game score,and comment...

Red Wings 3,Blues 0... twelve straight wins at home... Jimmy Howard's fourth shutout,and NHL leading 23rd win,in net,and his goals against average(G.A.A.),is 1.93/per game... he has allowed two,or fewer goals,in twenty five of his starts...

NHL news...

St. Louis Blues/Red Wings,tonight...

game score,and commentary...

Blackhawks 3,Red Wings 2... when you do not get a penalty called on your opponent,for 42:23,and suffer five STRAIGHT penalties,plus a penalty shot,what can you do? lose,3-2... great game for the Blackhawks' fans,but not for the Red Wings' fans,because the referees basically gave the game to the Blackhawks,even though the Blackhawks were 0-5,on power play,they got a goal on a penalty shot,on a questionable hook on Nicklas Lidstrom... the Blackhawks got lead,after trailing twice,in game,at 1-0(penalty shot tied it),and 2-1,early in third period,to go up,3-2,and then fought even the rest of game... the only thing that i have to say about the referees is that they really sucked tonight...

Red Wings/Blackhawks trivia,and schedule between them...

tonight's game between the Red Wings and the Blackhawks is the latest day for their first game,since 1928,when they were known,as the Detroit Cougars,and of the next eight games,the Red Wings and the Blackhawks will play three times...

upset at World Junior Hockey Championships...

Czech Republic 5,USA 2... in a major upset,at the World Junior Hockey Championships,in Edmonton,Alberta,the Czech Republic put the United States on brink of elimination... only a win over Finland,by winless Denmark,will save the USA... Red Wings' prospect Petr Mrazek stopped 52,of 54 shots,in the Czech Republic's win,over the USA...

commentary...

Red Wings/Chicago Blackhawks,tonight... one of 82,i know,but this is first time,since last game of last season,and the Red Wings have a game in hand,and the Blackhawks have a three point lead in division,and yet,they have three more overtime losses,than Red Wings(that is difference,in division)... the Blackhawks have been shaky,in goaltending,but the Blackhawks have slight edge in firepower,but defense edge is in the Red Wings' favor,so interesting game,tonight... both teams will be in playoffs,so they may meet then,too,and yet this is only the first act(of six),and maybe more...

AHL,and ECHL update...

Grand Rapids Griffiths are fourth(of five teams)in North Division,of the Western Conference,of the American Hockey League,with a record,of 12-13-3-2... Toledo Walleye,in the Eastern Conference,of the East Coast Hockey League,are 13-13-0-1,,,

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings take Jan Mursak off injured reserve,and assign him to the Grand Rapids Griffiths,for game action,and conditioning... he suffered fractured ankle in pre-season...

commentary...

Red Wings play the Chicago Blackhawks for first time,in 2011-2012 season,on Friday... i have to admit that they are a good team,but losing to Los Angeles Kings,and not scoring a goal may tell me something that Chicago may be become fatter,on inferior teams,and the Red Wings may clip the Blackhawks,by playing Red Wings' defense around their net,and let Jimmy Howard do his usual good work...
however,their overall offense may be stronger,in their top two lines,but their back end(third,and fourth line)may be weaker overall than the Red Wings,and i have to give the overall goaltending edge to the Red Wings,but Ty Conklin(Red Wings' second goaltender)has not had many games of game action,because Jimmy Howard has been so very good...
Chicago has slightly more firepower,but if the Red Wings play defense the way that they can,that will neutralize that edge,but the Blackhawks overall team speed does worry me,but again Howard,and Conklin should neutralize it to a great whisper,and the Red Wings' defense,which overall is superior to the Blackhawks,except for defenseman Duncan Keith,who may be one of the best defensemen,in NHL,behind the Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom,and the Nashville Predators' Shea Weber...
the reason that i rank him third is that Lidstrom makes very few mistakes,and has seven Norris Trophies,and Weber is basically a carbon copy of Lidstrom,and has a 100+mph cannon of a slap shot,but Keith has better teammates,than Weber,overall,so it will be an interesting series of six games,this season,starting Friday

schedule update...

Red Wings/Chicago Blackhawks,Friday(first time they will play(of six times),this season...
St. Louis Blues/Red Wings,New Year's Eve...

commentary...

Red Wings looked dead,in game last night,until they scored a power play goal,in last minute,or so,in second period... their accurate passes were going awry,and the game was rather choppy in rhythm... the Blues were playing their game,and dictating the pace,and the Blues' goaltender were stopping everything shot at him,and the Blues' defenders were blocking everything else... however,Jimmy Howard was his usual very good self,but the Red Wings were shooting themselves in their skates,with penalties,giving up both goals,on the Blues' power play(which was last in NHL,in percentage),but unfortunately they have had a very good power play,against the Red Wings,this season...
the Red Wings scored,with 1:03 left,in the second period,when Nicklas Lidstrom scored on a perfect low shot,that hit the right goal post,and went in,from the 60 foot point(by the blue line),while on the power play,and the Red Wings scored twice in 56 seconds,midway through third period,when Pavel Datsyuk tipped a puck out of the air,over Brian Elliott's head and shoulders into the net,and then Niklas Kronwall shot one off,or near the left goal post,and into the twine,on a seeing eye shot... all three shots had to be perfect,to go into the net...
funny thing was that,besides their power play,the Blues stopped skating,and pushing the Red Wings,when up,2-0,and after the Red Wings scored twice,in third period,in very short order(56 seconds apart)they had no jump in their legs,and started to shoot at distance at Jimmy Howard,and with very few people in front of Howard,Howard played his usual solid game,and the Red Wings kept the Blues on the edges of their zone,and very few shots were threatening to Howard,and in the crease,in the third period... the Red Wings have won eleven straight games,at Joe Louis Arena...

RIP Johnny Wilson...

Johnny Wilson,a four time Stanley Cup winner,with the Red Wings,and former coach of the team,has died today,at age 82...

game score...

Red Wings 3,Blues 2...

anniversary observed...

today is the 32nd anniversary,of the first game played by the Red Wings,at Joe Louis Arena... game was against the St. Louis Blues,and won by the Blues,3-2,that night...

schedule update...

St. Louis Blues/Red Wings,tonight,in Detroit...

unique NHL trivia...

what goaltender has been credited with a power play goal? answer:Evgeni Nabokov,of the San Jose Sharks,on March 10,2002,against the Vancouver Canucks... the Canucks had pulled their goaltender to try to tie the game,while the Sharks were on the power play,so Nabokov shot puck,into an empty net...

commentary...

the fact that Shea Weber was out with a concussion,for the Nashville Predators,last night,as the Red Wings did not have to worry about his cannon shot,and they concentrated on their defense around their net,so Jimmy Howard did not face many shots(he let in one shot,with just over two minutes to play,in a 4-1 win,over the Predators,who looked lethargic,and an inept power play,at least,last night(they were one of the best on the power play,with a percentage,just under 23%,overall,with a power play,for December(the entire month),of 42%,going into last night(they were 0-5,last night)...
Red Wings got two goals from Valtteri Flippula,along with Dan Cleary,and Pavel Datsyuk,who scored a beautiful wraparound that was reviewed by Toronto's War Room(it was called good on the ice,and inconclusive in Toronto,which means that the call stands)... the best skater on the ice,last night,was Jimmy Howard,who had a save percentage,of .969,last night,and going into last night,had a goals against average,of 1.99,for the season... he leads NHL,with 21 wins,as goaltender,of Red Wings...

game score...

Red Wings 4,Nashville Predators 1...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

new dedication of blog...

i have decided to extend the dedication of this blog to the victims,of Lokomotiv Jaroslavl KHL plane crash to,at least,the one-year anniversary of the tragedy(September 7,2012),and to tell you the truth,the tragedy has had a profound impact,on me,for one simple reason:to tell me that though hockey is a beautiful game to watch,but that it is life that is more beautiful,but very fragile,indeed... THE TRAIN WILL RISE AGAIN!!!!!!! i will be always a fan of the team!!!!

HO HO HO SANTA CLAUS IS COMING ....

December 24,1972:New York Rangers 5,Red Wings 0...
December 25,1971:Toronto Maple Leafs 5,Red Wings 3...
scores from last game played on Christmas Eve,and the final game to be played on Christmas,by the Red Wings,EVER...

schedule update...

there are no NHL hockey,on December 24th,and Christmas Day.... Red Wings/Nashville Predators December 26th...

game score,and commentary...

Calgary Flames 3,Red Wings 2... three defensive turnovers,and major two man rushes doomed Red Wings early;all three defensive turnovers ended up past Ty Conklin,in the net... a frantic last three minutes,with Henrik Zetterberg hitting a shot off a goalpost,and a scrum in last seconds did not help Red Wings... Red Wings' defense sucked throughout the first two periods,and a very intense,and frantic third period did not help the final outcome,but may help,in the long run of games coming up,after Christmas,because they needed a big jolt,of being down,and trying to overcome,and they showed the nasty side of the Red Wings,tonight... i just hope they just come out,against Nashville,the day after Christmas,in a real surly mood,and start hitting like they were,tonight,because they were even hitting hard throughout the game,but they did make three defensive mistakes,that cost them big,tonight,plus an obvious goaltender interference on Tomas Holmstrom,that disallowed a goal,in second period,when he pushed a Calgary player,into Miikka Kiprusoff(Flames' goaltender)... the same two referees,from last night's game,against the Canucks were on the ice tonight in this game,and honestly they did a very good job of being invisible,tonight...

commentary...

the NHL has said that the bump,by Henrik Zetterberg,that caused a Canucks' player to bull over Jimmy Howard was incidental contact,and the goal that was scored by the Canucks,in the scrum that ensued,should not have counted,which on ice the referees made the wrong call,so even though the Red Wings lost by two,the play was on a Red Wings' power play,with the Red Wings,down one,early in third period... that may be on my top 10 worst calls,after this season,but there has not that many bad calls,against Detroit,so far... just cross your fingers!!!!!!

game score,and commentary...

Canucks 4,Red Wings 2... when you give up two goals,in 21 seconds,then give up a third goal,after scoring a goal,all goals coming up,in a wild first period,to lead,3-1,after one period,Vancouver just out-played Red Wings,throughout game,and play defense around your own net,like a bullfighter,and making too many mistakes,simply to be competitive,in this game... honestly,Jimmy Howard,who has been very very good,this season,simply stunk up the Rogers Arena,in Vancouver,tonight... Red Wings gave up a short-handed goal,when Howard got run over,but honestly,it was a bump,by Henrik Zetterberg,that caused the guy to lose his edge,when he hit Howard,but on the play,it was the lack of effort,by the Red Wings,that disappointed me tonight... it was one of the worst games played by the Red Wings,because of the simple lack of effort...

schedule update...

Red Wings/Vancouver Canucks,tonight...

only time that a team lost Stanley Cup Final,when team up,3-0...

April 4,1942... Detroit 3,Toronto 2...
April 7,1942... Detroit 4,Toronto 2...
April 9,1942... Detroit 5,Toronto 2...
April 12,1942... Toronto 4,Detroit 3...
April 14,1942... Toronto 9,Detroit 3...
April 16,1942... Toronto 3,Detroit 0...
April 18,1942... Toronto 3 Detroit 1...

NHL news...

Darryl Sutter was officially introduced,as the Los Angeles Kings' head coach,today...

hockey fun...

in an afternoon fun game,after Pittsburgh Penguins' practice,Mario Lemieux,Mark Recchi,and Bryan Trottier were playing hockey on Consol Energy Center ice,having fun... Trottier,and Lemieux are,i believe,members of the Hockey Hall of Fame... i wish i was in the building to see them play(like a fly on the wall)... i love the true game of hockey,and to see two Hall of Fame members skate would have been a thrill...

game score...

Red Wings 3,Oilers 2...

schedule update...

Red Wings at Edmonton Oilers,tonight... Red Wings at Vancouver Canucks,Wednesday... Red Wings at Calgary Flames,Thursday... three games in four days... then Red Wings plays Nashville,the day after Christmas,in Nashville...

what heartbreak!!!!!!!

