Series is tied 1-1 and Detroit showed everyone that they have the ability to dominate the Ducks, as long as they don't let up. Hopefully a lesson learned and we won't see that again.

Hiller looked human, and that works to our advantage. He's a great goalie, but doesn't handle pressure very well. Jimmy does, and I fully expect him to show us why he's worth his 6-year extension.

Click the jump for more.

Well, that was fun. This game just proves once again that no lead is safe. Doesn’t help when your goalie starts to crack under the pressure, either. Still, a win is a win in the playoffs and home ice is now ours. Win all home games and advance.

More after the jump:

Hey gang...been a while since you've heard from me.  I apologize for that - work's got me running' around like a madman (I've put in over 18,000+ miles on the road since mid January).  But forget all that - it's Red Wings play-off time and it's long past due that we get re-acquainted.  Oh and my personal lap top is dead (RIP) and my work computer won't let me upload images so I'm sorry for that as well.

Let me start off by saying that I did end up nodding off somewhere in the second period of last night's game.  I'm ashamed to admit it.  I was awoken to the sound of the NBC Sports crew announcing Anaheim's third goal...not the manner in which anyone who's a fan of the Winged Wheel would like to hear.  I then had to sit there and watch our lead evaporate as Bobby Ryan tied it up late in the third.

It's amazing how the impartial NBC Sports guys will simply shift their favor to whichever team is playing better at the time...I suppose that's the way it's supposed to be...but it's annoying nonetheless.

Regardless, Mrs. Nightmare On Helm Street's favorite Finn made one of the prettiest plays of the season toe dragging around Katy Perry and dishing it to Goose for match point barely into overtime.  Series tied 1-1 heading back to Hockeytown.

But that's not all.  Make the jump.

Babbles listened.  

Tootoo is out. Bertuzzi is in.  

And that means one thing - a 'Tuzzi game day poster. 

After the break. 

This has to be the best picture ever, confirming everything I knew already about Perry.  He's on the left: 

That's who Detroit has to beat .  That guy. 

(Credit to Reddit)

Tuesday’s game was a bit of a letdown for Wings fans. We all felt that the outcome should have been reversed, and even with sloppy play at times the game was pretty evenly matched, and could have gone either way.

1 game does not make a series, and you can bet that the Wings will try and reverse the momentum with a split tonight. You as fans have a responsibility to reverse the karma of Tuesday’s loss by performing new game day rituals to appease the hockey gods.

Click the jump for more.

Is It Time for Tuzzi?

Game one didn’t go the way we wanted.  It wasn’t terrible by any means, but there was something missing. 

Line one was good when Pavel wasn’t getting hooked and slashed.  They weren’t on their game the way they can be, but that’s ok.  They are allowed one here or there. 

Line three was buzzing.  They  looked nervous, but they still were good.  I thought Nyquist shined while Brunner didn't get a lot done and kept losing the puck.  But don’t mess with it Babcock.  Don't you dare. 

Line four was average.  Not a lot of ice time, but nothing terrible either.

But line two got dominated.  I thought Franzen was decent, but Filppula was pushed around the entire game.   Cleary did what he could, but he is not a second liner anymore, nor is he a big guy.

Not to worry though, we have a big guy, we just have to let him loose. 

Hit the jump for more.

An unfortunate result in game 1, but not the end of the world. Going forward, the Red Wings will need to shoot more and turnover the puck less if they want to win this series.

More after the jump:

Here we go on the quest for #12.  Game 1 of of our 22nd consecutive year of the playoffs.  A game against one of the dirtiest teams, full of whiney balding, 30 year old frat boys.  

They are talented.  Dumb, but talented. 

However, we have a killer on our team.  He goes by Howard, Jimmy Howard. 

A duck killer that is.  

A killer movie poster and live blog, after the break: 

We've looked at the expert predictions earlier today, but now for the real experts that you've all been waiting for...us at NOHS.   Here's our completely unbiased, 100% researched, no favoritism at all for the good guys in red and white or against those bastards in black.  Lets start with our reporter in the desert: 

Sully: 

Our leading goal scorer is Pavel Datsyuk with 15 goals, but our team gets timely scoring from all lines and we have a bit of depth. Z is our top point getter with 48 points. Anaheim's top goal scorer also has 15 goals (Getzlaf) and their points leader has 49 (Getzlaf again). I think these teams are more evenly matched than their points total shows. Difference being Jimmy was our only goal-tender with W's, they had two great goalies. But I think our top forwards play a very good shut-down role against guys like Perry-Getzlaf-Ryan-Selanne and we have a history of making mediocre goal-tenders look great but great goal-tenders look silly. Plus, for all the grief we've given Mike Babcock this season, I think he'll out-coach Bruce Boudreau in this series and we'll all remember why we like having him on our side.