See No Evil

Sharks 4, Red Wings 3; Western Semifinals, 0-1

Some very quick thoughts, because I'm getting tired of this same tired ass script playing out:

1. The Sharks better pray the Red Wings don't find their legs, because outside of one 70 second flurry and a 5-on-3 powerplay goal, they were outplayed on their home ice against a team playing on zero extra rest.

2. Howard...should have stopped Pavelski's second goal.

3. Sometimes I really wish we had a true GOON on this team. Joe Thornton snows Howard in the first period - Stuart and Kronwall give him the what for. I would've preferred it if we had somebody to smash his teeth down his throat. That was a piece of crap move by a giant pussy trying to find his balls.

4. The top-heavy argument comes into play again, but honestly...if you're Mike Babcock, you have to at least consider putting Datsyuk and Zetterberg on the top line together. Monstrous.

5. Power play...sigh. Credit to the Sharks, or more specifically, Todd McLellan. We loved the guy when he was here because his penalty kill was a tenacious unit and the Red Wings destroyed their opponents in the faceoff circles. Well, we were on the receiving end of it tonight. Nevertheless, the PP has to be better. It's excruciating seeing them try to skate in, get stood up at the blueline, and have the puck get dumped down the ice.

6. The whole energy thing. While I do think the Wings played a pretty good game outside of those 70 seconds (how did you enjoy the play, Mrs. Lincoln?), they still looked a little rough around the edges to me. Some sloppy passes, losing battles in the corners, etc. All characteristics of a team that was operating at less than 100%. Hopefully Babcock is keen to this and gives them some R&R for the next two days.

7. Last but not least...the picture above. I mean...what a fucking joke, already. How much blood do the Red Wings have to lose before they get a goddamn high sticking call? There are no shades of grey here, no "judgment call" necessary. Lidstrom was busted open by an opponent's stick in Game 1 in Phoenix. Franzen was busted open by an opponent's stick in Game 1 in San Jose. There is no ambiguity. It's a four minute penalty, and that's twice now it hasn't been called. The next penalty on Filppula was the right call (even though Setoguchi still deserves an Academy Award for flopping to the ice like he'd been shot, only to spring up to his feet three seconds later), but it's a penalty that doesn't occur (and by extension, the winning goal on the ensuing 5-on-3) if the fucking refs make the right fucking call in the first FUCKING place. Outsiders say they're tired of me (and Red Wings fans in general) bitching about the refs. Well guess what? We're even more tired of the mind-numbing incompetence that seems to take place every single night. Yes, there is a human element involved, and with the human element comes human error. But there's a difference between making a dubious hooking call and completely ignoring a blatant high stick, as blood flows from the face of someone who just got jabbed in the face.

It's like Jeremy Roenick joked about a few years ago - do you think the players are out there cutting themselves with razor blades like professional wrestlers? I guess that would be fitting, since Gary Bettman seems hellbent on turning this from "sports" into "sports entertainment."

Desert Saints

Game 7: Red Wings 6, Coyotes 1; Western Quarterfinals, 4-3

I am essentially 100% certain that nobody even remotely connected with the Red Wings organization has ever heard of me or this blog.

But after watching tonight, I can't help but wonder if somebody browsed the internet, saw this and passed it along to Mike Babcock and the players. I imagine Babcock's message would be something like:

"Ey, dat Brian guy, with da blog...let's shut his dumbass up, eh?"

Message sent. Message received. Brutal execution in the desert carried out.

I do have my reservations, big picture-wise. After seeing the almost violent way in which they dispatched the puppies tonight, I wonder why the Wings were so lackadaisical at times throughout the series, Games 3 and 6 in particular. I question if they will have the drive to bounce back if they fall asleep again.

But for now, it's okay. Tonight, we can revel in the afterglow of victory. We can revel in Datsyukian magic popping up when we needed it. I pondered, pleaded for the Circus of Zetterberg and Datsyuk to be reunited. Well, it wasn't entirely, save for one four-on-four shift - which featured Zetterberg floating a pass down the ice onto the stick of Pavel for one of his signature deke goals that leaves a goaltender deaf, dumb, and blind.