New York Rangers beat Phoenix Coyotes,last night,3-2,with 0.1 second on clock,in Phoenix... what heartbreak!!!!!!!!

Red Wings stomp Kings...

Red Wings 8,Kings 2...

some good news,and a very upset coach...

some good news:Justin Abdelkader,who hurt his foot,against Nashville;X-Rays show only a bruised foot,he will play Saturday,against Los Angeles Kings... Jan Mursak,who fractured ankle,in preseason,will go to Grand Rapids,for games,and conditioning,after Christmas... Mike Babcock was not too happy,with last night's loss,to Nashville,and was very vocal,at Red Wings' practice,today...

Red Wings/Sharks stats,since last meeting...

Red Wings are 10-3,in 13 games,and the San Jose Sharks are struggling,with a record,of 7-6,in 13 games... that includes a three game winning streak,after beating Red Wings,5-2,November 17th... that means that the Sharks are 4-6,in last 10 games,while the Red Wings are 7-3,in last 10 games...

injury update...

Philadelphia Flyers have said that team's captain Chris Pronger's concussion,has ended his 2011-2012 season...

game score...

Predators 4,Red Wings 3... Red Wings lose on a real bad,and odd puck bounce(hit rut,while on edge,and literally bounced over Howard's head,and right under crossbar-could not blame him),and it was the second goal,by Shea Weber,late in third period-2:48,apart,that did Red Wings in,tonight... it was first loss by Red Wings,in regulation,scoring three,or more goals,in game...

injury update...

the Philadelphia Flyers report that captain Chris Pronger is out indefinitely,with a concussion... Pronger has suffered many injuries,this season(broken eye socket,preseason knee surgery),and has only played thirteen games this season,for the Flyers... it may affect his entire season...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings at Nashville Predators,tonight...

i will give you two posts this weekend,and give you a break,except for game scores,and i will save my commentaries for next week...

AHL,and ECHL report...

Grand Rapids Griffiths are 10-12-1-2,so far,in the North Division,of the Western Conference,in the American Hockey League;fourth place(of five teams),and eleven points,behind the Toronto Marlies...
Toledo Walleye,of the East Coast Hockey League,are last in the Eastern Conference,with a record,of 9-12-0-1...

commentary...

the game,against the Penguins,was a very tight defensive battle,with both teams scoring in both periods(Pittsburgh,at 19:55,of the first period),and Detroit scored in second period(16:01,by Pavel Datsyuk)... after a tight fought first two periods,and Pittsburgh without Sidney Crosby,and Chris LeTang,because of injury,Pittsburgh just ran out of gas(energy),and Johan Franzen scored for the Red Wings,at 5:15,of the third period,to go up,2-1,they clamped down,with Jimmy Howard stopped every shot,but one,all night... the real difference was Pittsburgh was missing a couple of people,who runs the defensive side of the team,and in the way,their offense runs on the turnovers,caused by a nasty,and smothering defense,and the Red Wings had Pavel Datsyuk,Johan Franzen,Danny Cleary(who scored last two goals-one an empty-net goal,in last five minutes,of game),and they also had Nicklas Lidstrom,who settled down the defense on the Penguins,in last two periods,and especially in last half of third period,when Pittsburgh did try to press the offense,which led to the major turnovers,in neutral zone,and the last two goals,by Dan Cleary... Red Wings are now one point,behind Chicago,with two games,in hand... the Red Wings may not be a glamour team(great name stars-all over the nation,and television),but they are a very gritty,hard team,like the city they are named for-Detroit,Michigan...

game score...

Red Wings 4,Penguins 1... commentary later...

extra special note...

in a game of second tier Russian Major Hockey League teams,a reborn Lokomotiv Jaroslavl team played their first league game,since the 7 September 2011 KHL plane crash,that killed the entire team,Lokomotiv Jaroslavl beat Neftyanik Almetyevsk,5-1... Lokomotiv Jaroslavl will play only 22,of the 53 league games,and will play in the Kontinental Hockey League,next season... THE TRAIN WILL RISE AGAIN!!!!!

schedule update...

Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins,tomorrow
Red Wings at Nashville Predators,Thursday
Los Angeles Kings at Red Wings,Saturday night...

injury update...

there is no timetable for Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby,who has missed the last couple of games,because of a big hit,to return to the ice... concussion-like symptoms apparently have returned to Crosby,in last week,but doctors have said that he has not suffered another concussion,but symptoms can return without another concussion,so he says that his body is telling him that it is time to rest,and so he is resting,right now...

sad tale...

83 year old Gordie Howe has sued his former business managers,who Howe has said in filed lawsuit,they had destroyed a lot of personal(family),professional tapes,compact discs,and papers,in two days,in 2008... the former financial managers were ordered to return Howe's property(in lieu of a private court settlement agreement),but instead they sent some stuff back,and destroyed most of the property,by shreding it,and then sending them invoices,in violation of the settlement... what real scumbags that the former financial managers are,and they deserve to be sued again... beat the pants off them,"Mr. Hockey"...

commentary...

when you are one for the last twenty-three chances,on the power play,and you have lost five of the last seven games,that you have played,and yet,you are only two points,out of first place,in your division(Pacific Division),but Dallas,and Los Angeles(Dallas is tied with San Jose)being a point behind San Jose,means that the Sharks are in deep trouble,without a doubt... it will be a dogfight between the top teams in the Western Conference,but the Sharks have only fifteen wins,and they can catch everybody in the Pacific Division,but with Minnesota,Chicago,Vancouver,and Detroit ahead of them,and for example,Detroit having won nine of the last eleven games,the Sharks may have good offense,but it is not working right now,and even though the defense may be good,the offense is not clicking on any cylinders(losing tonight,to St Louis,1-0),and playing a rather pissed off team in the Blackhawks,in Chicago,tomorrow afternoon,who the Sharks did beat,1-0,a few weeks ago,and the Blackhawks are one point ahead of Red Wings,as of now,so Chicago will have a rough edge,looking for two points,and a little payback,for the shutout,by the Sharks,November 23rd... so the Sharks better come out firing on all cylinders,or Chicago may have a free lunch,tomorrow afternoon,because the Blackhawks are looking for the valuable two points,which both teams need quite badly...

game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 7,Jets 1... one minor criticism,about Jimmy Howard,and the coach (Mike Babcock)will let him know about it,ever so slightly,was that the lone goal,given up to Winnipeg,should have been stopped(went right through his pads,and legs,at 35 seconds gone,in first period),but with the Red Wings winning their ninth straight at home,he may pat him on back and joke with him about it... after six different players scored,and 14 different players had,at least,a point,in game,with Jiri Hudler scoring twice,the game was a mow-down job,throughout the game,by the Red Wings... as a fan,of the Red Wings,i enjoyed game,but Winnipeg did not play well,all night... the Jets basically came out with piss,and vinegar,but after Red Wings got their second goal,of first period,they stopped hitting hard,and played rather soft the rest of game...

NHL news...

the people in NHL front office,and NHLPA,will get serious about negotiations,about next CBA(collective bargaining agreement),after the NHL All-Star Game...

NHL news...

Edmonton Oilers' Andy Sutton has been suspended eight games,as a repeat offender,under the current collective bargaining agreement,which expires next offseason,for his hit on Carolina Hurricanes' Alexei Ponikarovsky... he will forfeit eight games' pay,worth,$207,317.04...

comment...

one minor criticism of Winnipeg Jets' coach Claude Noel,tonight,is that he kept goaltender Ondrej Pavelec,in game,until early in third period,with Red Wings,up,7-1... stupid move...

game in progress---2nd intermission

Red Wings 6,Jets 1... Red Wings score four goals,in second period... after giving up opening goal,to Winnipeg,35 seconds into game,Red Wings have scored six straight goals,from six different players... going into tonight's game,Red Wings have won eight straight games,at home...

special note...

there is a great first person account(article was written 9 December 2011),of the 7 September 2011 KHL plane crash(recalled by relatives),in an article,on Sportsnet.ca... the article is written by Brett Popplewell... parts of the article named,"Lokomotiv:Gods of Yaroslavl",was written with accounts,from actual eyewitnesses,to the plane crash... i recommend it highly,and better grab some Kleenex...

comments...

going into tonight,the Red Wings are 6th,in NHL,in goals allowed... last year(the entire year),they were 23rd,in the NHL,in goals allowed... they are a contender,not a pretender(giving up real soft goals,and their defense really sucked),like last year,if they play this well,for the rest of this season...

Jets' franchise history...

the last two times the Atlanta Thrashers played the Red Wings,they beat them... the Winnipeg Jets were in Atlanta,last season

game in progress...

Red Wings 2,Jets 1... after one period,but honestly a very sloppy game... Winnipeg played Carolina Hurricanes,last night,and won,4-2,at home,but yet,did not get through U.S. Customs,and to their hotel,in Detroit,until around 4:30 am,Detroit time...

schedule update...

Winnipeg Jets/Red Wings,tonight...

commentary...

Red Wings are three points behind Chicago Blackhawks,with a record of 17-9-1 but with two games in hand,on the Blackhawks(17-8-4),which just means that Chicago has played two more games than the Red Wings,but if you want my opinion,Chicago is still struggling,because they have same amount of wins,as Red Wings,and yet,has lost four times in overtime,to the Red Wings losing only once in overtime... the difference between the two teams,who do not play their first game,of six games,until December 30th,is the play of Jimmy Howard,who leads the NHL,with sixteen wins,and has been the major rock,and difference,in the Red Wings,this year,so far,because he has been rock steady,with a goals against average(G.A.A.),of under 2.00,and a save percentage,of over .920,going into last night's game,with Phoenix...

game score,and comment...

Red Wings 5,Coyotes 2... the Red Wings scored five goals,in first nineteen minutes,and pretty much dominated the Coyotes,after the first period,and the Coyotes looked tired throughout the game,getting beat to the puck throughout the game... i will give you a better breakdown of the game,tomorrow morning...

game in progress...

Radim Vrbata scored on a rocket,over Jimmy Howard,with 4:45 left in second period,but Phoenix has done very little otherwise,so they are trailing,5-1,to the Red Wings tonight,after two periods... Red Wings killed off a two man advantage midway into second period,and Red Wings have jump in their legs,tonight...

game in progress...

Red Wings score two goals,in 53 seconds,very early in first period,then score two more with about five minutes,to play again,in first period,and then their fifth goal,in period,in last minute,of first period,and they are leading the Phoenix Coyotes,5-0,after one period...

Pearl Harbor,December 7th,1941...

Pearl Harbor,on December 7th,1941,at 7:55 am,and 8:30 am,Hawaiian Time,Empire of Japan attacked Naval Base Pearl Harbor,killing 2,403 sailors,and civilians(68 civilians),1,177,from U.S.S. Arizona,and injured 1,178 people... to their memory,i dedicate this day... this will be the only post,on this blog,today...

game score,and comment...

Blues 3,Red Wings 2... ugly game,mostly outplayed by Blues... two goals,early in third period,1:53 apart,and within the first 2:45,of third period,gave Blues the cushion,for the win...

schedule update...

Red Wings/St. Louis Blues,tonight...

BREAKING NEWS...

Board of Governors approve four conference format,for 2012-2013(next season)...
New Jersey Devils
Philadelphia Flyers
New York Islanders
Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitals
New York Rangers
Carolina Hurricanes

Boston Bruins
Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
Ottawa Senators
Buffalo Sabres
Florida Panthers
Tampa Bay Lightning

Detroit Red Wings
Columbus Blue Jackets
Nashville Predators
St. Louis Blues
Chicago Blackhawks
Minnesota Wild
Dallas Stars
Winnipeg Jets

Los Angeles Kings
Anaheim Ducks
Phoenix Coyotes
San Jose Sharks
Colorado Avalanche
Vancouver Canucks
Calgary Flames
Edmonton Oilers

names of new conferences have not been named...

injury update...

