Dratto that is not good news.  In my opinion, the Winged Wheel need to win this first game.  Though the players seem to have down-played their recent history of playoff futility, I have seen no evidence to believe the team has the “mental makeup” to exorcise the playoff demon of early exits.  I pray that I am wrong about this.  However, hometeams winning game one have over a 74% success at winning the series, while home teams losing game one have a slightly less than 50% success rate.  Game One is important no matter what teams are involved, and given the Wings recent history; I would suggest it is critical that they win.  Any idea what time the Flames skate and/or Regehr’s status?  GO WINGS!!!!

Posted by Jeff OklahomaWingNut from - - - uhhhhhmmm - - - Oklahoma on 04/12/07 at 11:58 AM ET

No worries, Jeff…

‘Wings 4 Datsyuk (2) Z (1) Schneids (1)
Flames 2 Tangeh (1) Celine (1)

‘Wings put 40+ SOG. score 2 on the PP.

Lilja of the valley doesn’t cost us more than 1, Langsidaisical the other.

‘Wings out-hit Flames by a dozen.

Hull announces that the ‘Wings won’t make the playoffs.

Posted by TeamDub from NW Ohio on 04/12/07 at 12:23 PM ET

Jeez Dub, you’re on fire today, eh.  And considering you hail from Ohio - that’s dubly impressive.

Posted by Hoser from Downer Peninsula on 04/12/07 at 12:28 PM ET

You OK, Jeff?  Stayed up for all four overtimes? 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 04/12/07 at 12:33 PM ET

TeamDub, I pray you are correct. I’ll take 4-2 anyday, even if in reality it was 3-2 with a late empty-netter!!!!  I also pray Lansidaisical reverts to past playoff standards rather than regualr season indifference.  My son and I say Datsyuk’s stick has a puck magnet on it—Lang’s, we agree must be made out of teflon!!!  I caught alot of the games last night and saw a few turnovers end up in the back of the net. For someone with such potential the Enigma just seems indifferent if the damn puck rolls off his stick.  And he has such a wingspan, he could be deadly ifonly he would hang on to the damn puck!!!  Crap, I’m already frustrated and the game hasn’t even started!!!!
I’ll take 4-2!!!  No Regehr tonite!!!  Go Pavel, I see the Mule being strong tonite and Calder too, real battles in the corners.  We might get outhit and probably will, but we’ll fight hard.  Babcock has the troops and the team in the mindset.  Cherryman is wrong about the wings being sweeties.  Yes we’ve got a few, but we’ve got a few fighters too!!!!

Posted by Jeff - - OklahomaWingNut from OKIE LAND on 04/12/07 at 12:36 PM ET

I simulated tonights matchup on my lunch break via NHL 94 on the sega gensis.  Final score… Wings 10 - Flames 2.  Yzerman scores 6, and Dino fallows up with a hat trick.

Posted by Jdunc from Flint, MI on 04/12/07 at 12:39 PM ET

JDunc:  10-2 would be too much to ask, but I like that number—ALOT!!!!

Posted by Jeff - - OklahomaWingNut from OKIE LAND on 04/12/07 at 12:42 PM ET

Jdunc -

I love that I’m not alone in the NHL 94 love… Calgary is pretty damn good, but they’re no Chicago. Roenick is a beast in ‘94.

I have a semi-disturbing serenity about the game tonight, I just refuse to believe that this team will roll over like past teams have seemed to do. I hope they pepper the crazy Czech with shots early and get him in the game, ‘Wings score on their 3rd shot.

Datsyuk.

Okay, I’m going to go serenely curl back up into the fetal position…

Posted by TeamDub from NW Ohio on 04/12/07 at 12:46 PM ET

Jeff -

Hopefully Lang has been conserving his energy/skill/effort for the playoffs… I can only break soo many TV’s before it starts to get cost prohibitive.

Posted by TeamDub from NW Ohio on 04/12/07 at 12:48 PM ET

I hope we don’t go into multiple OTs.  I can’t take another one like last year where Williams thought he scored, the wings bench cleared, went to the locker room, and then had to come back and play, because the goal went through the outside of the net.  I think that game lost the series for us.  Detroit couldn’t regroup after that, and Edmonton had a new life, after realizing they wern’t dead.  Lang will be gone next year, and Datsyuks 7 million guarntee’s that.

J. Roenick is the best in NHL 94.  His one timer cannot be stopped.  I play that game every day.  Calgary and Detroit are matched at a 75 each.  Startling lineup for Calgary consists of Joe Neiwindyk (bad spelling sorry), Gary Roberts, Theo Fluery, Al MacInnis, Gary Suter, and Mike Vernon.  Detroit has Yzerman, Fedorov, Ciccerilli, Coffey, Chaisson, and Chevaldae in net.

Posted by Jdunc from Flint, MI on 04/12/07 at 02:54 PM ET

The smilie emoticon thingys on this site have a more feminine than masculine look to them.  That’s not a good sign if you’re a Wings fan.  We’re screwed tonight...probably.

Posted by O-Joe on 04/12/07 at 03:41 PM ET

Bertuzzi’s at least working out again.  That’s a very good sign.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 04/12/07 at 04:35 PM ET