NHL history...

Kings 5,Sharks 1... San Jose Sharks became the fourth team to lose a seven game series,after winning the first three games of the series... Sharks scored only two goals,in last three games,against the Los Angeles Kings,after scoring seventeen goals,in first three games... power outage,if you must know,no doubt... simply said,the Kings deserved to win the series,period... did the Sharks choke,as a team??? no,i mean that,but they tightened up on offense,while thinking that they needed one more win,to advance,but they never got the victory that they needed... the Kings played great team defense in the last four games,and that was the difference in the series,period...

three game sevens...

there are three game sevens tonight:Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers,Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche,and Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks... what a wild night,no pun intended,in case of Minnesota at Colorado!!!!!!!!

commentary...

the Los Angeles Kings became the ninth team in NHL history to force a seventh game,after down 0-3 in a seven game series,against the San Jose Sharks... three teams in NHL history(1942 Toronto Maple Leafs(over Detroit),1975 New York Islanders(over Pittsburgh),and 2010 Philadelphia Flyers(over Boston)have completed the sweep all four games to win series... one other team(2004 Boston Red Sox)beat the New York Yankees,in the same situation,from being down 0-3,and winning four straight games to win series... in fact,the 1975 Islanders also almost beat the then defending Stanley Cup champions Philadelphia Flyers by forcing a seventh game in their semifinal series(again falling behind 0-3,in series),after beating the Penguins... the Flyers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals,4-1,over the Islanders,in game seven,that year,and then repeated as Stanley Cup champions,in 1975... as for the Sharks,game seven is in San Jose(good news),but big momentum is on the Kings' side... so,head coach Todd McLellan,stop yapping about a questionable goal,saying that "we were cheated",when you lost 4-1,not 2-1,in game six,and get your team to play hockey,or you will be embarrassed,and be playing golf,this week...

blog statement...

i am taking tomorrow off on this blog,because i need to decompress about hockey for a few days...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Bruins 4,Red Wings 2... Bruins win best of seven series,four games to one... except for Pavel Datsyuk,who had three goals,everyone else absolutely stunk on offense... the Bruins absolutely deserved to win series,but the Red Wings basically,because of injuries,never played up to par,all season,and in the playoffs... the Red Wings relied on youth most of the year,and it can only take the team so far... Red Wings' head coach Mike Babcock has said that the Red Wings needs a summer to get healthy,that the team's health was a big factor,and was very disappointed in this series...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Bruins,today...

commentary...

the Red Wings have been playing below average,against the Bruins,in their best of seven game series,in which they find themselves down three games to one... i could complain loudly about how they have played in this series,but honestly,it is time to give the Bruins much credit on how they have played... even though the series is not over,the Bruins have proved to me that they are the better team so far... if you are wondering why Jimmy Howard was not in net(he was ill),and yet the Bruins refused to give an inch,in their 3-2 overtime win,over the Red Wings,last night,even when the Red Wings went up 2-0,in the second period... a true fan of the Red Wings has to admit that little fact... since game one,won by the Red Wings,1-0,the Red Wings have scored only three goals,and only one power play goal,in the last three games... can the Red Wings win the next three games,and advance to the second round??? yes,they can,but honestly,i have seen the last three games,and the Red Wings appear to be trying very hard,on team defense,but they seem not to have that much firepower to simply beat the Bruins one game,let alone three straight games,because Tuukka* Rask is playing on his head to beat the Red Wings,and the Bruins are playing much better team defense... *that is the correct spelling of his name,folks...

Red Wings' game score,and comment...

Bruins 3,Red Wings 2,overtime... commentary,tomorrow morning... simply a good game for both teams...

Red Wings' news...

SURPRISE!!!!! Red Wings' captain Henrik Zetterberg is a game time decision for tonight's game four,against the Bruins... he has not played since February 8th,because of surgery for a herniated disc... doctors will decide,but he was at the morning skate for the Red Wings,playing on a line,and on the power play for the practice...

Red Wings' news...

