Monthly Archive for October, 2003Page 3 of 5

Wings 1, Habs 2

Published
by
Matt Saler
on October 21, 2003
in Uncategorized
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Brian has already given a pretty good assessment of the game, in my opinion, so I don’t have much to say.

Basically, all I know is, the Wings got out hustled to just about every puck until the 3rd period. The Habs wanted that game much more than the Wings did and it showed.

The defense was weak and the offense was too pass-happy. Dominik is the sole reason it wasn’t worse than it was. There weren’t very many shots (19-15 Wings) in the game but the puck spent way too much time in the Wings’ end.

Dave Lewis, speaking about Brett Hull behind the net with the puck before his failed open net chance: “He has the patience of Job.” If you don’t get the reference, don’t worry. It just means he’s really patient. The fact that he rushed it and missed the net is unusual. I get the feeling he’s going to have a breakout game soon.

Detroit News | Free Press | ESPN | Box score | Photos

Next up: Columbus, Wednesday, 7:30

Lines-
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Hull
Whitney-Yzerman-Shanahan
Devereaux-Williams-Holmstrom
Maltby-Draper-McCarty
Whitney-Yzerman-Holmstrom
Devereaux-Williams-Shanahan
Devereaux-Williams-Hull
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Lidstrom-Schneider
Fischer-Chelios
Woolley-Dandenault

PP-
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Hull
Shanahan-Yzerman-Holmstrom
Maltby-Draper-McCarty

Lidstrom-Schneider
Fischer-Chelios
Lidstrom-Whitney

PK-
Maltby-McCarty
Draper-Maltby
Shanahan-Yzerman
Whitney-Zetterberg
Datsyuk-Hull

Lidstrom-Chelios
Fischer-Dandenault
Schneider-Dandenault
Fischer-Schneider

6 on 5-Hasek pulled-
Shanahan-Datsyuk-Yzerman-Hull-Holmstrom

Lidstrom

Net-
Dominik Hasek

Joseph to Grand Rapids

Published
by
Matt Saler
on October 21, 2003
in Uncategorized
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The Wings have re-assigned goalie Curtis Joseph to the Grand Rapids Griffins, their top minor league affiliate, for at least one game in order to determine how much progress his ankle has made. He will play in Friday’s game against the Utah Grizzleys. This has to be a big blow to Joseph’s pride but he’s got to suck it up and accept that it’s what has to be done. The Wings and Joseph will decide after the game whether he needs to play another game or two there before coming back to Detroit.

Wings Lose Second Straight

Published
by
Brian List
on October 21, 2003
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Well, the Wings played somewhat better than they did versus the Pens, which is not saying an aweful lot, but two fatal defensive breakdowns led to the Habs’ goals: the Wings had two craptacular line changes that led to two virtual 2-on-0 breaks on Dom. They capitalized on both. The Wings came through with a strong third period, as they outshot and outhustled the Habs. But it came down to whether the Wings could capitalize on their chances and they just couldn’t. Brett Hull seemed snake-bitten, reminiscent of when he was stuck on 699 goals for what seemed like weeks (and, sadly, I think it was weeks). He had a wrap-around chance that gave him a wide open net, but, in true Esa Tikkanen style, he shot the puck along the goal line and out the other side. In another painfully close near-goal that wasn’t even a shot, Cheli hit the corner of the crossbar from just inside the blue line…’ting… and that was the way things went for the Wings.

GameDay: @ Montreal (3-2-0-0), 7:30

Published
by
Matt Saler
on October 20, 2003
in Uncategorized
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The Wings will face the Habs for the first and only time (isn’t that sickening?) tonight in Montreal.

The Wings will be wearing their home reds because the Canadians are wearing some throwback sweater.

Should be a good game, as Original Six games are. Hopefully, the Wings will play a much more disciplined game than they did on Saturday and hopefully the refs will be more fair as well.

Jose Theodore will not get the start tonight so we won’t see him unless Mathieu Garon is pulled. Manny could get the start tonight. Brett Hull should play again so don’t expect to see Hudler.

Refs

Published
by
Brian List
on October 19, 2003
in Uncategorized
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Yeah. That was a really crappy game, besides Zetterberg’s amazing individual effort that led to the highlight reel goal. Hasek played pretty well, and had a great poke-check that probably saved a goal. But it seemed like the refs called every single infraction the Wings did, even calling the little seen “playing the puck with a broken stick” call, plus phantom calls like holding and interference that were more reflexive than specific to our team. According to the way the refs called the game, the Red Wings are an extremely sloppy team and the Pens are the Colorado Avalanche. And that’s bull crap.

