Misconduct
Red Wings - Predators, Game Three Thoughts
Those who read the home page regularly could probably figure this out with about three minutes left in regulation tonight... I'm not recapping the game.
As I usually do with losses that p*ss me off, I'm blogging this one. I've said before, I like the option of just babbling rather than chronicling the Wings' complete collapse.
The good news is that this is a seven-game series and the Predators have to win on Wednesday just to pull back even. A win by Detroit then and they're back in control of the series, with a chance to win at home on Friday.
Over at Rangerland I said that Detroit deserved to lose for dropping into a 1-2-2 with 19 minutes left. That was an awful move, stepping away from a strategy that had been working for the first three games of the series.
Dan Ellis looked more human in this game but so did Dominik Hasek. Ellis was beaten by being frozen or caught out of position. Hasek was beaten by long shots that slipped through. A couple of those were screened I wonder if he shouldn't have had the Arnott one.
At the start of the playoffs I said that I was going to take these games one at a time, so I'm trying not to flip out or anything. It sucks but it's not the end of the world. Yet.
User Comments
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 1:43 PM
The series shifts to Nashville and the Predators are still likely to be without David Legwand, who did not take part in the morning skate today. Nashville coach Barry Trotz says Legwand will take the pre-game skate and decide from there.
No lineup changes for the Red Wings. Datsyuk and Zetterberg will start together but may not stay that way.
The last time the Wings took a 3-0 lead in a series was the opening round of the 2000 playoffs, en route to a sweep of the Los Angeles Kings.
I did not have a dream about hockey last night, first time this series.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 2:36 PM
I did not have a dream about hockey last night, first time this series.
Well I did. I dreamt that I missed the whole series for some reason, and the Wings got swept somehow. At least it was better than the dream about getting attacked by zombies I had the other night.
Anyway, I'd be happy with one win out of two from the two road games. Two out of two is just too much to expect.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 3:12 PM
While I'd love the sweep, coming back home for Game Five with the chance to win the series is also very nice. That's looking pretty far ahead, though, lots can happen between now and then.
I'm oddly calm about tonight's game.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 7:17 PM
Great Britain (0 NHL players) lost to Austria (containing Thomas Vanek, who scored a hat-trick) 10-5 today. I want cheering up. Hopefully the Wings can do that!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 7:43 PM
Big stop by Dom off the start.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 7:44 PM
That was close. Too close. Phew.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 7:55 PM
Good looking power play but gotta get on the board.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 7:57 PM
DRAAAAAAAAPES!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 7:58 PM
On the board! Kris Draper!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 8:01 PM
Let's see what the Powerplay can do.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 8:08 PM
Radulov went close there, but Hasek was having none of it.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 8:21 PM
Twenty minutes down and I think you've gotta be happy with that. Nashville expected to get some motivation from their home crowd and the Wings came out with the lead anyway. Far from decided but a good start.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 8:29 PM
Pretty decent start. Hasek's playing well....again, and that's given the wings a good platform to work from.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 8:50 PM
What a hit by Kronwall! 
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 8:53 PM
Hudler on the Powerplay! 2 nil oh yeah!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 8:54 PM
Hudler with the presence of mind to get control and jam it in. Huge goal.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 8:57 PM
And another Powerplay. Arnott's been poor, all series, and carries it on by giving away the penalty.
Can the wings capitalise?