Valtteri Flippula suffered a deep laceration down to bone,in last night's Avalanche/Red Wings game,late in first period,at 4:21,just above his skate boot,and he says that he may play St. Louis Blues,next game,on Tuesday night...

game score,and comment...

Avalanche 4,Red Wings 2... Avalanche totally outplayed Red Wings,in last two periods,and deserved the 4-2 win... you can not win them all... DRAT!!!!!!! commentary,later...

Red Wings' schedule...

Red Wings/Colorado Avalanche,today...

a big fight,and unique trivia...

Jordin Tootoo,of the Nashville Predators,bulldozed over Ryan Miller,of the Buffalo Sabres,in third period,of a 3-2 Sabres' win... both Miller and Tootoo fought each other... Miller pounding on him,in a scrum... Miller is coming off a major concussion,and whether he gets time off,is debatable,because Tootoo ran down Miller,deliberately... i would not be surprised if Miller got a few games off too... expect Brendan Shanahan,dean of supplemental discipline to give Tootoo a few games off(suspension)... by the way,if you are wondering,if that is his real last name(Tootoo),it is,he is the only Inuit Eskimo,playing in the NHL,born in Churchill,Manitoba,a outpost,near Hudson Bay,while polar bears walk down the middle of the roads... Tootoo wears number 22,of course...

congrats,Fabian,a new father....

Fabian Brunnstrom and his wife Sandy celebrated a birth of a baby boy,Alexander Noah,on December 1st...

game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 4,Sabres 1... game started great for the Red Wings,three goals in first fourteen minutes,in game,then Jimmy Howard,and Red Wings' defense took over... Sabres have been oft-injured,and has many key players out for much of this season,but for them,goaltender Ryan Miller(concussion)will be back tomorrow,most likely,against Nashville,tomorrow(he was backup goaltender,tonight,behind Jhonas Enroth),so Buffalo did not have much firepower,or Howard was a "stone wall",tonight,with a great glove hand... seven straight wins,for the Red Wings... Jacub Kindl,Johan Franzen,Valtteri Flippula,and Pavel Datsyuk(who had an empty net goal)all scored for the Red Wings...

schedule update...

Red Wings/Buffalo Sabres,tonight...

commentary...

NHL Board of Governors meeting begins Monday,and Tuesday,at Pebble Beach,and out of it could come one of two realignment plans for next season... since Winnipeg is guaranteed,as part of getting team,to be moved to Western Conference,in 2012-2013,it could be a simple swap,of Detroit,Columbus,or Nashville,for Winnipeg,or it could be much more radical:removal of both conferences,and four divisions(one of eight teams,and one of seven teams)to both Eastern and Western coasts... like i said very radical... who knows? my guess would be the first choice,but there are teams,like Dallas,who would like to be more centralized in NHL,and Detroit,who does not like the trips out to West Coast,and Western Canada,as often as they do,now,and they were promised by Commissioner Gary Bettman,that if realignment happened,they would be in the Eastern Conference,and if you believe that i am making up that fact,this information has been known in NHL circles,for years... confirmation of this comes from many sources...

2 teams,1 coach list

Bruce Boudreau:Washington Capitals,Anaheim Ducks,2011-2012
Ken Hitchcock:Philadelphia Flyers,Columbus Blue Jackets,2006-2007
Bob Hartley:Colorado Avalanche,Atlanta Thrashers,2002-2003
Darryl Sutter:San Jose Sharks,Calgary Flames,2002-2003
Ted Sator:New York Rangers,Buffalo Sabres,1986-1987
Roger Neilson:Vancouver Canucks,Los Angeles Kings,1983-1984
Fred Glover:California Golden Seals,Los Angeles Kings,1971-1972

NHL historical trivia...

Bruce Boudreau last coached for the Washington Capitals on last Saturday... he will coach Anaheim Ducks,tomorrow night... if you think that it is quick between coaching jobs,it is only 65 hours,and 25 minutes,and when Boudreau steps into coaching behind the Ducks' bench,Friday night,it will be the quickest time,between coaching jobs:six days...

Red Wings' history...

the Boston Bruins had a record of 12-0-1,in November... great record... one blip on the record... guess who beat them in November... one team did... one guess? the team plays in Detroit,and the Red Wings beat the Bruins,3-2,in a shootout,November 25th,2011...

BREAKING NEWS...

Anaheim Ducks fired Randy Carlyle,as head coach,and hired former Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau,as head coach

game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 4,Lightning 2... after two periods,Tampa Bay was charging,having tied game in second period,at 2,but a penalty on Pavel Datsyuk(going through the Lightning defenders,on a one on four,with dazzling moves of the puck,and magic hands,to boot)put the Red Wings on a power play,and a beautiful tic tac toe tip play,by Tomas Holmstrom(went from Datsyuk,to Lidstrom,to Holmstrom,in a flash;Holmstrom being next to Dwyane Rolston's left hip,as he tipped puck past the stunned Lightning goaltender,to make score,3-2)on the ensuing power play... Red Wings got an insurance goal by Darren Helm,to finish off the Lightning... Pavel Datsyuk had a two point night(the opening goal,was his,as he blew it past Rolston,4:58,into game),with Jonathan Ericsson scoring the second goal,in the first period to make it,2-0... Tampa Bay had a great second period,with Martin St. Louis,and Steven Stamkos scoring great goals,in the second,but the Lightning simply could not contain Datsyuk,Holmstrom,and the Red Wings,on defense,and the offense almost always feeds on their defense,and the Red Wings have won six in a row,best stretch of their season....

game in progress...

Red Wings 2,Lightning 0,end 1st period,outshot Lightning,18-8,and are on power play,going into second period(last thirty seconds,or so)... side note:two of my least favorite referees,are doing the game:Mike Leggo,and Tim Peel... i do not say that they are not good referees,but they are infamous,in my memory...

Red Wings' news...

tonight's Lightning/Red Wings game will be Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman's first NHL visit,since been hired by Tampa Bay,before last season...Yzerman played so many years,as a member of the Red Wings,that he is known as,"Stevie Y",or,"the Captain"... there is a mural of him inside Joe Louis Arena,and a street named after him,outside the arena.. he should get a standing ovation... side note of NHL history:his sweater retirement ceremony took so long(over 90 minutes)that the NHL changed their timing rules,for ceremonies like that...

commentary...

the last game,against Nashville,was a rout... the Red Wings scored first four goals,and even though the Predators scored shortly after Red Wings scored goal number four,to make the score,4-1,the Red Wings dominated Nashville throughout the game,and Predators had no jump,and played like they were have cement skates on,and after the third goal went in,i knew Jimmy Howard was playing well enough to stop Nashville... Valtteri Flippula scored twice,along with Henrik Zetterberg,who had a two point night,and Dan Cleary... Howard stopped eighteen of nineteen shots,and Red Wings were one for two,on power play(Filppula's first,of two goals,on a gorgeous backhand over Pekka Rinne)... Rinne,who is most talented goaltender in NHL,in my opinion,did not have his usual good game,giving all four goals,to Red Wings,and Nashville's defense around the net really stunk for this game...

schedule update...

Tampa Bay Lightning/Red Wings,tomorrow....

NHL news...

Montreal Canadiens' Max Pacioretty has been suspended three games for hit on Pittsburgh Penguins' Chris LeTang,who suffered a broken nose...

NHL news...

Washington Capitals fired Bruce Boudreau,today,hire Dale Hunter,at same time...

Finnish hockey line brawl...

there was a line brawl,during a SM Liga hockey game,between the Pelicans,and HIFK,in Finland... 465 penalty minutes;439 penalty minutes,in last 30 seconds... fourteen players ejected,and both coaches were also ejected... HIFK won game,6-3... line brawl set penalty minutes record for SM Liga league...

injury update...

Patrick Eaves,of the Red Wings,will miss six to eight weeks,the Red Wings reported today...

comments...

Pittsburgh Penguins' Chris LeTang breaks nose,on questionable hit,by Montreal Canadiens' Max Pacioretty late in third period,goes into locker room,has nose set,and a pin put into nose,then comes out for overtime,and scores overtime winning goal,as Pittsburgh beats Montreal,4-3,last night... Pacioretty faces supplemental discipline hearing for hit on LeTang,this week... LeTang is one tough person,and i hope he is all right...

major injuries...

Patrick Eaves will miss time with fractured jaw,when he was hit by slap shot from blue line,by Nashville Predators' rookie Roman Josi,who was making his NHL debut... Josi showed ultimate class to Eaves,when he was on stretcher,and he went over,and apologized to Eaves...
Kari Lehtonin pulled groin muscle,early in game,for the Dallas Stars,in game against Phoenix Coyotes,in a 3-0 loss,to the Coyotes...
Taylor Hall,of the Edmonton Oilers injured shoulder,in game against Colorado Avalanche,in a 5-2 loss,to the Avalanche...

game score...

Red Wings 4,Predators 1...

Red Wings' news...

Nashville Predators/Red Wings,today... commentary on both games this weekend,early today...

game score...

Red Wings 3,Bruins 2,shootout win...

gotcha NBC...

i got a laugh when NBC,who is broadcasting the Red Wings/Boston Bruins game today,and they started to build up Bruins' goaltender Tim Thomas,and the fact is that he is not playing in goal,today... backup Tuukka Rask is in net for the Bruins,today...

commentary...

Nicklas Lidstrom is playing in his 1,515th regular season game,as a Red Wings' player(third on all-time list,for the Red Wings),behind Gordie Howe(1,767 games),and Alex Delvecchio(1,549 games),including playoffs,he is second in games played,with 1,773 games,behind Howe,who played 1,924 games,as a member of the Red Wings(Howe played several years in the World Hockey Association,with the Houston Aeros,and the New England Whalers,then played in Hartford,in 1979-1980,when NHL absorbed four teams,into the NHL)... the four teams absorbed into the NHL were the Edmonton Oilers,the original Winnipeg Jets,the now-defunct Quebec Nordiques,and Hartford Whalers(who moved to Carolina,as the Hurricanes)... you can still see some fans in Carolina wearing the Whalers'(or the Whale,as people,in Hartford,fondly remember them)sweaters...

power play milestone,for Tomas Holmstrom...

the two power play goals by Tomas Holmstrom were his 114th,and 115th of his Red Wings' career,tying him for fourth place,with former Red Wings' player Brendan Shanahan,trailing Gordie Howe(209),Steve Yzerman(202),and Nicklas Lidstrom(130),on that list...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Boston Bruins,tomorrow morning...

game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 5,Flames 3... Red Wings scored three power play goals,two of those,by Tomas Holmstrom... Pavel Datsyuk,Valtteri Filppula,and Ian White also scored for the Red Wings... in the last twenty three games that the Red Wings have scored four,or more goals,they are 21-0-2,going back to last season... Jimmy Howard did not have his best game,but stopped enough shots to win,and two of the goals scored by Calgary,were perfect shots,and Howard had little chance to stop them... the Red Wings made only one mistake,by allowing Calgary a three on two break,and Jarome Iginla blew puck past Howard,as he came down on the wing,but Red Wings were very good on power play,scoring three goals,and shortly after an expired power play,they scored a fourth goal that put Calgary,down,5-3,with about seven minutes left in game... good game for fan,and Red Wings' seventh win in last ten games...

Happy Birthday,Dynamo Moscow(KHL team)...

on 22 November 2011,Dynamo Moscow celebrated 65 years of team existence... only team in Russian hockey history to play in all four national levels,and have won nine Russian national hockey titles...

Red Wings' schedule...

Calgary Flames/Red Wings,tonight...
Red Wings/Boston Bruins,Friday,NBC...
Nashville Predators/Red Wings,Saturday...

commentary...

Sidney Crosby had a great first night... TWO GOALS,AND TWO ASSISTS... Penguins pasted Islanders,Monday Night,5-0... if "Sid the Kid" comes back with a great year,albeit a shorter one,watch out NHL,the Penguins are going to be tough to beat in playoffs,because they may be older,in age,but lest you forget,the Penguins did win the Stanley Cup,in 2009,over Red Wings,but the team has not been whole,(injury-wise)over the last two years,and with Evgeni Malkin,Sidney Crosby,and Marc-Andre Fleury in goal,they will be tough to beat,because Fleury can be one of the toughest goaltenders,to beat,and if he gets on roll,in playoffs,the playoffs can be a pinball machine for the Penguins,because they can light up the scoreboard,like very few teams can do it...