Just because infractions exist within the game doesn’t mean that you call every one by the book. The existence of so many rules is to protect against the misuse of something to gain undue advantage. And half the penalties against the Wings were behind the play and/or didn’t really affect the Pens or give us an advantage. You just don’t call penalties because you technically can, because then you have a game without any flow. And, I ask the refs, what is the purpose of the existence of the NHL? To be tedious and call every single infraction, or be a medium of entertainment while at the same time maintaining order in the form of penalties? Last night, the refs misused the rules and over-did their power in maintaining order, transcending the game to create a sort of special teams fair that I could barely identify as hockey. If you were not entertained at all last night, that means the refs pretty much failed the fans and the purpose of the game.

Wings 3, Pens 4

Published
by
Matt Saler
on October 19, 2003
in Uncategorized
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The Wings lost a sloppy game to the Pens last night, 4-3. It wasn’t a fun game to watch, especially since the refs seemed to call everything against the Wings. There were 6 penalties called on the Wings in the first period and 8 in the game. The Pens were doing many of the same things the Wings were doing but did not get called with nearly as much frequency. Dominik wasn’t as impressive and looked especially bad on the Pens’ shorthanded goal in the 2nd. The Wings did lead 3-1 at one point but Pittsburgh came back to win it anyway. Henrik Zetterberg had a highlight reel goal in the first shorthanded. McCarty and Holmstrom scored the other Wings goals.

Next up:
@ Montreal, Monday, 7:30
Detroit News game notes | ESPN game notes | Box score | Photos

Lines-
Maltby-Draper-McCarty
Whitney-Yzerman-Shanahan
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Hull
Devereaux-Williams-Holmstrom

Fischer-Chelios
Lidstrom-Schneider
Woolley-Dandendault
Lidstrom-Chelios
Woolley-Chelios

4 on 4-
Zetterberg-Whitney
Devereaux-Williams

Fischer-Chelios

PP-
Shanahan-Yzerman-Holmstrom
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Hull

Lidstrom-Schneider
Lidstrom-Whitney
Woolley-Chelios

PK-
Maltby-Draper
Zetterberg-Whitney
Shanahan-Yzerman
Zetterberg-Hull

Lidstrom-Chelios
Lidstrom-Schneider
Fischer-Dandenault

6 on 5 Hasek Pulled-
Whitney-Yzerman-Holmstrom/Shanahan-Datsyuk-Zetterberg

Lidstrom

Net-
Dominik Hasek

GameDay: @ Pittsburg, 7:30

Published
by
Matt Saler
on October 18, 2003
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

The Wings will face the Penguins for the first and only time tonight in Pittsburg. The Pens are 0-2-1-0 and aren’t likely to go very far this season. We’ll get to see Marc-Andre Fleury, the #1 pick in the draft, tonight. I doubt it will be a fun game for him, considering the Wings’ offensive depth. Jason Woolley will play tonight in place of Derian Hatcher and Jiri Hudler will play if Brett Hull decides his back is still too much of a problem. Dominik will get the start again. Shouldn’t be too tough for the Wings to win this one, I think.

Wings 3, Canucks 2

Published
by
Matt Saler
on October 17, 2003
in Uncategorized
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(left to right) Schneider, Fischer, Zetterberg and Datsyuk congratulate Ray Whitney (right) on his game winner late in the third

The Wings won an exciting and hard hitting game last night against Vancouver thanks to a goal by Ray Whitney with 1:06 left in the game.

The Canucks led twice and the Wings tied it twice before taking the lead at the end. The Wings overrall played well and Dominik looked very good. He gave up two goals but was screened on them and rebounded nicely with some clutch saves. He looked great on a 5 minute Canucks power play in the second. I honesly have so much more confidence in him than I ever did in Joseph. Sorry Curtis.

Derian Hatcher, as Brian already mentioned left in the first with what the Wings then called a knee sprain. Obviously, we know now that it’s a torn ACL, which is far more serious and will keep him out 4-6 months. That’s bad news for the Wings but they still have a deep defense. It’s not panic time yet, not even close.

Jiri Fischer was amazing last night. He had what was by far the hit of the game when he put Daniel Sedin through the glass in the Wings end. Sedin was lucky not to get seriously hurt on the play but it was a clean hit. I think that as long as Jiri plays like he is, the Wings will be affected that much less by Hatcher’s injury. The Wings also need to count on Dominik Hasek keeping it up in net.

