blog statement,and comments...

on the last day of March,i am taking day off... Red Wings,as i type this,are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference... the teams in seventh place,and eighth place will play the Pittsburgh Penguins(seventh place team),or the Boston Bruins(eighth place team),respectively... either team is a very tough road to hoe...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 3,Lightning 2... Gustav Nyquist scored one of the most beautiful goals of the season,while getting basically mugged,by a Tampa Bay Lightning player(the referee had hand up for penalty,most likely,a penalty shot),and going to the net... goal basics:while he went to goal on a breakaway,and getting mauled,Nyquist lost control of puck,while he went past Bishop the first time,stayed after puck,corralled it,while spinning around,shot puck at goal at an absolutely sick angle past Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop... Red Wings are in seventh place,in the Eastern Conference,for now... note:to beat Toronto,and Tampa Bay,in two days,is a mark of a very hungry,young,but very good team...

Red Wings' news...

Tampa Bay Lightning/Red Wings,this afternoon...

Red Wings' game score,and comment...

Red Wings 4,Maple Leafs 2... a big win for Red Wings... commentary,tomorrow morning...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Toronto Maple Leafs,tonight... for both teams,the biggest game of the 2013-2014 NHL season,period... loser has a very very tough road to hoe,especially if Toronto loses,because of fewer games to play for rest of season...

commentary...

the Red Wings have lost three in a row,and have played very poor team offense,and defense... offense:a player has scored two goals in game,for the Red Wings,for the third straight game(Tomas Tatar,last night,and Gustav Nyquist,the prior two games),and that is good,but honestly there is no other offense,or offensive pressure,other than that,and Jimmy Howard have been hung out to dry... defense:it has been non-existent the last three games,and Howard has been swamped with opposing teams' scoring chances,and that is not good... the power play has gone dormant,and the penalty kill(that has been very,very good most of the year) has begun to look average... the Red Wings are on edge of playoff contention,and have a razor-thin area for mistakes,during games,that last night's loss to the Canadiens was critical,and a rather disappointing one... even though,i would love to blame the referees for one of those losses,i honestly can not,because the Red Wings have not played very good hockey,as a team,lately... giving up four goals,as a team,the last two games will not win any games,and the Red Wings really needs to improve in all facets of the team game to make the Stanley Cup playoffs,and the games,clock,and time are running out,for the Red Wings...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Canadiens 5,Red Wings 4... the worst first period in over a month doomed the Red Wings(going down 2-0,and no offensive pressure throughout period,and hanging Jimmy Howard out to dry,by turning puck over right in front of Howard,twice)... the first Canadiens' goal was past Howard before he had chance to move... unfortunately,the Red Wings got even at 3(after going down 3-1,in second period),but Montreal out-hustled and out-played the Red Wings,in getting another two goal lead,at 5-3,in third period,and the Red Wings never got even,again... a very ugly defensive game,by the Red Wings,and that cost them a chance at a much needed two points,and,mark my words,this game may cost the Red Wings,at the end of the 2013-2014 NHL season,because this game was a much needed two points,at a critical time,and they did not deliver,when they needed,really needed those two points,quite badly...

Red Wings' news...

Montreal Canadiens/Red Wings,tonight...

blog statement...

i am taking the day off,unless the Red Wings play... i need to totally relax,and learn to really enjoy life,and smile... waxing poetic,i guess,i am...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Blue Jackets 4,Red Wings 2... the "War Room",in Toronto,did not overturn a controversial goal,in which the goalpost came off the moorings,right before the puck crossed the goal line,as the referees called it a goal... it was obvious that it was a really bad call... it was tied,at two,in the third period... an empty net goal ended the game,but honestly,both teams played a very good game... the Red Wings are in a tie,with four other teams,including Columbus,Toronto Maple Leafs,and the Washington Capitals,but are eighth in the Eastern Conference,because of fewer games played(superior points percentage)... it was a really bad night for the NHL... it also spoiled another two goal night,by Gustav Nyquist... REALLY TOO BAD!!!!!!!! Nyquist leads NHL in goals scored(20),since restart from the Sochi Olympics...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Columbus Blue Jackets,tonight...