Bruins/Red Wings,tonight... a must win game for the Red Wings...

commentary...

after two games of an old-fashioned butt kicking(and licking my wounds as a Red Wings' fan),i am taking the day off,from really commenting on the Red Wings,because simply i would be banned from here,if i really said what i am thinking... there is an old saying that if you can not say anything nice to a person,do not say anything... i am taking that advice,today...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Bruins 3,Red Wings 0... as i type this,the Red Wings are receiving an old-fashioned butt kicking... the Bruins have dominated the game... too many(in the Red Wings' defensive zone)turnovers,and hanging goaltender Jimmy Howard out to dry and to face too many shots in close to the Red Wings' net... only Jimmy Howard is keeping the Red Wings in the game(he is having a great game in net),and the Red Wings' offense has dried up like chaff in a dust bowl... the score should be much worse,if not for Howard,because the Red Wings have done nothing,on team offense,basically for three games,and their power play has gone extinct like the dinosaurs(zero for whatever)... when you score two goals in the series,basically you are in deep trouble,and the Red Wings may be down in the series,2-1,in games,but they have played like a pile of hot steaming manure on team offense,but unfortunately,the pile has gone ice cold,and has been stepped into by the Bruins... what a real ugly series,so far...

Red Wings' news...

Bruins/Red Wings,tonight,in Detroit...

commentary...

i am trying to catch up on hockey matters... there is one thing that i deeply want to comment... Barry Trotz was let go,as the only Nashville Predators' head coach,after 15 seasons,last week... i "hated" to see the Red Wings play the Predators,in his coaching tenure,because i knew that his teams were very good on defense,and that meant very tight scoring games,and Nashville had an edge to them that bordered on rather nasty,at times... the games between the Red Wings,and the Predators were basic war in the trenches,and with goaltender Pekka Rinne,the Predators were tougher than shoe leather to play,because Rinne is one of the absolute best goaltenders,in the NHL... he won 557 games,as head coach in 15 seasons... he is a classy person,and as a head coach,he was one of the best coaches in the NHL,period... if a team does not hire him as their next coach,it is their big loss,because i hate to admit this,but i admired him as a coach very,very much... even though,i had a very very hard time watching Predators' games,it was never because of the head coach(their announce team really sucked,and camera angles are,and were,very bad-too high up-and following the puck on camera,was basic torture),because Trotz was top of the line,period...

commentary...

the Red Wings have played the first two games of their playoff series,against the Bruins,like polar opposites... the first game was played with a defense that the U.S. military would have been proud of,because no one would have scored on both teams,unless a perfect shot happened,and it did happen,for the Red Wings... yesterday,they played like they were half asleep,and made a ton of mistakes... if they do not improve,they are in trouble... the Bruins are a very physical team who can light up the scoreboard,and have the roster to shut a team down... they are the President's Trophy winner,after all,which means they were the best team in the NHL,in the regular season... so,it is best of five games,like i thought that it would be that way...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Bruins 4,Red Wings 1... two goals 3:07 apart,in first period,and a soft goal that deflected off Jimmy Howard's goal stick,late in second period,basically doomed the Red Wings,along with a very weak team effort gave the Bruins a split at home... on to the Motor City for games three and four...

HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!!

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Bruins,today... Red Wings up.1-0,in games... second game of a best of seven playoff series...

blog statement...

taking the day off... i need it,and folks,i am all right... just mentally tired...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Red Wings 1,Bruins 0... what do pundits know??? a tightly checked game throughout all three periods,until Pavel Datsyuk broke the ice on the series,with game winning goal,with 3:01,left in the third period... a very good defensive Stanley Cup playoff game,period...

commentary...

