holy crap Chief, what are you doing up at 3 in the morning? I thought I was the only guy left of the 19 at this hour.

The fish are getting worried. Everyone in the league is getting worried. Little Gary’s crapping his pants as we speak. Because perfectly laid out plans, for either “the young upstart” Hawks or the centennial celebrating Canadiens are coming to a crashing halt. This team in red and white has looked possessed since the spanking of the kids. THIS, is the team we all knew they could be. They have the ability to downright humiliate everyone they play, because no one can match our depth. It’s all up to the players, and think they’re all taking a liking to this win by 5 or 6 goals thing.

Daddy the sleeping giant has awaken from his slumber. and in his slumber, he was still kicking just about everyone’s asses. But now that he’s awake, alert and angry?

Great times lie ahead.

(The following was paid for by knock-on-wood services. Preventing you from jinxing your favourite hockey team since 1923.)

Posted by Alzy from Innisfail, Alberta, Canada on 01/09/09 at 03:54 AM ET

More fun words from Dallas last night:

“They’re the top team in the league and they pretty much embarrassed us for 60 minutes.”

That was from Steve Ott who did a fine job of embarrassing himself running around looking to pick a fight with a team that doesn’t have a brawler.

Posted by HockeyJoe from Upstate New York on 01/09/09 at 06:55 AM ET

All pretenders can now go back into their hole.  The machine is just now starting to hum.  All in spite of Gary.  Ass.
Maybe 60 w’s is not out of the question.
Go Wings!!

Posted by Jeff from Loveland, CO on 01/09/09 at 07:47 AM ET

Hahaha Little Gary and your scheming ways!!!  You can not put a good team down! We will not be denied!  You may think that you are benefiting the league by promoting the hell out of your baby girl Cindy Suckby and the other pitiful antarctic birds of Sucksburgh. (thats kind of backfired recently on you eh?)  You may think that giving an outdoor game to an “upstart” team like the Hawks (because they obviously have had soooooo much success in the past would force us to bow down to them and allow them walk all over us in the Frozen Confines.  We proved you wrong just a little bit there haha.  The Cubs curse lives on in the form of the WINGS! 
You can try to continue to push teams from nontraditional markets, three of which you handed the cup to on a silver plater recently, until the WINGS broke that streak, playing your beloved Southern Hicks, the Fish with no bite, the Fallen Stars and finally desposing of those cute little birdies who had no reason to be even attempting to fly with the WINGS!!!
There are none so blind as those who will not see…  and Gary, you are about as blind as they come

Posted by yzer19man from Chicago, IL on 01/09/09 at 07:58 AM ET

Great game. Important thing to notice in the standings is that Detroit has played a few more road games than the Sharks, and still has fewer road losses. On the Sharks’ side of things, they can point to their far superior GA—but definitely note that over the last week the Wings are closing that gap pretty quickly.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 01/09/09 at 08:18 AM ET

holy crap Chief, what are you doing up at 3 in the morning? I thought I was the only guy left of the 19 at this hour.

Rainbow six again?
I am with The Emperor, I am not going to say we’ve turned the corner til we take this West Coast swing coming right up. If we either ice a very good effort those 6 games or come home with say 9 or so points of the possible 12… then I’ll start thinking happy thoughts.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 01/09/09 at 09:33 AM ET

Man I’m going to miss being a full timer here as I’m using up my last days of “use or lose” vacation before the cut off date of Jan 9 (hey, that’s today!), so it’s back to full time work starting next week.

yes, the knock-on-wood fear is there, but the D, except for the first period last night which I think we were fortunate not to have given up a goal or two, and the Goaltending have been much improved over the last 4 or 5 games, key to running off a streak of embarrassingly lopsided wins, and of course the key to being an unstoppable force on a run to a 12th SC.  If this team plays the D like last year that limits teams to 8 or 10 scoring chances a game we will be celebrating another parade down Woodward Avenue in June.

Hey, speaking of next week, I’ve got another 4 day weekend.  Friday is Virginia’s own “Lee - Jackson” Day, followed by the National “Martin Luther King” Day on Monday, so, hey, 2 more 4-day work weeks coming up as chasers to my Christmas - New Year’s work slow down.  Awesome.

(Boring historical note:  Virginia’s “Lee-Jackson” day honored Civil War heros long before the Federal Holiday of MLK was created, which the Feds put on the same day Virginia had set aside for Lee-Jackson.  For some years in Virginia the two holidays co-existed on the same day, known as “Lee-Jackson-King” Day, which was really quite a conglomeration, but considering that Virginia was the first state to elect an African American Governor the mixed up holiday reflected the new Virginia.  Eventually people said, Hey, this takes away from our own holiday honoring Lee+Jackson, and others said, Hey, this takes away from the Federal Holiday honoring MLK.  So Virginia moved its own Lee-Jackson day to the Friday preceding MLK, resulting in a 4 day weekend 2 weeks after New Year.  Awesome for me, boring for you.)

