Red Wings Fall to Blackhawks: Jimmy Howard Gives us the Finger we Need, But not the Finger we Deserve Right Now

The Red Wings had their six-game win streak snapped in Chicago on Tuesday night by a score of 2-1. After a strong start which saw them capitalize on a power play opportunity, things went generally downhill for the Red Wings. Turnovers and breakaways were the symptoms, but the cause of the Red Wings' loss was a failure to play up to the level of the Hawks.

Detroit was able to keep their one-goal lead for a little over a period before Jimmy "Mays" Hayes tied it in the eighth minute of the second. The Wings struggled throughout the rest of that period, but were able to escape with a tie. Unfortunately, that would be short-lived. Early in the third period, Marcus Kruger put Chicago on top to stay. The Wings did manage a few flurries of action, but couldn't solve the enigma that was Corey Crawford.

Follow me below the jump for the bullets; hopefully it will protect us when the sky falls.

• Jimmy Howard proved early and often that he wasn't rusty after eight games off. I lost count somewhere near "who the fuck cares anymore?", but the Blackhawks had a lot of odd-man rushes and a few breakaways. Howard kept the Hawks from scoring any of those pretty-boy goals that their good forwards like to put in. Instead, the Hawks got both of their goals with the blue-collar crash-the-net until it goes in workmanlike kind of goals that your father warned you about.
• For most of the first and some of the third, Franzen was skating like a power forward. I thought he was good. Five shots on net led the team and a consistent drive to get to the inside were good. Of course, he didn't score, so he sucks.
• Drew Miller looked like he was trying to do too much. I already like you, Drew. You don't have to impress me.
  
• Kindl wants to stay in the lineup, Ericsson? Not quite as interested.
  
• Marian Hossa is a hellshitton scarier on the ice when Datsyuk isn't out there to embarrass him.
• Oh man was Ian White bad in the 2nd period. I don't know if he's a fan or he owns a stake in the Fratelli's music, but he seemed absolutely bent on hearing it as much as possible.
• Seriously, Jimmy Howard is not rusty. He's the player of the game.
  
• Overall, the Wings simply got outworked. The Hawks showed excellent gap control and a very aggressive gameplan. The Wings were a step behind them consistently. It felt like after the first sixty odd-man rushes or so, the Wings got a little gunshy and started playing a very reactionary game. Waiting for the other guy to make a move is good form in chess, but in hockey it's a fantastic way to get your ass handed to you. In general, there just wasn't a very good commitment to get to the puck.
• All that said, I think the idea of them being reactionary was a product of thinking too much, not complacency. Either way, they can't lose on Bertuzzi Bobblehead Night, can they?