Cat Scratch Fever – Wings 4 Panthers 5

Hey gang! It’s been a pretty awesome weekend for hockey, two outdoor games, Mikael Samuelsson being placed on waivers(wahooooooo!) and the Red Wings on a streak coming into tonight’s game. Tonight we are going for something we have yet to do this season… Win three in a row at home (sigh). Today, we set our crosshairs on the Florida Panthers. They are a team usually brushed under the mat, but they have been able to defeat the Wings twice this year, and are 5-4-1 in their past 10, including a 5-1 victory over Eastern Conference titans, Pittsburgh Penguins.

The injuries giveth, and they taketh away. Johan Franzen made his return tonight and just one half hour before the game, we all found out that our captain Henrik Zetterberg is day to day with an upper-body injury. Ugh, whatever. I’m done banging my head against a wall over injuries. I have reason to believe that the Red Wings will not play a game this season with a fully healthy team. Anyways, Red Wings going into tonight have gone 3-1-0 on this home stand. Pretty flipping good given the injuries and how this season has been going. Well, now it’s time for puck drop. Mickey Redmond’s about three ginger ales deep and I’m ready to either flex with excitement, or lay face down on my floor and let my dog take a leak on me.
Red Wings’ Zetterberg day-to-day with upper-body injury

• Bad guys score just above 2 minutes in. Softy from Gustavsson, but there was some blown coverage by Glendening here. Rest of the team was back on it’s heels.
• Wow this is a boring hockey game
• First period came to a close with Detroit being outshot 11-10, Florida with 7 blocked shots, Detroit with 0. Scoring chances even at 3 a piece. Pretty obvious that Zetterberg isn’t in the lineup. The Wings look lost without him. Panthers are 9-1-1 this season when having the lead after the first period this season.
• Oh, the second period started a while ago but I have nothing to say because I’ve been fighting to stay awake.
• Gustav the Great nets the Wings’ first goal on a pretty shot through Tim Thomas‘ five hole at 08:12 of the 2nd period. Franzen with the assist on this one.. But Nyquist! Wow. He is on absolute fire as of late. 5 game point streak with 4 goals, 7 points total. Katie bar the door, the GOOSE IS LOOSE!
• Not too long before Daniel Alfredsson pots another goal for Detroit from Smith and Lashoff at 09:23 because you can’t spell “Score” without “S W E D E”
• Hey, guess what? The youngsters are doing just fine. All of them. They are proving their worth each shift. It’s a beautiful thing to see after feeling like this team does nothing but shelve them in the minors. Youth movement, beeyotch!
• Riley Sheahan continues to impress as he nets a PP goal from Tatar and Eaves at 18:15. That’s Sheahan’s second goal in 2 GP. If you were to ask me about two months ago where he was going to fit in on this team next year, I wouldn’t be able to give you an answer. Now if you were to ask me the same question, I wouldn’t be able to NOT give you an answer.
• Second period ended with Detroit having the edge in shots, 22-20. Panthers still leading the game with blocked shots, 11-2. Scoring chances in favor of 10-6, as well as in hits 19-6. Detroit had 3 goals in this period, which is *puts sunglasses on* RADICAL BRUH
• The 3rd period started off with a 2 minute penalty to Justin Abdelkader. Detroit efficiently killed off their 3rd penalty of the night. Brendan Smith blasted a puck into the net but it was quickly waved off due to Daniel Cleary giving Tim Thomas some interference(?) All I know is that Tim Thomas is quite the whiny baby. But who wouldn’t be given his situation?
• Panthers strike back at 9:22 in the third. Gustavsson made a great save initially but had no way to stop the rebound. Yikes.
• The Red Wings are back on their heels in the 3rd period. Shocking, right? I’m not sure what it is, but they seem to do this time and time again. You’d think after so many blown leads this season they would know when to keep their foot on the gas (always).
• At 13:33 the Red Wings answered with more YOUFF!! Sheahan with a nasty assist to Tatar who put the biscuit in the basket. I don’t care, I love it. I love it. I don’t care!
• Didn’t take long for Florida to strike back with some terrible coverage. Gustavsson got caught up and practically watched the puck fly into his net. Come on, guys. Garbage.
• Panthers tie it up with a shorthanded goal. Absolute trash on the Red Wings part.
• All I can really say about overtime is that Tomas Tatar is out of this world. Even when he is gassed, you better believe he is going on all cylinders. Unfortunately his efforts weren’t enough. This game is going to a shootout.
• Shit.
• The Panthers are 10-1-1 this season when having the lead after the first period this season.

LGRW