Defense falters as Coyotes win 4-2
by Casey Richey on Apr 18, 2010 5:46 PM CDT
in Game Recaps
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PrintDetroit's defense must still be back in Phoenix as a four goal performance (again) put the Red Wings in a 2-1 series hole.
Phoenix got the lead with 29 seconds elapsed as Sami Lepisto put home a loose puck in the slot. The chance started with a carry-in and shot by Petr Prucha that Jimmy Howard fought off but a clearing attempt failed and Lepisto had a wide open net. Valtteri Filppula scored on the power play for Detroit late in the third to tie it up with a shot from in tight on Ilya Bryzgalov that somehow made it through.
Wojtek Wolski scored the go-ahead goal for Phoenix late in the second period with a put back over a sliding Howard. Howard gave up a rebound on a Matthew Lombardi shot and Wolski was there to clean up. The play started when a pass from Niklas Kronwall turned into a neutral zone turnover that Lee Stempniak fed to Lombardi.
Petr Prucha scored on a beautiful passing play from Radim Vrbata to put the Coyotes up 3-1 in the third period. Prucha dropped a pass to Vrbata before cutting to the net, leaving Rafalski and Lidstrom behind and Prucha went forehand to backhand and beat Howard.
Johan Franzen got one back for the Red Wings in the third period with a top shelf shot in the only spot that Bryzgalov had left open. The momentum looked like it might be swinging back towards Detroit a bit but a bad/late change from Jonathan Ericsson left Nicklas Lidstrom rushing to make a decision on an odd man rush. Lidstrom took the middle man that was already tied up instead of Vrbata streaking down the side with the puck. Vrbata ripped a shot on net and put the Coyotes lead to two goals. The shot was one that Howard probably should have stopped but he missed it and the Wings momentum was no more.
A few late flurries went unfinished and the Coyotes walked out of today's game with a 4-2 win and a 2-1 series win. The Wings play again on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
The defense was a particularly bad effort in today's game and it didn't help Howard out one bit. It looked early on that it might be a game where Howard might struggle with rebound control and the defensive lapses that have plagued the Wings all season long struck back with a vengeance today.
Credit's due to Phoenix though as they played most of the game without captain Shane Doan and actually played better. Doan went shoulder first into the boards after tripping over Howard. After Doan's departure, the Coyotes played a more structured game and passed better. They outworked Detroit in a lot of aspects in this game and took a win because of that.
Shocking stat of the night: Nicklas Lidstrom was a -3. Anyone remember that happening ever in the playoffs?
Player of the game: Henrik Zetterberg. Hank had two assists, five SOG, two hits and was consistently the most pressing and involved player the Wings tossed on the ice. Honorable mention: Joe Louis Arena boards
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Lids -3
tells the story….brush up guys and win Game 4
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
defense
they need to start stepping up. no more cough ups
by forever_rednwhite on Apr 18, 2010 6:07 PM CDT reply actions
they were bad
not communicating at all. Kronwall was pretty bad too.
by Casey Richey on Apr 18, 2010 6:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Versus is saying the Wings should be looking at Osgood for game 3
NO WAY. I’m an Ozzie supporter through and through, but he’s play what, once in the past 3 month? He is not the answer right now. Improve the defense, improve the chances of winning. 11 goals in 3 games doesn’t cut it in the playoffs.
Back off man, I'm a scientist
Hockeytown USA has moved!
Hockeytown USA
exactly
I dont think Babcock does that. Maybe if Jimmy gives up some bad goals in game four he gets pulled but you don’t pull him at this moment.
by Casey Richey on Apr 18, 2010 6:42 PM CDT up reply actions
yeah
i would have to agree with you. ozzie is not the right choice at this moment. although i hate the fact that theres wayyyy too many rebounded goals, jimmy is the best goalie we’ve got. he challenges the shots. ozzie’s been way too cold to play and it is definitely not the right time to put him in yet. remember 2008? ozzie replaced hasek in game 4 of the first round…give jimmy another chance before we switch up to ozzie, who’s hot in playoffs
by forever_rednwhite on Apr 18, 2010 8:14 PM CDT up reply actions
in the after game interview
babcock was asked if he considered putting in ozzie he was just like “nope, didnt think about it at all. nope.”
Not gonna happen
I cannot even conceive of a situation right now in which it would make sense to put in Ozzy. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ozzy and have been a strident defender of him for some time. But the outcome of this game would not be any different. The goaltending is not the problem, it is a reflection of the larger situation. Detroit is not playing with fire, urgency, energy, or grit. The end of game 2 had us all so excited because it seemed like the Wings had clicked on the playoff switch. But apparently we were wrong.
