Sharks center Vincent Damphousse can’t squeeze the puck past Wings goalie Curtis Joseph in the first period.(AP)
I was not able to watch more than the 1st period last night so I can’t say much about the game. The Wings lost 3-0 and fell to 2nd in the conference because, even though they lost, Dallas got a point. I did see the Wings kill off a 5-on-3, fail to score on a 4-minute PP and Yzerman get taken hard into the boards by #14 and look a little shaky after that. Shanny had a good SH chance at the end of the period after Zata got a cheap holding the stick penalty. The Sharks scored their first goal off a turnover at the blue line and the resulting 2-on-1, where Igor made a bad decision that left CuJo helpless as Marleau backhanded it in. The Blues won last night, they are 5 points behind us now. This was the Sharks goalie’s first shutout, he spent a lot of the season in the minors. The Wings have only lost 3 games in regulation in the past 22 games but this was the second in three. Next up: @ St. Louis on Saturday at 1:30pm. | full recap | box score

More on Zata from ESPN’s Rookie Report: Henrik Zetterberg

Brett Hull will return next year, whether he scores 35 goals or not. He signed a 1 year, $5 million contract with the Wings today. That’s a half-million $ raise for Hully. One of the best bargains in the league. This really is great news. | the story

Ouch……..

“I’ve gotten a lot of nonhockey-related calls lately. They want to know, ‘Who is this Sergei Federov guy?’”
– IMG agent Pat Brisson on media requests since the news of his client’s marriage (and divorce) to Anna K.

………that hurts. ESPN had this under the heading “Take that, Mr. Bettman.” What that man has [not] done for hockey is amazing……

Brett Hull for commissioner!

Tonight’s game is one that would have been important had things gone for the Sharks as they were expected to go this year. I had expected the Sharks to be right up there at the top of the conference this year, instead they are near the bottom. Now it’s just a game, with no other importance than that if the Wings win, they stay #1 in the conference. I wish it wasn’t on so late…. Wings @ Sharks tonight at 10:30. | preview

click here to see a .pdf of the Yzerman mural on the Cadillac building in downtown Detroit. To use this link, you must be a member of the_wings_club. Use this link if you are not a member. For personal use only please.

more on the Calder and Norris from today’s The Puck

Jackman | Zetterberg
Basically, the Wings think Zata is the best player to win the Calder and the Blues think Jackman is. The Wings also say Nick should win the Norris and the Blues want MacInnis to win it. I agree with the Wings. Jackman and MacInnis are good but Zata and Nick are better.

MacInnis | Lidstrom