Hells yes. Sounds like chances are pretty good we’re going to see both Lidas and Datsyuk in Game 1.

*crosses fingers*

Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 05/29/09 at 10:35 AM ET

We really need Jonny Ericsson out there, after all, he holds the power of the universe on his pinkie finger.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 05/29/09 at 10:37 AM ET

We really need Jonny Ericsson out there, after all, he holds the power of the universe on his pinkie finger.

As long as he didn’t hold it in his appendix, we’ll be ok!

Posted by Incognetis from Delaware... Hi... I'm in... Delaware on 05/29/09 at 10:41 AM ET

TSN Icechips says:

Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Kris Draper were all on this ice for the Red Wings at practice on Friday. Lidstrom and Datsyuk both missed the clinching game against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final. - TSN

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 05/29/09 at 10:42 AM ET

I found out last night that my sister will be at the Joe for game 1.  Section 105, right where fans can usually stand up and wave to the camera.

Instead of waving, I told her to be ready with the Pierre McGuire = Douche Canoe sign.  She knows about Voox’s offer, but she’s a bit timid.  I doubt she’ll do it, but if you see it come from over there, you’ll know that person has one very proud brother watching at home in Kansas.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 05/29/09 at 10:43 AM ET

Kill Him, He Must Die: A Profile in Courage

Me? I’m 6’3”, about 3 bills. I run hot. People know not to f*ck with me because I know 6 deadly martial arts and I shred.

Personal records:

Bench—680
Dead lift—845
Squat—1200

I’m also a Pens fan. Big time. I bleed yellow and black…and occasionally a light, eggshell blue. I get so pumped thinking about Sid and Geno it makes me want to shred. Makes me want to blast my traps and max out on my quads.

So me, my wife, and action superstars Steven Segal and Jean-Claude Van Damme went to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. The fans at the arena you could tell didn’t want a piece of me. They were all whispering as I walked past, making sure not to f*ck with me.

Long story short, the Pens won. Back to the Finals against Detroit. I thought about Marian Hossa getting his face ripped off and I got chills. I felt like I did the last time I plateaued on my delts. It was sweet.

So anyway, I see this guy walking down the stairs. He’s pretty big, too. He’s got bikini girls sitting on both shoulders. You can tell he’s looking for a throwdown.

He says to me “Hey, Pens fan, we don’t take kindly to strangers round here.”

I do my best to remain calm. Steven and JCVD hold me back and tell me it’s not worth it. They told me at the game that they wanted me to co-star in their next action flick and they didn’t want me busting up my hands before the shoot.

Then the guy sneezed on my wife. I thought to myself “Don’t kill this guy…walk away…it’s not worth it.” But then he makes a crack about the color of my Zubaz.

The son of a b*tch made fun of my Zubaz.

I see red. I charge at the guy and push him through a plate glass window. The owner of the arena later told me that the glass was supposed to be “unbreakable”. He was amazed that I broke it with such brute force. He wanted me to sign a jersey for his kid and come speak in front of his elementary school class.

Anyway, the guy comes back at me and tries to tackle me around the waist. Quickly, I spin around and apply the Camel Clutch. Then I start smashing his face and Segal and JCVD start kicking him in the ribs. It took 10 security guards and a crane to pull me off the guy. As I’m being pulled away, I kick at his head and it comes clean off his body and lands in a planter.

The crowd, recognizing my accomplishments, starts clapping and taking pictures. The cops later told me that they weren’t going to charge me because of the size of my pythons.

The mayor of Raleigh gave me a key to the city and told me I could stay in his mansion and eat for free for the rest of my life.

The Make-a-Wish Foundation asked me if I could come down to the local children’s hospital and punch a few kids with cancer in the face. I guess they saw what I did when they replayed it on an episode of “24” and they wanted to meet me and be punched by me.

Fox called me and asked me to replace Keifer Sutherland as Jack Bauer. I told them I’d think about it.