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 9:01 PM
Damnit! Do not let them back in this!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 9:02 PM
Nooooo! That's livened the crowd up, which the Wings really don't want.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 9:05 PM
Well at least they didn't let in another one straight away. It could have been deja vu all over again.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 9:06 PM
Jesus Christ! Goddamnit!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 9:07 PM
Oh for f*ck's sake! I can't believe my eyes!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 9:09 PM
I nearly had a heart attack there as the puck flew wide! Just close out the period. They need to regain their composure.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 9:12 PM
I can't wait for the end of the period. This is unbearable.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 9:22 PM
Well at least there wasn't another Nashville goal. The intermission can break the momentum. Win the period and it's 3-0 and virtually over, lose the period and it's 2-1 with the momentum on Nashville's side. Tie the period and......I don't even want to think about that.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 9:24 PM
I was looking for Babcock to take the timeout like Saturday but seems like he was holding out for intermission. Glad that worked. We'll see if the Wings can come back out strong.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 9:32 PM
YESS! DASTYUK!!!!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 9:33 PM
Datsyuk the Sniper! Back in front!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 9:35 PM
The crowd's gone quiet. Keep it that way.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 9:42 PM
The arena's gotten quiet and the game seems slower. As long as the clock moves fast and time runs out for the Predators, that works for me.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 9:46 PM
Off the crossbar by Stuart.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 9:52 PM
Mickey's right, the Wings are sitting back a bit too much. I've got a killer headache and I feel sick, this game is driving me nuts.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 9:57 PM
They can't sit back too much now, there's way too much time left, and if Nashville score, the place is going to erupt, and all of a sudden the momentum will be back with the Predators. I've got a bad feeling about this.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 10:02 PM
Goddamnit!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 10:04 PM
I know that was a rocket, but damnit Dom, can you stop anything that's from more than a foot out?
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 10:04 PM
f*ck! AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!!! This can't be happening! Oh my f*cking god! another f*cking one! what the f*ck? what the f*cking f*ck? I can't f*cking believe this.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 10:09 PM
f*ck! AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!!! This can't be happening! Oh my f*cking god! another f*cking one! what the f*ck? what the f*cking f*ck? I can't f*cking believe this.
Quoted for accuracy.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 10:09 PM
1 minute left. C'mon! you can do this!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 10:13 PM
My headache went away. I'd rather still have it than have this.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 10:13 PM
Urgh. The game was there for the taking. How?
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 4/14/2008 at 10:19 PM
I'm off to bed. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
Posted by RideTheRedWave on 4/14/2008 at 10:25 PM
f*ck! AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!!! This can't be happening! Oh my f*cking god! another f*cking one! what the f*ck? what the f*cking f*ck? I can't f*cking believe this.
Typical wings choke, expected these days. Sat back WAY too early as redmond mentioned. perfect shot by arnott, it appears he got hurt while celebrating which happens more often than we think. At least it wasn't a blowout, wings had a chance to win on the road. legwand + 3. I would like to say this isn't a momentum shift but it is... anyone notice stuart trying to throw the game away????? I swear he has some evil intentions being that we beat his calgary team last year. Babcock knows "its not going to be easy" but why sit back and let them take over for the final 10 minutes.
Posted by choyer on 4/14/2008 at 10:25 PM
f*ck f*ck f*ck f*ck f*ck. Hasek is completely worthless unless the puck is in the paint. If Nashville ties this series up next game I will completely sh*t my pants. Hasek is known to blow games sometimes, but honestly... f*cking honestly. Could he be even more of a lame ass?
Posted by RideTheRedWave on 4/14/2008 at 10:31 PM
f*ck f*ck f*ck f*ck f*ck. Hasek is completely worthless unless the puck is in the paint. If Nashville ties this series up next game I will completely sh*t my pants. Hasek is known to blow games sometimes, but honestly... f*cking honestly. Could he be even more of a lame ass?
I dont think osgood would've done any better, ozzy is just as more likely to give up "waves" of goals, think 2001 vs. l.a. kings
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 10:33 PM
I'm trying hard not to blame Hasek, though I want to. Easy to us the "it's the playoffs, you have to make those stops" line of thinking.
This goes back to the Wings sitting back too soon. They should have kept the pressure up and forced the Predators to fight to gain the zone.
I didn't expect this to be a sweep. Actually, coming into Nashville with the crowd on their side, this was the one game I would have picked as most the most likely Predators win. I hate how it happened but now it's time to look to Game Four and if the Wings can get that one, they're sitting pretty again.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/14/2008 at 10:34 PM
I dont think osgood would've done any better, ozzy is just as more likely to give up "waves" of goals, think 2001 vs. l.a. kings
That said, Ozzie got hosed on the replay for at least one goal in that series. Tying goal in Game Six, IIRC.