every NHL pundit that i have read has given the Red Wings very little chance to beat the Bruins in their first round playoff series... unfortunately,i have seen over 1,000 games of the Red Wings,since 2002,including some memorable playoff exits by the Red Wings,in which they were heavily favored,and got stomped out of the Stanley Cup playoffs(2003:Anaheim Ducks,first sweep of a defending Stanley Cup champion;2004:Calgary Flames,in a wild six games;2006:Edmonton Oilers,in a series with strange penalties,and odd bounces,at critical times in last two games(five and six)of series,all going the Oilers' way,and 2010:San Jose Sharks,in five strange,penalty filled(game two),and Red Wings' collapse,in game three (third period up,3-1,and lose in overtime,4-3),but Red Wings out-scored the Sharks,in the series,thanks to a 7-1 rout,in game four)... all other games were won by San Jose,by a goal-three of those games were 4-3 losses by the Red Wings... Anaheim,Calgary,and Edmonton all went to the Stanley Cup Finals those years-all three teams lost in Finals... i am not saying that the Bruins should not win series,but at least you should understand,by now,that anything can happen in the Stanley Cup playoffs,because honestly,in the Stanley Cup playoffs,i have seen some very strange bounces of the puck that have changed series,over the years...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Boston Bruins,tonight...

comment...

one more day until Bruins/Red Wings start their playoff series... YAY!!!!!!!!!

NHL news,and comments...

simply said,the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs start today.... very good... Red Wings/Boston Bruins,start Friday... note:captain Henrik Zetterberg did skate at practice,today... he intends to play in the second round,if Red Wings get past the Bruins,and yet,he says that he wants to play soon,possibly late in the first round...

commentary...

the Red Wings/Boston Bruins series is the first between the teams since 1957... the last time that these teams played a playoff series,the Bruins won the series,four games to one... the Bruins are the President's Trophy winner this season,but the Red Wings won season series,three games to one... it should be an interesting best of seven series... anything can happen,example:Detroit was the defending Stanley Cup Champion,in 2003,when they played the(at that time)lightly regarded Anaheim Ducks,and scored only four goals in four games(three goals,in one game,one goal,in another,and got shut out,in two other games),and got swept in that series... the Ducks later on allowed the Minnesota Wild,one goal in another four game sweep... that is the NHL record for fewest goals in a four game series... the goaltender for the Ducks(J.S. Giguere) won the Conn Smythe Trophy(playoff MVP),even though the Ducks lost to the New Jersey Devils,in seven games,in the Stanley Cup Finals,that year... so can the Red Wings beat the Bruins,this year??? who knows? however,strange bounces of the puck have changed NHL history... an example of that goes back to the years of the Edmonton Oilers' dynasty(winning four Stanley Cups in five years)... the reason that they did not win five Stanley Cups,in five years,happened during the Oilers/Calgary Flames series,when Glenn Anderson,of the Oilers,was behind the Oilers' net,and shot the puck and it deflected off the Oilers' goaltender's skate,and went into the Oilers' net,for an own goal... a nice touch of the Oilers' 1990 Stanley Cup win was when Anderson was handed the Stanley Cup by Oilers' captain Mark Messier,a few years after that historical mistake... it was hockey's way of saying one for all,and all for one...

commentary...

the NHL schedule for the Red Wings/Boston Bruins series,which starts on Friday,is simply stupid and idiotic... way to go,NHL!!!!!!  it is the last series to start the opening round... in fact,the Montreal/Tampa Bay series drops the puck on game two,before the series between the Bruins and Red Wings even starts(depending on how fast the first period ends,the Canadiens,and Lightning will have played five periods,before the Bruins/Red Wings gets midway into the first period,on game one)... what moron in Toronto came up with that scheduling??? is it you Gary Bettman???

game score,and commentary...

N.Y. Islanders 4,Buffalo Sabres 3,shootout... one very,very good game... both teams gave every ounce of energy that they could muster,and that game made me smile,because it meant nothing in the standings,but the true fans enjoyed the game... my blog reads,"a journey through the game of hockey,and the pure love of the game"... this game is the symbol of that statement...

commentary...