GO PENS. GO PENSBLOG. F**K THE RED WINGS. F**K KENT “TRAITOR” TEKULVE.

Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 05/29/09 at 10:44 AM ET

Helene St. James has more news on Datsyuk’s injury:

Good news for Red Wings fans: Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Kris Draper all took the ice with their teammates for today’s practice. . .

At this point, it’s pretty much certain Lidstrom will attempt to play tomorrow.

Datsyuk, when I spoke to him earlier this week, said swelling had gone down in his foot, and he was finally able to put it into a boot again. He said X-rays show no fracture, and that the injury was made worse because the puck hit the exact same area where he blocked a shot in the Anaheim series. . . 

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 05/29/09 at 10:48 AM ET

I found out last night that my sister will be at the Joe for game 1.  Section 105, right where fans can usually stand up and wave to the camera.

Yeah, I told myself not to spend the money, but just got a little bonus at work, so I’m going to be at game one, section 206, row 6.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 05/29/09 at 10:49 AM ET

Not sure what to make of the report Datsyuk “isn’t moving much.”

As many of you know, if you watch Pav at pregame skates, he tends to do A LOT of stretching, very little skating. Just a little east-and-west, banking a puck of the boards to himself, occasionally Z joins him. But he doesn’t seem to “move much,” usually focuses more on stretching.

I’ve not seen him in a true morning skate or practice though.

The key will be to hear what the Diggers report after the practice is totally done, to see if Pav was participating in all the drills. But Bruce’s latest report (that Pav is working in for Filppula) suggests he’s probably taking one more game off, unless he feels really good tomorrow at the morning skate.

Either way, good signs for sure.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 05/29/09 at 10:52 AM ET

Kill Him, He Must Die: A Profile in Courage

Ya, so I’m a huge wings fan. . . but this still made me laugh, good story. . .

Posted by RedWingsforStanley on 05/29/09 at 10:52 AM ET

Ohh my, “The Highlander” is reporitng that Lilja is taking a regular “D” slotting with Lebda:

Here’s what the Wings are working out of today ...

Franzen-Zetterberg-Hudler
Cleary-Filppula-Hossa (Datsyuk working in)
Holmstrom-Helm-Samuelsson
Leino-Abdelkader-Maltby (Draper working in)

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Lebda-Lilja
Meech-Chelios

Osgood
Conklin
Howard

Here’s what jumps out ... Lidstrom is working out of a spot that says he’s definitely playing in Game 1 of the SCF. Datsyuk is just subbing on a line. Babcock is prepping the team for a game without Pavel.

On the blue line, Lilja is partnered with Lebda. Two things might be going on. First, Lilja might be back in the lineup with Chelios out. Second, and I think this might be more reasonable, Lilja is a place-holder for Ericsson, who might return from appendicitis surgery.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 05/29/09 at 10:52 AM ET

Holy sh*t.

Lilja?

Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 05/29/09 at 10:55 AM ET

Anyway, the guy comes back at me and tries to tackle me around the waist. Quickly, I spin around and apply the Camel Clutch. Then I start smashing his face and Segal and JCVD start kicking him in the ribs. It took 10 security guards and a crane to pull me off the guy. As I’m being pulled away, I kick at his head and it comes clean off his body and lands in a planter.

Shoulda popped that shirt off.  Yeah.  Really shoulda popped that shirt off.

Posted by Incognetis from Delaware... Hi... I'm in... Delaware on 05/29/09 at 10:55 AM ET

Lilja’s got to be a placeholder.  He’s still having headaches, and there’s no way he’s in game shape.

Posted by Incognetis from Delaware... Hi... I'm in... Delaware on 05/29/09 at 10:57 AM ET

Yeah, Twitter’s great for the insta-updates—as long as journo types use it from practice like they are now. Pretty cool.

