Red Wings Playoff Recap: 4.11.2012
Unfortunate final score, but the good news is, the Red Wings were the better team. Better at the PP and the PK. Better 5 on 5. Classier, harder working, but not quite as lucky. "You make your own luck."
Bull. Crap. If that was true, Detroit wins this game by 4. That's the thing about hockey: Occasionally, undeserving teams win. Just have to move on. It's a long series.
Jump for the recap:
It's possible that a team could win a series or two strictly on lucky bounces and officiating, but if that's what it takes to ensure success, your team has not arrived. Sorry.
Special Teams was supposed to be the thing that put Nashville the top in this series. Not so in game 1. Our PK was better and we actually got two on the PP.
Babcock made a major mistake in not dressing Nyquist, but he's my hero tonight for what he said about the officials. "These guys are trying to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals." No kidding. Bettman was in attendance for a game the Red Wings got boned by calls? I'm stunned. Babcock will likely be fined for speaking the truth. Help soften the blow by buying his book!
Guess who won't be suspended or fined? Well, maybe fined, but I'm sure that will really show him. That would be Shea Weber. After the horn, Weber, frustrated that Hank would consider trying to get the puck for a last second chance, punched Zetterberg in the back of the head. This was not enough though. Next, Weber, angry after a voice inside his head suggested that Hank's penis was bigger than his own, grabbed Zetterberg's head with both hands and slammed it into the boards. 2 for roughing.
Good friend of NOHS, @ChrissyChemist and others are hard at work getting @NHLShanahan's attention for the Weber incident. Join them. It probably won't make a difference in the end, but they need to know we're not screwing around anymore. I'm not above a boycott.
Howard was great when the puck wasn't being stupid. It's a long series...
Apparently Micky Redmond was on fire with all those bad calls. I did not get to hear them, but I understand he made the following statement:
"The game of hockey lost tonight."
We'll end this recap with that.
Next game is Friday. I can't frigging wait.
Update on Helm from Khan- "it looks like he won't return this season no matter how long Detroit's playoff run lasts."
http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2012/04/red_wings_forward_darren_helm_1.html
@ThroatShot An incredible loss..... I can only hope they realize the kind of player they need to fill his skates. I do not think Goose can quite do that and Eaves would help but not with the speed. I can only think of Conner with the heart he showed when called up this season. After all it was Helm who shined and earned his spot from the playoffs...... Whoever does fill that void has to play with all their heart if the team will recover from the loss of Helm.
Mickey is right, as he usually is.
We have been losing the luck battle for months. It is getting old.
WORST thing from tonight? Helm. :( I certainly hope it isn't that bad, but he had to be rushed to surgery. My hopes are not high for him in this playoff season. I just hope he's OK and there aren't any long term problems for him. GET WELL SOON HELM AND EAVES!!!
@ThroatShot I have to wonder who stepped on a crack, who crossed the path of a black cat, who walked under a ladder, and most importantly, who put a voodoo curse on us :-(
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This is long, I apologize. Twig instructed me to unload lol.
We should have won this. Someone on my facebook said we didn't outplay Nashville. Well, not for a full 60 minutes (because if any team did that someone would be 82-0, derp) but if it weren't for Rinne and weird bounces this would have been ours. Our powerplay was successful and didn't let up any short handed goals! Our PK is still great.
More than any officiating and illegal face smash problem, at this point I'm most worried about Helm. Reportedly in surgery, no specific information on what was injured just that he his having surgery on his forearm, but it is serious.
The officiating was stupid. There is no other way to describe it. I guess, at least it was pretty even, but the calls were outrageous. I WISH the NHL would take a look at how ridiculous that was. Seriously, sixteen penalties? That's INSANE. Enough said. Mickey actually left the broadcast booth, probably to go calm down. He was nearly yelling.
Now. The Weber thing. First, I spammed the NHL about the insane number penalties, just to be obnoxious (sorry everyone who follows me) but this needs to be looked at. He should be suspended. If anyone uses the because its the cup reason to justify this after he doesn't (because he won't be) I'm going to flip tables. If that were a real reason there wouldn't have been 16 penalties "in the name of player safety." I know he's not going to be, but it's crap. I know it won't do any good, but, this is what needs to be taken out of hockey. There was no reason for him to do it other than to injure him out of frustration. Nashville fans and Trotz justify this because "Weber was hit first." and had "Franzen and Bert on him all night." Anyone justifying this clearly doesn't know hockey nor do they care about the players. That wasn't a hit, that was a face smash. Unnecessary. If the NHL doesn't look at this they're hypocrites for saying they want to make the players safe. #SuspendWeber
If/When he isn't, someone needs to step up and go Darren McCarty on him (since he's clearly channeling Lemeiux). Not to kill him, but ti beat the crap out of him so he turtles on the ice, and it can't be Bert just because Bert would be suspended just because of who he is.