playoff teams in 2013-14...

three teams that have clinched playoff berths:Boston Bruins,in the Eastern Conference,St. Louis Blues,and San Jose Sharks,in the Western Conference...

blog statement...

day off... just tired,and have slight headache... since rain is coming tomorrow,maybe will go take a walk,and enjoy sunshine,today,after headache goes away...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Wild 4,Red Wings 3,overtime... three of four points gotten from the Wild,in a home and home series,over this weekend,not bad... a sorry end,and a very bad last two periods by the Red Wings... up,2-0,after one period,the Red Wings played like manure,and spoiled Gustav Nyquist's two first period goals... Nyquist has scored seven goals in last five games,including a goal,at least,in every game... Minnesota played a very good last two periods,by simply beating the Red Wings to the puck,and very good team defense... however,the point from the game put the Red Wings into a tie for seventh place,in the Eastern Conference,and with two games in hand on the Toronto Maple Leafs,i believe they are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference,for now... actually,not a bad weekend of hockey,for the Red Wings,but honestly,they need to improve their third period team defense,if they are to go anywhere,this season...

Red Wings' news...

Minnesota Wild/Red Wings,tonight... note for playoff position:Columbus Blue Jackets lost to the N.Y. Rangers,2-0... Toronto Maple Leafs plays the New Jersey Devils,tonight... if Red Wings win their fourth straight,they will have a chance to increase their cushion over Columbus,and if Toronto loses to New Jersey,in regulation,they will leap frog over Toronto,into the first wild card spot(seventh place,in Eastern Conference),and put pressure on everybody around them just to win a game...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Red Wings 3,Minnesota Wild 2... first game of a home and home series,this weekend... second game tomorrow,in Detroit...

commentary...

to my critics,i really thought that Legwand should have faced a suspension,along with a fine,because it was deliberate on his part that he "speared" Malkin,and he deserved the five minute major penalty,and game misconduct... my opinion:however,the NHL's Department of Player Safety is a total waste of personnel who can not get anything right,and makes discipline a real joke,in the NHL... way to go,Brendan Shanahan!!!!!!!!

NHL news...

Red Wings' player David Legwand got fined $5,000 for his butt-ending "sticking butt of stick into ribs",of Pittsburgh Penguins' Evgeni Malkin,during the third period of the Red Wings/Penguins game,last night... he got a five minute major penalty,and a game misconduct...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Red Wings 5,Penguins 4,overtime... in a very wild game,in Detroit,both teams had chances to win,the Red Wings scored with four tenths of a second,left in overtime... Daniel Alfordsson scored twice,including game winning goal,which went in off a Penguins' player,with a weird bounce... a very big two points for the Red Wings...

Red Wings' news...

Pittsburgh Penguins/Red Wings,tonight...

another injury...

Jonathan Ericsson suffered a broken finger,last night,in the second period,against the Toronto Maple Leafs,in a 3-2 regulation win,for the Red Wings... he will be out four to six weeks...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 3,Maple Leafs 2... Gustav Nyquist scored two goals,as the Red Wings got a very,very big two points,in regulation,which is most important to the Red Wings,as the team keeps Toronto within sight in a very tight Eastern Conference playoff race... Maple Leafs are five points ahead of Detroit(in first wild card spot),and the Red Wings is one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for final wild card spot,in Eastern Conference... they have two games in hand on the Maple Leafs,which is still key to their playoff chances,this season...

commentary...