Posted by Matt Saler from Grand Rapids, MI on 05/29/09 at 10:59 AM ET

Lilja as a placeholder makes sense.  I’m glad he’s good enough to get ont he ice, though - he’d love to be playing, but at least he’s not dead tired and sleeping all the time and unable to even skate.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/29/09 at 11:07 AM ET

Mandingo:  In the original, it was around the “waste” meaning it actually involved some sort of sick 2 pens fans 1 cup debacle.

Posted by MarkK from Maryland on 05/29/09 at 11:12 AM ET

2 pens fans 1 cup

Barf.

Posted by Incognetis from Delaware... Hi... I'm in... Delaware on 05/29/09 at 11:18 AM ET

Mandingo:  In the original, it was around the “waste”

I know. I realized that after I posted it. I blew it.

Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 05/29/09 at 11:22 AM ET

2 pens fans 1 cup debacle

If you’re referring to the picture of the two whales wearing the ridiculous headgear, I no longer have a will to finish my lunch.

Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 05/29/09 at 11:22 AM ET

Kill Him, He Must Die: A Profile in Courage

Mandingo, you’ve just joined the ranks of Thomas Pynchon, John Updike, and Richard Brautigan in the pantheon of great American writers with Kill Him, He Must Die.  I can’t wait for the next one.  Have you got an agent?

Or shoud I say…Huh!  Boo-Yah!  Hoo-Rah!  Insert macho grunting here!

I can’t see Lilja coming back at all this year, not with the lack of fitness and extreme case of rust he must have, though a third pairing of Lilja-Ericsson would rock the heezy.  It’s good to see that he’s skating though, and the concussion most likely has not ended his career.  I’m just hoping for Dats to be in.  If he can lace up his skates, we’ll need him.  It’s just a matter of how he feels.

Am I bad for The Highlander dropping in my estimation because he uses something called Twitter to post Tweets?  Maybe Mandingo can give Twitter lessons on how to use testosterone-soaked names.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 05/29/09 at 11:22 AM ET

Sounds like chances are pretty good we’re going to see both Lidas and Datsyuk in Game 1.

Which part of:

Johnston reports Datsyuk isn’t moving much.

Datsyuk is only subbing in on Filppula’s line, looks iffy right now.

...makes you think chances are pretty good for a Datsyuk return tomorrow?

Posted by alexcutter on 05/29/09 at 11:24 AM ET

Something tells me when Dangle is finally back in, he’s going to light the world on fire.

Or, in this case, Fluery.

Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 05/29/09 at 11:24 AM ET

I don’t know, it’s not necessarily sounding great for a Datsyuk return on Saturday. 

From Johnston:

Datsyuk skating quite gingerly at #redwings practice. Lidstrom looks great.

I’m not surprised about Lidstrom, but the Dangle update makes me nervous.  Then again, I tend to overreact about everything during this time of year

Posted by Bingo Bango Jessie on 05/29/09 at 11:28 AM ET

Which part of:

Johnston reports Datsyuk isn’t moving much.

Datsyuk is only subbing in on Filppula’s line, looks iffy right now.

...makes you think chances are pretty good for a Datsyuk return tomorrow?

The part where I posted that before the Twitter updates you’re referring to were made.

That part.

Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 05/29/09 at 11:28 AM ET

Who’s twitting who in the what now?

Posted by cephalopod from Chicago...nope, still not over it. on 05/29/09 at 11:29 AM ET

I see the Chief was jobbing some joke on THEpen(i)sblog last night.  Do It. WOOOOOOO!

Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Lidstrom's head telling him 1 more year on 05/29/09 at 11:31 AM ET

Instead of waving, I told her to be ready with the Pierre McGuire = Douche Canoe sign.

