state and showcased. But we all knew that this blanket acceptance of Chris Osgood as the Red Wing starting goalie was just a little…unrealistic.
This version of Chris Osgood is not going to change, dramatically improve or revert back to the guy who gave us about twenty real good games last spring. This is the norm, not the exception.
And with this version? No chance of a repeat. None.
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Comments
Chief, Osgood gave up two squeakers, but his penalty-killers suck these days, too. The Wings have let in at least a dozen goals where a guy either pulls off the half boards and skates uncontested to the front of the net, or passes it there, or a player slides a puck through the PK’ers, through the gap between the forwards and defenders, and puts that pass on the stick of a teammate who one-times the shot past the goaltender.
The Red Wings are facing their biggest test of the season because they’ve got no Brad Stuart, and Brad Stuart is the no-maintenance glue that holds the blueline together, bridging the gap between the ever-reliable Lidstrom and Rafalski and the streakier Kronwall and the “sometimes there, sometimes not” Lilja and Lebda. Cheli can only do so much as a “glue guy” these days, and Stuart’s unbelievably solid and physical play really does change the Wings from a team with a superb top three and a big drop-off after that to a team with a rock-solid top four.
Let Ozzie and Conks work out their issues, and if Babs wants to call up Howie or Larsson, fine, but when the playoffs start, it’s Ozzie or Conks. There was simply no time like the present for Babs to issue a little ass-kicking to remind everybody that the loosey-goosey BS has to stop.
Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 02/05/09 at 05:34 AM ET
I’d like to see Howard purely to see Howard - Conklin is only signed for this year, and I’d like to see how well Howard could play next year as a backup, if nothing else. It doesn’t even have to be about this year, but I’d like to see him play the same way I’d like to see a lot of the Griffins come up.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/05/09 at 07:42 AM ET
Let Ozzie and Conks work out their issues
How long is that supposed to take George?
I understand the defense deserves some blame. The PK has holes in it that even I can see. All over the Wings’ game there are deficiencies right now.
But Osgood’s play is the worst of them all: statistically and also in terms of the importance to the team. Lindstrom’s goal last night was horrendous and there’s at least one bad goal every outing for Osgood.
There is nothing the Wings can do now except hope Osgood improves or Conklin plays even better. Right now he’s about average in my opinion, so he’s got room to improve too.
Yes, I understand we’re supposed to be calm, to let this work itself out. I’m not really into that, not where goaltending is concerned and not with a defense that can’t bail out mediocrity in the crease.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 02/05/09 at 07:43 AM ET
Osgood sits till the Playoffs. That’s the only way we have even the slightest bit of chance that’ll we’ll see a good performance like he gave the Wings last spring. Bring Howard up. Give him a chance.
Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 02/05/09 at 07:46 AM ET
As one of the few that will take up for Osgood through thick and thin, and being a gigantic Osgood supporter, I thought that last nights performance was terrible. As have been other outings. WTF is going on in the Land of Oz?
It seems the guys have no confidence when playing in front of him or in front of Conks for some reason. Is it an arrogance on part of the team that we are the champions so whatever? I can’t figure out what is going on but this crap has to stop. Now.
Mickey pointed out last night that there were a lot of mental mistakes. Also I do not care if the play is fancy. I just want to win games. The Wings need to get back to the fundamentals. The basics.
Oh by the way, Cheli looked awesome. At least one bright spot from the last two terrible wins.Bitches.
Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!
Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 02/05/09 at 08:20 AM ET
It seems the guys have no confidence when playing in front of him or in front of Conks for some reason.
What baffles me is that wouldn’t you think a team with little confidence in their goaltending would try and buckle it down defensively? We didn’t lose ANY defensemen from last year’s team, so I just don’t know what the problem is.
Reading Chief’s post this morning really started stressing me out, as if I didn’t have enough to worry about. Now I’m getting all sad and depressed even when we win…that never happened before I started talking to you people.
Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 02/05/09 at 08:48 AM ET
Anyone else get the impression that Osgood isn’t taking things that seriously anymore? It’s almost like he considers last year his crown jewel, his career defining moment, and he doesn’t have anything left to accomplish.
His heart doesn’t seem to be in this “I’m a driver, I’m a winner, things are gonna change, I can feel it” rhetoric. He sounds like he’s mailing it in.
Like I said yesterday, this team needs a shot in the arm in the form of youth and talent. Why not give Larsson or Howard some starts? They’ve been tearing it up over in GR. What’s the worst that could happen? They sure as shit aren’t going to play any worse than Osgood is playing right now.
I understand the importance of development, but why is this team so scared to death of anyone under the age of 25?
Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 02/05/09 at 09:19 AM ET
I blame our defense and goaltending woes, scratch that, crisis just as much as you guys. One other variable in this horror show is that I believe that other teams have finally found a way to play the Red Wings. Terrible times indeed.
Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Lidstrom's head telling him 1 more year on 02/05/09 at 09:25 AM ET
I dunno, Bill, I guess I’d go with the, “Put Larsson or Howard in for a game just to piss the gents off” tactic. Osgood deserved the latest Babcockian rant, and if he doesn’t get his ass in gear by the middle of the month, then yes, I’ll be concerned, but I want to see the team come together on several fronts before engaging in a full-fledged anxiety attack.
I need a few more weeks to get really heavy.
Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 02/05/09 at 09:25 AM ET
Get out your golf clubs, guys, and polish them up. The Wings are doomed. They have no chance. A first round exit is pre-ordained.
Mats Sundin can’t wait to teach the Wings about Swedish hockey, and we won’t even make good Shark chum!
Then Hank can get married in April and start making little Emmas. Nick can get a new elbow, and Babs can go to Africa and kill things.
All is lost. Despair is the watchword.
Posted by w2j2 on 02/05/09 at 09:26 AM ET
He sounds like he’s mailing it in.
That takes effort, the messages are now being texted in out of pure laziness.
Watch Leino or Helm in the very brief window of opportunity they’ve been given. I thought Helm was fantastic last night.
They have taken full advantage, played HARD and giving 110%. Granted it’s “easy” to play hard for a couple of games before going back to GR, but JFC you guys are Professional athletes. I can’t stand the lazy and stupid plays paired up with 1/2 ass efforts.
There is something glaringly wrong or missing from this damn team. I mentioned the departure of Scotty last night as a potential source of the PKs abysmal performance…... might be part of the lack of motivation in general. For 15 or so years, you never saw a team associated with Scotty meander through a season (or a season to date).
Let Ozzie and Conks work out their issues
How long is that supposed to take George?
My guess is exactly one playoff round of less than 7 games.
Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 02/05/09 at 09:30 AM ET
Perhaps a little more perspective in easy to understand terms. First, the good news:
Goals/Game:
1. DET 3.57
2. BOS 3.42
2. SJS 3.42
4. CHI 3.31
5. WSH 3.25
Goals Against/Game (Differential in parenth):
1. BOS 2.10 (+1.32 - and you wonder why they are smoking the East)?
2. MIN 2.26 (+.30)
3. SJS 2.31 (+ 1.11 - leading the West by 6 pts, 2 games in hand over DET)
4. CHI 2.43 (+ .88)
20. DET 2.94 (+. 63)
Now, take a look at the Wings ‘07 - ‘08 reg season numbers:
G/G 3.07 (3rd)
GA/G 2.18 (1st) +.89 differential
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 02/05/09 at 09:31 AM ET
Yeah, the goaltending situation sucks.
This made me feel a little better, though:
St. Louis keeps No. 1 for two STDs
By Blythe Bernhard
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/13/2009Although the number of sexually transmitted diseases is falling locally, St. Louis still ranks first in the U.S. for gonorrhea and chlamydia rates, according to an annual report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Loo #1 in the STD power rankings. Everybody, er, clap..
Posted by O-Joe on 02/05/09 at 09:36 AM ET
Relax Chief, remember last February. The Wings just have to get all the crappy play out of the way now, and come April the’ll be playing like they were when this year started. Experience will get the Wings through this.
Posted by quiso04 on 02/05/09 at 09:37 AM ET
come April the’ll be playing like they were when this year started.
That is exactly what frightens me.
Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 02/05/09 at 09:42 AM ET
I have said this before, and you all know it. I goalie can lose it quick and that’s it. Whatever Ozzie had, is not coming back. I will be looking for other things do do after May 1st if status quo prevails.
The team confidence is low because of goaltending. I keep saying give Howard a chance. It is now or never. There is no other choice or time to find out. That is not panic talk. Just reality in my opinion.
I have pointed out the Cam Ward story in Carolina before. He came out of nowhere to lead his team to their Stanley Cup.. That team was not as sound as this one.
Posted by Jeff from Loveland, CO on 02/05/09 at 09:47 AM ET
come April the’ll be playing like they were when this year started.
God help us all.
Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 02/05/09 at 09:47 AM ET
Fixing this problem is not the riddle of ages or all that hard to figure out.
1) The defense needs to start checking player’s entering our D zone and play the boards tough. Stop the pussy soft pushes around the boards and put the opposing teams on their ass in the corners. You want to come into our zone and play the puck than earn it. Our D does not play near physical enough like we did in the run to the cup last year.
2) Rafalski needs to stop trying to play the puck first going back into the defensive zone and play the man. Damn he has been burned how many times now? Play puck after the man. This goes for Lebda & Lilja as well even though they are getting better at this.
3) The D is scared shitless of letting a shot through to goal with ozzy in the net but they still have to stop playing a zone box around the net when they are not on the PK. This is just causing way too many easy holes to camp in for the opposing teams.
