Cheli’s talking with Scott Oake so that he doesn’t have to shake hands.

Sorry, Dub.

Baroque, did you catch the comment about Samuelsson and Nichol?  They were ‘banging together,’ apparently.  Good to see they haven’t forgotten Lilja even though he’s a scratch.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor on 04/20/08 at 04:52 PM ET

Switched back to NBC…DC is just a creepy guy.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 04/20/08 at 04:54 PM ET

All I can say is WooHoo!!!  Lets all take a few days off.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 04/20/08 at 04:55 PM ET

Ellis as the first star?  Amazing what a 2.00 GAA will get you these days.  More ass-kissing, I’m guessing.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor on 04/20/08 at 04:55 PM ET

Yea…I was pissed that Ellis got the first star…that’s BS

Posted by Osrt on 04/20/08 at 04:57 PM ET

Kelly Hrudey calls Osgood a “winning machine.”  Says he’s so focused that the goalie switch worked, because he didn’t make a stink about not starting in the playoffs despite the good year he had and was just ready whenever he got his chance.

PJ Stock is upset that Radulov didn’t bring his game to the next level - especially after he’s the one who ran over the team’s captain.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 04/20/08 at 04:58 PM ET

Yea…I was pissed that Ellis got the first star…that’s BS

he was their best player for the series, but not for this game. Bunk

Posted by wingsfanindenver on 04/20/08 at 04:59 PM ET

Now the HNIC commentators talking about playoff experience as if it’s a good thing.  Why don’t they listen to us when WE say that?  Irrational bitterness, I’m guessing.

Early start tomorrow.  We’re finally out of the damned first round.  Night all.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from the nerve tonic factory, sampling the product on 04/20/08 at 05:01 PM ET

Yea…I was pissed that Ellis got the first star…that’s BS

I don’t know that I can agree with that. Ellis played a hell of a series and was often the only thing keeping Nashville in the game. Yeah, he robbed our guys, but he played very well.

Posted by Sevumar from Orange County, CA on 04/20/08 at 05:04 PM ET

Thanks to
OZZIE
DRAKE
HELM
LIDS
steady ZETS, DATS
others I am forgetting in this moment of near ejaculation.

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 04/20/08 at 05:05 PM ET

Good on Ozzie.  First chapter of the story waiting to be written is complete.

Posted by O-Joe on 04/20/08 at 05:08 PM ET

nice one boys… fairly stress free game, and a timely statement by osgood with the shut-out

namu myoho renge kyo

Posted by VooX on 04/20/08 at 05:10 PM ET

he was their best player for the series, but not for this game. Bunk

A star of the series, sure. Not of the game. Even if for the game, not the *first* star.

Anyway, I want Avs, Calgary, and Dallas, in that order.

Helm and Drake are personal stars for me. The rookie did a tremendous job.

Posted by Osrt on 04/20/08 at 05:13 PM ET

Yeah, generally a good job by Helm.  Only mistake I really noticed was a time he left the puck behind the net for Chelios who was under pressure, when he should have carried it out himself.  But he did a great job chasing down pucks in the offensive zone, and obviously got the assist on Hudler’s goal.  In fact, he almost had a goal himself.

Posted by Ryan from Toronto on 04/20/08 at 05:20 PM ET

Ozz-ie! Ozz-ie!

Wow, what a complete turnaround from the last game I got to watch (Game 4). (I’m thankful we won Game 5, but somewhat more thankful that I didn’t suffer the inevitable heart attack while watching it.)

Helm played great, and that fluke goal was just what the Doctor ordered to kill any hope of momentum from that power play.

I’ll admit that I was sweating until Raffi’s empty netter. I just didn’t feel comfortable with a two goal lead.

Who’s next? I’m kinda hoping for a nice reunion w/ the Dive.

Posted by Modnar from Cincinnati, OH on 04/20/08 at 05:24 PM ET

How invisible was JP Dumont in the last 2 games?  Or all series for that matter?  He’s supposed to be one of their big guns.