NHL news...

Kyle Turris ended his holdout,and signed a two year contract,worth $2.8 million,with the Phoenix Coyotes... whether it is the first step,to a sign and trade transaction,who knows,but he did not want to play in Phoenix,and wanted to be traded,during his holdout...

NHL news...

guess who leads NHL,in total points(top of NHL standings)right now? answer:Minnesota Wild,whose 12-5-3 record is the best...

NHL scores...

Vancouver Canucks 2,Ottawa Senators 1,overtime...
Carolina Hurricanes 3,Toronto Maple Leafs 2...
San Jose Sharks 4,Colorado Avalanche 1...

note...

will give commentary,on how Sidney Crosby will play tomorrow;it probably be very short,but knowing Sidney,anything is possible,because he may be the best overall player,in NHL,and the Pittsburgh Penguins have missed him deeply

game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 4,Ducks 2... the game was Jimmy Howard's,and the Red Wings backed him up,with four goals,two goals,by Brad Stuart,including a pool bank shot of the puck off neutral zone dasher,from about 160 feet(an empty-net,shorthanded goal)... it looked like a pool shot,on the felt,but it was on the ice(just a beautiful carom off the neutral zone wall)... Howard made a glove save,in second period that was so spectacular that it could be nominated for the NHL save of the year... he got the puck by the very tip of his glove,tipped it up in air,swatted it again,down to his left leg pad,and kicked it away,all while on his side,next to right goalpost,as the Ducks were all over the crease... what a play!!!!!!!!

Crosby injury update...

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby will play Monday,against New York Islanders;first game,since January 5th,because of concussion...

schedule update...

Red Wings/Ducks,tonight...

game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 4,Kings 1... Pavel Datsyuk scored twice,and Jimmy Howard stopped everything,but a shot(a short-handed goal),including a penalty shot,by Anze Kopitar,to beat Los Angeles,4-1... Datsyuk scored 37 seconds,after short-handed goal,while on same power play(four power play goals in last two games),then Detroit dominated the last two periods,including stopping a two-man advantage(over 1:30,or close),late in third period... this is the Red Wings that are dominant,over teams,but they have not played that way,most of the early season,which really does suck... the two goals,by Datsyuk,was key to the win,because they were not pretty goals,but when you buzz the opposing goaltender,most of the last two periods,you get garbage goals,("ugly" goals),all night long...

schedule update...

Red Wings/Los Angeles Kings,today,afternoon game...

commentary...

Red Wings have been a very streaky team,and has played very good defense,in those winning streaks,but without enough firepower from Pavel Datsyuk,who has two goals,and Henrik Zetterberg,who finally got his first assist(point)from power play,last night,after seventeen games,they are not going anywhere,but i expect them to warm up offensively sooner than later... teams(opponents)are smothering both of them on offensive end of rink,and have had very little room to shoot puck,and both are much too talented to both have bad years,but until they improve on offense,their overall defense will keep them in games... however their defense starts their offensive rushes up the ice,so if they play much better defense,their offense will pick up,and that will give them more chances on their power play,which has been anemic,at best,and awful,at the worst... however having both goals last night,on power play does help,but the defense around their net stunk up the joint,the last two games,which allowed St. Louis,and San Jose,to swarm and play pond hockey,and basically score at well... since the 2005 lockout,92% of teams,in top eight,at Thanksgiving,have made the playoffs,so Red Wings have short window to get a streak going... however,one team in the 8%,who were not in top eight,at Thanksgiving,you may know,the 2010 San Jose Sharks,who were in 12th place in Western Conference,after losing to Red Wings,5-3,last November 30th,and Red Wings are still a very good team,but offensively,they are not clicking on too many cylinders,right now... the Red Wings have too much talent,and simple team pride to not be in playoffs,this year... this game against the San Jose Sharks was not Jimmy Howard's best game,by any stretch,but without him,and the way that he has played all year,the Red Wings would simply be in deep trouble,period,because offensively,the Red Wings have really been very inconsistent,and last night,defense around their net was very sloppy,the last half of the game,against the Sharks,and they simply made the same mistakes that they made against them,in the first three games,of their epic playoff series,last season... they lost the first three games,in that series,to the Sharks,before losing that series,in seven games,last year... however,Chicago,and Nashville are winning right now,so Detroit will be in big hole,if they do not start winning consistently and do it very very soon... the Red Wings have enough talent to get to the playoffs,so they better get their thumbs out of their noses,and start winning games...

game score,and commentary...

Sharks 5,Red Wings 2... when you hang your starting goaltender out to dry,in first two periods,allowing three goals from within twenty feet in toward goaltender,in second period,and do not score five on five,at all,and all the goals scored on both goaltenders,were from in close(Howard was pulled,after two periods(not his fault)),you lose quite badly,and deserve to lose that way....

game in progress---2nd intermission

three Red Wings' mistakes,and fortunate bounces have led to a Sharks' 4-1 lead,through two periods.... Red Wings have actually had puck possession most of game,but the Sharks have made most of their chances,and had a shorthanded goal,late in first period when Joe Thornton beat the Red Wings to end of rink near Jimmy Howard,and flipped it to Joe Pavelski,in front of Howard,and basically slam-dunked past Howard,and the other two goals were given up,by Howard,on bounces,and being hung out to dry,with no chance to stop puck,on second goal,by Thornton,with great pass,and with open net,and third goal by Marc-Edouard Vlasic,on a wraparound,and just right about a minute ago,Torrey Mitchell scored basically on same play that Joe Pavelski scored on late in first period,with same result,a slam dunk of a wrist shot past Howard...
the Red Wings basically have played soft defense,and have hung Howard out to dry,throughout the last minute,of first period,and entire second period... anyone for a barf bag?,so far....

injury update,and commentary...

New York Rangers' Marc Staal,who has been suffering from post concussion symptoms,from a hit from his brother,Eric,in a Rangers/Carolina Hurricanes game,last year,has been cleared for light exercise,by his doctors... he is on beginning steps of returning to the ice... Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney is at the other end of that long tunnel of treatment,of that ordeal... i have seen video of the hit between the brothers,and my opinion is that it was a total accident...

NHL,and Red Wings' news...

St. Louis Blues' Chris Stewart has been suspended three games,by the NHL,for hit on Niklas Kronwall,of the Red Wings,that caused Stewart to be ejected from game,and five minute major penalty(and power play),last night...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Sharks,tomorrow night...

game score,and commentary...

Blues 2,Red Wings 1... when your team are 0 for 6,with a five minute major penalty,on power play,with only six shots,and your team has one shot on goal,in last fourteen minutes,you lose... St. Louis played best game of their season,so far... Red Wings did not play badly,but the Blues played best defensive game,by a opponent,against the Red Wings,that i have seen,in years... hate to admit it,but it reminded of the Dallas Stars' defense,in early 1990's,and there is one common thread,in both:St. Louis Blues' coach Ken Hitchcock,and i hated the way that the Stars played,at that time,because it was a dogfight,every time... i have to give the Blues credit for their masterful effort...

Red Wings' schedule...

Red Wings/St. Louis Blues,tonight...
Red Wings/San Jose Sharks,Thursday...

NHL news...

there will be no suspension of Milan Lucic,of the Boston Bruins,for shot to goaltender mask that caused Ryan Miller's(of the Buffalo Sabres)concussion,because of "lack of intent"... what a crock!!!!!!!!!!

Crosby injury update......

Sidney Crosby,of the Pittsburgh Penguins,has not been given final medical clearance,to play,but if he does play Thursday,it will be against same team(Tampa Bay Lightning)in which Victor Hedman put him into the boards,and he suffered concussion(his last game,in which he last played in,was January 5th,2011),,,

AHL,and ECHL report...

Grand Rapids Griffiths are 6-8-0-0,in North Division,of the Western Conference,in the American Hockey League,five points behind Toronto Marlies,in last place(in a five team division)... Toledo Walleye are 3-7-0-0,in last place,in Eastern Conference,of the East Coast Hockey League... funny fact:they have more wins than team,just ahead of them(Cincinnati Cyclones,who have two wins)...

injury update...

Ian White of the Detroit Red Wings suffered fractured cheekbone,when helping Jimmy Howard,and stopped puck with his face,and is out 1 to 2 weeks,the Red Wings reported today...
Buffalo Sabres' goaltender Ryan Miller is out,"a few games",with a concussion,when he was hit,by Milan Lucic,of the Boston Bruins,with a shot to the mask,that literally spun his mask off his head... Sabres' general manager,Darcy Regier wants Lucic suspended,by the NHL...

NHL history...

the Border Cities Arena(renamed Windsor Arena),in Windsor,Ontario,was the home of the Detroit Cougars,of the NHL,during the 1926-1927 season,while the Olympia Stadiun(1927-1928 season-December 1979)were being built...

minor league hockey news...

in a Ontario Hockey League game,between Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds,and the London(Ontario)Knights.the Canadian Hockey League's top team,won by Sault Ste. Marie,4-3,Nick Cousins received a "baseball bat swing" spear,as the game ended because he was supposedly was taunting the Knights' player(Ryan Rupert)... Rupert then started throwing punches,at Cousins,who was on ice,holding his stomach,and in a fetal position... the Knights' general manager,Mark Hunter,implied that Cousins,who got a misconduct for,"inciting",deserved the baseball bat swing spear... what a real class act,Mark Hunter!!!!!!!!

game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 5,Stars 2... domination of Dallas,in third period... three goals to none,in period... lifetime record(including tonight)against Stars(Dallas/Minnesota North):Red Wings:102 wins,Stars:101 wins,and 34 ties... Dallas has won eight of last eleven games,between the teams... after six games,at home,they were 4-1-1,on home ice,winner of four straight,and nine points,of possible twelve points,very good homestand... to win back to back games,and creep within four of Chicago,with three games in hand,they are in second place in Central Division,because Nashville just lost to Montreal,2-1,in overtime(in tie,with points,but have played fewer games,than Nashville,so they are second,in Central Division)...

commentary...

if there is one coach that i admire,without the coach not being a Red Wings' coach,it would honestly be Barry Trotz,of the Nashville Predators,because it is the coach's system,not particularly the players in Nashville,that puts the Predators into playoff contention,every year(six of the last seven years),because Nashville has always been a team that plays you tough,chirp at you,and still have a goaltender(Tomas Vokoun,then Pekka Rinne)who has been the foundation of the team,and the team has had a defense-first philosophy,and over the years,they have gotten better with their offense,but it always goes back to the coach,in Nashville... congrats on your 1,000th game,Coach Trotz!!!!!!!!

commentary...

Edmonton did not play badly,but simply had no offensive punch,against the Red Wings,who scored in each period,and played superb defense... in fact,playing on front end of a back to back,it seemed almost like a practice out there... Edmonton is a very good young team,but,i guess,the fact that they played in Boston,last night did not help,but i swear that they had zero jump,and were beaten to every puck... their power play was just awful,or we smothered them all night,but i believe that it was just awful,and when your team goes down,1-0,midway in first period,and then your team just skated,and had a fight,and then just stopped playing hockey,after that moment... it seemed like the game was simply over,when Red Wings went up,2-0,in second period,because Edmonton did not have firepower to scare the Red Wings,on this night... the only suspense of the night was,if Jimmy Howard could get a shutout of the Oilers,in third period,after Red Wings went up,3-0,in third period,which he did,rather easily...
now for the Dallas Stars,who honestly are very bruising,and lead the Western Conference,with eleven wins,in sixteen games... the game that the Red Wings played last night must be much better,tonight(Saturday),because Dallas is smarting from a 3-1 loss,to Pittsburgh,in which they did not play well,and Dallas,and Detroit really do not like each other,and the Red Wings may only play Dallas four times,but the Red Wings may feel like they are owed a win,because Dallas has won some strange games,in some strange ways,recently(Mike Leggo,from 30+feet,in a shootout,anyone?,and a disallowed goal,in another game,that the NHL said that it should have been a goal that counted,and even a third game,that saw a phantom goaltender intrerference call,on Tomas Holmstrom,with a disallowed goal,that turned an 1-0 lead,into a 4-1 defeat)... do you think that i do not like Dallas? you are correct,and there better be great referees,in this game... i will accept defeat,but almost every game recently has been very strange,period...

