I didn't stay up to watch the game last night...but you can bet I'll be hitting up the Winter Olympics on Demand when I get home this evening to check out the hit that Detroit's own Ole-Kristian Tollefsen delivered to Lubos Bartecko in last night's quarter-final game.

Apparently, Bartecko was carried off on a stretcher and OKT got himself a one game suspension.  Promting MaryAnne Hossa to say this:

“You hate to see elbows in the face like that and that was one of the ugliest I’ve ever saw.  That guy should be suspended for a long time. It’s difficult when you see a teammate going down like that.”

I'll wait to pass judgement until after I see the hit for myself, but I think we can all collectively say: "Shut the f**k up, Hossa."

From the Free Press...

Zetterberg was among the first 22 inductees Monday into the Triple Gold Club at Vancouver: players with a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal and a world title (even though the Cup is silver).

Seven of them won the Cup as Wings: Zetterberg, Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Brendan Shanahan, Nicklas Lidstrom, Niklas Kronwall and Mikael Samuelsson.

I miss Sammy a lot more than I thought I was going to, and I think Detroit does too.  Sure, I don't miss all of the blown shots high and wide.  I don't miss the puck smacking against the glass of whatever goalie is playing against us.  But Sammy's real worth came in the defensive zone.  His predilection to taking bad shots in the offensive zone I think overshadowed just how hard that guy used to work in the defensive zone to make sure to get the puck out.  I wonder if Hudler had told us he was leaving to begin with, would we have re-signed #37?

Zetterberg is sick, no matter how many times Rosby tries to tell us that "anyone would have made that play"...

Lidas är kung!  Nothing more needs to be said about Lidstrom.

Kronwall needed to drink more milk growing up, but when he's actually healthy, he's a beast.  He's quickly becoming a premiere defenseman in the NHL.  He's still young enough to get better which is good, because when we lose #5 to retirement, we'll need #55 to play twice as good to help fill the hole.

Not because of the hockey, but because of this man:

The simplicity of this is the real art.

How do use "disjointed" four times in 20 seconds???  How can Germany score a goal, and somehow you still talk only about Crosby?  How is your head that shiny?

For the love of all things holy, SHUT UP for three seconds man. Wonder why the USA/Canada game was so great to watch?  Turns out, it was because McGuire was nowhere to be found.

There is even a petition to remove him from TSN.  Make it happen NBC/TSN.  He is ruining hockey for me.

To:  TSN

We the people of Canada demand higher standards for the colour commentary of our national sport. Pierre McGuire has raised the ire of Canadians across the country. We recognize that Pierre McGuire continuously speaks about the game of hockey as though he were the chap who first came upon a frozen mottle of cow business and decided to whack it around with some wood. Sure, we can all put aside his regal 93-94 season in which he took the helm as interim coach of the Carolina Hurriances. In that season he shone his glorious omnipotent beam of hockey knowledge upon the dark skies of the carolina tarfields, leading them to a 23-37-7 rcord. While he may always be able to hold this accomplishment over the head of anyone who questions his rink prowess, it does not stop us the people from standing up to this little man. His constant browbeating analysis of the minutiae of every mistake during every second of the entire game amounts to nothing more than an auditory garbagecan. Furthermore, the constant repeating of the same points over and over ad nauseum, have left many of us nauseous before the end of the 1st.

We wish to ask Pierre McGuire to reaize that his falsely inflated hockey ego has reached epic proportions and that he must step down in order to keep the integrity in the game.

Sincerely,

http://www.petitiononline.com/mcguire/petition.html

Has the world gone crazy when I actually agree with something Lil Gary Bettman says?

Bettman states that the Olympics shutdown costs the NHL money, disrupts the season, and has other issues including:

1. The control the IOC asserts over rights and media access
2. NBC’s terrible scheduling of Olympic matches on little brother networks that many people don't even have access to
3. The obvious risk of injury to its best players.

Before this Olympics, I wouldn't have thought the risk of injury was all that great.  But after watching the preliminary games, my mind has been dramatically changed.  These boys are out to hurt each other.  When Bobby Ryan is cannon ball-ing Corey Perry (he won brownie points with me for that), something tells me that the Olympians really don't give a hoot about who's a teammate back in the NHL sandbox.

NBC's coverage is absolutely horrible and everyone knows it.  What's the solution?  Give it to VS?

The IOC is a bunch of politically correct-obsessive twits...as opposed to the hypocritical twits running the NHL right now.

So are there issues?  Of course there are.  Solutions?  Not so black and white.  And I hardly think Gary Bettman is the man to solve them.  Bottom line is that I think that the NHL players should be involved if you're looking to find out who's the best of the best (sorry, Mike Green).  And guess who agrees with me?