Had this one in my p-shop folder for quite awhile.  Not sure why I never tossed it up here:

Posted by O-Joe on 05/29/09 at 11:31 AM ET

Okay.  Now here is something interesting and rather puzzling.  Khan(!) has the practice lines different than what MacLeod is reporting:

Franzen-Zetterberg-Hudler
Cleary-Filppula-Hossa (Datsyuk working in)
Holmstrom-Helm-Samuelsson
Leino-Abdelkader-Maltby (Draper working in)

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Lebda-Chelios
Meech

Osgood
Conklin
Howard

Like I said, puzzling.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 05/29/09 at 11:39 AM ET

LM MFing AO !!  Am I the only one of The 19 who did NOT know that “Lilja4Ever” - a member of The 19 - was adapted from a Euro movie about a 16 year old Estonian girl who falls into an abusive life?

Granted, I have always known I am slow and behind the times, but I thought “Lilja4ever” was merely a wry cynical screen name invented to regularly poke us in the ribs that the Wings would always be stuck with Lilja.  And then he had this gang buster year in 2008-2009 until he tried to become a fighter.

I am an Idiot, I know.

Many Cudos to The 19 member Lilja4ever, well done Ace, LMAO!  I finally get it!  Unbelievable!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0300140/

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 05/29/09 at 11:40 AM ET

I ran down to the JLA this morning and ran into a few media types.  The majority felt Dats will not play tomorrow.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 05/29/09 at 11:43 AM ET

Well, I knew about it, Bill.  And plus, it’s a Swedish movie (no, not that kind, you filthy pervert).

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 05/29/09 at 11:44 AM ET

And I mean ‘filthy pervert’ with the greatest possible courtesy, of course.

Like I said, puzzling.

Simple really.  MacLeod is there, reporting from practice.  Khan(!) is at home in his underpants eating a day-old turkey sandwich he found under the couch and making things up that sound relatively plausible.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 05/29/09 at 11:46 AM ET

The majority felt Dats will not play tomorrow.
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 05/29/09 at 12:43 PM ET

Well that fits perfectly into the NHL, Inc., Pens-win scenario for starting the series early AND playing back to back nights for the first time in 50 years in the Finals.

It’s not a conspiracy, it’s a plan in its execution phase.

Remember, they were ready with this LAST June.

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 05/29/09 at 11:54 AM ET

@ Mandingo - that post was a thing of beauty.

@ Matt - yeah, I’ve practically abandoned rss feeds in favor of twitter.

@ Jesse - Lidstrom is the perfect human, so of course he looks great. Dats probably still needs some time to heal. If we can have at least one of them back, I’ll be happy.

@ Paul - Have a great time at Games 1 & 2!

Posted by Jennemy of the Skate from putting the b*tches in the box on 05/29/09 at 11:58 AM ET

I just got some dramamine for my flight to India, leaving today. I’ll be gone to the motherland for almost a whole month. Perfect timing really.

Shoot me.

So, I’m thinking I’ll bring the dram and pacifiers (like last year) to the Hasek, while Voox continues with the drinks. Disco biscuits available on request.

Talk soon bitches.

Posted by Osrt on 05/29/09 at 12:03 PM ET

Have a safe trip Osrt.

Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Lidstrom's head telling him 1 more year on 05/29/09 at 12:06 PM ET

RWBill - I have that screen cap too. We were tivoing the game and nearly fell out of our chairs when that flashed on screen.

Posted by Jennemy of the Skate from putting the b*tches in the box on 05/29/09 at 12:09 PM ET

I just got some dramamine for my flight to India, leaving today. I’ll be gone to the motherland for almost a whole month. Perfect timing really.

Was there last year for several months and saw the 1st round against the Preds via CenterIce Online. I was in Mumbai and had DSL and the feed wasn’t too bad. No worse than ustream or atdhe. Good luck in finding a feed. And eats LOTS of mangoes.

Posted by Deuce from Brooklyn on 05/29/09 at 12:12 PM ET

?v=0

At 9 minutes into the Red Wings’ game 6 against the Penguins, NBC has their Dewey/Truman moment.