NHL score...

Pittsburgh Penguins 3,Dallas Stars 1...

Red Wings' news...

Dallas Stars/Red Wings,tomorrow night...

game score,and comment...

Red Wings 3,Edmonton Oilers 0... Jimmy Howard had his third shutout,second one in three games,and fourth shutout,this season... commentary later...

historical hockey trivia...

Nashville Predators play 1,000th game,in franchise history,all with Barry Trotz,as coach,Saturday,against Montreal Canadiens...

funny stuff...

YAHOO Sports' columnist Puck Daddy called Red Wings' captain Nicklas Lidstrom,jokingly,"defenseman,captain,advanced technology android",in an article,about career "plus-minus" leaders,and failures... he is a mind blowing plus-432,number eleven all-time on that list... i almost choked with laughter,when i read that...

schedule,and comments...

Edmonton Oilers/Red Wings,tomorrow night... Red Wings are on six game homestand,going 2-1-1,so far... first time to see Ryan Nugent-Hopkins,against Red Wings... Edmonton has won seven of last nine games,but got beat by the Boston Bruins,6-3,tonight,in Boston... the Oilers have one of the youngest teams,in NHL...

commentary...

the Red Wings do not play anybody,in the Central Division,besides Columbus,who they have played twice,and St. Louis,who they also play twice,before December 15th,when they play Nashville,and they do not play Chicago,until December 30th... what a crock!!!!!! someone in Toronto must despise the Red Wings,because the NHL schedule makers have put it to the Red Wings schedule-wise,because the schedule for the second half of this season is unbelievable...

last night's NHL score...

Nashville Predators 4,Anaheim Ducks 2...

historical Red Wings' trivia...

on November 10,1963(48 years ago,today),Gordie Howe broke the then NHL goal scoring record,set by Maurice "Rocket" Richard,of the Montreal Canadiens,with his 545th goal,against the Montreal Canadiens,and goaltender Charlie Hodge...

NHL scores...

Marian Gaborik scored twice,as the New York Rangers,beat the Ottawa Senators,3-2...
Tampa Bay Lightning beat Philadelphia Flyers,2-1,in overtime

commentary...

Johan Franzen scored hat trick,and Nicklas Lidstrom scored his third goal in two games(two goals,in game,against Anaheim Ducks,and the first goal scored,tonight),and the Red Wings' defense smothered the Avalanche offense,overall,despite two power play goals,but Red Wings were never threatened,with the lack of offensive punch,by Colorado,in a rather clean played game...

game score,and comment...

Red Wings 5,Avalanche 2... commentary early tomorrow morning,because Johan Franzen has been credited with a hat trick,but i want to verify that,before commentary...

Red Wings' trivia...

as i noted earlier,there was only one current Avalanche player on their roster,from the glory days of the Red Wings' hatred of the Avalanche(Milan Hejduk)... there are only two players from that time on the Red Wings' roster:Nicklas Lidstrom,and Tomas Holmstrom...

slight correction...

Avalanche did play Red Wings,and lost,3-0,October 8th... the game was the Avalanche's home opener,and their first game,of the 2011-2012 season...

Red Wings' schedule...

Colorado Avalanche/Red Wings,tonight... interesting game tonight,because Colorado has had a very good start,compared to last few years,and are bouncing back to a Stanley Cup contender,as early reports go,and the standings go,right now... only one current Avalanche player goes back to the glory days of Red Wings/Avalanche hatred(Milan Hejduk),but there is still an edge to this series of games,between the two teams,and a possibility of a matchup,in the Stanley Cup playoffs,this season... bigger game for the Red Wings,than the Avalanche,but round two is tonight... Red Wings beat Avalanche,3-0,opening night,October 8th,this season...

NHL news...

there are reports in Pittsburgh that Sidney Crosby(out with concussion,since January)"may" play Friday,for the Pittsburgh Penguins,against the Dallas Stars... the Penguins are not saying that,but the signs,and the team both say that he is progressing toward playing on the ice,very soon... he did visit his doctors,before the game,with the Los Angeles Kings(he flew back from Los Angeles,to do visit doctors)... the last time he played was January 5th,when he suffered a second head shot,in as many games,and came back to practice,in March,but suffered a setback,and has not played since then...

Russian hockey news....

Andrei Nazarov played 571 games,in NHL,had 133 fights,and 1,409 penalty minutes... well,he is now head coach,of Vityaz,of the KHL... in a 3-2 loss to Dynamo Minsk,there were 156 penalty minutes given out,in last fifteen seconds(basic line brawl),and during it,some fan threw something at Nazarov,and he was not going to take that stuff,and so he went after the fans with a hockey stick through the bench glass... i did look at the game box score,and it was line brawl(basically every player fights in a line,one after another)...

American Hockey League,and East Coast Hockey League update...

Grand Rapids Griffiths are 5-6-0-0,in North Division,in Western Conference,and Toledo Walleye are 1-5-0-0,last place in Eastern Conference... Griffiths lost to Charlotte Checkers,2-1,in last game,and the Walleye play the Gwinnett Gladiators,today...

game score,and commentary...

what rumble? Red Wings have won sixteen games,of the last seventeen games,since 2002-2003,against the Ducks,at home,including a 5-0 stomping,of the Anaheim Ducks,tonight... Nicklas Lidstrom scored twice... Johan Franzen,Henrik Zetterberg,and Niklas Kronwall also scored... the Ducks were so inept,and pathetic,that when they did get one past Howard,it was disallowed,by goaltender interference,when a Ducks' player,ran Howard over(hit him in head with rear end),and was so obvious that the referee waved it off instantly,and early in third period,Teemu Selanne,for the Ducks,left the game in a fury,by saying something to referee,that first got him two minutes,for unsportsmanlike conduct,then got him a ten minute misconduct penalty,and after Red Wings scored 37 seconds later,on power play,to make it,4-0,he said something more to referee,that got him tossed from the game... Jimmy Howard got his second shutout of year,and third shutout,against the Ducks,in last two years(his only two shutouts,last year,were against Anaheim,including a 4-0 opening night shutout,in Detroit,last year)... the Ducks looked pathetic all night,and Jonas Hiller,who was last year's All-Star game starter,got hung out to dry,and simply stunk,in allowing all five Red Wings' goals,and got pulled,in third period...

coincidences...

in 2002,Red Wings lost last seven of season(0-3-2-2),then lost first two games of opening playoff series,against the Vancouver Canucks,and in 2008,the Red Wings went 0-5-1,(exactly,like now)from February,7-17,2008... one thing is the same for the Red Wings,those years:they won the Stanley Cup,both years... good teams go through these stretches,and the great teams make them pay,at the end...

injury update...

this is an injury update for Sidney Crosby,of the Pittsburgh Penguins,and Chris Pronger of the Philadelphia Flyers.... both are skating;Pronger got hit in eye,and vision has returned to pre-injury level,and is getting used to wearing visor,for the first time,since junior hockey,in 1993... Crosby has gone to Pittsburgh for doctor checkup,and will practice,Monday... both players have an unknown timetable for return,will probably,in next couple of weeks,my guess...

battle of struggling teams...

Red Wings may be struggling(loser of last six games),but the Anaheim Ducks have lost six of the last seven games,too

Red Wings' news...

Anaheim Ducks/Red Wings,tomorrow...

game score,and commentary...

Flames 4,Red Wings 1... if the Red Wings did not have bad luck,they would have any luck,at all... Red Wings turned puck over twice in own zone,and both times,Jarome Iginla(Flames' captain) put puck into net,past Howard... the second Iginla goal just killed any momentum,for Detroit,who up to that time,were buzzing around Miikka Kiprusoff,in third period... referees missed two major penalties(the hit on Hudler mentioned before,and a high sticking call,at end of second period),but Detroit just can not put rock in ocean,from a pier,and just dropping puck,right now... Dan Cleary scored his first goal of season,and since last season,when puck ricocheted off his left shoulder... the last time the Red Wings went six games winless,was February 7-17,2008,and later on that year(2008),they won the Stanley Cup... they have been out-scored in last six games,22-6... i have blamed every little thing for the Red Wings' woes,but to tell you the truth,it has been very frustrating,and maddening,watching the Red Wings on this six game slide,because at times they look pretty good,but then they pull some bonehead plays that simply boggle the mind,and right now,they seem to be beating themselves,and they are making ordinary goaltenders look like Jacques Plante,and Ken Dryden,of the Montreal Canadiens,or even Patrick Roy,of the Canadiens,and Colorado Avalanche,at their best...

WWE time,in NHL...

Buffalo Sabres' Patrick Kaleta has been suspended four games for,"headbutting",Columbus Blue Jackets Jakub Voracek,during their game,Wednesday night...

Red Wings' news...

Calgary Flames' Scott Hannan held Jiri Hudler,and shoved him into boards(dasher),and Hudler got sliced when face hit dasher... should have been a four minute penalty,but again four blind mice,but good luck,Detroit scored on power play.... Brendan Shanahan(NHL dean on player safety,and discipline)should look at hit on Hudler(as rule 48 violation,meaning defenseless player hit)...

Red Wings' news...

Calgary Flames/Red Wings,tonight... commentary later...

NHL news...

Nashville signed goaltender Pekka Rinne,to a seven year contract extension,worth $49 million...

update on Niklas Kronwall...

i do not apologize for comments made earlier,because i would say the same thing about any NHL player,but here is an update,on Niklas Kronwall,from Niklas Kronwall,himself: "i got dinged from the hit for five to seven seconds,and as soon i got off the ice,everything felt fine..." however,he did say that he was lucky that he was not hurt any worse... my opinion:it looked worse than it was...

commentary...

for your information,the Red Wings have been winless in five games(5-4-1),with a heartbreaking loss,in overtime,to Minnesota Wild,last night,which made me upset,but honestly not for the reasons that you may think... they played an undisciplined,but very good,defensive game,last night... i can not blame the referees,except for the missed hit on Niklas Kronwall,at end of game,that should have been called on Mikko Koivu... the way that the Red Wings lost last night i have seen so many times that i say,"that is hockey",and i can shrug that off,but the comments of NHL Network pundit Kevin Weekes made me see red... Weekes was a goaltender in NHL,but a backup,mostly... he called the hit on Niklas Kronwall,"physical",and then started to extol the virtues of Koivu's game,and did not mention how hurt Kronwall may be... i have a question for Kevin,"how would you like to be hit in the chops,with the power of Koivu's elbow(without the mask),and start counting your chicklets,or know how your face may feel,with an elbow shot that left Kronwall motionless on the ice??" would you like that,Mr. Weekes? i would recommend that Mr. Weekes shut up,and be a little thoughtful,when expressing an opinion... in other words,shut your mouth...

final report on KHL Lokomotiv Jaroslavl plane crash...

like i said earlier,in a report leaked earlier,it was determined that pilot error was to blame for the crash... one of the pilots accidently pushed the brake pedals,during takeoff,causing the plane to roll off the runway at a great deal of speed,getting airborne for a moment,at an angle that made takeoff impossible,and then crashing 500 yards off the runway
they do not know which of the pilots pressed down the pedal,but the report does say that if they had realized they had pressed down the pedal,they did have time to abort the takeoff,and save the aircraft,but only a slight pressure on pedal would have caused the mistake...

show guts,Shanahan....

there is a report that Niklas Kronwall has been injured by Mikko Koivu,when he hit Kronwall,in the face,with his right shoulder,or right elbow,during final seconds,of Minnesota Wild game,with Red Wings... they have played three games,with the Wild,and the Wild,until now played clean,but my opinion,of Koivu's hit,on Kronwall,is that it was borderline,whether or not,it was clean,because it,in my opinion,was aimed at his head,which falls under the expanded Rule 48,which outlaws any major hits to the head... does Brendan Shanahan have the guts to take a look at it,and suspend Koivu,because he meant to hit Kronwall,with the hit...

game score,and commentary...