Posted by Incognetis from Delaware... Hi... I'm in... Delaware on 04/20/08 at 05:26 PM ET

Now I can exhale for a few days.  Nice game boys.  (not if you were watching NBC, you wouldn’t know it)  Great game by Dallas Drake, Hudler, Dats, Zet, and Lidstrom.  The Cloutier special!

Let me just tell you, the Dive fans are already planning on Detroit.  I was at the game last night and the fans were already chanting “Red Wings Suck” after the Dive victory.  Nice way to celebrate.  My daughter and I responded by yelling “Red Wings rock!”

Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 04/20/08 at 05:54 PM ET

My daughter and I responded by yelling “Red Wings rock!”

Teach her how to boil Octopi next; full out family tradition!

Also, aren’t we setting new A2Y live blog records every time we have one?

Posted by Osrt on 04/20/08 at 06:08 PM ET

Goddamn, what a great f’ing weekend!!!  Friday night, we win one in OT, then yesterday, I get a “Let’s go Wings!!” at the soccer field, then today, a SHUTOUT IN BUBBA’S BARN!!!  I went outside after the game and shouted “Hell Yeah!!” as loud as I could.  Needless to say, my weekend has been made today.  BRING ON THE AVEHOLES BIOTCH!!!  Ozzie in net the rest of the way.

Posted by Chris from Columbia, Tennessee on 04/20/08 at 06:51 PM ET

Chief: for the record, I very much like this format for live blogs - I often don’t get to the computer until after the game and this way I can still go back and read through it and see things like TeamDub not only calling Lidstrom, but invoking the ghost of Cloutier too!  Holy Whaaa…

Say, whatever happened to the fellow who was so interested in ‘talking about hockey in an unbiased way’ after game 4?

I had a horrible feeling about this game until Lidstrom scored that goal (again).  After that, I was able to breathe a bit.

Ozzie looks so very calm in net, and the team is certainly playing much better in front of him than they did Dom.  Glad Ozzie got the shutout (and thanks Chief for not screwing the poor guy).

Not sure who to root for, so I’m rooting for everybody else to go 7 and beat the crap outta each other.  I’ve watched more of Calgary than the dive, but Dive looked pretty solid closing MN out last night on HNIC…  not sure it matters, it’s going to be tough.  I’m just glad to be moving on.

Go Wings!

Posted by Hoser from Downer Peninsula, Michigan on 04/20/08 at 08:35 PM ET

just saw a replay of the Turco check the other night.  if the Duck player checks him, it’s a penalty.  how is that fair?  if they’re going to protect the goalies how can they let the goalies initiate checks like that?

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 04/20/08 at 08:43 PM ET

So Calgary and San Jose are going to 7.  Wonder if Dallas and the Pond Scum are going there too?

After the end of the game I got a text from the boyfriend saying, “Will you please chill now?”  I told him that I am chilled until the beginning of next week.

I will say that Calgary does not worry me if they are our next opponent.  The Dive…they are not the same Dive we thrashed this regular season.  Theodore is playing out of his mind.  Still, you can not compare the Wild with the Wings in terms of style of play.  Sitting up and off of the floor of the stress train for the next few days.  Breathing deeply and waiting for the rest of the West to shake loose.

Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 04/20/08 at 09:41 PM ET

Good lord TeamDub !

Couldn’t watch the game live; read this later.  Most impressive call, indeed.  1st star.

Posted by 58Miles2Joe from Marietta, OH on 04/20/08 at 09:44 PM ET

I think that I’m going to have to wear my Chelios jersey everyday for a week now.  The funny thing is that no one around here is going to say a word to me now.  Oh well.

Posted by Chris from Columbia, Tennessee on 04/20/08 at 09:47 PM ET

The funny thing is that no one around here is going to say a word to me now

If memory serves, that can’t be anything but good.