@ChrissyKraceva IQ27, E, or Smitty (if he were here) would be the ones to answer the bell because outside of pav, none of the rest of the team can fight worth a shit.
The league will leave the beard alone for the plain reason that Trashville is a "feel good" story. "Non-traditional" hockey market suddenly flourishing and having a legitimate chance at glory (before mercenaries walk). They just don't have the balls to do that. Anyone remember Malkin in 09 third man in on a fight? I do. Should have been an automatic suspension. Instead he won the series for Shitsburgh. Don't worry about beard bitch. Pav seems to be rounding into non-Byng form. He usually picks a "bitch" for a game and then moves on. Something tells me he is going to be going after 6 to make him look stupid and royally piss him off. Things will sort themselves out. No need to look for blood when none has been spilled (outside of a freak accident).
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@ChrissyKraceva Oh the fine lines we walk when we call for retribution whilst Darren McCarty is in retirement and Todd Bertuzzi is skating with a Winged Wheel on his chest.
I really need to proof read things hah.
@brendanksullivan That's why I'm afraid of the whole "price on Weber's head" notion because this is 2012, going after a player in retaliation evokes Steve Moore incident memories more than McCarty on Lemeiux in this time period, which is thoroughly unfortunate. Part of what makes hockey so great are the long memories the players have; but if you're a Wing, you either don't fight and are a "bitch" or you do fight and you're "dirty and should be taken out of the game."
Also, we REALLY don't have anyone who can effectively fill the McCarty/Kocur shoes. What's little Abby gonna do to Weber aside from make awesome faces at him?
I'm just awed at how much respect I lost for The Predators tonight. I really did give them a lot of credit and actually liked them (especially after Josi skated over to Eaves as he was taken off the ice), but this was just unacceptable.
@ChrissyKraceva Also would have loved to listen to Micky tonight..... I love his attitude and support for the integrity of Hockey...... but I live in the Desert where the howling and Detroit's 2nd home is so I do not get the luxury of getting to hear him in the Playoffs.
@ChrissyKraceva Great points... I have always wanted someone to fill McCarty's shoes and step up in the teams defense.
I just hope Helm is going to be back soon...... If not we need to get someone with Heart to fill the void like Conner..... if not that then get some luck and have Eaves magically come back and Dominate.... Really a great effort and some big losses taken tonight.
There seemed to be a lot of ill-advised hate towards Stuart during this game on the twinternets, btw. But after he saved another goal along the goal-line (which is what he does), people shut the f*** up. Also, I'm angry, hence my latest post (shameless Sullvertising here).
@brendanksullivan How could anyone hate on Stuart after this game... that just amazes me. Him and the other guy people love to hate on defense to me had amazing games.
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@brendanksullivan Next year when he is gone and iQ27 takes his place we are all going to miss him. Badly. He is typically a Lidstromesque stabilizing presence on our second D pair.
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@KevinMichael Shhhhhhh. In my head his family is just going to move here and we're not going to lose him, I won't let go of this fantasy until after the playoffs!
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@ChrissyKraceva I want to stick to that fantasy too as well as Helm will be back soon...... Two very important players for the team.
@KevinMichael I have not heard his name as "iQ27" before but for that I thank you. It's wonderful!
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@brendanksullivan I think Stuart has been having some bad luck .... he still is important to this team.
How about the fact that Helm may very well have a Modano injury.
Not good... not good at all.
I might get shunned for this, but I picked Smashville to win this series. But the reason was NEVER due to officiating. But I should have guessed that with this match up, that would be the reason.
There truly are only two reactions Bettman could have had while watching this game.....
1. OMG, these guys are doing a TERRIBLE job. This is completely embaressing for the game.
2. Muwhahah, the plan is working!
I felt like it was #2
Weber should get a game.
@magnum9 I posted on Facebook a game right after the game. After I have thought it out and watched the replay I am up to at least 10 games. The more I watch it the more it reminds me of Hunter's hit on Turgeon in being an intent to injury a star player on the other team. Lucky for us the outcome was different.
