Abel to Yzerman
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It’s a Game 2 Saturday. Want Some Keys?
by IwoCPO on 04/26/08 at 08:16 AM ET
Comments (17)
Update 1240 EST: Dandenault stays.
Spring time in the nation’s capitol (al). Absolutely perfect weather. A day made to take the top down on the jeep, load up the family and drive down (over, up? I have no idea) to Maryland’s eastern shore and thank all that is holy for the opportunity we have to enjoy all of nature’s wonders.
So I think I’ll break out the Pepe Lopez, sit cris-cross applesauce on the floor and rock back and forth for the next 7 hours until the game starts.
Wow. Only one game down and the exchange between Dive fans and the A2Y 19 has grown tense. I truly never saw that coming. I haven’t visited message boards for either team or the Dive blogs so I don’t know if that kind of fun is being had all over the world wide hockey internet. But I can say I’m happy to host it here. I’ve analyzed all the comments, diagrammed a few sentences and broke them down point by point. I’ve reached this conclusion: this is no longer a blog, it’s one big continuous conversation.
Everything’s all mixed together. I can’t tell the difference between what I write and the comments that follow. It’s like standing outside the door to the drunk tank in a city jail, listening to a group of about, oh, 20 guys, everyone talking at the same time. Screaming about the same subject. An inspiring sound.
Digging. We’re digging today. Lots of stuff. Lots of issues to deal with. First? Zetterberg and Datsyuk both up for the Selke. Now that’s cool.
Teammates wouldn’t declare one better than the other.
“Pick a night,” said Kris Draper, who took the trophy home in 2004. “With what they do at both ends of the rink is, to me, something so impressive. I think that’s something that we’re fortunate that our best players are our best players night in and night out. That’s what makes us such a good hockey club. They almost will this team to victory with the way they play.”
It’s still too early in each of their careers for us to have started to take these guys for granted. I hope that never happens. In fifteen years we’ll look back at Datsyuk and Zetterberg and fully understand what a privelege it is to be fans of a team that they lead. Prediction? Zetterberg takes it. I’d like to see it go to Datsyuk because it will validate those of us who have argued the last two years that he’s much more than a flashy forward.
Johan Franzen leads the Wings with four goals, seven points in 7 playoff games. See that coming? Maybe. Maybe the Game 6 OT winner against Calgary last year should have given us a sign that tough circumstances are what he thrives on. His next opportunity to carry the team didn’t come until March when Homer went down. Franzen stepped up, as we all know. And he’s stayed hot. The Diggers, receiving midafternoon instructions from John Hahn, have all focused their creative energies on the guy the Dive can’t stop.
Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk still draw most of the attention, “but he’s the next guy you’ve gotta worry about,” Colorado coach Joel Quenneville said.
Added Avs defenseman John-Michael Liles: “He’s got that frame and that build to be a prototypical power forward. And he’s starting to really live up to that, toward the end of the season and here in the playoffs. He’s somebody that you’ve got to be aware of. He’s a dangerous player, for sure.”
Here’s the thing with Franzen now. The Dive aren’t thinking about stopping a “pretty good second line”. Now they’re thinking about how to stop Franzen. Who’s going to shadow him? What scheme can work, and what can be done to stop him the shift after your best defensive players just tried to stop Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Holmstrom?
“I got to have the puck a lot because I was always playing in the offensive zone,” he said. “When the confidence builds, you hold onto the puck more and you make more plays. I’ve been holding on to the puck a little bit more in the corners. That’s what the coach has been telling me and all the guys in here, too—to hold on to the puck as much as I can.”
Adrienne Dater thinks Forsberg’s a scratch for today. More on that in a second. He’s also bucked the trend established by every MSM blogger and Wing hater in the Western Conference. He’s got a few good things to say about the city of Detroit.
I think it’s a better place to be than when I first started coming here 13 years ago. It used to be that if the Wings weren’t playing - and even if they were many nights - the entire downtown rolled up the sidewalks at 5 o’clock and you had nothing to do.
It’s still not perfect, but things are definitely improving. And I, for one, hope it continues.
Here’s what I hope continues: poor health in Denver. Oh, I’m not asking for a plague, just continued difficulties in the Dive room. The whole Forsberg thing is so Denver. It is so typically Dive fan. They get pumped for his return. Woody Paige writes columns about it that are borderline Penthouse Forum. The “fans” fawn and the city remembers it has a hockey team. Everyone’s so very happy. Then he’s hurt and the confusion starts. Then he’s back and all’s well. Hurt again. Sadness. Back for Round 1 and looking like the Forsberg of old, dominant against the Wild. Certainly he’ll lead the Dive to victory against the evil Wings.
