Some thoughts on Game 40 39:
… The moment that stood out most for me in this game came at the end: the razzing Datsyuk’s teammates gave him following his kicking assist to Hank on the emtpy-netter.
Whether it was for having to make a play without a stick or for nearly falling over, that moment captured a bunch of guys having a blast. I see it as evidence the Red Machine is firing up those extra cylinders that have been idle so much of the season. I don’t think it’s too far out to say this has been their best four games of the season.
… Speaking of Datsyuk, it’s easy to buy the argument Mickey Redmond makes that #13 has been the best player in the NHL over the past 30 days. I’ve not seen all the League’s current hot hands, but I would call Datsyuk the best player on the ice in the majority of the Wings’ games over that span. Tonight was no exception.
… The Jackets seem to have won the lottery with Steve Mason. The kid looks like the real deal. I would like to see another replay of Hossa’s goal, however. They kept saying Homer screened the shot, but it looked to me like Mason just missed it under his glove. Holmstrom was standing on Mason’s stickside and it seems to me he wouldn’t have been throwing a very effective screen from there.
… At the other end of the ice, Conklin looked very strong. He had a few bounces go his way, but brought them on by solid positioning and overall sharpness.
By the way, I think he deserves more credit for the save he made on Peca in the first. The shot may not have come immediately, but it wasn’t much of a delay and Conklin still made it across. Pretty spectacular.
The Wings are suddenly in pretty good shape from a goaltending standpoint if the recent performances of Conklin and Osgood are any indication.
… The nickname bit they did on the FS Detroit broadcast was great. Cleary’s “Bear”? I could have predicted Franzen as “Grumpy.” Lidstrom as “Super Swede” goes without saying.
… On Lidstrom, he’s really turned it on lately. Apparently the spectre of the Norris carried by a Phaneuf or Weber was too much for him.
… Back to Pavel: gotta love his fixation with the Orthodox Christmas in his interview with Trevor Thompson following the game. That was about the only part of the interview I understood. He laid the accent on thick! (in punishment for keeping him there so long, I think)
… Congratulations to Chris Chelios for becoming the winningest player in NHL history with his 880th game played on the winning side
… Next up: the resurgent Dallas Stars on Thursday. Should be a good game.
I agree on most things, except for the Peca save. Most wide-open-net goals like that, you see the goalie make a last-ditch sprawling dive over, and most times the goalie doesn’t make the save. Once in a rare while, they do, and it’s entirely skill and athleticism that the goalie got there, but it’s also entirely luck that the shooter hit the goalie’s glove. Conklin’s toe save on Dorsett from about two feet out? That was absolutely brilliant. Best save of the game, by either goalie.
Datsyuk’s been incredible ever since Babcock switched up the lines. Don’t remember which game that was, but I definitely remember that as the turning point.
Ryan, I see your point and agree on the toe-save. I’d forgotten that one. More impressive, just not as visusally spectacular, I guess.