|
Post by attica on Apr 4, 2007 14:48:51 GMT -5
DJ, i believe the biggest factor in this series, is it will be against a team that recently knocked us out. Theres still a few vets around who remember that. Guys like homer, draper, listrom, maltby, chelios, schneider..datsyuk, hank.. are going to play this series like its a grudge match. Thats exactly what weve been lacking in recent years. Even without Z, and possibly a few other guys(hopefully not), if the wings come out with passion, play a full 60 minutes, and make sharp plays, they should be fine against anyone. Conversely, if they take calgary lightly, even with hank in the lineup, it wont be pretty, but again, as they have recently knocked us out, and its been 3 straight early exits.. i see a pissed off wings squad with something to prove, i jut hope theres not a let down in the second round.
|
|
|
Post by redwayne on Apr 4, 2007 15:00:55 GMT -5
attica, not to mention babs got schooled by mact last year and will definetly want to make up for a poor showing of his coaching ability. does he have the coaching abilities to get us by the other teams strategy? we shall see, also hasek is the other factor we didnt have last year, i cant really see him losing focus after getting by a first round opponent, if anything it will sharpen his focus on the task at hand. not to say hasek can win it for us if we cant score, but you get my point.
|
|
|
Post by attica on Apr 4, 2007 15:17:15 GMT -5
yip. Im not worried about hasek, and not that i want to get into this debate, but honestly, im not worried about ozzy if need be either. Im worried abotu the team letting off the gas pedal. Seams to me, that when they have something to prove, they play far better, and when they silence their critics, they go back to sleep. Great example is that nashville series. 2 Great intensity filled wins, The media screams, "oh wait dont count the wings out yet, these guys are in line for the presidents trophy, a pair of convincing wins over nashville".. then the wings tank for 4 games. Its happend about 5 times this season. Everytime people start saying "on second thought, maybe the wings are contenders" they fall apart. Theres no saying they dont go into calgary like a wounded animal.. desperate to proove to the woorld that they ARE contenders, they CAN beat physical teams, they ARE built for the playoffs. In doing so, they spank calgary badly in 4 or 5 games, only to get cocky, and rest on their laurels once they convince everyone they have what it takes. Hopefully thats not the case.
|
|
|
Post by toledowingsfan on Apr 4, 2007 15:18:40 GMT -5
Calgary is the #1 home team in the NHL. If we lose game 1 or 2, we surrender home ice. If there's an opponent where home ice matters, it's Calgary. I'd hate to sit Z out of game 1 or game 2 and then be forever second guessed if I were the Wings.
If anything, I play Z in Game 1 and Game 2 and then if he's got any issues and the Wings are up 2-0, I don't even have him travel to Calgary. The flight from Detroit to Calgary is close to 5 hours. 10 hours on a plane might be worse for Z's back at this point than 2 hockey games.
|
|
|
Post by tstar on Apr 4, 2007 16:00:47 GMT -5
The Wings can survive without Hank. Would it be better if he can play? Of course! But Detroit can certainly beat the Flames without him. That's why we traded for Bertuzzi and Calder, so we don't rely on just one or two guys / one line for all the offense. Personally, I'd rather take our chances without Hank, at least for a couple of games, because we will need him healthy should we make it to round 2 and beyond. But if we get down early, then yeah - let him dress if he's close to healthy. Regarding the match up with Calgary, here are how the 4 games against them break down: 1. In Detroit, Wins won 3-2 in a very close game 2. In Calgary, Flames won 1-4 in a lopsided game 3. In Detroit, Wings won 7-4. This game was over in the first period, total domination by Detroit. 4. In Calgary, Flames won 1-2 in a game the Wings couldn't stay out of the penalty box. Based on that, I don't see Calgary as some hugely intimidating foe. They were terrible on the road all season and got completely blown out of JLA once. Should we play them, with home ice advantage, I like our chances. Not entirely correct. The game the Wings couldn't stay out of the box in was Vancouver. Against Calgary, I believe the PP differential was either 4:1 or 6:1 for the Flames. The Wings outplayed them that night, but never got a PP under the middle of the third period. The Flames 2 goals were both on the PP as they were getting dominated 5-on-5. EDIT: It was actually 5:1 PP differential that game. Detroit's first PP wasn't until 7:39 in the 3rd period. Until then, the Flames had played a "perfect" game in the eyes of Eric Furlatt and Bill McCreary - who had given the thoroughly outplayed Flames 5 PPs, including a phantom slash on Maltby 47 seconds into the game that allowed the Flames to score less than 2 minutes in and play with the lead all game.
|
|
|
Post by attica on Apr 4, 2007 16:07:54 GMT -5
As far as im concerned the wings are the #1 home team in the playoffs.., 4 losses in regulation(and lets face it, theres not going to be much OT 4v4 and no shootouts in the playoffs. 4 regulation losses compared to calgarys 8, granted cgy has 2 more regulation wins, and the same amt of OT/SO wins. While i was digging up those stats, i wandered across some stats that made me kind of smile. www2.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/stats/teamthe wings have a combination of 5 shootout wins/ OT wins on the season. The teams that are close to us in points? Buffalo 15, (10 by SO), Vancouver 16 (11 in OT), dallas 14 (8 by SO), Jersey 13 ( 10 by SO), nashville 9 (6 by SO), anaheim 9. So with a little basic math these teams have gained, buffalo (10), van (11), dallas (9), nash (4) Jersey, (8), anaheim (4) all points gained on the wings in OT or the SO. In other words, without OT and shootouts, the wings would have clinched the presidents trophy a week ago. Its nice to be at the top of the heap knowing that hardly any of our points came from gimmicks.
|
|
batch
Prospect
Posts: 252
|
Post by batch on Apr 4, 2007 16:46:54 GMT -5
... how 'bout that emmerton deal?
|
|
|
Post by wingman56 on Apr 4, 2007 17:10:33 GMT -5
... how 'bout that emmerton deal? hah..yea I was just going to say that. Nobody has said a word about it in this thread. Is he now expected to play in Grand Rapids? I know they signed Ritola a week or 2 ago, but he's been scratched for like 3-4 games so far. Would be nice to see Emmerton play a few pro games.
|
|
|
Post by Lindy on Apr 4, 2007 17:19:50 GMT -5
he'll practice similar to Kindl and might get a game before the playoffs. I fully expect him to return to Junior next year. This deal timing is very similar to Kindl and getting him to even just practice in GR is good experience for him. I am surprised they don't do the same for Mursak as well.
|
|
|
Post by wingman56 on Apr 4, 2007 17:28:02 GMT -5
he'll practice similar to Kindl and might get a game before the playoffs. I fully expect him to return to Junior next year. This deal timing is very similar to Kindl and getting him to even just practice in GR is good experience for him. I am surprised they don't do the same for Mursak as well. Good point, I forgot he was recently eliminated as well. Maybe they're negotiating.
|
|