Tonight we saw that rumors of Nick Lidstrom's demise are still exaggerated. We saw that when the postseason arrives, unlikely heroes are required - HELLO, Brad Stuart! We saw that through all the malaise, rending of garments and profanity, the Red Wings still exist as we remember them. The assassin-like efficiency that we love so much, that I pined for in the comment section of Abel to Yzerman after Game 6 - it returned. I lusted for the killer instinct they showed in Dallas two years ago, and it came in spades.

The journey isn't over, obviously. In fact it's only just begun. It only gets harder from here. Despite their reputation this time of year, the Sharks are supremely talented, and honestly, I'm concerned. They're faster, more skilled, and better all-around than Phoenix was. It will be a much bigger challenge than this was.

But as we saw tonight - these Red Wings are still capable of rising to the challenge.

Dancing in the Dark

Coyotes 5, Red Wings 2; Western Quarterfinals, 3-3

	Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark
	Found at skreemr.com

Two years ago, the Red Wings bury this game.

That's not to say they were excellent in closeout games or anything, despite what that idiot Pierre McGuire says. Seriously, I can't believe that tool's ignorance. He interviewed Kronwall before the game today and commented on how the Red Wings are excellent in closing out opponents.

Hey, Pierre? After today's game, the Wings are 7-7 in potential closeout games over the past three postseasons. It took them three tries to finish Dallas in 2008, two tries to finish Pittsburgh in 2008, two tries to finish Anaheim last year, and they went 0-2 at the end against the Penguins last season. And now this. McGuire gets dumber every time he's on TV.

But two years ago, you put the Red Wings on a powerplay early on, and then follow that up immediately with a 5-on-3 for over a minute...you aren't keeping them off the scoreboard. In fact you probably don't avoid a 2-0 hole.

Now? You get a shorthanded goal and you completely dismantle the Red Wings' power play. Something, probably both tangible and intangible, has changed with these Red Wings over the past two years. Tangibly, it's easy to see. Mikael Samuelsson and Jiri Hudler were here last year and in 2008. Marian Hossa was here last year. They're all gone now, and the Wings' power play has crumbled this season. Johan Franzen isn't the Mule at the moment. His laser beam shot is more of a BB gun right now, and he is dragging the first line down. Something isn't right with him - he's hurt. But the power play still has Lidstrom, Rafalski, Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Holmstrom - that should be the #1 unit now. Whether or not it happens in regular 5-on-5 play, I'm not sure if it's the right call, but on the man advantage, it's time to reunite the Circus. Zetterberg has spent most of the year on the 2nd unit with Filppula and Bertuzzi. No more. It's time for Datsyuk and Zetterberg to be reunited on the top unit, because there is entirely too much standing around and passing going on. When Datsyuk handles the puck, he creates opportunities, and those opportunities will be more abundant and even deadlier with Zetterberg on the ice at the same time. I understand the hesitation to become too "top heavy." They're both playing well, so you want to keep them apart so they anchor two lines and make their linemates better. But two years ago, they were together for essentially the entire postseason. The result? 27 points for Zetterberg, 23 for Datsyuk. They're magic together.

But what ails the Red Wings now goes beyond the basics. You look at this team, and something just feels...off. The shorthanded goal was a result of a really stupid play by Stuart and another "ack" goaltending moment from Howard. After that? Three powerplay goals for Phoenix, none of which Howard had much of a chance on, because the penalty killers in front of him basically stood around, their desperation level falling measures short of what's required this time of year. This crap happened last year too. Is it another "OMFG McCrimmon you piece of crap" thing? Maybe. It was much better two years ago. Also, I should note, although I'm not 100% sure, but I believe every Phoenix PPG was scored when Andreas Lilja was not on the ice. Once again, I can't believe I'm saying it, but he's one of the most important players on this team. Phoenix's 5th goal? Not a soul touching Pyatt in front of the net, allowing him to stand there and perfectly deflect it, because nobody wearing a red sweater bothered to even try pushing him out of the way.