“It’s great for the league and hockey as a whole, a chance to showcase the best players in the world on a world stage.”--Nick Lidstrom

However, Gary's not convinced that the Olympics does more good than harm to the NHL...and I just can't say that I completely disagree with him.

So yesterday I introduced you to Wings Win, Eh?, the newest member to the Red Wings blogging community (as far as I know).  The one thing that I told Rob over there that he needs is a banner.

I pitched him the idea of running a contest to make you people do his job for him and he liked it.  Actually, Rob, like myself, are not gifted in the ways of photo shop and could use all the help we can get.

So c'mon, peeps...help a brother out.

He keeps it pretty simple:

Guidelines: Try to incorporate the blog name, with a little bit of Canada and a little bit of the Red Wings.

See if you can beat this...

This made me laugh, so I figured I'd pass it on to you.  Here's the prelude via macleans.ca:

I had a late lunch yesterday at a bar on Robson and overheard a few guys analyzing the performance of Canada’s men’s hockey team. I thought you’d appreciate hearing their input since they seemed pretty confident they had it all figured out. That’s why I took notes. I guess what I’m saying is: Give this a read and it’s pretty much “Good night, Germany.”

P.S. The language they used was a little saucy so I took the liberty of replacing the “f-word” with the names of various Osmonds.

I had no idea that there were this many Osmonds...but let's get to the conversation:

Guy1: Here’s one thing I don’t Donny get. This Merrill business about chemistry.

JFM: Marie right.

Guy1: You’re making $40 million Jimmy dollars a year or whatever, you should be able to step on the Merrill ice and say, “Hi, my Alan name is Sidney Donny Crosby, let’s go score some goals together.”

JFM: Marie right.

Guy3: One of those Jay guys came in here right now, I’d say it to their Alan, Merrill face.

JFM: Marie.

Guy1: You’re playing in your own Jimmy backyard. I just don’t Wayne understand.

[Long pause. Some contemplative beer drinking.]

Guy3: What you gotta Merrill do is go into that Donny dressing room and kick some Alan ass. These guys are so Jay pampered.

JFM: Marie right.

Guy3: Get in there and tear a Donny strip off ’em!

Guy1: Motivate ’em.

JFM: True. Marie true.

[Another pause.]

Guy1: Donny Brodeur.

Is 'tear a Donny strip off' 'em' good enough for a new phrase to use around here? 

I think so.

After everything that has been said about the titillating (what a word) game Sunday, I don't have a whole lot to add, other than this simple little point of why Gary Bettman still doesn't get it.

I go to law school down here in Ohio, a place with no water for miles, like four trees, a couple highways, and a really freaking big school known as Ohio State.  For 365 days of the year, I am consistently barraged with OSU football.  I have a couple hockey friends down here, but other than those people nobody talks about hockey.  Now I think the Jackets are a good thing in Columbus and will only get better.  But people don't talk about them "around the water cooler" so to speak.

Monday, I get to school, and all I hear are murmers and conversations about "did you see the hockey game last night" and "wow that was a hell of a game."   My classmates know I'm a hockey guy and I probably was asked 50 times yesterday what I thought of the game. This has never happened before and probably won't again, anytime soon.

I get that it is a business risk to participate, I get that there needs to be more cooperation between the IOC and the NHL.  I get that NBC sucks as a partner.  But for you to say that it doesn't might not make sense for the league to have this showcase, even in Russia (there could be some great plot-lines behind those games too...), shows once again, you are simply a shortsighted, poor businessman who has no business running a league.

Fire Bettman.

You know it was bound to happen.  Unless Canada wins 4 straight games in 6 days and wins the gold, you better believe they'll be plenty of people with their pitchforks and torches.  After Sunday's defeat at the hands of Team USA, Hockey Canada is already starting to question management, which just happens to be The Captain.

Now rather and doing a public pouting session like Gretzky did in Salt Lake City, true to form, Yzerman remained calm, cool, and focused as reported by ABC...

"We know the expectations and the hopes of our country.  Our players just want to win. They want to do well. It's a great challenge for them. You can't worry about anything other than playing the game — and not worry about the big picture."

We wouldn't expect any different from Stevie-Y.  But is there a bigger question trying to bubble up to the surface here?

"I've chosen this career path and win or lose. They have been great experiences.  I'm not concerned about my legacy."

Who in the hell is questioning Yzerman about his legacy?  Let me make this plain and simple - Steve Yzerman the player will ALWAYS be remembered before Steve Yzerman, the GM of Hockey Canada for 2010 Vancouver Olympics.  That is the way it should be.  If there's anyone out there who's going to put these Olympic Games, regardless of how it ends, before all of the great things he did over the years spent on the ice, quite frankly: you're a moron.