Red Wings have allowed twenty one more goals,in the third period than they have scored... their starting goaltender(Jimmy Howard)has a record of 14-16-10(going into tonight's game,against the Toronto Maple Leafs),a 2.64 goals against average(G.A.A.),and a .912 save percentage... all those numbers are very,very sub-par... if not for Jonas Gustavsson's hot start in net,the Red Wings would be fighting for the number one draft pick in this year's NHL Draft... eleven members of the Grand Rapids Griffiths' team who had won the AHL Championship last season have played substantial time with the Red Wings,this season... if the Red Wings do not make the Stanley Cup playoffs,two things will be the difference:the severe injuries,to their regulars(ten players on the list,now,and,most of the season,a high number of injured players),and the numbers shown in this post...

Red Wings' news...

Toronto Maple Leafs/Red Wings,tonight...

my true opinion...

with fifteen games to play,the Red Wings have a very tough road to hoe... they are in tenth place in the Eastern Conference,three points behind the New York Rangers,but they now have eleven players on injured/reserve,and if Landon Ferraro plays tonight,he will be the seventh player to have his NHL debut this season for the Red Wings,and of the 2012-2013 Grand Rapids Griffiths who won the American Hockey League Championship,there have been ten members of that club who have played for the Red Wings,this season... the Red Wings may not make the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 1990,this season,but they are a club who has not quit on anyone this season... they are young and scrappy,and even though,they are that way,they have shown flashes of brilliance,but honestly,they have been inconsistent with their offense all season(scoring three goals,in regulation,in last four games,for example)... this season for the Red Wings' fans have been tough to watch,but i am a true hardcore fan of the team,and when fans are fair weather fans(jumping on the bandwagon),they are NOT true fans... it is the fan who stands by "their" team,"wear" their colors,and stick through tough times that are true dyed in the wool fans;i.e. hardcore fans that really count...

commentary...

the absolute toughest playoff run in all of professional sports are the Stanley Cup playoffs,because it is a sixteen team "tournament",to win the Stanley Cup... it lasts up to two months,and consists of four rounds of best of seven series,and the Stanley Cup winner can play up to twenty eight games,and most of the time,the winner plays somewhere around twenty plus games,in the Stanley Cup playoffs... the favorites does not always win,and in fact,it is most of the time... for example,Detroit had great teams in the early 2000's,but got beat by the Anaheim Ducks(in a sweep),Calgary Flames(in six games),and Edmonton Oilers(again,in six games)... Calgary,and Edmonton went to the Stanley Cup Finals those years that they beat the Red Wings... in fact,a seventh seed,and eighth seed,in 2009-2010,went to the Eastern Conference Finals,so you honestly never know who would be in the playoffs... for example,the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup,in 2004... Tampa Bay??? very true... Major League Baseball,the NFL,and the NBA have great playoff runs,towards their championship trophies,but for an intense playoff run,there is nothing like the run for the Stanley Cup,because you can not "buy" a Stanley Cup,and all the talent does not always win,period,because hockey is a game that has a three inch by one inch circular piece of vulcanized rubber,that bounces different ways,when shot at the net,at near,or over 100 miles/per hour,on ice,and that is the difference in the sports,period...

rescheduled game to be played April 9th...

the game postponed for the collapse of Rich Peverly,March 10th,between the Dallas Stars,and the Columbus Blue Jackets will be played April 9th,2014... odd thing is that the game will be sixty minutes,and any extra time necessary... as the game was suspended very early in the first period,on March 10th,with Columbus,up,1-0,so game will start with Columbus up,1-0,with the goal scored,by Nathan Horton,March 10th,still counting as a goal...

Red Wings' news,and commentary...