A player looking very close to breaking out is Jason Williams. He had at least two glorious chances to score last night but couldn’t bury the puck. He looks very good with the puck and seems to have a good head for the game. I’m hoping for a break out year from him as well as from Pavel and Henrik. He can do it, just like they can. He’s finally got his chance and he needs to take advantage of it.

Jiri Hudler’s NHL regular season debut wasn’t very spectacular. He played around 6 minutes and didn’t do much. No big deal, I guess. He was time to get it together. I do think the Wings need to get him on the ice if they want him to get better. I say, send him down to the Griffins if he isn’t going to play here.

Hopefully Brett Hull will be back soon.

The other Wings goals were by Brenden Shanahan and Nicklas Lidstrom, both on the power play in the first.

Next up:
@ Pittsburg tomorrow, 7:30

Detroit News game notes | Free Press game notes | ESPN game notes | Box score | Photos

Lines
Holmstrom-Yzerman-Shanahan
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Whitney-Whitney GWG
Devereaux-Hudler-Williams
Maltby-Draper-McCarty
Devereaux-Datsyuk-Williams

Defense-
Fischer-Chelios
Lidstrom-Hatcher-Hatcher left-first period-knee-
Schneider-Dandenault
Lidstrom-Dandenault
Lidstrom-Chelios
Schneider-Chelios
Fischer-Dandenault

4 on 4-
Draper-Maltby
Zetterberg-Whitney
Shanahan-Yzerman

Lidstrom-Chelios
Fischer-Dandenault

PP-
Holmstrom-Yzerman-Shanahan
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Whitney

Lidstrom-Schneider
Fischer-Chelios
Lidstrom-Whitney

PK-
Shanahan-Yzerman
Maltby-McCarty
Zetterberg-Whitney
Maltby-Draper

Lidstrom-Chelios
Fischer-Dandenault

Net-
Dominik Hasek

Oh Happy Days, Wings’ Defenseman Curse Strikes again!!!!!

Published
by
Brian List
on October 17, 2003
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

If there ever was an appropriate time for vulgarities, now is the time. F*ck the Wings’ stinkin’ luck. Last season, we lose Fischer all season to a knee injury. This season, the curse continues with Derian Hatcher. He tore his ACL in his right knee and will be out 4-6 months. F*ck. I’m sick and tired of this crap. Yzerman seemingly overcomes his injury and we get smacked with this when we’re caught in a good mood. Imagine, Wings fans getting to actually enjoy things. We win the Cup in ‘97, and we get about 4 days to celebrate before Vladdy and Sergei get in the accident. This past summer through now has been pure hell for the Wings: Hasek coming back–awkwardly forcing himself on us, CuJo coming out with his injury just at the most convenient time for him, losing Sergei, Yzerman comtemplating retirement, the realization that the NHL is going to hell in exactly 1 year, and now Hatcher, who we heavily invested in as the guy to put us in even more serious competition this year, is out for the season. Ugh. Just when I thought this team was in great shape, with an amazing defense core (which is still great), younger guys stepping up to make up for Sergei’s absence, Hasek in net (although he created a bad summer experience, I can still appreciate his greatness and realize how much of an improvement he COULD be from CuJo), we get this complication. This means that Wooley is gonna be playing again, after being a scratch every game this season (and if he played, I guess I didn’t notice). Crap. I’m not saying the Wings are not a top competitor anymore or are no longer a top 3 NHL team, but this certainly is a disappointment to have our counter to the Avs’ Selanne/Kariya catch out for what will seem like forever. I really didn’t see this coming. I went to the nhl section of espn.com just to see if the Ducks lost again, and see Hatcher out 4-6 months in big, bold letters, and I felt like refreshing to make sure that was from 2003 and not from some other time. But no.

GameDay: vs. Vancouver, 7:30

Published
by
Matt Saler
on October 16, 2003
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

Tonight’s the night Chelios gets to introduce Mr. Bertuzzi to Mr. Hatcher. The Wings will face the ‘Nucks (2-1-0) for the first of 4 regular season meetings tonight and we’ll get to see the Chelios-Bertuzzi rivalry again. I can’t wait to see what those two will say about eachother after this game. This is a very likely playoff matchup and will be pretty close. The Canucks have one of the best lines in hockey with Morrison, Bertuzzi and Naslund and not a bad second line to go with it. Their defense is solid, though their goaltending has failed them in the past. Expect to see Lidstrom and Hatcher out there against the first line and be watching for some big hits. Brett Hull may not play tonight because of a sore back so we might see Jiri Hudler make his real NHL debut. Like I said, should be a good game. Pretty even but I think the Wings will pull it off again. Sorry Lisa (;