Minnesota 2,Red Wings 1,overtime loss... got one point,but scoring a goal per game,and lose five games in a row,does suck... penalties killed the Red Wings,tonight,and for 59 minutes,they played a great defensive game,but the Wild,who got nine power plays,including one in overtime,tipped one past Jimmy Howard,to tie game at one,with a minute left,in regulation,and Devin Setoguchi,who scored five goals,against the Red Wings,in that epic seven game series,with San Jose,last playoff season,scored a goal past Howard,on a very nice pass,by Mikko Koivu,who literally knocked Niklas Kronwall out with shoulder/back hit,as Kronwall approached him from behind(he threw his head,and with a shoulder knocked Kronwall,silly),making a 4 on 3 power play,a 4-2 power play... one pass later:game over!!! referees called a tight game but should have called Koivu,for interference,for the hit on Kronwall,but were blind mice,on that one... just the Red Wings' luck lately....

mask history...

Jacques Plante,of the Montreal Canadiens,made NHL history,52 years ago,today,by wearing a goaltender's mask,in a NHL game...

Red Wings' schedule...

Minnesota Wild/Red Wings,tonight... third time,already,out of four times,and first time in Detroit...

NHL news...

New Jersey Devils activate Martin Brodeur,from injured reserve list,today... he could play,against Toronto,Wednesday...

Red Wings' news...

Niklas Kronwall signed a seven year contract extension,worth $33.25 million,with the Red Wings...

home cooking...

Minnesota Wild,November 1st
Calgary Flames,November 3rd
Anaheim Ducks,November 5th
Colorado Avalanche,November 8th
Edmonton Oilers,November 11th
Dallas Stars,November 12th
these are tough games,period...

commentary...

as a fan of the Red Wings,i am not happy that the Red Wings are not playing well,but honestly,they have a core of players that will be there at the end(the playoffs)... they seem to be just out of sync,and pressing too hard to be too fine,in playing the game... the line in playing well,and stinking up the joint,is very,very fine,almost paper-thin... what is annoying me,right now,is that Red Wings are getting shots,but not second shots,rebounds,or even good shots,on the rebound,and only in one game,has the power play looked even decent,and the exception of the 7-1 shellacking,by the Washington Capitals,goaltending has been very good,overall... coaching has been spotty,not because of the results,but because of the fact that Mike Babcock,and his coaching staff,has only been together,for nine regular season games(they lost three coaches,including Brad McCrimmon,who died in the crash,of the Yak-42-D,in Jaroslavl,Russia,in crash that took 44 people,and their lives,and most of entire team roster,and coaches,of Lokomotiv Jaroslavl,a KHL team),in which this blog is dedicated to their memory...

noting for family...

by the way,the two teams that the Columbus Blue Jackets has beaten,so far,this season,are the Red Wings,and the Anaheim Ducks...

correction...

the year that the Red Wings had eight major players out,early in season,was 2009/2010,not 2008/2009... sorry for mistake on dates...

commentary...

as a fan,last night's game,between the Red Wings/Wild was real ugly,to lose,1-0,and four in a row,really sucks... the coaches should be upset,with lack of offense,which i am,but the fact that they only gave up only one goal,on a night that looked,at times,like high-grade pee-wee hockey,was really amazing,because of the way that they played overall,in front of Jimmy Howard,was,at times,very pathetic,and Jimmy Howard was the best player on the ice,for both teams,even though Josh Harding put a goose egg,on scoreboard,because even though Howard gave up a goal,in first period,he actually stopped five,or six point blank shots,from less than ten feet away,in first period,alone... he was spectacular,but the Red Wings could not shoot,skate,pass puck around,and could not enter their offensive zone,without getting mugged,or having a bad pinch play turnover,until midway through the third period,consistently... the Red Wings totally missed the net on,at least three separate shots,shot into crowds,or had shots so weak(overall)towards Harding,that i could have played goal,in NHL,against them,last night... no one had a real good night,especially Mike Babcock(Red Wings' coach),whose game plan did not work,last night,and both teams played just horribly,on offensive side of the game... it was totally a game that i would use to actually fall asleep,and enjoy the nap... wake up,Red Wings!!!!!!! i guess that you need to feel like you stink,as a team,because last night,offensively,was the absolute worst game,in five years... even in 2008/2009,when you had eight major players out,with injury,and looked like the Detroit Griffiths(on ice,having so many call-ups,from Grand Rapids,at one time),you played harder than last night,and back then,it was really painful to watch Red Wings' hockey... by the way,what was Todd Bertuzzi doing last night? playing "ugly Red Wing?,or invisible Red Wing?"... giving the Wild two power plays,and then getting clipped in face for a four minute high-sticking major,was highlight,of the night,FOR ENTIRE TEAM,except for Jimmy Howard,who had his A+game,on display,last night... too bad the rest of the team did not show up,and failed the test....

game score,and commentary...

Wild 1,Red Wings 0... winning goal went to Dany Heatley,on a pinch play by blue line,and instead of being stopped by Zetterberg,at blue line,puck skipped over his skate to Heatley,who went down right side of zone,and shot puck past Jimmy Howard,on the left side of net,and never had a chance to stop puck... Red Wings seemed out of sync all night,and Minnesota clogged up neutral zone,all night...

game in progress---2nd intermission

after two periods,they(Red Wings) are pressing too hard,and just out of sync... both teams suck,with their passing... honestly,it looks like pee wee hockey,but good teams seem to have their cold spells,and both teams can not seem to find the back of the net,on a consistent basis,tonight,but Red Wings have one period,to pound the puck,at Josh Harding... Jimmy Howard has been rather spectacular,tonight,robbing the Wild,on several point-blank chances,and without him,it is not 1-0,after two periods,but 2-0,or 3-0.... the Red Wings still have chance to win this ugly "pee-wee" game...

commentary...

should have been down,2-0,but the disallowed goal bug bit Minnesota(kicked puck,with an onside kick motion(pooch kick),and popped puck over Jimmy Howard's head,into net),and the Red Wings gave up four or five two on one chances,and Dany Heatley scored on one,for a Wild goal.... start of a ugly game;passing the puck is erratic,for the Red Wings,but luckily the Wild can not seem to pass,or shoot the puck on those two on one chances,or honestly,it would be 2-0,or 3-0,for the Wild,but Red Wings made a great puck stuffing play,when Red Wings,basically hit puck and stick,at same exact time,to stop puck dead on stick,as the Wild player started to shoot puck,on one of those chances... defensively,they are not that bad,except for the two on one chances... they just need to kill off 1:22 off during Wild power play to start second,and then start passing,and getting pucks to the crease,and into the net...

if i was Mike Babcock(Red Wings' coach)...

overall,as a fan,if i was Mike Babcock(Red Wings' coach),i would not be too happy with the way that they are playing overall... as a team,they are on a three game losing streak,and even though you were unhappy with the officiating,you were more upset with giving two straight empty net goals,to make games look like we were playing worse than we were playing... good teams occasionally gives up empty net goals,at end of games,but to do it for two straight games,is not good... better offensive pressure at end at games,would really help your cause,and get your team out of the offensive doldrums... the good thing about the loss to San Jose,if there was one thing,was that the top line(Pavel Datsyuk,Henrik Zetterberg,and Dan Cleary)played very well,with Zetterberg getting a goal,Datsyuk getting two assists,and Tomas Holmstrom scored a goal,and getting two pucks in net(even though one was disallowed,on a very questionable call,with contact with Antti Niemi)... it was more of a reputation call on Holmstrom,because Niemi moved out of the blue paint,in front of net,and made contact with Holmstrom,before puck was chipped over Niemi,into net,and gave Holmstrom a little shove down onto ice... before you think that i do not think that it was a veteran move,it was,and a good one,but any other player would have scored on that play,or had a penalty on Niemi... calls like that,Holmstrom gets every season,because he is best puck tipper,in front of net,in the NHL... he had a penalty,against Dallas,on a totally phantom call standing in front of goaltender,and he tipped puck past goaltender(did not move body,at all),and Tim Peel,called him for goaltender interference,in a 4-1 loss,last year,to the Stars,so it happens every year... The Dallas goaltender(Kari Lehtonin) actually crosschecked him in back,and Peel,called Holmstrom for interference... the Red Wings are having trouble on power play,and getting puck into offensive zone,and setting up offensively,to attack their opponent,but good teams go through spells like that,so i would not be worried... i would be upset with the overall way that the Red Wings are playing right now,but honestly,i would tell them,and have a hard practice,or two,to get point across,and stress better defense in our defensive zone,because better offense comes from having teams turn the puck over to you... i would believe that they were pressing too hard on offense,trying to score goals,and making rather trivial mistakes,in the neutral zone,and turning pucks over in our defensive zone,giving the goaltender(Jimmy Howard,and Ty Conklin)little chance to stop pucks,and having them make spectacular saves,just to bail the Red Wings out,and finally stop making stupid,brain-dead penalties(hooking,etc.),and putting themselves into hole,with an opponent's power play coming at them every five or ten minutes... if they would do that,the Red Wings would improve,with their overall game...

schedule update...

Red Wings/Minnesota Wild,tonight...
Minnesota/Red Wings,Tuesday
Calgary Flames/Red Wings,Thursday
Anaheim Ducks/Red Wings,next Saturday

game score,and commentary...

Sharks 4,Red Wings 2... Sharks did play better,but Red Wings played best game,in last three games... referees were simply bad;disallowed goal,for the Red Wings(Tomas Holmstrom got shoved down,by Antti Niemi,and Holmstrom fell into him,while putting puck,in net(could have been called either way,so Sharks got very lucky not to down,2-0,at that time)... that disallowed goal took air out of the building,and for the second game,in row,Kelly Sutherland was one of the referees,and he simply called every small penalty,early,and then late,put whistle,in pocket,so Red Wings were befuddled,by referee's non-calls,and both teams had no rhythm,until third period... Sharks played very good defense in third period,and scored an empty-net goal,in last minute,which sucks,but they were better tonight... good fan game,but for both coaches,and teams were chippy,and confused,by the officials,and you can tell that there is some very bad blood,between the teams,and Brent Burns simply tried to embarrass Tomas Holmstrom,by punching him multiple times,in a scrum,very late in game,and referees just stood there watching him punch Holmstrom... you do not want to know what i think about Burns... i will tone it down;good player,but have no respect for him,now...

Red Wings' news...

Sharks/Red Wings,tonight... game score,and commentary,after game...

top Western Hockey League defenseman to be drafted,in 2012 NHL entry draft...

Matt Dumba defenseman,Red Deer Rebels
Ryan Murray defenseman,Everett Silvertips
Derrick Pouliot,defenseman,Portland Winterhawks
Griffith Reinhart,defenseman,Edmonton Oil Kings
Morgan Rielly,defenseman,Moose Jaw Warriors

wild game in Philly...

Winnipeg 9,Philadelphia 8...

Red Wings' schedule...

Sharks/Red Wings,tomorrow,in Detroit... round one....

NHL news...

the 2012 NHL entry draft,will be in Pittsburgh,PA.... will note some draft picks,later today...

NHL team milestone...

St. Louis Blues just won their 1,500th game in franchise history,in a 3-0 win,over the Vancouver Canucks,tonight...

commentary...

Red Wings' coach Mike Babcock is still very upset about the way that Red Wings played the last two games,against Columbus Blue Jackets,and the Washington Capitals... he mentioned that the Red Wings were not getting second chances/rebounds,of their shots,and most of them being outside shots(not in the crease),and goaltending has not been up to snuff,allowing big rebounds and shots up close... he let the Red Wings have it,at practice,(the way that Babcock was upset at team)i would believe that... expect the Red Wings to play better going on....

game score,and commentary...

