An aggravating result from an aggravating team. This was very similar to the Calgary game, in that the Wings out-shot their opposition 38-19 and still managed to lose convincingly. It was nearly a 4-1 final but Drew Miller made it look a little less ugly with a power play goal in the waning seconds. So really it was 4-1. Tell your friends it was 4-1.
Howard wasn’t very good. The team wasn’t very good.
- It once seemed weird and goofy that those two free agent guys would choose Minnesota over Detroit, or anywhere else for that matter. Psssst, look at the standings.
- I feel sort of spoiled getting to cover all of these Wednesday Night Rivalry games while the other fellas are stuck recapping the latest Wings-Blues contest or whatever. You know what’s cool about the Hockeytown vs. State of Hockey rivalry? According to what NBCSN showed before the game, the Dallas Stars‘ history can be lumped into it to add to the seething hatred. WHOA — triangle rivalry! Zach Parise and Ryan Suter didn’t sign in Minnesota just to play for the Wild, but also to play for the honor of Jamie Benn, 10-gallon hats and ice girls. Now their decision is more understandable. Anyone can sign for one team — these guys play for two.
- The Red Wings outplayed the Wild in the 1st period to the tune of 17 shots to 5, but went into the dressing room down 1-1.*
- * Ha! That was a joke. The joke here, if I can explain it briefly, is that the play that should have made the score 1-1 was whistled for a high stick when Drew Miller attempted to knock a puck out of the air. In actuality, the puck was deflected by Dany Heatley’s glove, but he has become so irrelevant that his part in the play went unnoticed. I honestly don’t blame the refs for missing this one live because it was such a close call, but not being able to review it is a Real Rivalry Ripoff.
- And of course, when it comes to the Wings and Wild Stars, one immediately thinks of this ol classic no-goal from 2009.*
- *Ha!! Another joke. Because of the Wild/Stars thing from earlier yeah this is getting old.
- 30 seconds into the 2nd period, Niklas Kronwall was called for a 4-minute high sticking penalty after hitting Charlie Coyle. Kronner’s stick didn’t appear to hit Coyle, and I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a double minor on a high stick that didn’t draw blood, but it was reckless nonetheless. Having the internet nowadays in the year 2000 is cool because I get to watch hockey while talking to a bunch of other people who like hockey, but my least favorite aspect of it (other than the racism and contact with Blues fans) is how we have to have a passionate opinion on the legality of a big hit the split second one occurs. And then how that breeds angry and annoying discussion that distracts me from the actual game. So let’s all just agree with what I have to say about it an move on because I’m an important writer: Kronwall might not have been trying to check the guy’s head off, but he wasn’t exactly trying not to, either. That’s the theme with all of his open ice hits — whether he leaves his feet or not, he doesn’t try to avoid head contact, and here it hurt the Wings more than the Wild because it led to a power play goal against.
- Eddie Olczyk does not like Niklas Kronwall.
- Gustav Nyquist provided a much-needed jolt when he created a turnover and then scored on a breakaway for his first goal of the season. During the second intermission, Mike Babcock had the official scorer demote the goal to an assist.
- I am exhausted with the topic of Johan Franzen. Is he hurt? Does he care? I don’t know. I don’t know him, I don’t see him on a daily basis and I can’t be sure of anything when it comes to him. I don’t know. You don’t know. And yet, there’s a chance that we’re going to be doing this for the next decade with him. I could barely get myself to begin this sentence because I’m j u s t s o t i r e d o f t a l k i n g a b o u t h i m. Score a goal or something. Step up. Impact one goddamn game.
- Fuck.
- Detroit had a chance to snatch up a couple of points at home here before heading back out west for four games, which start with two against the really amazing Anaheim Ducks. But they didn’t and that is bad. They are 14-11-5 and that is mediocre. That’s what they are. They aren’t good enough anymore to survive their goalie having an off night, because there aren’t waves of goalscorers everywhere to offset those nights.
- I’m going to go make a sandwich.
