Worst part of all this is that the diggers will think they’re coming in with Pulitzer Prize material because all Uncle Mike can do is crack jokes after a game like that.  He sure as hell isn’t going to rip the guys to the diggers so might as well yuk it up to distract them.

This is ugly, this is bad - I look at it this way:  If the goaltending was there, there the way it was last year, people would already be counting down to the WCF throwdown between Todd and his Jedi Master Uncle Mike.  You give the Wings the goaltending they were getting last year with this crew the way Big Poppa Pump Hossa has played...scary.

As it is, nothing has ever been easy here - ever.  Never.  It’s all part of the process to make sure we’re all savvy veteran drinkers by the time spring rolls around.

Posted by HockeyJoe from Upstate New York on 12/05/08 at 07:36 AM ET

Just bring back the Dom - he can still play the game, is probably bored since he retired and sign for peanuts, that would motivate Osgood and/or Conklyn to catch him (like last season).

And even if he doesn´t play, i think we could recruit him as our new goalie coach. Maybe there is something to change there…

Posted by yannick on 12/05/08 at 08:32 AM ET

i think we could recruit him as our new goalie coach.

Chris: So I’m having trouble finding my game
Dom: First you must eat the heart of a virgin cat. Then you will be strong!

Posted by wingsfanindenver on 12/05/08 at 09:13 AM ET

Os"good" has been not very good at all—pathetic really. 

And if you look at the numbers, they clearly suggest goaltending is the issue; first last season-ending numbers:

34.4 S/G (1st) , 23.5 SA/G (1st) = +10.9; 3.07 G/G (3rd) , 2.18 GA/G (1st)
This season:

36.4 S/G (1st) , 26.7 SA/G (3rd) = +9.3; 3.52 G/G (2nd) , 3.04 GA/G (22nd)

Shot differential is about the same.  Shots/game and shots/against per game are both up by about 3 this season. 

The glaring difference is goals against/game up .86 this season.  (look at last season G/G and this years GA/G, and things become very clear—God Bless Hoss).

Ozzy is a sparkiling .876 save % this season.  Last year, .914.  (Be interesting if I could find scoring chance numbers, but I’m not that good with the puter).

Blame the goalie!!!!

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 12/05/08 at 09:15 AM ET

Panic in Detroit. The gigantic hangover continues still. It will take another month to be back in form. Being on the road hasn’t helped much either. Not enough time for drills and skills practices. Hopefully this thing will turn the corner during December when the Wings can get the quality practice time in. The team record, as good as it looks on paper, does not translate on the ice. Sloppy play from all areas. Bitches.

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa. on 12/05/08 at 09:28 AM ET

Okay. Here goes.

It seems like a lot of people see this as, “The defense hasn’t been that good, so give Ozzie a break.”

I see it like, “Ozzie has been horrible, so give the defense a break.”

Last night is a prime example. I think the team is losing confidence in their goaltending, especially with all the early goals he’s giving up. The defense is collapsing to the net more instead of pressuring the points like they were so good at last season. They’re huddling around the goal posts and corners because Ozzie’s rebound control has been so bad that they feel like they have to be there to clear pucks.

Any shooter going straight up on Osgood from 40ish feet in the high slot has a chance to score. Solid (not great, just solid) NHL goalies only give up goals on these plays when Homer’s ass is in their face, or the shot comes from a select group of guys like Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Malkin, Jeff Carter, and Marian Hossa—guys with quick releases and heavy, accurate shots.

Osgood’s rebound control has been horrible. See the Sedin goal last night.

He’s overplaying angles. He looks like he’s trying to rely on reflexes. He should know better than anyone that he’s not a reflex goalie, he’s a position goalie that plays the percentages and shuts down the areas where the high percentage of shots go. His five hole and underarms seem open more often than not.

So what does all this do to a defense? I think the defense played decent last night. Not like the Ducks game, but good. Ozzie let an early one in. They got the lead back, but his weakness in net was clearly on the back of their minds. Guys were collapsing to the net, letting Vancouver cycle because they were scared that if they left any open space in front of the net Ozzie would let the first wrist shot that came his way in.