You can have all the skill in the world but if you don’t play with desire and determination it doesn’t amount to shit come playoff time. Story of the series so far? Phoenix is playing with the determination to win. And Detroit seems content to let them.
All that being said, Jimmy (like the rest of the team) does need to step it up, and it’d be really encouraging to see him steal a game or two.
The 4th goal
was a patented Ozzie short-side special anyway. He wouldn’t make a difference. The team plays harder in front of Howard IMO.
by handsomerob1 on Apr 19, 2010 10:41 AM CDT up reply actions
It could be worse could be down 0-3 already
Well all things being equal I think everyone for the most part expected the Coyotes to get atleast 1 to 2 wins in this series. The key now though for the guys is going to be winning game 4 and getting the tie back in the series. If they go down 1-3 it’s game over. This series reminds me of some of the ones against St. Louis in the Mid 90s. St Louis had the Grittier Players with some talent sprinkled in in Hull, Al McGunnnis, Pronger and Fuhr. Wings had the talent in Stevie Y, Sergei, Shanny, Lidstrom and others. It seemed like in the 97 series that the Wings weren’t giving their all in the first four games and it wasn’t until Yzerman called himself out for being ineffective that the team responded and took the series over. Like then we have a good team now it’s just up to them to decide “Okay if we’re going to do this lets get off our butts and do it” On the subject of the goalie change comment, will it happen? probably not, at least not right away Babs will probably go back and give Jimmy another chance. Majority of the Goals that went in were caused by defensive let downs. The Vrbada goal is one of those must stop goals but it didn’t happen. In either case allowing goals 29 seconds in (Must be an NBC thing) doesn’t help your cause. Phoenix is making their big push right now and we gotta answer.
At least we weren't the Sharks
who just allowed an own goal as the only goal of the game, in overtime, winning it for the Avalanche.
Ha! that was my thought also this morning when I found out how the Avs/Sharks game went.
Seriously though, Jimmy a few weeks ago probably could have stolen that game for them, but Jimmy wasn’t the problem, the rest of the team was. And on the bright side, now Jimmy has injured Doan.
Now all that needs to happen is the rest of the team needs to remember that they are the Red Wings and play like it.
way to show up at my first ever game at the joe
all well. i had fun. can cross that off my list of dreams to do before i die.
draft micah johnson
Shane Doan and Jimmy
Any word on the extent of Doan’s injury? And I’m glad someone else brought up the Ozzie situation. I don’t think this is the right time to put him in but any Wings fan knows he’s been lights out good the last two playoffs. Only goal you can blame on Jimmy was the last one they had that got him near post. He’s gotta make that save. We had just gotten back into the game. After that goal was when the Wings started to look beaten. We’d better be fired up tomorrow.
Gotta PLAY on home ice
The old adage for road teams is that they have to “weather the storm” in the first 10 minutes, but the Wings were embarrassed within 30 seconds. You absolutely cannot let that happen if you are going to win. They need stronger starts and finishes in periods, on top of the lazy offense and slow defense.
I’ve always liked the idea behind starting the game with an energy line at home. I know it’s only the first minute of the game, but it can set the tone for the entire first period if they put Phoenix on their heels immediately.
I was
without internet all weekend so couldnt be on game threads, however kinda glad i wasnt. I dont know what to think anymore… i have never seen our defense play that poorly during crunch time. Doan out and they step up, young determined club.. they just might want it more.
Everyone think about this
The Wings lost two games in the first round in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008.
More importantly
They were down 2.1 to Phoenix in 1998 and 2-0 to Vancouver in 2002. Plus they were down 2-1 to the Ducks last year (a far superior team to these Yotes) and playing just as God-awful as they are now. And they turned that series around and won.
Here’s a thought for the Wings: score first. Make the dogs play our style. It didn’t work out so great for them in Game 2. I still believe they will win the next 3. Uncle Mike will get them motivated: if they lose, they will be forced to watch every Predators game from this season as punishment.
this post
is the only thing keeping me sane right now.
Hard to be optimistic
This game requires you to have the lead in the end to win (duh). Very problematic when we have a reputation for squandering two goal leads and we’re facing a team that has successfully protected one goal leads all season.
Detroit needs to start hitting with the same intensity Phoenix is. They did that at one point in the second period yesterday and it resulted in a little sustained pressure. They also had that during most of Game 2 and it resulted in a 7-4 shootout.
Let’s hope these games with freak stats come to an end. PHX 3-for-4 on PP in Game 1, Nick a -3 yesterday. That stuff won’t happen again so maybe we can take some turns churning out some oddball stats. Personally, I’d take 6-for-7 on the PP, but we probably won’t get half those chances.
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