Posted by choyer on 4/15/2008 at 4:07 PM
This is what happened in 2004 also. Last night I was still fuming when I posted my previous rant, so it was not entirely truthful to say the least, it was just my anger talking. However, It is unacceptable in my mind to blow 2-goal leads in 2 straight games. The game turned out to be a near replica of the San Jose/ Calgary game. However, if Detroit wins Game 4 they are completely golden. It is highly doubtful that Trashville will come back from a 3-1 deficit.
Posted by SYfanSD on 4/15/2008 at 6:01 PM
I was p*ssed and ended up turning off the game. How can you look that solid and play such a good game only to blow it in the last 7 minutes of play? We looked like retards and Dom looked like he was about 60 years old! 
Posted by RideTheRedWave on 4/15/2008 at 6:43 PM
The arnott shot was unstoppable, look where hasek was, and look where the shot went. Falling back is not the Wings type of game, If you look back at season stats, wings, when outshot have the worst win % in the NHL. We all know the Wings don't sit back, bad coaching move.
Posted by Mathieu_Datsyuk132351 on 4/15/2008 at 7:41 PM
klasjd;fja;skasjdlaads I was so mad! Not really about the game, I thought it was exciting, even if it was frustrating. But....I had so much to say last night, and my internet lost connection! D: And we couldn't figure out why until a few minutes ago! ): Now I don't remember what I had to say.
I was a little disappointed in Dr. Fil, lots and lots of chances for him =/ I don't think the goals can necessarily be blamed on Dom, but who knows? I have no goalie experience whatsoever.
Too bad there was no sweep, I like the broom thing XD I don't really remember hearing about brooms until the end of the playoffs last year.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/16/2008 at 10:57 AM
I don't really remember hearing about brooms until the end of the playoffs last year.
I forget how young you are sometimes. I feel so old.
Posted by Mathieu_Datsyuk132351 on 4/16/2008 at 4:53 PM
I forget how young you are sometimes. I feel so old.
Bah, age is just a number! 
Plus, you're not that old anyways. Old in my opinion is in your 60s. 
Even if I am young, at least I'm pretty mature! woo!
I don't know how my age relates to the playoffs, though XD
Posted by Johnny Polaris on 4/16/2008 at 6:10 PM
I forget how young you are sometimes. I feel so old.Bah, age is just a number!
Even if I am young, at least I'm pretty mature!
I don't know how my age relates to the playoffs, though XD
I think Clark was just refering to the "brooms" catch phrase, which started many years ago (maybe before you were born). Pretty much a curse on your team, unless you happen to be a locker room janitor.
I felt like I was 60 yrs old after game 3 though. Wierd experience that night trying to calm down and get to sleep. Restless and thrashing about, 1am, damn. Told myself it's only game 3, and Zened myself down to a near R.E.M. state of relaxation. When out of nowhere a red banner with "WINGS" on it scrolled across my entire field of view. Double damn! Had to start over.
Just a crazed fan at any age.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 4/16/2008 at 9:02 PM
I forget how young you are sometimes. I feel so old.Bah, age is just a number!
Even if I am young, at least I'm pretty mature!
I don't know how my age relates to the playoffs, though XD
I think Clark was just refering to the "brooms" catch phrase, which started many years ago (maybe before you were born). Pretty much a curse on your team, unless you happen to be a locker room janitor.
I felt like I was 60 yrs old after game 3 though. Wierd experience that night trying to calm down and get to sleep. Restless and thrashing about, 1am, damn. Told myself it's only game 3, and Zened myself down to a near R.E.M. state of relaxation. When out of nowhere a red banner with "WINGS" on it scrolled across my entire field of view. Double damn! Had to start over.
Just a crazed fan at any age.
Exactly what I meant.
And I had the same problem getting to sleep. Busy day tomorrow, I hope the Wings don't cause too much of a lack of sleep tonight (though the late start can't help that much).
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