Wings v. Sharks - Round Two
So just one day after a fairly successful western road trip, the Wings have to play a rested San Jose team tonight at the Joe. We recently dispatched the Sharks 5-3 in a classy matchup between the two teams and I wouldn't be suprised if tonight was a battle.
Still, the Wings have a few things going for them:
1.) Nobody can stop Dan(ny, iel) Cleary. He leads the team with twelve goals and just had his three game scoring streak ended. I expect at least one goal out of #11 tonight. And it will be ugly. Guaranteed.
2.) Jimmy will be back in goal tonight. As much as I thought Ozzie did a decent job on Saturday, the Wings win that game if Howard is in net, no question.
3.) The Sharks lost their last game 3-1 against Montreal, so they will be hungry. Still, they are in last place in the Pacific and don't seem to be the team that we remember from prior years. More like the team we remember from the playoffs of prior years.
4.) And by the way Sharks fans, making it to the conference finals one season does not suddenly relieve your team of its choker title it so rightly holds.
5.) Finally, the Sharks will be starting the true worst goaltender to ever win a Stanley Cup tonight, Antti Niemi. He's having an off year, which just might be because the league shaved an inch or two off his ginormous thigh rises from last season. It isn't much different, but looks like it made a difference. I'm going to have a post sometime to discuss the effect that the changes have had on the worst offenders in the league.
Puck drops at 7:30. Go Wings!
Still, the Wings have a few things going for them:
1.) Nobody can stop Dan(ny, iel) Cleary. He leads the team with twelve goals and just had his three game scoring streak ended. I expect at least one goal out of #11 tonight. And it will be ugly. Guaranteed.
2.) Jimmy will be back in goal tonight. As much as I thought Ozzie did a decent job on Saturday, the Wings win that game if Howard is in net, no question.
3.) The Sharks lost their last game 3-1 against Montreal, so they will be hungry. Still, they are in last place in the Pacific and don't seem to be the team that we remember from prior years. More like the team we remember from the playoffs of prior years.
4.) And by the way Sharks fans, making it to the conference finals one season does not suddenly relieve your team of its choker title it so rightly holds.
5.) Finally, the Sharks will be starting the true worst goaltender to ever win a Stanley Cup tonight, Antti Niemi. He's having an off year, which just might be because the league shaved an inch or two off his ginormous thigh rises from last season. It isn't much different, but looks like it made a difference. I'm going to have a post sometime to discuss the effect that the changes have had on the worst offenders in the league.
vs.
When you combine that with his horrible skating ability, you have a goaltender with a 88.6 save percentage on the season.
In other notes, the Wings will ice the same team as Saturday, with the exception of Eaves will be in for Draper. Draper didn't impress in his first game back and will have to really earn a spot in the lineup. Good move by Babcock.Puck drops at 7:30. Go Wings!