Woops. Hurt. “Groin”. Uh huh. And oh the heartbreak. They live and die with Forsberg’s health. It is pure family fun to watch him control their emotions like a puppetmaster. So? Today. In? Out?
“It is what it is,” Forsberg said. “I can’t be upset. Sometimes you have to skate. Of course, you’re not happy when it happens like that. I’ve just got to get it healed up as soon as I possibly can. But it was definitely not a good situation yesterday. Of course, you feel bad.”
Do you feel bad Pete? Really? Because I remember when Holmstrom was missing regular season games and could barely form a sentence. He was frothing, inconsolable, downright angry.
Forsberg? “I can’t be upset.” Yep. Playing today? Nah. Gonna sit this one out. You know, it’s kinda the way things go. Whatever. That’s gotta kill Dive fans. And that makes me feel so very warm.
Oh, hey. Pete? Homer took a cortisone shot in his groin so that he could play. Holmstrom’s a warrior. Have you considered that Pete? Taking the needle, or even playing through the pain? Just wondering.
Same article, any article, tells us Three or Four is back in today. The flu’s all gone. Tummy’s feeling A-OK. Good. He’s the Dive savior remember. Don’t forget that. JoeSay will beat the Wings single-handedly. He’ll steal two or three or even four. Ok. We’ll wait for that.
A few thoughts about today. Must win for Denver? Yeah. But for Detroit too. I’d sacrifice my pets and the neighbors’ for a blowout this afternoon. A skate on the throat ass kicking that takes this thing back to Denver with a graveyard feel. Much has been said about lessons learned from Game 1. Denver, allegedly, feels they can skate with the Wings based on their nice little comeback.
Here’s what the Wings learned, if they didn’t already know it. This Dive team is not that good. Wing forwards controlled the pace and the puck in their zone the entire first period. Owned them. Where was big bad Adam Foote? Did he even play Game 1? John hyphen Michael Jan Michael Vincent Liles was their best blueliner. Man, that’s got to be an encouraging sign for Dive fans, when the guy they’ve ripped all year is their best defenseman. The Wings learned that if they maintain the intensity while staying smart and composed in their own end, Denver has no recourse.
Unless Forsberg plays and plays well. I’m not gonna lie. If he’s healthy this series takes on a dynamic I don’t appreciate. And, yeah, despite what the Compost and Dater and everyone else says, I’ll bet he’s in there today.
Wings win this afternoon and I’m calling it. Done in 5. Dive win and it’s on. Dive win and the confidence they allegedly built over the second half of Game 1 makes a difference.
But those are issues that I don’t see as realistic. For once, the first time this playoff season, I have to think Uncle Mike will be able to convince this team that sixty minutes of consistency is a must. It’s skate on the throat time and Babcock has to prove that he can motivate this team to press down.
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Comments
Floppa is better off staying in the swank suites. The first time he takes a pass coming across the red line his fellow countryman will tattoo “55” across that ugly blob on the front of his uniform and send him reeling onto his backside looking up at the underside of a giant octopus.
Posted by RWBill from jabbing a six inch sewing needle into my eye. on 04/26/08 at 09:41 AM ET
Great column Chief—well except for the end. 11 = Dandenault?? I have to give a shout out on that one; WTF?? A HAB???
How about: “Shawn Burr Detroit Red Wings 1984-95” or
“Scotty Bowman Detroit Red Wings 1934-35”
Heres a great stat on “3 or 4” sure to bring smiles to the “A 2 Y” faithful:
Jose Theodore allowed four goals in 21 minutes before being pulled in favor of Peter Badaj in the Avalanche’s loss. Theodore has a 17-9 career record in first-round games, but he’s 2-14 in the second round and has lost his last 12 second-round decisions.
Lets go Red Wings!!
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 04/26/08 at 09:44 AM ET
You know I thought about this last night while watching the Rangers/Pens (yes, I have no life), Avs fans say that this means more to us than to them, that they have other hatreds now, etc. etc. I have to differ with this. If the Wings don’t mean as much to the Avs now, why after Game 6 against the Wild was everyone in the arena on the way outside chanting the stupid “Red Wings S&^k” chant. Why were people just frothing at the mouth over that if Calgary/Vancouver is the new rival? Just askin’....
Bring it today, boys. Sixty full minutes. PLEASE.
LET’S GO RED WINGS!!!!!
Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 04/26/08 at 09:58 AM ET
I like Dandenault.
How often does a guy switch back and forth repeatedly from defense to forward, even mentioning that he played center once when he was a little kid so he’s willing to give it a go when the team is riddled with injuries, and even sit in the press box in Montreal without griping?
