Wings v. Caps - Game Thread

Other than Kane, who we lucked out on, and Larkin this offense looks like Wisconsin basketball.

if they crap in their pants at Pittsburgh, I get rid of LaLonde who can't get this team to perform in big games. Really Yzerman is to blame but he is God in Detroit so he is safe. When can we bring Trey Augustine up?

The roster on this team is not great, I mean it's amazing that they're even in the playoff race. I actually credit Lalonde for turning the team into a better performing squad these past 2 years. With the farm system & some of the vets getting long term chemistry, and eventually figuring out our #1 goalkeep - this team will be good for years. But I did not expect them to be where they are, so it's all icing on the cheesecake. Just painful to be so close to the postseason & see it slipping away.

who would have thought being the 8th best team in the conference would be so hard to accomplish. 

Why can’t Yzerman find a goalie or defensemen that can clear the puck ? Been the same the last 5 years 

When you control play for nearly 2 periods and outshoot the opponent 2 to 1....without scoring, bad things generally happen.....  just like that.

If the Wings were going to lose, I"m glad Ovi got #30.  I laughed at my son earlier this season when he was writing Ovi's obit.....   

Good afternoon, National Champions....

This game above all else showed the tremendous value of a goaltender that steals one, especially on the biggest stage. For the Caps, the goalie turned it up to eleven and became a wall. That's what it takes sometimes. This was a playoff game, and in the playoffs, the goalie has to come up huge. And he did.

What the Wings had to do was one of two things:

• Play superior, A+ defense. Just shut everything down. But they don't have the horses for that. Players that could bring the team from worst in the league to middle of the pack -- not gonna name names but we know who they are -- are not skilled enough to get them over the hump.
• Make it ugly and gritty and manage to get ugly goals. To find a way to get it done. And they couldn't do that -- they're not built that way. I was so happy when we finally got rid of Zadina.....but this team still has too many Zadinas.

So, most likely no playoffs, and that's probably a good reflection of where they are right now. 

To add insult to injury on the blatant high stick missed Copp fractured his cheekbone. The NHL really needs to redefine the whole injury part of the review for high sticking. I am going to say anytime a guy has to be helped off the ice and goes to the dressing room that should be considered injury, non sensical that it is only blood apparently. Though given how the rest of the night went even with PP Caps goaltender would have stoned everything.