The defense has room for improvement, sure, but I think they are overcompensating and panicking because they have no trust in their goalie right now. Osgood has to improve, otherwise the defense will NEVER be able to settle into the rhythm we know they’re capable of getting into for long stretches at a time. The bottom line is that in order to play proper, confident defense, you have to trust your goalie to take care of things. Perfect example is a 2-on-1. If you trust the keeper, you’re going to take the pass away. If you don’t, you’re going to try to hang in the middle or cheat to the shooter, and your team’s going to get scored on.

I guess the truth is that you win and lose as a team, but I feel that the goalies are letting down the defense much more than the defense is letting down the goalies, especially in the stretch of games they’ve played since the debacle against the Pens.

Do I think he’ll get better? Yes. Do I think he’ll be as good as last year? No. Does he need to be? No, but he needs to have a .900 SV%, that’s for sure.

Posted by Nathan on 12/05/08 at 09:30 AM ET

Just bring back the Dom

until he plays 1 period, pulls his groin and his out for 2 months

Posted by rwingscup19 from Dallas on 12/05/08 at 09:32 AM ET

Anyone think the new goalie equipment regulations have anything to do with it?

Posted by rwingscup19 from Dallas on 12/05/08 at 09:34 AM ET

Not much time here, but for all the Howard nay-sayers...remember February last season?  He was up for a few games in the majors, and put together some great play.  The reason he lost those games?  He let in ONE goal, while our blueline-driven offense (with our top four defensemen out injured) couldn’t muster enough offense to score.

And don’t even try to say that he won’t have anything to prove…

Osgood is too often out of position, and positioning is his greatest strength.  Conklin is good, but has never been more than a backup and will not inspire confidence if he’s the starter (admittedly, that could change with a run of good form).  Howard may or may not be the future starter (I admit I’m undecided on that), but he’s an unknown quantity-- a dark horse-- and if things don’t improve between the pipes in a month or two, I think we’ll see him sporting that kool new mask at the Joe sooner rather than later.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 12/05/08 at 09:37 AM ET

Hye guys...I’m a Pens fan who has come into contact with A2Y through Pensblog in the past.  I was wondering if someone could help me out.  I’m student teaching in Trenton, and we’re working on writing letters.  One of my kids wants to send his to Stevie Y.  I was wondering if anyone knew where to direct Yzerman fanmail???  Any help would be appreciated!

Posted by Josh from Trenton, MI on 12/05/08 at 09:47 AM ET

Is anyone else scared at the obvious signs of the upcoming apocalypse????  Our defense sucks, Vancouver can score, and most of all, Lilja made an incredible pass to Hudler last night to send the midget on a breakaway and NOBODY has said anything about how out of place that is.  LILJA HAS MORE EVEN STRENGTH POINTS THEN THE PERFECT HUMAN.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!??!??!

I think I’m losing it…

Josh, you might want to contact Christy at Beyond the Jersey...she has interned with the Wings.

Posted by moore00 from the Ohio State University on 12/05/08 at 10:08 AM ET

I haven’t been impressed with Osgood all season really, starting with the opener against the Leafs.  He’s been terrible.  I think the defense is playing poorly because they have no confidence in him.

Outscoring other teams works just fine during the regular season but this team seems like a first round exit waiting to happen.  Hopefully ConkBlock can get back on track and play well for a long stretch like he did last season.  Prior to his last two outings he was at least halfway decent with his only loss coming to San Jose.

He was pretty lame in the Boston loss but at least he has a shot at providing the team with some confidence.  If he can make a legit claim to the #1 spot it might focus Osgood like he was focused the last two seasons trying to regain the top spot from Dom.

There really are no other options as Howard has been thoroughly mediocre in Grand Rapids.  Daniel Larsson has been decent in GR so if they get desperate maybe he gets a call up to see how he looks at the NHL level.