Chicago Blackhawks 4,Red Wings 1... a very bad third period for the Red Wings... Red Wings are in tenth place,three points behind the New York Rangers(in second wild card spot)...  a 22 year playoff streak is seriously in jeopardy... with ten players on injured/reserve,or out for the season(second in NHL in man games to injury-not a good statistic),Red Wings are still in playoff hunt,but with games ebbing away,they have little room for a mistake,or error,the rest of the season...

my ranking of top defensemen,in NHL history...

this is my ranking of the top three defensemen in NHL history:1)Bobby Orr,Boston Bruins-eight time Norris Trophy winner-did not play long,because of severely injured knees,but was the best,period-one of the best players,in NHL history... 2)Doug Harvey,Montreal Canadiens-won every Norris Trophy from 1954-1955 to 1961-1962,except 1958-1959... Domination!!!!!!! 3)Nicklas Lidstrom,Detroit Red Wings-played 20 seasons,won six Norris Trophies,in eight years,and was oldest Norris Trophy winner,at age 41,in 2011... team note:Red Wings never missed Stanley Cup playoffs,when he was on team... nobody even close to those three players,period...

blog statement...

i was going to(sorry,folks),and am going to talk about hockey,and the Red Wings,tomorrow morning,but i am very,very tired,and my thoughts are in deep freeze,right now...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Chicago Blackhawks,tonight... i did think game was in Detroit,but i was wrong... being half asleep does not help,folks...

blog statement...

watching hockey,and doing other things... basically a day off... i do need it...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 2,Oilers 1,shootout... a very big two points,with the Chicago Blackhawks,up next,and the Toronto Maple Leafs,after that;two tough teams,at least,this season,in case of the Maple Leafs... Tomas Tatar scored only shootout goal,and for the win for the Red Wings... it was an ugly game to watch;not much offensive firepower for either team,and with nine Red Wings' players on injured reserve,or out for the season,it will be like the Battan Death March for the Red Wings to make the Stanley Cup playoffs... the key statistic is that they do not have the first tiebreaker on any team around them(regulation/overtime wins is the first tiebreaker),which does suck,but if the Red Wings do not make the playoffs,that will be the reason...

Red Wings' news...

Edmonton Oilers/Red Wings,tonight...

injury update...

Rich Peverly was released from the hospital,and visited his teammates in Dallas,today... it was basically a mugging;everyone giving him a hug... he is scheduled to have a heart procedure at the Cleveland Clinic,but details on that are not being given out... good luck,Rich!!!! my prayers are going out to you,and to your family...

best wishes...

this is to give Rich Peverly,of the Dallas Stars,my very best wishes to recover from a "cardiac event"(basically a cardiac arrest),that he suffered recently during a Stars/Columbus Blue Jackets game,when he collapsed on the bench... he collapsed just like Jiri Fischer,of the Red Wings did during a game against Nashville Predators a few years ago... i hope that Peverly recovers fully,and gets on with life,whether or not,that he plays hockey again...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings play the Edmonton Oilers,on Friday,in Detroit... they are two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets,for the final playoff spot,in the Eastern Conference...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Blue Jackets 4,Red Wings 1... two goals in forty seconds,in third period,and a very good goaltending effort,by Blue Jackets' goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky doomed in the Red Wings tonight,as Columbus dominated the last two periods...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Blue Jackets tonight... big game for both teams... both teams tied for eighth place,in Eastern Conference... Columbus,in eighth place,because of games won...

commentary...

sometimes.NHL players run over the goaltender by accident... That i can accept,but what Erik Haula,of the Minnesota Wild,did to Kari Lehtonen,of the Dallas Stars was almost criminal... sweeping toward the goal,Haula did not make any attempt to avoid Kari Lehtonen... he hit Lehtonen in the chest,knocking the helmet off,and Lehtonen's head hit the steel crossbar(back of his head and neck)... he received a five minute major penalty,and a game misconduct(i believe)... he should receive an in-person hearing from the NHL Department of Player Safety,which means a lengthy suspension... Lehtonen "was not doing too good",according to his coach,Lindy Ruff... i suspect that he may be out for the rest of the season,with a major concussion...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Rangers 3,Red Wings 0... after scoring seven goals,against the New Jersey Devils,the Red Wings ran into a stonewall named Henrik Lundqvist,and a very good defensive team in the New York Rangers... Lundqvist registered his 49th shutout,tying Eddie Giacomin's team record for shutouts...