it is not easy being a fan of a NHL team that is not doing too well in the standings,like Buffalo,Edmonton,and Calgary... they are at the bottom of the standings,and have not made the playoffs,in years... this is NOT to put the teams,or the fans down,but quite the opposite,because it is the fans who honestly make the team... i am watching the Sabres/N.Y. Islanders game;Buffalo up,2-1,second period,and there is a crowd,which is about half full in Buffalo,but the players have come out,and put on a good game... this is when you show up to be a true fan,because there are teams who are in the Stanley Cup playoffs,who did not put up a good effort in their home finales(like Detroit,and St. Louis),to show their own fans that they know that the fans do really care about the team... the Oilers have not made the Stanley Cup playoffs in eight years,and yet the fans still come out,maybe not like it was in good years,but there are still fans who honestly care about the team... the Sabres,Oilers,and Flames do have talent,but they are very young and inexperienced in critical areas,like goaltending,and in the case of all three teams,they really need to work on their team defense... there is a old saying that defense wins championships,and in the NHL,defense around the net can take you a long way toward improvement... this season,the Red Wings beat the Sabres in every game they played,but honestly,their games were very tough wins,and one goal affairs... the Flames are a team who lost their starting goaltender before the season(he retired),so they were behind the eight ball,starting the season... the home finale in St. Louis,against the Red Wings,for the Blues,was a total disgrace,because to have only eighteen shots in the game,is simply disgraceful... the Blues can complain about being banged up,but to show the fans that putrid effort,even made me mad,and in no way,am i a Blues' fan... i do not care if you are a Stanley Cup contender,like the Blues,or the Red Wings are,or a team that are struggling,like the three teams named,you put on ice players who are hungry,and who want to play the game,in front of the true fans of the game of hockey,simply fans who really make the game,whether it is game one,or game eighty two... PLAY HOCKEY WHETHER IT IS GAME ONE,GAME EIGHTY TWO,OR EVEN GAME SEVEN OF THE STANLEY CUP FINALS... that is my point,folks...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 3,Blues 0... NBC hyped the Blues needing a point to tie the Colorado Avalanche for the Central Division lead most of the day,but the Blues,who have lost six games in a row,came out flatter than a pancake,never got started,and played like manure all game... Red Wings scored a goal in every period,and basically dominated the game,because the Blues never had any offensive rhythm during the game... the way that the Blues played,it looked like Petr Mrazek was Martin Brodeur(in his prime),and because the Blues had an offense of one shot and done,most of the game... the Red Wings definitely was a step faster,and fought for the puck,like it was a piece of meat,and they were Rottweilers,and hitting the Blues near the boards at every chance...

commentary...

Red Wings will play the Boston Bruins,as the eighth seed,in the Eastern Conference... Boston won the (almost dreaded-if you know the history of that trophy over the years) President's Trophy,this season... the President's Trophy goes to the team with the best regular season record,and that team gets home ice through the Stanley Cup playoffs,but honestly,the list of teams who have won the trophy,and have been knocked off the year they won the trophy is a who's who of great regular season teams,only to flop in the playoffs,so who knows???

commentary...

of the 81 games of the Red Wings have played this season(game 82,tomorrow morning against the St. Louis Blues),i have watched 79 games,either live,or on replay,and have seen highlights of every game... statistics for the year:37 different players have played at least one game;15 Grand Rapids Griffiths(Red Wings' AHL affiliate)have played in the Motor City this season,8 players have made their NHL debuts for the Red Wings(most since 1991,when thirteen players did the same),the Red Wings were second in the NHL,in this statistic(over 400 man-games lost to injury),and they are in the Stanley Cup playoffs,for the 23rd straight season(top streak of any team in all professional sports)... being a true fan of the Red Wings means that you are a fan through thick and thin of your team's fortunes,and after reciting these facts,it has been very thin this season... however,i am still a true fan,folks... always have been,always will be!!!!!!!!! that is what a true fan does...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Hurricanes 2,Red Wings 1... sloppiest game in a month... Red Wings played like they were dead... no energy in their game,until midway into the third period,and then too little,much too late...

correction...

the last playoff series between the Red Wings,and Boston Bruins was in 1957,not 1951...

Red Wings' news...