Columbus 4,Detroit 1... two rookies(Ryan Johansen,and John Moore)scored their first NHL goals,a smothering(almost mugging) defense,and every bounce of puck went their way... referees gave Blue Jackets six power plays to three,for the Red Wings... there was an empty net goal,in last minute,while Red Wings were on a rare 6-4 power play... Kelly Sutherland may have to be in the Hall of Shame,along with Mike Leggo,Stephane Auger,and my all time least favorite referee,Paul Devorski,because he called penalties on Red Wings that were invisible to naked eye,or were so picky to be believed... Columbus had a great game plan,against the Red Wings;mug them,stop them,and Steve Mason had his most solid game,in two years... have to give credit to Columbus,they played the game without being dirty,and played good defense throughout game,and jumped on turnovers to score all four goals,in game... what got my gripe up,tonight,was the fact that the Red Wings went 30:34,of gametime,without a penalty called,on the Blue Jackets,while the Red Wings had to kill off eight minutes,of penalty time(four minutes of that time went to Pavel Datsyuk,and Henrik Zetterberg),,, sloppy game playing,and bad referee calls,did the Red Wings in,tonight... fyi,Leggo called a shootout goal,from 30+feet good when referee from less than three feet away,called no goal,in shootout loss to Dallas... the call was so bad that even the Stars' announcers were absolutely dumbfounded... Auger has been known to be arrogant,and berate players... Devorski:one game,Game two,Red Wings/Sharks...2009-2010 playoffs... enough said....

NHL debut...

Columbus Blue Jackets' goaltender Allen York,when he was backup to Steve Mason,made his NHL debut,tonight... he played 2:33 of gametime,when Mason was checked by doctors in locker room,after he hit arm on goalpost... Mason came back into game,while i was typing about injury(laughing)...

health update,and comments...

Philadelphia Flyers' captain Chris Pronger received a scare,when he got hit in eye by stick blade,during a 4-2 win,over the Toronto Maple Leafs... he will miss 2 to 3 weeks,and has been put on bed rest,for time being... even though,i do not like him as a player,i respect him as a player,and i hate to admit that he is a winner,and greatly respected,in many locker rooms,and he did win Stanley Cup,with Anaheim,in 2007(beat Ottawa Senators,in five games)... hope his vision is going to be fine,and the Flyers say that he will not be cleared,until he wears a visor...

commentary...

Red Wings/Blue Jackets,tonight,in Columbus... little known facts:Ty Conklin will start his second consecutive game,and Joey MacDonald has been called up,from Grand Rapids... before you fans get crazy,Jimmy Howard,and his wife,had a baby boy,James Howard IV,within the last couple of days... congrats,Jimmy!!!!!!!! Columbus is winless(0-7-1),and the fact that the Red Wings were "humbled"(their own words),by Washington Capitals,expect Columbus to be desperate,with the addition,of James Wisniewski(off an eight game suspension),and expect a dogfight... Columbus lost to the Red Wings,in a sweep,in only playoff appearance,in 2008-2009...

memories of hockey...

the most famous trio of brothers ever to play,in NHL,were the Stastny brothers(Peter,Anton,and Marian)... they came from Czechoslovakia,during the Soviet era... they all played for the Quebec Nordiques,at the same time... Peter scored 450 goals(380,with Quebec),Anton scored 252 goals(all with Quebec),and Marian scored 121 goals(all with Quebec)... Peter also played for the New Jersey Devils,and with a cup of coffee,in St. Louis,with the Blues,(23 games,over two years),and without the Stastny brothers,you do not have a Russian explosion of players,when they defected through Canada,i believe,at that time... the Detroit Red Wings do not have "the Russian Five",without the Stastny brothers coming before them,because back then,the Soviet Union put a cap on hockey players,and their travels,in Eastern Europe...(remember "the Iron Curtain"?)...

commentary...

i do my blogs to teach you the games' history,and to tell you about my love for the true game of hockey... people may think that i am a fan of the Red Wings,and the Packers,and i am,but i will tell you when they are having a bad streak of games,and appreciate,and respect the teams they play... however i will tell you about my love of the true game of hockey,and football,and criticize the game,when people do the stupidest things,and you may disagree with me,and i accept that,but i will do it,with ultimate respect for the game... i may say that i despise a divisional team(like the Blackhawks,and teams in Central Division,of NHL,and the Bears,or the teams in the NFC North),but i totally respect those teams,and the respect is most important,to me... if Red Wings switch divisions,in 2012-2013,i will "despise" those teams,too... (laughing)

Toledo Walleye (ECHL) news,and a reminder of Griffiths' record...

the East Coast Hockey League team has a record,of 1-2,after three games... just a reminder that the Griffiths has record of 3-4,and play Abbotsford Heat,on October 28th,at home(made a mistake on that post(...

Grand Rapids Griffiths' update

the American Hockey League team has a record,after seven games,of 3-4... they play Abbotsford Heat,on October 28,2011,in Grand Rapids....

schedule,and comments...

Red Wings play Columbus Blue Jackets,tomorrow,in Columbus... they then come back to Detroit,to host the San Jose Sharks,on October 28,2011... i did try to get tickets,for two,for November 17 game,in San Jose,but after one day,it only had single seats... i even tried for March 17th,2012,but they were gone,on same day that i tried to get tickets... funny thing i even tried to get tickets for their two games,in Detroit... no such luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Red Wings' October trivia...

on October 29,1947,Gordie Howe wore the number 9,for the first time,as a Red Wings' player,and on October 29,1944,Ted Lindsay made his NHL debut,as the Red Wings beat the Blackhawks,7-1,and finally,on October 26,1984,in a 7-3 win,over the Buffalo Sabres,they scored three empty net goals... on October 8,1993,Red Wings went to Anaheim,in their first game,in their NHL history,and beat the Mighty Ducks,4-0... why do i remember that? i listened to the game,while i lived in Orange County...

commentary...

until last night,against the Capitals,Red Wings have played like they should be playing:very good overall offense,and very good goaltending,but last night was one of those games,where everything went absolutely wrong:bad special teams,bad defense,and very bad goaltending... everything shot at net,for Capitals,seemed to go in,and no one played well,period... Red Wings should honestly forget this stinker,and get back,"on the horse",and get back to being one of the best teams,in NHL... every good team has,at least,one stinkbomb of a game,and the good teams bounce back...

game score...

Phoenix 5,Anaheim 4...

commentary...

the two turning points,in tonight's Red Wings' game,was the Red Wings,not scoring at least a goal,on back end,of first two man advantage,and not scoring on second two-man advantage given to them by the Capitals,midway through second period,when they had chance to get close,and were down,3-1,then Ty Conklin giving up a goal,that got through his pads,and was behind him,and was tapped in net,with mere seconds to play,in second period... instead of being down,3-2,or tied,they were down 4-1,after two periods,and then Detroit lost any momentum to get back into game,after two periods... there is no way to put a bow on this game... it stunk... if i was Mike Babcock,i would put this game on the shelf,and show it to the Red Wings' players,before the game,in Detroit,when the teams meet again,March 19th,2012,to remind them of this stinker,tonight...

game score...

Capitals 7,Red Wings 1... the Red Wings really should forget about this slaughter,rather quickly... UGLY!!!!!!!!!!!! STINKER!!!!!!!!!

game in progress---2nd intermission

every bounce of puck is going the Capitals' way,and a very late goal,in second period,by Capitals,gave them a 4-1 lead after two periods,and a lack of offensive punch,by the Red Wings,on two two-man advantages,and two very stupid penalties,by Todd Bertuzzi,and Cory Emmerton gave Washington two power play goals,and a late very soft goal,given up by Ty Conklin,who could not corral a puck,under his glove(puck squeezed under glove,into goal),with mere seconds to play in the second period,put Red Wings into big hole... you can not win them all,and this game i could nit-pick all night,but just a very sloppy night,for the Red Wings... still a period left,but the late goal,in the second period,changed the tempo for the Red Wings,and just made it very difficult,and the way that they are playing,they honestly look lethargic,tonight...

comments,on game...

after first period,Red Wings look a step slow,and out of sync,gave up two goals,and just before the buzzer,the Capitals rang a puck off the post,behind Ty Conklin,so the Red Wings have to come back on the Capitals...

Lidstrom's night...

Nicklas Lidstrom is playing his 1,500th game,tonight,the 14th player,in NHL history(fourth in Red Wings' history,to play 1,500 games),and only has missed 32 regular season games,including two playoff games,in his 20 year career...

NHL news...

Red Wings/Washington Capitals,tonight... at this time of post,both are last unbeaten teams...

commentary...

Red Wings basically dominated the Blue Jackets,from opening puck drop... Johan Franzen scored two goals in first period,and three points in game... Valtteri Filppula had a goal,and three assists(a four point night),and Red Wings led 2-0,3-1,4-2,and finally won by score by 5-2,with empty net goal,by Flippula(assisted by Franzen who tripped over a Blue Jacket,as he passed puck to Flippula)... two good periods,out of three(second period was the worst period,got out-shot,13-7,but Pavel Datsyuk scored goal 27 seconds into period,to extend lead to 3-1,but Columbus did not get closer,because of the Red Wings' overall defense,in that second,and they dominated the third defensively,and backbreaker goal came from Nicklas Lidstrom,who fired a rocket over Steve Mason's right shoulder,into left upper corner of net,to make it,4-2,at 7:46,of third period... Red Wings were 3-5,on power play... Rick Nash,of Columbus has scored 23 goals lifetime,with a couple hat tricks,against the Red Wings,but got nary a shot on goal,tonight... Steve Mason,in net,for the Blue Jackets,has been owned by the Red Wings,meaning that he may have a shutout,or two,against Red Wings,but he gave up four goals,against Red Wings,tonight... since his Calder Trophy winning rookie season,in which he was 33-20-7,.916 save percentage,and 2.29 goals against average,he has been 44-53-17,.894 save percentage,with a 3.18 G.A.A.,with Columbus,being the only winless team,at 0-6-1,in the NHL...

Red Wings' score...

Red Wings 5,Blue Jackets 2... Red Wings 5-0-0,for season... commentary later...

Red Wings' history...

Nicklas Lidstrom will play in his 1,500th game,when the Red Wings play the Washington Capitals,tomorrow... he has missed only just under 35 games,in his 20 year NHL career...

NHL history...

San Jose Sharks' Joe Thornton plays his 1,000th game,against the New Jersey Devils,tonight... 1,000 games for any player is a great milestone,in the NHL... he has played for the Boston Bruins,and the San Jose Sharks,in his career...

commentary...

before you get excited about Detroit being in second place,in Central Division,(behind Chicago),they(with San Jose)have played the least number of games,this season-four games... there are 82 games,in the NHL season... anybody tell me that San Jose is the 14th team(out of 15),in Western Conference,they would be insane,because they are not that bad... they have gotten off to a very bad start,and have not won since their opening night of the season... problem is that points count as much,in October,as they do,in April,because they are harder to get in April,to make the playoffs,and tomorrow night,against New Jersey,may be the biggest game that they play,so far,because they really need two points badly,period... to go 1-4-0,in the first five games,is not a tough hole to dig out of,but with the best teams at 8 to 10 points,so far this season,they would be behind teams that will not be ahead of them for long,and yet they would have to chase the good teams,most of the season,and the front office would be in trouble,because San Jose changed their basic lineup to speed up,and to make a run at the playoffs later,wears,and tires the team out(example:2009-2010 Detroit Red Wings,who had eight major players injured,and got healthy,went on a run,with best overall record,in last 25 games,or so,landed fifth,in playoff race,and ran out of gas,against San Jose,in five hotly contested games)... so season again starts,in New Jersey,for the Sharks,if you know what i mean...

schedule update...