Posted by Jennemy of the Skate from putting the b*tches in the box on 05/29/09 at 12:19 PM ET

Wait when, why, how, did a Penguins Win overlay show up!??!?! This was last year??

Posted by pgoody on 05/29/09 at 12:24 PM ET

It definitely sounds like Pav won’t be in for game one, but don’t get too excited either way, remember that game one isn’t till tomorrow night, so he’s still got 24 hours to rest and see where the foot’s at.

For my money, if the guy can skate straight ahead with good pace, then he can still play great defense on Malkin or Crosby. If it means he can’t dangle in the offensive zone because he can’t turn super fast, so be it. Man up and play.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 05/29/09 at 12:28 PM ET

Zubaz?  Deserved everything you dished out.  Of course, you could be shot on sight for wearing a pair. 

And I mean ‘filthy pervert’ with the greatest possible courtesy, of course.

Indeed.

Posted by Rumbear from Top O da Hasek, sippin rum & catchin some rays on 05/29/09 at 12:33 PM ET

Wait when, why, how, did a Penguins Win overlay show up!??!?! This was last year??

Posted by pgoody from Findlay, OH on 05/29/09 at 01:24 PM ET

Yup.  In the middle (well, middle of the first period) of game six last year the “Penguins Win!” graphic flashed on the television screen.  Not for very long - but quite a slip on someone’s part. 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/29/09 at 12:34 PM ET

Osrt, best wishes from Las Vegas for a safe trip.

Whatever is being reported from the Joe, I’m 100% sure the Pens will be preparing for them as though they will be in the lineup for the Wings.  Uncle Mike would do the same if the Pens report from the Joe that Malkin, Crosby, and Guerin are out of the lineup.

Having said that, I gonna be leaking from all of my orifices till the end of Game One.

Go Wings!

Posted by SYF from a "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" on 05/29/09 at 01:01 PM ET

The son of a b*tch made fun of my Zubaz.

Dear sweet Jesus, did this make me laugh. Mandingo, please tell me we’ll be reading more Profiles in Courage throughout this series.

Good news about Lidas. Here’s hoping Jonny E.‘s good to go as well ... with back-to-back games (thanks, Gary.Ass and NBC, you c*ckknockers) our D TOI can’t be as imbalanced as it’s been the past couple of games.

Posted by Bella on 05/29/09 at 01:01 PM ET

The son of a b*tch made fun of my Zubaz.

Gotta be the best line in that whole post.

Posted by Wings_Fan_In_KC from ...somewhere southwest of The Motor City... on 05/29/09 at 01:12 PM ET

Saw this pic on THEpen(i)sblog this morning.  I think the DC has a run for his homoerotic money.  Jeebus Crites they’re making shirts of Maklin’s parents now.

Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Lidstrom's head telling him 1 more year on 05/29/09 at 01:12 PM ET

In other news, Puck Daddy says we’re a bunch of whiners who should STFU about the first back-to-back playoff games in 50 years:

Suck Daddy

Whoops.

Posted by thethirdcoast from Rottenchester on 05/29/09 at 01:20 PM ET

Khan(!) reports that Big Rig will play on Saturday, Datsyuk still a gametime decision:

Update from Wings media availability: Coach Mike Babcock said Nicklas Lidstrom and Jonathan Ericsson will play Saturday in Game 1. Pavel Datsyuk (bruised foot) remains a game-time decision. He skated Friday but wasn’t moving at full speed.

Lidstrom (lower-body injury) skated and look fine. Babcock said Ericsson didn’t want to skate two days after undergoing an appendectomy, but he is certain to play in the opener.

“I skated a little bit yesterday, skated today, felt fine, I’ll be ready to go,’’ Lidstrom said.

He missed the last two games, the first time in his 17-year career he has missed a playoff game, snapping his streak of 228 straight postseason appearances.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 05/29/09 at 01:21 PM ET