I know it's easy to get swept up in the drama and the angst because the games are going on right now, but come on people, you're going to start questioning Steve Yzerman's legacy because you finished 6th in preliminary play?  Before the tournament is even over?

"Are you stupid?  Hell no."

Yzerman is and will always be remembered as the epitome of class.  He was one of the most determined, and most effective leaders to ever play the game of hockey.  He is The Captain in Detroit.  You say those words around anyone in the state of Michigan who knows hockey, and they know who you are referring to.

So Canada may not leave with the gold or any medal, Yzerman's legacy remains intact with those who are in the know.  Crucify him if you want.  Go ahead.  I encourage it.  Why?  Because I know better.  My fellow Red Wings fans know better.  We know what Yzerman's legacy will be from now until forever.  And if he gets a little bad press as a GM for Hockey Canada?  Does that make him less likely to leave Detroit's organ-i-zation? 

Then I say, "bring it on."

After last night's game, Mr. Brian Rafalski, the pride and joy of Dearborn, MI had a little chat with NHL.com...

NHL.com -- How important was it to score a goal right away – your shot that beat Martin Brodeur just 41 seconds into the game?

It's a stupid question, but Raf was (fairly) gracious with his answer.

Rafalski -- Obviously, that’s a good start for us. It put a lot more pressure on them and they had to expend a lot of energy. They outshot us for the period. But when they tied it up we responded and were able to get ahead again.

NHL.com -- Having stunned Canada right off the opening faceoff, you then scored again just 22 seconds after the Canadians had tied the game midway through the second period. How important was that?

Yet another stupid question.  How important was the first goal? How important was the next goal?  How important is every goal?

Rafalski -- I think that was huge for us. Even though we didn’t have the best first period, they came out flying and we came out with the lead. I think we got stronger as the game went on.

NHL.com -- Can you compare this to any game you’ve played in before?

Rafalski -- Obviously. (the) Stanley Cup Finals. Gold medal. It’s a little different on the NHL ice compared to the Olympic ice, though. Everything happens a little faster. And it’s a fast game – every line of theirs skates well. And they’re big bodies and they were skating well.

We weathered the storm in the second and were able to come out on top. That power play goal (by Jamie Langenbrunner 7:09 into the third that made it 4-2) I thought was huge for us.

Are we noticing the abundance of the word "obviously"...which is a nice way of saying "what kind of stupid question is that?"

NHL.com -- What did you accomplish today?

Rafalski -- Obviously, we get an extra day off, which is great. My family just came in last night, so I’ll finally get to see them. But this was good for us. It was good to see our team come out and score some big goals and finish when we had to.

NHL.com -- How do you stand up to those gigantic Canadian forwards coming at you shift after shift?

Rafalski -- You do it every game in the NHL. Now, you just have four lines that do it.

Translation, just another day at the office, b*tch!

Did you know that Kevin Smith made Cop-Out?  Doesn't that make you sad? 

Well it appears that Silent Bob is already working on the film to try and win me back.  Here's a little bit from fusedfilm.com...

While promoting his new film Cop Out, (in theaters this friday) Kevin Smith revealed to NHL.com that Seann William Scott will be taking the lead role in his upcoming film, Hit Somebody.

Scott will be playing the lead role of “Buddy” in the film is based on the Warren Zevon song of the same name with lyrics by Mitch Albom. The story is about a hockey player who excels at fighting more so than actually scoring goals.

Well...using Sean William Scott in every movie you make going forward isn't necessarily going to win points with me...but I can remain hopeful.  Nothing's ever going to top Slapshot though, and I mean ever.

Go ahead and click the link to see what appears to be a video of Detroit's own Delicate Genius and Kevin Smith walking around JLA and talking a little hockey.  For those of you unfamiliar with the term Delicate Genius, let me bring you up to speed from Abel to Yzerman's glossary of terms:

There was a time, long ago, when the idea of reading a Mitch Albom column brought with it a sense of anticipation.  You just knew his stuff would be that good.  Back in ‘87 he made a point of traveling with Jacques Demers, every day, to the rink during the playoffs.  He wrote with true sorrow about the playoff loss to Edmonton after the “Goose Loonies” incident.  He was a Wing fan’s columnist.  But over the years, Mitch found other interests...radio, tv, fiction (both in the papers and out) and the Wings fell by the wayside.  Oh, Mitch shows up at the Joe now and then.  When?  October and April.  No time for Detroit hockey during the regular season.  Nope. Mitch is all about the beginning and the end.  Unfortunately, like so many mediocre writers, he’s forgotten the middle.  But when the time comes to rip the Wings, with very little knowledge of the team or organization....there he is, The Delicate Genius.

You'll probably notice that we borrow a few terms from that glossary...I would like to think that the Chief believes that those words and phrases belong to all of Red Wing-dom...but who knows.