That's what Lilja does when he's out there, he clears traffic and makes sure his goalie can see what's coming. Nobody else on the roster is capable of doing that, and that's one of the flaws the Red Wings have - they're too soft and small on defense. Lidstrom and Rafalski are getting older, and they've never relied on physical play anyway. They rely on intelligence, skating and stickwork to be elite defensemen. Both of them have slowly started to wane at this, but are still better than most. Kronwall and Stuart are "physical" in the sense that they deliver big hits, but neither of them are particularly skilled at clearing bodies in front. There are bigger defensemen in the ranks - Ericsson is still learning, Kindl is on the way next year, Smith will probably be in Grand Rapids in 2010-2011 - but as it stands now, the Red Wings' defense has gotten vulnerable.

It's gutcheck time. Anything goes in a Game 7, and despite the horror we endured during That Fateful Night in June last year, history dictates that the home team is the heavy favorite in these situation. So the Red Wings will have to dig deep to buck history. There once was a time where I would've been confident about their resolve and ability to get it done with their backs to the wall. But after today? After getting humiliated in front of the home crowd with a chance to advance? After dropping the ball and being forced to take another trip cross country and being forced to play a game they could've avoided. For the first time, I question their heart. I question their drive, and their ability to rise above and execute like we know they're capable of. Because they haven't shown it. Even in the games they've won in this series, they've coasted, they've sleepwalked, they've been lazy. They exploded for seven goals in Game 2 - and still had to fight the Coyotes off because of defensive lapses. Games 4 and 5, they pulled away late after being tied or holding precarious leads for most of the game, and being outplayed for large stretches. Where is the assassin-like efficiency that put the Stars away in Game 6 two years ago? Where is the stifling, never-say-die defense that smothered the Penguins' dreams in Game 6 two years ago?

I shudder to think that complacency could possibly have set in. Two years ago, they were still the hunters, still striving to be champions, and they played like it, leaving no stone unturned in their quest. Last year, it started to rot, and they tried to rely on their offense. It ended with predictable results.

Now? They're not the offensive juggernaut they were a year ago, and yet the defense remains shaky at best, the penalty killing schitzophrenic as ever. The sacrifice needed to become champions has not been there. I don't want to cast them in the same light I cast the Pistons, who rotted from the inside out from a sense of entitlement and ego fueled by a championship years earlier. The thought of that possibly happening to the Red Wings nauseates me. So who will it be in the Seventh Game? Who will bring the hellfire and brimstone? Who will yell when yelling is required? Who will carry the stone and provide the spark to fuel the Wings into Round 2?

You can't start a fire without a spark.

Sleepy Sunday

Coyotes 4, Red Wings 2; Western Quarterfinals, 1-2

Kind of a weird spot for Red Wings fans right about now. Can't don the tinfoil hats and blame the game on Gary Bettman, can't say the refs are conspiring to take out the Wings. Can't even say the Coyotes got too physical with them (with the refs allowing it) and threw them off their game, like in Game 1.

Nope, for once, Detroit fans have to point directly at the guys wearing red. And it's time for those guys in red to look in the mirror. Because today was complete garbage. Sloppy play right off the bat, Phoenix leads 1-0 seconds into the game. Okay. Wings came back and tied it, and took control for the rest of the period. They had Phoenix on their heels. And then they came out of the intermission, dicked around for a minute, failing to establish any pressure on the carry-over power play on some fresh ice, and after that, they just decided to take a snooze. They gradually allowed the Coyotes to swing the momentum, keep the puck in the Red Wings' zone, and generally dictate how the game was played. For those keeping score, that's two out of three games where the Coyotes have controlled the pace, tempo, and attitude of the game. And the series now reflects that fact. Phoenix 2, Red Wings 1.

This game looked a lot like those afternoon games from 2003 against Anaheim, 2004 against Calgary, and 2006 against Edmonton. Games where the Red Wings, despite playing a team from several time zones over, had significantly less energy than their opponents. The Coyotes were playing this game two hours earlier than their bodies were accustomed to, and they came into JLA and punched the Wings in the mouth. Don't get it twisted, they had control of this game well before they broke the 1-1 tie late in the second period. And then in the third period, with an offensive zone faceoff...they lose the draw and the forwards decide to just hang back as Phoenix blazes into the zone and turns Rafalski and Lidstrom (!) into road cones.