Posted by Dave on 12/05/08 at 10:22 AM ET

LILJA HAS MORE EVEN STRENGTH POINTS THEN THE PERFECT HUMAN.

it’s an unbelievable shift from last season when the Wings were dominant 5-on-5.  now they’re back to being a power play team, and we all know how that works out in the playoffs.  it might get you a round or two in the playoffs, but penalties are fewer and farther between in the later rounds and the defense is better.

why can’t they score 5-on-5?  with their top two lines, on paper you’d expect them to score every other shift.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 12/05/08 at 10:48 AM ET

I haven’t been impressed with Osgood all season really, starting with the opener against the Leafs.  He’s been terrible.  I think the defense is playing poorly because they have no confidence in him.

My point exactly. The defense has room for improvement, but their pretty close to the ceiling already, unless the goaltenders can regain their trust. Then the ceiling raises, and their game raises to meet it, no doubt in my mind.

Posted by Nathan on 12/05/08 at 11:00 AM ET

people would already be counting down to the WCF throwdown between Todd and his Jedi Master Uncle Mike.

Only if the Wings fall to 8th and meet the guppies in the first round.
Otherwise, another team will take the Wings down...1st round.

Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don’t live up to my expectations on 12/05/08 at 11:50 AM ET

I am not ready to give up on ozzie yet… I am however, done defending him.

Posted by ITDeuce from UP on 12/05/08 at 12:25 PM ET

I was wondering if anyone knew where to direct Yzerman fanmail???

its a trap, don’t help.

Posted by rwingscup19 from Dallas on 12/05/08 at 12:35 PM ET

I am not ready to give up on ozzie yet… I am however, done defending him.

Agree. I think, as George points out (http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2008/12/wingscanucks_postgame_wrapup_m.html), that the errors in goaltending aren’t errors related to the talent and ability that Ozzie and Conklin have:

Simple. Hugging the post, yes, rebounds, yes, but more than that. Simple issues regarding hand positioning, getting caught between making moves, and lapses in concentration when your team needs you to just stop the next shot...Ty Conklin and Osgood have been guilty of not staying square to shooters, staying alert when somebody rips a sneaky perimeter shot that starts to roll (that’s a body position issue, too), conserving momentum so that their bodies aren’t sliding past the save they previously made when a rebound comes their way, supporting their glove hand with their blocker (and vice versa), and, most irritatingly to this old stand-up goalie, not using their sticks to poke check cross-crease passes away.

Simple stuff. Easily remedied, but easily forgotten, too.

They both really need to start over like it’s camp again, work with Bedard to focus hard on the fundamentals, and quit trying to play strictly on their reactions and reflexes—these guys are not Dom, they cannot be successful playing that way. I think deep down both of them know where their bread is buttered—but they need some hard pushes from Bedard to actually get back to that method.

And remember—they haven’t been home where they can work with Bedard consistently to fix these problems until now. I am definitely worried, but I am not worried about their long-term ability to be the best team in the league come playoff time. If the goaltending is not markedly better in December, with the practice time at home, then I will be concerned for the long-term.

Let’s say if the team SV% for the month of December is .900+ and the team GAA for December is sub-3.00, we quit the panic.

Posted by Nathan on 12/05/08 at 01:23 PM ET

Late posting as always.  That game made me very angry.  My boyfriend had to leave halfway through the 3rd period to run an errand and when he came backt he game was over.  I said, “Guess what the final score was?” He said, “8-3?”, I told him the score and his mouth fell open.  He said, “What happened?” I just shook my head.

How does he not cover the post?  I have been moaning about his puck handling and coming too far out of the net all season.  He just doesn’t seem the same.  He made some good saves but they get lost in all the soft goals he gives up.

Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 12/05/08 at 02:17 PM ET

I agree with most members in here.  Oz"bad" has been nothing but lousy this season thus far!  He can’t even stop a beach ball for crying out loud.  Holland needs to realize that we need a consistent goaltender and SOON.  He’s been defending Oz"bad" for years, and if Detroit wants Stanley to stay this season, there needs to be changes in the net!  Get a clue Holland and wise up to the leagues expectations of goaltenders!  Oz"bad" should be sent to Grand Rapids and now!

Posted by Jen C from Chicago on 12/05/08 at 04:49 PM ET

I had no idea that Osgood and Turco were that close together in stats. Man, that certainly doesn’t look good for Ozzie.

Posted by Christy from Ann Arbor, MI on 12/05/08 at 05:22 PM ET