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Category: Detroit-Red-Wings

Wings vs Hawks: Can it be done?

by Hippy Dave on 05/15/09 at 12:02 AM ET | View all posts by Hippy Dave
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I was ready for the loss.  I was ready to even come up with a phrase that the Chief might find useful for the next few years describing our defeat:  “The Bullshit.” It made sense at the time; a team that played really, really hard.  That arguably bent the rules as far as a team can in order to win.  A team that backed that up with equally solid play.  A team that played that strong forecheck and aggressive play that makes us chip and chase, which is so foreign to our system, along with the strong goalie; the formula that beats the wings every damn year that we lose a series.

However it is not so, for our man who bleeds Wings Red came through along with the rest of the team when it counted.

Props to Anaheim.  Damn, you played so well I wouldn’t have felt THAT bad that we lost to you.  Well played.  Handshakes all around.  I believe neither side would have had a pimply faced preteen crying in their pillows on YouTube.

Now comes the challenge, Chicago.  Wrigley field ain’t got nothing on this.

Sat Oct 25, 2008 6 - 5 SO Win Wings
Sat Dec 6, 2008 4 - 5 SO Win Wings
Tue Dec 30, 2008 0 - 4 Win Wings
Thu Jan 1, 2009 6 - 4 Win Wings
Sat Apr 11, 2009 4 - 2 Loss to the Blackhawks
Sun Apr 12, 2009 0 - 3 Loss to the Blackhawks

This record may look like a winning one.  But we eeked out those first two games.  Rack the middle to up to hangover.  The latter two were downright scary.  I watched all those games, but the last two rattled me.

All season I knew, in my gut, or maybe lower, than it would come to this.  And let me tell you, if I were a betting man (which I am outside of hockey, insomuch as my heart gets in the way), I’d put money on the Hawks.  I hate to say it.  But they’re going to work us over harder than Anaheim.  Can we do it?  I hope so.  Can they do it?  I hope not.  The truth is, we both can.  And that scares the sh*t out of me.  These scrappy little youngsters care more about winning than we do right now, and we have to wake up and smell the.... well.. whatever the hell Chicago smells like.

Your thoughts?

Maholo,
The Hippy

Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings | KK Members Blog | Permalink
 

Time to Fire Chris Osgood!!!!

by Primis on 02/16/09 at 01:22 PM ET | View all posts by Primis
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OK, so that’s not an option like firing the head coach is.  I just wanted to feel like I belonged here, since the previous two blog posts were about firing someone.

However, there definitely is a problem in net for the Red Wings, as yesterday’s miserable performance showed once and for all.  And it’s not going away.  While the Red Wings have now finally stopped giving up quite so many shots a game, the Goal Against have stayed steady.  And that points the finger then squarely at the goalies.

So what is Osgood’s problem?  (I’m focusing on Osgood because Conklin, while not stellar, hasn’t been so terrible either).

#1, Osgood is not controlling rebounds.

We’ve seen some goals scored on him lately that involve crazy bounces, including a terrible one yesterday against Colorado.  Ozzy is not playing it as safe as he needs to and is still trying to force things, that’s clear.  He still needs to simplify his game some more and control those rebounds.  He not a Hasek-twitch-reflex goalie and never has been, and it almost looks like that’s what he’s playing like as of late.

#2, Osgood is not 100% square on shots.

I’m not sure why this hasn’t been mentioned more, but he’s not getting good positioning on some of the shots.  This is sometimes leading to the rebounds mentioned above, if not the puck just blowing by him outright.  Again, simplicity… just get square.  Going back to some fundamentals would help him immensely.

#3, Osgood, despite everything he says, is NOT relaxed out there.

Osgood’s best trait is his relaxed demeanor.  Last season during the Cup run he never panicked, never looked frantic in net.  This year, he looks both, and the rest of the team is feeding off it negatively.  If he can get back to basics, the calmness will likely follow.  But until then, he’s going to play and look like a wounded duck out there.

So what to do?

I’m not sure.  Conklin is not the answer, that much is still clear.  He’s a good backup… but not going to take the starting load and not consistent enough himself.  Howard and Larsson aren’t ready for Cup runs either.  With that in mind, as well as DET’s lack of cap space, I think at this point it’s safe to say that the Wings are going to ride Osgood, for better or worse, and hope that he can straighten himself out.

In the meantime, if you’re a Wings fan reach for the Pepto.  You’re going to need it for at least a while yet....

Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings | KK Members Blog | Permalink
 Tags: Goalie+Drama, Osgood, Ty+Conklin,