Carolina Hurricanes/Red Wings,tonight...

comments...

with two games remaining in the NHL regular season,the Red Wings are in the playoffs,and are tied with the Columbus Blue Jackets(who are in seventh place),with 91 points,and,right now,will play the Boston Bruins... if they get seventh place,they will play the Pittsburgh Penguins,or if they are tied with Columbus,at the end of the season,they will play the Bruins... historical note,if they play the Bruins,in a playoff series,it would be the first playoff series between the teams,since 1951...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Penguins 4,Red Wings 3,shootout... for sixty five minutes,a fan friendly wild game... bodies all over the ice to block shots,sticks flying in the air,massive hits,and great goaltending by both teams... Red Wings got the much needed point to clinch a playoff spot... even the shootout was entertaining,as the Penguins scored the only shootout goal on a Jussi Jokinen pop up,as he popped puck into air,as he tripped over goaltender Jonas Gustavsson's goal stick,and Gustavsson flailed at puck,as it settled into net... James Neal scored twice for the Penguins,and Red Wings tied game,with 1:15 left in third period... it was fun to watch,as both teams got physical with each other,and both teams refused to back down,period...

RED WINGS ARE IN THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS,FOR THE 23RD STRAIGHT SEASON!!!!!!!!!

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Pittsburgh Penguins,tonight...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Red Wings 4,Sabres 2... a big win in regulation,and two very,very big two points that the Red Wings collected,tonight... a six point lead on the New Jersey Devils,with three games to go in the regular season(both teams have three games to play in regular season)... Red Wings need one point to clinch a playoff spot,for the 23rd straight season...

points update...

i just noticed that New Jersey lost to the Calgary Flames,1-0,last night... that means that the Red Wings need only three points to clinch their 23rd straight Stanley Cup playoff spot...

Red Wings' news,and comments......

now;Red Wings/Buffalo Sabres,tonight... Red Wings need a combination of five points(loss of points,by the New Jersey Devils,and more points by Red Wings),to make the Stanley Cup playoffs,for the 23rd straight season...

correction...

i must need sleep,because the game between the Sabres and the Red Wings is on Tuesday evening... sorry folks...

Red Wings' news...

Buffalo Sabres/Red Wings,tonight...

blog statement...

i have taken the day off...  be back tomorrow...

Red Wings' game score...

Canadiens 5,Red Wings 3...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Canadiens,tonight...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 3,Sabres 2... fourth straight win for the Red Wings... big first period for the Red Wings doomed the Sabres,tonight... three points up,in seventh place,in Eastern Conference,on the Columbus Blue Jackets,who lost to the Chicago Blackhawks,4-3,in regulation,tonight... my opinion:as i type this,the Red Wings,who have five games to play in the regular season,have 88 points,and look like a playoff team,but that could change,so i am still crossing my fingers for a playoff berth,for the 23rd straight season...

Red Wings' game in progress...

Buffalo Sabres/Red Wings,in progress... after one period,Red Wings 3,Sabres 0...

looking forward to a game on Friday... i am in... a tweet from Pavel...

Pavel Datsyuk will play against the Buffalo Sabres,tomorrow... that is what Pavel says... very good news for the Red Wings,with six games to go in the regular season...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Red Wings 3,Bruins 2... a very,very big two points... first Bruins' loss on road,since January 9th,2014...  two goals,in 1:42,midway in third period held up,as Bruins could not get puck past Jimmy Howard,in an attempt to tie,in final minute... Gustav Nyquist scored his 12th goal in last ten games,as he scored game winning goal... Bruins had a 2-1 lead early in third period,as they scored a power play goal,1:10,into the third period,and Red Wings played bulldog(would not quit)throughout game,as they won their third straight game... a very good game for both teams,but the player that made the difference for the Red Wings in this game was one Jimmy Howard,because without him playing his "A" game,in first half of game,stopping shot,after dangerous shot in first thirty minutes,the Red Wings do not win tonight... by the way,the Red Wings won season series against the Bruins,three games to one game...

Red Wings' news...

Boston Bruins/Red Wings,tonight...

comments...

today's April 1st,and i was going to do a April's Fools day prank on here(quitting online,forever???),but it would be a very pathetic prank,because you really know how much i love the beautiful game of hockey and my love of football... Happy April Fools Day...