4) Bench Osgood… Wake his little ass up with a good benching. Have Conks play the next 3 games and have Howard back him up. Give Howard game 4 and then conks 3 more games and then Larson a game. Footnote…. Uncle Mike needs to have a come to Jesus meeting with Osgood not just about his play killing our chance at the cup but it is also killing his chance at the HOF. There is no way those tight asses up in Toronto are going to give Ozzy HOF entry until 2050 with this POS season he put together. Ozzy has single handily earned all the criticism of “he is just a product of great Wings teams” at this point.
At this stage there can be no loyalty to Ozzy by putting him in the net each night when he sucks more then the whores on 8 mile. Mr. I has his contract and has him in the “family” that is the only loyalty Ozzy deserves right now. Play the better goal tender for Pets sake.
Posted by Rooster Red RedWing on 02/05/09 at 10:11 AM ET
Chief, your post from last year:
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/rock_bottom/
“Sometimes you gotta play Scrabble,” Babcock said Saturday of the changes.
Posted by BuzzFledderjohn on 02/05/09 at 10:28 AM ET
There was simply no time like the present for Babs to issue a little ass-kicking to remind everybody that the loosey-goosey BS has to stop.
by which you mean his not wanting to talk to the press about the goaltending situation?
i say he needs to do a three-game total shakeup. jumble all lines, defensive pairs, call up howard, etc. with stuart on IR, we can call up howard for three games (maybe let larsson have the middle one), and keep one of the three GR kids for each game. there’s no denying this team has about 4 players playing really well all around right now - and hossa’s making whoever skates with him look good. i still want to see the speed line: hossa, helm, and drapes. i also wouldn’t mind seeing lebda play wing for a shift or two - maybe on PP. like in football, when the QB is in the slot and the back takes the snap. just to confuse people.
Posted by laerm from rochester, ny on 02/05/09 at 11:00 AM ET
The difference between this season and last is that the Wings were dominant last year before the wheels fell off with the February injuries. This season they’ve consistently looked awful. Because I am a fan and because they are champions, I can’t fully write them off until Calgary or Edmonton or, God help me, Dallas knocks them out in the playoffs. Which means I’ll be more depressed when that happens. Which means that while I’ve been on the Hasek since November, I’m officially in the fetal position right now—not only freaking out about the team, but freaking out about how I’ll be freaking out even more in a few weeks.
The worst part is that we can’t even blame this shit on Gary.Ass.
Posted by Bella from Clark St. on 02/05/09 at 11:07 AM ET
Signs of the cataclysm:
1. Neither Ozzy nor Conks can stop jack- quat;
2. Wings’ “D” zone play is abysmmal (which as Rooster points out may be directly related to item 1);
3. Wings shots against/game are 28.1 (5th);
last season, 23.5 (1st);
I have no opinion as to what exactly the problem is with the Wings defensive play this year. Apparently, neither does Uncle Mike.
All I know for certain, is that Wings have not been pretty frigging poor in their own end, and many more pucks are ending up in their net.
I also know that it doesn’t appear the Wings can resolve the issue, which means they are unlikely to get out of the 1st round of the playoffs.
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 02/05/09 at 11:19 AM ET
Osgood never was that great of a goalie. It was always our defense that made up for that fact. Now the defense is sloppy and the true Osgood is being exposed.
Posted by Ken Tomlinson from So Cal - San Clemente on 02/05/09 at 12:15 PM ET
Neither Ozzy nor Conks can stop jack- quat
Too much time in the jackotoreum?
Posted by SharkBaiter from at play in the Labs of our Lord on 02/05/09 at 02:19 PM ET
Our PK is a huge problem. Phoenix had not scored a PP goal in 20 tries (I think that was the number) until last night.
Maybe the new moniker should be, “Welcome to Detroit, we can cure your PP ills.”
I praised Ozzy too soon last night.
Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 02/05/09 at 03:06 PM ET
The sky is falling. The Wings need to get rid of Osgood and Conklin, their dog crap, worse than dog crap, they need to beg Hasek to come out of retirement only he can save them.
Posted by Chicken Little on 02/05/09 at 10:44 PM ET
Ozzie was losing by the end last year. Go back and look at the tape. The wheels where starting to unravel back then. Need I remind you of 34.7 or the two inches that seperated us from Gary’s wet dream (game 7)?
Lets just hope that, after the Sharks lose a few on their east coast trip, and the Wings go flying by, the view from the top will energize them to tune in and turn on. By the Sharks game @ the Joe on the 25th the Wings will have stumbled into the top spot and then the fun starts. Bitches.
Posted by Monchichi from Hotel Charlie on 02/06/09 at 02:43 AM ET
Now that Ty Conklin played sooooo well as a back up for Chris the team management must think of arranging them team in a better and more professional way. Come On! We wanna see Red Wings flying high all the way!
Posted by SDVisitor on 03/04/09 at 10:16 PM ET
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i think we seriously have to explore giving Howard a chance now..
i mean a real chance..
he’s been lights out in the AHL the past couple of months..stopped 44 of 46 shots last night. give him a run of 10 games or so, see if he can be the goalie we all hope him to be.
Posted by Pharazon from England on 02/05/09 at 05:23 AM ET