Columbus Blue Jackets/Red Wings,tomorrow...
Red Wings/Washington Capitals,Saturday night(both teams unbeaten,and playing good,at time of this post)...

commentary...

the NHL schedule makers are strange,because they have given the Red Wings,four days off between one game,and then five days before another,and they guess they may do that for every team,but every year they do it for the Red Wings early(which is a good thing,but drives bloggers crazy).. i just wish that they would do it sometimes,in March/April,because of injury to the team,healing up at that point...

NHL news...

New Jersey Devils' Martin Brodeur out 7 to 10 more days ,with injured shoulder,that he injured last week,and was at that time,day to day,but injury reports are known to be a "so-so" thing,over the years...

game score...

Toronto 4,Winnipeg 3,shootout win...

NHL labor update...

part of hockey-related revenue(HRR) was put in escrow for the NHL players,as part of collective bargaining agreement,set in 2005,and that revenue,and that was supposed to be in their checks,for the players,on October 14th,but there is minor squabble,between the NHLPA,and the NHL... with the CBA,up in September 2012,pundits are beginning to say there are "disturbing" trends toward both of the labor union,and negotiations,that are coming up next summer... i just believe that the squabble will be fixed shortly...

NHL news,and trivia...

Winnipeg plays Toronto,in Toronto,tonight... the last time Winnipeg visited Toronto,was March 13,1996(a 3-3 tie)... only two still active NHL players,played for Winnipeg that night-Phoenix Coyotes' captain Shane Doan,and Edmonton Oilers' goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin...

trivia,and historical tidbits...

Hockey Hall of Fame member,and defenseman Paul Coffey scored 1,000 points,in 770 games,163 games less than Hockey Hall of Fame member Ray Bourque... he played for the Edmonton Oilers(with Wayne Gretzky),Pittsburgh Penguins(with Mario Lemieux),Los Angeles Kings(with Luc Robitaille),Detroit Red Wings(with Steve Yzerman),Hartford Whalers,Philadelphia Flyers,Chicago Blackhawks,Carolina Hurricanes,and Boston Bruins,in a career that spanned,1980-1981,to 2000-2001 Both Coffey,and Bourque were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame,in 2004...*
*all players named in this post,are Hockey Hall of Fame members...

correction...

i noted yesterday that on January 12,1971,The Red Wings suffered their worst shutout loss,in team history,to the Montreal Canadiens,13-0;however i made a mistake on the date:it was January 2,1971... i made the mistake,because it notes team history over the entire month of January,and they note days,and years.... have to be as accurate as i can be...

OOPS!!!!!!!

Henrik Zetterberg turned 31,on October 9th...

Red Wings' history...

this is not to say the Red Wings will win Stanley Cup,but the last time the Red Wings were,4-0,was 1997-1998,when they won the back end,of a back to back run,of Stanley Cup-winning teams...

feat of note...

Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins netted his first NHL hat trick,in his third NHL game... the 2011 first overall draft pick,was the Oilers' only scoring,as the Oilers lost,4-3,to the Vancouver Canucks,last night...

Red Wings' history...

on January 12,1971,the Red Wings suffered their worst shutout defeat,in team history,losing to the Montreal Canadiens,13-0(second biggest shutout loss,in NHL history)...

game of note...

Phoenix 4,Winnipeg 1... first of two meetings,between the teams,this season...

commentary,and game score...

finally,a power play goal!!!!!!!! the goal that won the game,against the Wild... Red Wings 3,Minnesota 2,in overtime... however,the best player on the ice,was the goalie for the Wild... Josh Harding,his first game played,since March,2010... the Wild scored two goals,in 28 seconds,of game time(the last twelve seconds,of the first period,and the first sixteen seconds,of the second period),but had only twelve shots in entire regulation time... the Red Wings wore them down late in second period,when Ian White scored with forty-eight seconds left,in second period,and Jiri Hudler tied game,at two,3:46,into third period,and then the Red Wings clamped down,and took over in third period... Johan Franzen scored game-winning power play goal,then knocked off the net off the pegs... Minnesota did protest,but it was confirmed by,"the War Room",in Toronto... replays did really show that the goal was in the goal,before Franzen fell into the crossbar,like a "mule"(his nickname)...

worst shutout loss in hockey history...

in the 1998 Asia-Oceania under-18 hockey championship,South Korea crushed Thailand,-you better sit down for this score-92-0...

biggest NHL shutout...

Detroit Red Wings shutout the New York Rangers,15-0,on January 23,1944...

history of note...

Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes:the Jets play the former Winnipeg Jets franchise,who moved to Phoenix,from Winnipeg,in 1996...

injury update...

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby has been cleared for full contact,by his doctors... timetable for his return to playing NHL hockey is uncertain... my guess:a couple of weeks,or so...

schedule update...

Red Wings at Minnesota Wild,tonight... game score and commentary,after game...

tribute news...

starting with tonight's game,both the Anaheim Ducks,and the San Jose Sharks will honor victims,of the September 7th KHL plane crash,that took Ruslan Salei(who played for the Ducks)and the Sharks will honor their 2011 NHL sixth round draft pick Daniil Sobchenko... both players were on the Lokomotiv Jaroslal team who died that day... the Ducks will wear a patch on their sweaters,honoring Salei,and the Sharks will wear a sticker,honoring Sobchenko...

NHL news...

Rick DiPietro,of the New York Islanders,suffered concussion,when he was hit in mask,with puck,during practice... he is out indefinitely...

commentary...

early on this season,Red Wings impress me with their overall defense... they will get better on power play,when team chemistry improves... that takes time,but now the season rotation really starts(a game every two,or three days,except for All-Star Break),so the fact that they have not been behind,in the three games that they have played(a 5-0 lead,before Ottawa scored three goals,in third period,opening night,and then back to back shutouts(3-0,against Colorado,and 2-0,over Vancouver)),will change... they are playing very good,and that will change,because a team can not play all 82 games,at peak throughout the entire season... people may say that the Red Wings may be underdogs this season,and they may be right,but honestly,when the team is facing Detroit,in playoffs,they will be in for a fight,because they have enough overall firepower,and if played like they should,they have one of the best defenses,in NHL... the Red Wings may be long in the tooth,and have many free agents next off-season,but the pride of the Winged Wheel,and the fact that last year they fought like dogs,against San Jose(and lost)really gives them momentum,and a real big chip on their collective shoulders to get the job done... they seem to be very hungry for the run for the Stanley Cup,and let Ken Holland handle team mechanics next off-season,to keep Red Wings mostly intact,and at their usual high standards... you may believe that they are on the outside of the talk about contenders,but the long shadow of the Red Wings and the team must be dealt with,because the Western Conference is,actually,up for grabs,for the very good teams,in the conference,so it will be the biggest dogfight,probably,in NHL history,or least,in the timespan of a decade... Bring on,everyone,NHL...

fun fact...

Hockey Hall of Fame member Mark Messier will run this year's NYC Marathon,for charity... New York Police and Fire Widows,and Children's Benefit Fund,and Tomorrow's Children's Fund are the charities involved... the marathon is November 6th,2011

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 2,Canucks 0... first back to back shutouts since 2006,and Red Wings have not given a goal,in 121:31,of game time... they have given up three goals,all to Ottawa,in under 13 minutes(12:40,or so),of game time(3rd period)and have not given up goal,in first,or second period,so far this season... i know that will change,but one bad item about this season is that the Red Wings have not scored on power play(0-17),so far,this season... Justin Abdelkader,and Valtteri Filppula scored in second period,2:18 apart,and Vancouver,after playing third game in four nights,had no jump,throughout the game,and Red Wings played great defense around the net,all game long... Jimmy Howard has one shutout,and Ty Conklin shut down Colorado the other night...

update on KHL plane crash inquiry...

early reports says of the Yak 42-D crash,that killed 44 people of 45 people,including most of the Lokomotiv Jaroslavl KHL team(one member was waiting in next town that team was playing in,after game,with Dynamo Minsk,that was cancelled),that one of the pilots accidently put on braking system,while on take off,and the other pilot tried a quick takeoff,and hit a tower,and then hit the trees,at end of runway... official cause has not been released yet... Alexander Sizov,the only survivor,who did not have his seatbelt on,and said that he did really wonder why they were not lifting off,and said,"i felt we would crash"...

Red Wings' news...

Vancouver Canucks come to Detroit tomorrow,on back end of back to back games... Vancouver lost to Philadelphia tonight,5-4... they are 1-1-1,after three games,and given up eleven goals,while scoring ten goals,this season...

nice going,Kyle...

Kyle Turris is a restricted free agent,with the Phoenix Coyotes,and he wants to be paid,i hear,$4 million,a year... the Coyotes are not budging on a new contract,and do not want to trade him... so Turris is sitting home,threatening to sit out the season,if Phoenix does not give him a new contract,and on top of that,now he wants to be traded,out of Phoenix.. well,Kyle,get the popcorn,soda,get a great recliner,watch Phoenix not budge,on offer(and there is one),and the Coyotes go down in flames,without you... way to go,Kyle!!!!!!! if you do not cave in,see you next season,and if you think Phoenix is going to welcome you back with open arms,i may have two words for you-NO WAY!!!!!!

Red Wings' news... INJURY UPDATE...

Red Wings' Mike Commodore (sprained knee)skated for a hour today,and should be in game shape,sometime,in the next week...

facts of Red Wings' front office...

old Red Wings do not retire,they go into the front office of the Red Wings... Chris Chelios,Kris Draper,and Jiri Fischer... Chelios is advisor to Hockey Operations,Draper is special assistant to the general manager,and Fischer is Director of Player Development... they all are learning from the best front office(Jim Devellano,Kenny Holland,and Jim Nill),in NHL...

Red Wings' news...

Niklas Kronwall will be in two player rotation,with Pavel Datsyuk,and Henrik Zetterberg,to be an alternate captain... to be an alternate captain,in Detroit,is a great honor,because of the team history,of the Red Wings... way to go,Niklas!!!!!!!!!!!! Tomas Holmstrom has said that,"it is time,for (Kronwall) to take the next step in his career"...

update on Sidney Crosby...

he has said that he will meet with his doctors later this week,not today...

NHL news...

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby could get medical clearance,for contact,as early as today,from his doctors... the Penguins have a three game homestand,against Florida Panthers,Washington Capitals,and Buffalo Sabres... contact drills are final step to getting ready to play,soon... Crosby may play against Washington,or Buffalo,if cleared,but again,it may be a few games until the Penguins have number 87,in their lineup...

history of note...

Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins did something that Pittsburgh Penguins' Hall of Fame member,Mario Lemieux did in his first NHL game:he scored the only regulation goal,for the Oilers(and his first NHL game),in a 2-1 shootout win,over(guess who?)the Pittsburgh Penguins...

first game in Winnipeg....

Montreal 5,Winnipeg 1... Jets were in game,at 2-1,but two questionable penalties,one on Dustin Byfuglien,put Montreal on 4-3 power play,gave Montreal life,shortly after Winnipeg's first NHL team goal,and they dominated the game after that... i may be a Red Wings' fan,but i will root for the Jets this season,except when they play Detroit,at Joe Louis Arena,December 10th

comments on NHL score of note...

San Jose Sharks 6,Phoenix 3... good news:Sharks scored six goals,most in season opener;bad news:they beat Phoenix,who pundits(other than me-note:The Hockey News ranked them 14th,in Western Conference)have said that the Coyotes will not make playoffs... i have told you that the Sharks will be very good,and they were last night... the Sharks,and Red Wings have same problem:they scored a ton of goals in first game,but gave up late garbage goals,in same game... they were minus -1 on power play(scoring twice,and giving up three power play goals,two in third period),and was up,6-1,at one time... i could nit-pick the game,and have,because i want you to learn how to look at a hockey game the way that i do... scoring six goals gets the headlines,but coaches,and true fans look at entire game... now a test:can the Sharks do what the Red Wings did last night:give up no goals,or even one goal to next opponent,would be nice,because you,as a NHL team,can not score six goals,every game,and you need a goaltender,to have games against average(G.A.A.),of about,of 2.2 goals,per game,and a save percentage,of over 91 percent,over a season,for your number one goaltender... even winning last night was nice,but giving up three goals,in this game was not so nice...