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 01/09/09 at 09:36 AM ET

Incidentally, for tonight’s Caps - BJs game in DC you can still buy large quantities of seats in groups of at least 12, you can buy an entire row still.

As we’ve mentioned, for the Wings game on Jan 31 in DC (hmm, “DC”) you couldn’t buy anything but solo seats since it went on sale on Ticketmaster way back when.  This is a combination of the normal massive infusion of Red Wings fans in the mid-Atlantic plus a higher level of interest by the locals with a much improved team, including Ovechkin who is a much bigger force and threat than Cindy.  Dude rocks.

This was my section, 113, in 2005 the last time the Wings were in town (Thanks. Gary. Ass. Bridgestone).  Look at all the red and white, remember this was a home game for the Caps, Bitches.

yeah I was that close.  If I could have fit my arm through the photographers’ hole in the plexiglass I would have given Lids a courtesy reach around (c’mon, you mean YOU wouldn’t?).  proly never pay that much for a ticket again, you can’t follow action on the other end too well but man when the puck is in your end it is a freaking blur, I have no idea how goalies stop anything, ever.  The speed at that close is unbelievable.

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 01/09/09 at 09:58 AM ET

Bill, I’m in section 116 for the game on the 31st.  Not sure about the rest.  I’ll post it tonite when I get home.  We seriously need to find an establishment that opens up near the Verizon Center early enough to do an A2Y get together.

Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 01/09/09 at 10:01 AM ET

I’m trying to write a post but I’m so pissed off as I attempt to navigate through the NHL.*#$%@&.com.pieceofshit.org.garyyouidiot.shithole stat interface that I’m just setting it aside. 

Why’d they change it?  Seriously.  Instead of having game by game stats listed in a NICE *#$%@& ROW BY TEAM, they have it listed home and away.  Sounds simple but it…nevermind.  I’m gonna go find someone and start an argument. 

I’ll finish the post later.  DAMMIT.

Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 01/09/09 at 10:06 AM ET

If I could have fit my arm through the photographers’ hole in the plexiglass I would have given Lids a courtesy reach around (c’mon, you mean YOU wouldn’t?).

I would, provided he showed me his V.

I mean really, that Visor he wears really looks like it would provide excellent eye protection, I’d be really curious to get a good look at it.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 01/09/09 at 10:10 AM ET

Why’d they change it?  Seriously.  Instead of having game by game stats listed in a NICE *#$%@& ROW BY TEAM, they have it listed home and away.  Sounds simple but it…nevermind.  I’m gonna go find someone and start an argument.

I’ll finish the post later.  DAMMIT.

This should be good. I look forward to it.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 01/09/09 at 10:19 AM ET

I am sorry to be such a space Hog, but this is just unbelievable.

Isn’t this what we were all kinda thinking?

Oh God, this will prove to be another thing that I alone think is hilarious due to lack of sleep. 
I am putting myself in the Penalty Box and banning myself from posting for a while, in the meantime, Spread ‘em and Show Me Your V.

Gary. Ass

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 01/09/09 at 10:27 AM ET

Via George (duh):

Chris Chelios: Yeah, I wasn’t upset in the beginning, but I had a whole night to think about it, now I’m a little upset about it. What the hell? After you watched that video game commercial on TV, you’d think Pittsburgh won the Cup last year, so it’s kind of disgusting, but you see what the league’s doing.

He’s the only one on the team, maybe the NHL, who can get away with saying that. Fantastic. I think my new nickname for Cheli is Chief, in honor of our fearless and bitchy (good way) leader.

Posted by Osrt on 01/09/09 at 11:22 AM ET

Mark me in the column with Paul (sweet plug from Ken Daniels last night), and Mo; I’m withholding judgment on ordaining the Wings until after the Left coast swing.

I will say this, they looked friggin awesome last nigt and/or the Stars were awful (kinda like Gators/Sooners analysis).  Last 5 games, 7 GA and 22 GF—downright gaudy numbers.

The more I see of Hoss, the more impressed I become, last night just another example of his awesome talent, size, and hard-work on the backcheck.—Tick-Tock has a potentially franchise-shifting decsion to make soon.  As I see it, no way in Hell can he keep Hoss, Mule and Z.  Z will be resigned, so Hoss or Mule??Damn glad that isn’t my call.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 01/09/09 at 11:25 AM ET

some usual “coded” talk from our Uncle Mike, very descriptive!
“We gave up six goals in two nights,” said Babcock. “Not one of them you’d say, ‘Gee I wish a guy would stand here.’ You’d say, ‘Why didn’t we win the faceoff and shoot it down or why don’t we have it on our forehand and shoot it out.’ ... So we’re the best faceoff team in the league … it doesn’t add up to me.”

