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...