And then, to top it all off, after the Wings get it back to 3-2, and the crowd is alive and frenzied again...our playoff virgin goalie gets his cherry broken. Note: I'm not saying Osgood should be put in now. That's an asinine thought, and the Wings showed they don't trust him in goal late in the season in Philadelphia. He's done. But just as Osgood has shown his time has expired, the last three games have shown that Jimmy Howard just might not be ripe yet. After the Olympic break, he looked pretty damn good. Stayed in position, wasn't giving up rebounds, and had appeared to lose the habit of giving up those soul-sucking goals that should never go in. All of the above have returned in spades since the playoffs started. Today, he was way out of position on Phoenix's first goal, over-committing to the near post, which resulted in him throwing himself across the crease on the wraparound follow up, which in turn resulted in him basically being in the net when the puck came out to the slot for Lepisto's goal. On the second goal, Howard served up one of those extra juicy rebounds he routinely gave up pre-Olympics. And on their fourth goal which broke our backs today...there's simply no excuse. That was a dead-on wrist shot from the perimeter at the top of the circle. Wasn't a hard shot, there was no screen, no deflection, no traffic at all. It just went through him, and that's the kind of goal that can never go in during the playoffs. Plain and simple, he has to stop that shot.

It's not all on him. The first goal wouldn't have happened if the Wings hadn't have tried simply sweeping the puck out up the middle. The second goal was a result of bad luck (Kronwall's pass going off Abdelkader's skate) and some poor defensive play (Abdelkader failing to cancel Wolski in front of the net). He had no chance on the third goal because, unspeakably, the Red Wings' top line was sleeping on the ice, completely out-hustled and bowled over. But at the same time, sometimes you need your goalie to just slam the door shut, even when the defense coughs it up in front of him. For all the criticism that was thrown Chris Osgood's way, there were games in the playoffs when he just decided "alright fuck it" and put the team on his back. Whether or not Jimmy Howard is up to that task remains to be seen, but he hasn't done it yet, and he has to be better.

Like I said though, it's not all on him. The turd they laid out there today was a collective team effort. Simply put, this game looked more like the Red Wings from six years ago as they transitioned from the fossils of Yzerman and Shanahan to the new blood of Datsyuk and Zetterberg. They looked nothing like the machine they've been for the majority of the past three postseasons. Lack of heart, lack of determination, lack of hustle, lack of execution, lack of everything. Every attribute we've seen out of the Red Wings for the past three years that has endeared them to us and won our hearts...today, they were none of those things.

It's not close to being over, obviously. They faced a 2-1 deficit to the Ducks last year and caved the Ducks' skulls in in Game 4 in Anaheim. That 6-3 win in Anaheim last year told me a lot about the heart and character of last year's Red Wings team. Things endly horribly for them, for it wasn't for a lack of determination; they were just gassed at the end. The tank was empty. They didn't bow out with a "meh" attitude about them like they did in 2004 against Calgary. They aren't the Pistons.

Tuesday night, we will see what this version of the Red Wings are made of. Will they rise to the challenge and respond like they're capable of? Or will they mail it in like they did today and start setting their sights on the golf course?

A Dream That Lives Deep In Every Heart

	CBC - Chance May Never Come Again .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

There's a dream that lives, deep in every heart...

Heroes carve their name...

Legends leave their mark...

And it's worth the sweat, and it's worth the pain...

'Cause the chance may never come again...

Give it all you got...take your best shot...

The fire burns deep inside...stand above the giants...yeah...

For the game belongs...to the swift and the strong...

Though the flame burns bright...in an instant, it's gone...

It's the spirit of the game...and the legend lives on and on...

But the chance may never come again, nooo, no...
The chance may never come...again...

In my mind, every second from here on out is one second closer to the unthinkable announcement that Nicklas Lidstrom will retire.

I hope the Red Wings play like it. It starts tonight at 10:00 in the desert. Bring it home, Wings.

The chance may never come again.