He’s a good guy - and was a versatile piece for the Red Wings when he was here.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 04/26/08 at 10:22 AM ET
So....seriously...what is a jibblescribbit?
Predictions: Next Injury = GayDuke
Next Wing goal = Fil
I’ll be at work so I won’t have the opportunity to go head to head with TeamDub in the goal predictions, but know you heard it hear first!!!
Enjoy the game fans!
Posted by Scott H from Kalamazoo on 04/26/08 at 10:49 AM ET
John hyphen Michael Jan Michael Vincent Liles
LOL
Dandenault was indeed very versatile and still is. My favorite memory of him though is his first NHL goal...against Patrick Roy in Montreal! He may have had two that game actually––scoring on your childhood hero. That was also the game we sent Roy packing after lighting him up for 9 goals; then he leaves Montreal cause he’s a class act.
“Scotty Bowman Detroit Red Wings 1934-35”
Nice Jeff! Change it Chief; you know you have to!
Selke should go to Dats. He has better numbers and played in 81 games. *And* he breaks d-men’s ankles when they try to keep up. Dats walks with a limp too; “that pimp shh, walk with a limp shh”
Or as Flava Flav would put it: “Yeeeeeeeeeee boyyyyyyy”
Today is Kronner’s day. Forsberg or not, Kronner is going to have a huge day because he has a partner he can trust. Look for him to light up national lights.
please god, let him ‘accidentally’ shoot the puck at the Canoe.
Posted by Osrt on 04/26/08 at 10:51 AM ET
Huh, did not expect to see Dandenault on that banner.
I’ll be missing todays game due to Tiger tickets. Who schedules these things anyway? Oh, right...Ass.
At least I’ll have my radio.
Play strong boys.
Posted by Nate A from Dark side of the moon on 04/26/08 at 11:16 AM ET
Does anybody know if the game is on Center Ice ONLINE today? I’m stuck in the lawbrary for the duration, unfortunately, and feel like paying way too much to watch the Wings whup up on the Dives on Gary’s Special Notwork…
Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 04/26/08 at 11:34 AM ET
And one more thing (or two or three)-
Agree with the sentiment above re: Datsyuk for Selke. You just can’t argue with those numbers (takeaways, +/-), and it would be a shame to see Madden get it based on a split the baby vote…
Agree with the sentiment about Kronner. Even if Floppa plays, Nik and Stewie and gonna bring the pain… Which will be great.
I’m looking for another big day for Buckets and for Happy- and for the love of Christ, hows about a goal or three for Pavel or Homer?
Go Wings
Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 04/26/08 at 11:36 AM ET
Anybody know if Osgood will be using his favorite illegal stick today, like the one Hasek used against the Vadges in the 2002 WCF?
*wink-wink*
Posted by O-Joe on 04/26/08 at 12:00 PM ET
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2002/05/29/redwings-avalanche020529.html
“We had information that Hasek was playing with an illegal stick and, down 2-0 with 1:20 on the power play, we thought the timing was right,” Hartley said.
LOL!
I wonder if they’ve upgraded their HUINT network since then.
Posted by O-Joe on 04/26/08 at 12:06 PM ET
Little under an hour and a half to go! Go Wings!
I agree on Floppa playing today. I’m willing to bet he makes a go of it, but either heads to the dressing room for a while before returning or just leaves and doesn’t come back.
Get on ‘em early and don’t let up! And remember: I’m a better fan than you all. 
Please God, let’s keep that to a minimum today.
Live blog, Chief?
Posted by AndrewB from TN on 04/26/08 at 12:44 PM ET
Big affirmative on the Live Blog Andrew.
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 04/26/08 at 12:49 PM ET
Have to agree with the Chief on flying Dandenault’s name. Same thing with Shanny’s #14 rather than Meech’s. This is about a Cup run...and those guys were the ones who won it for the Wings. I think it’s an appropriate tip of the hat to some of our history.
Besides, Cleary’s only been around since 2005. You don’t get your name on a banner that fast. Well, unless you play for Colorado.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 04/26/08 at 01:04 PM ET
Besides, Cleary’s only been around since 2005. You don’t get your name on a banner that fast. Well, unless you play for Colorado.
Classic.
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 04/26/08 at 01:09 PM ET
I love Dandenault, I was very upset when he left town. He’d be a great replacement for Lijla, and he’s a guy that lays it out on the line. Not that andreas won’t either, but mattheu is a hell of a skater and much better puck mover/handler. Bring him back next year and drop andreas
Posted by squirrely from dirtyjerz on 04/26/08 at 01:34 PM ET
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Posted by Kate from Pa. on 04/26/08 at 08:51 AM ET