Red Wings' schedule...

Red Wings/New York Rangers,tomorrow morning(9/March/2014)... Red Wings/Columbus Blue Jackets,Tuesday night(11/March /2014)...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 7,Devils 4... after a 6-10-7 start at home this season,the Red Wings are 6-1-2,in last nine games at home... they are three points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs,for third,and an automatic berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs(top three teams in every division are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs)... they are in eighth place(second wild card spot),two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning... to clear it up:Toronto is third in the Atlantic Division,with 74 points;Tampa Bay is fourth with 73 points,and the Red Wings now have 71 points,in fifth place,in the Atlantic Division,and because of the Eastern Conference layout of teams:Toronto is in the guaranteed playoff spot by being in third place in the Atlantic Division,Tampa Bay and the Red Wings are in seventh and eighth place,respectively,in the Eastern Conference...

Red Wings' news...

Devils/Red Wings,tonight...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Avalanche 3,Red Wings 2,overtime... a very good game for both teams,but very odd things happened basically from opening puck drop... a very big point for the Red Wings,with the Columbus Blue Jackets,getting smashed by the Chicago Blackhawks,6-1,they are back in eighth place in the Eastern Conference(second wild card spot),basically because of games played-they have a game in hand on Columbus... i will talk more of this game,tomorrow morning... note:the Red Wings play the New Jersey Devils,tomorrow night...

commentary...

Nicklas Lidstrom sweater retirement ceremony,at Joe Louis Arena,tonight,followed by Colorado Avalanche/Red Wings game... my opinion:i was lucky to watch Lidstrom play in person(once),and saw him to play about 800 times,on television,since 2002... i still miss him... he may have been what his nickname implies,on ice,"the Perfect Human",because in the nine years that i had watched him play,i can count the times on both hands of him getting beat on a break away(one on one) by another player... he was not perfect,but he played defensive hockey better than most people,in the NHL's history,PERIOD... he was my favorite player of all time...

good news,bad news,and commentary......

Red Wings acquire David Legwand,from the Nashville Predators,for Patrick Eaves,Calle Jarnkrok,and a third round NHL Draft pick,in 2014(draft is after the season)... Pavel Datsyuk,of the Red Wings,will miss,at least,three weeks with a knee injury that has hindered him all season... he will have the knee checked in three weeks... my opinion:without captain Henrik Zetterberg,and now,Pavel Datsyuk out for the season,in Zetterberg's case(if they get to the playoffs,he is supposed to be ready in the first round of playoffs),and at least,three weeks,in Datsyuk's case,it will be rather ugly in Detroit for some time.... as a Red Wings' fan,i will swallow hard,and just be a true Red Wings' fan,because it is being a true fan through thick and thin,with the team means you take the glory,and you honestly take the lumps,when you are a true fan of the beautiful game of hockey... that is the way you will honestly be a true fan of the game of hockey... so suck it up,Red Wings' fans,and just cheer....

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Devils 4,Red Wings 3... Devils scored three of their four goals in game(in first minute of game,and of third period),and then scored in last minute of game to give the Red Wings a real bitter taste in the mouth,and not a game to remember in the grand scheme of this season... just mark one up to scrap heap of heartbreak...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/New Jersey Devils,tonight...

NHL news,and Red Wings' news...

Johan Franzen,of the Detroit Red Wings,was named first star of the week,for the NHL,ending March 2nd... he scored three goals,and had two assists(five points),in two games...

blog statement...

it has been a very nice day... having day off...

NHL milestone:Jagr's 700th goal of career...

Jaromir Jagr scored his 700th goal in his NHL career,in a game in which the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Islanders,6-1... the milestone goal happened to be the game winning goal,in the game... it happened at 3:31,of the second period,and was the first of four goals scored in the second period,by the Devils...

blog statement...

sometimes,i get too busy and tired... having a nice day off...