Posted by Hoser from Downer Peninsula, Michigan on 04/20/08 at 09:56 PM ET

Oh My Gosh!  TeamDub!  What a call!  That was better than Babe Ruth calling his home run!  It is like… a miracle…  Have you been talking to the pope?  ... This is scarey.

Posted by w2j2 on 04/20/08 at 11:45 PM ET

Breaking news: Colorado is officially out of the running:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7357874.stm

Well, okay, not THAT Colorado, but…a sign, perhaps? 

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from FSLN headquarters, hangin' with Sandino and Zapata on 04/21/08 at 07:59 AM ET

For the record:
I, indeed, was first to predict the Lidstrom goal. I then correctly prescribed Oompa’s tally. TeamDub was riding on my coat-tails (albeit that much sweeter that you invoked Cloutier…..you magnificent B@#$t@rd!)

Beautiful call TD…next round is on me!

Posted by Scott H from Kalamazoo on 04/21/08 at 08:25 AM ET

For TeamDub and Scott and whoever else, for their predictionary powers:

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&page=FrozenMoment

That’s too juicy of an image not to mess with!

Posted by Osrt on 04/21/08 at 09:22 AM ET

not sure if anyone is still reading this monster of a blog post, but here are some interesting Wings first round stats.

Pavel Datsyuk is tied for first on the team at 5 points with Niklas Kronwall and… Jiri Hudler.  Go figure.  Besides Datsyuk and Lidstrom, Hudler is the only other Wing with a PP goal.

10 Wings scored a goal in the first round.

Zetterberg leads in +/- at +4.  Rafalski and Datsyuk are tied for second at +3.  Lidstrom is only +2, tied with Franzen, Cleary, and Chelios.  Drake and Lilja are -1, and the big surprise is Draper at -3 although he deos have a game-winning goal.  (remember folks, getting scored on while killing a penalty doesn’t count as a minus)

McCarty took no penalties.

Zetterberg leads with 30 shots, Samuelsson a close second at 27.  Datsyuk?  15.  Man, he’s gotta shoot more.

Pavel’s 3 goals on 15 shots (20%) is in first, second held by, you guessed it…Jiri Hudler with 2 goals on 11 shots for (18.2%).

Goalies:

Osgood - 2-0 : 1 GA on 54 shots (.39/98.1) and 154 minutes of ice time

Hasek - 2-2 : 10 GA on 89 shots (2.91/88.8) and 205 minutes of ice time

Does anyone really feel that the Nashvill shots in games 5 and 6 were of any lower quality than the ones Hasek was seeing?  I sure don’t.  Osgood is clearly the goalie we need to stick with.  This is his year to be “the guy” after winning in 97 behind Vernon and 98 where I could have played goal and they still would have won it.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 04/21/08 at 09:31 AM ET

P.s. That image is for Nate also.

P.p.s: Douche Canoe proved himself in so many ways yesterday, but I remember one instance especially. He’s going on about how physical the Preds were being in the first period, even though the highlights he is responding to are various Wing player (Stuart & Drake especially) making huge hits.

+1 for the beer league players in the AV truck.

-1 billion for the Canoe. Ass.

Posted by Osrt on 04/21/08 at 09:32 AM ET

Nice stats Paul!

But now we have to acknowledge the Midget is actually doing something. Damn.

Posted by Osrt on 04/21/08 at 09:43 AM ET

I was hoping for Denver in the next round (with the Sharks and Ducks pounding the crap out of each other in the other series).  But now that the Quacks are out, I’m pulling for Calgary to knock off the Sharks and give the Wings an easier road to the cup.  Besides, we can always see the Avs in the WCF.

Posted by Matt from Chicago on 04/21/08 at 09:48 AM ET

Subtle?

Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 04/21/08 at 09:50 AM ET

Very subtle…nicely done!

Could we make that a small beach ball?

Posted by Osrt on 04/21/08 at 11:47 AM ET

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 04/21/08 at 12:05 PM ET