Posted by yannick on 01/09/09 at 11:49 AM ET

Nate, shall we keep beatin’ the drum and see how many of the 19 will step up and commit to going to the Joe on Feb 20th?
Anyone else… Bueller???

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 01/09/09 at 12:02 PM ET

MO, get the word out and beat away. Should be a good game, made even better if we can get a contingent of 19 to harass Sasquatch.  Lets make this happen.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 01/09/09 at 12:21 PM ET

What Cheli said. He’s 100% right. I have been bitching all year long about the Face of the NHL.If your not a fan you would think the flightless birds had won something. Thanks Gary.Ass

Little Gary, you Can’t Understand Normal Thinking!

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 01/09/09 at 12:59 PM ET

Oh God, this will prove to be another thing that I alone think is hilarious due to lack of sleep.

Nah, I think it is hilarious, even when I’m fully sober and well-rested. That’s why I brought it up. Classic stuff.

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

Nate, I’ve got 2 non-19 Wing fans committed already.
C’mon you guys. A trip to the Joe is a pilgrimage. Plenty of time to plan and save a few bucks for the trip. I’ll toss in a beer or 3 for anyone who has to travel to get there….  let’s go bitches. My offer to buy a block of tickets is still on the table IF I can find 4-5-6 in a row (mind you 3 will be already spoken for).
Cal (and or anyone else near SJ-SF), if you’re around today, there’s a SLIM chance I might be able to make the Jan 17th game against Charlie Tuna. But have to see which appendage I need to surrender to the airlines to get there.

Look what you started Andrew!

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 01/09/09 at 01:19 PM ET

Chief - there is a nice cozy Irish pub close to the Verizon Center.  They show EPL, so they should be open around 8.  I’ll know for sure closer to the date.

Posted by Aimee in Austin on 01/09/09 at 01:24 PM ET

Count me in MO!

my email: s dot r dot thandra at gmail.com

Posted by Osrt on 01/09/09 at 02:56 PM ET

Man, I’d love to go and meet up with you guys but I already have tickets for Feb. 7th and would rather not spend the money on a second game at this junction. I’ll see what I can do.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 01/09/09 at 02:59 PM ET

I’d love to make the trip down as well, and when I was living in Ontario it would’ve been a no brainer. But now that I’m like 1500 miles away, I won’t be able to make it.

I’ll be among the many Wings fans in attendance when they come up here to bitchslap the Flamers though. And I’m contemplating also going to their game against Edmonton a few days beforehand.

Posted by Alzy from Innisfail, Alberta, Canada on 01/09/09 at 03:27 PM ET

C’mon Alzy, I’m going about 800 miles for it. WTF, it’s just a plane ride and a hotel stay….  then again you are out in the boones.. but I’m a pushy bastard.
Osrt. I’ll be in touch soon. Trying to confirm with people on each coast for the convergance on JLA.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 01/09/09 at 04:51 PM ET

Damn.  If the 19 get together like this for any game on the West Coast swing (Jobing.com Arena in Phoenix is already nicknamed, “JLA West,” due to the large presence of transplanted Wings fans now living in the American Southwest), the arena operators will be shitting their pants.

Posted by SYF from a "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" on 01/09/09 at 05:44 PM ET

Friday February 20th, eh?

Let me see…

Sufficient advance notice?  Check.
Vacation time available?  Check.
Hotel around the arena?  Someone mentioned a Holiday Inn within walking distance, so check.  (I only have a few hour drive, I think, but my night vision is putrid so I’d be safer staying overnight and driving back home on Saturday.)
Money for it?  I suppose so. 

Count me in!  My email at work (more reliable - best way to reach me during the work week) is cpeters at midland dash mi dot org.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 01/09/09 at 06:58 PM ET

Sufficient advance notice?  Check.
Vacation time available?  Check.

I said I was pushy, yup. But realistic too.
Awesome to hear. I’ll get my shit together in the next couple days and we’ll seal this deal. A couple days might allow another couple more takers to percolate as well.
BTW, I surfed some for tix today and there’s quite a few available… some blocks up to 12 seats.
So far: Nate, myself (and 2 others non 19’ers), Osrt, Baroque…. Gabe ‘n’ Dub are rumoured to be in the house hat night potentially.
A couple more of the 19 please stand up… C’mon damnit. 32 ounce Molson… beating the Poultry….. at the Joe, priceless.
Last time I saw the Poultry at JLA, 01/02.07, was a rather special night. This one is shaping up nicely as well.
Chief. Any inkling to be in Motown next month?

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 01/09/09 at 08:53 PM ET