Man, the Ozzie crowd just can't get enough, even when no one has said anything about him so far in this thread.....
Not happy about the first 2 goals, though the second was bouncing around all over the place. But the third goal should be credited to Woolley. Manny made the original save and then cut off the angle, counting on Schneider and Woolley to take care of Cole. Schneider didn't finish him off and then Woolley puts it in the net. Nice. So, to recap, Manny didn't play great early but he did shut it down after that. Contrast this to the Dallas game (because so many of you have mentioned Ozzie already), when Ozzie did not shut it down at any point.
What a terrible performance. The second period was ok, and the last 5 minutes were good, but that's not good enough. Credit Carolina for taking it to the Wings early and then hanging on, but still. Not good enough on the Wings' part. When was the last time the Wings played a solid, 60 minute, great game against anyone other than Columbus and St. Louis?
Lebda made a bad play on the first goal - he should have stayed down and blocked the shot or slid over and blocked the pass. As it was, all he did was screen Manny. He played well the rest of the game, though. Made a few big hits and I thought it was a good sign - most rookies would have gotten shaken up if they'd been caught like that, especially after his in-the-net gaffe vs Dallas.
Zetterberg was the best Wing, again. He usually is. Really wish he'd been able to corral that tip in, though.
Datsyuk did nothing until the last 5 minutes, which is pretty much par for the course these days. He had one rush where he looked good, and otherwise he looked terrible. I'm really starting to believe he doesn't want to be here, or that he's really disappointed he didn't get to play for Avangard.
Lidstrom has really stepped it up. He played a great game.
Shanahan might need to shut it down for a week or two and get healthy. He looks like he's really banged up, and I think if he's 100% then that late one timer goes to the top corner, not into Gerber's pad.
Can't wait until Kronwall can come back and knock Woolley out of the lineup. His play has really fallen off as his ice time has increased.
1) Wings played a terrible first 15 minutes. Took it to the Canes thereafter.
2) Martin Gerber played great.
That pretty much sums it up. The Wings are still having trouble putting together a full 60 minutes and its costing them points now. Make no mistake about this one though. Martin Gerber is the reason the Wings didnt pick up atleast a point. That last 2 minutes was simply unbelieveable.
Manny looked bad on only 1 goal...the Cole goal. You cant blame Woolley for that goal. Manny took himself COMPLETELY out of the play. And give Cole some credit too, he made a great play. But you cant have a goalie that far out of the play like that.
Man, the Ozzie crowd just can't get enough, even when no one has said anything about him so far in this thread.....
Yeah, what's up with that? Sheesh. For all the Ozzie lovers, here's something to think about....Manny didn't get yanked after giving up 3 goals on 6 shots.
That says a little something about where Ozzie stands right now.
The only positives I took from last night's game were Yzerman's goal (way to go Stevie Y) and the way the Wings played in the 2nd period and last 5 minutes. This team needs a roster shakeup. What about Lang for Kovalev? Montreal needs a spark too and this could fill a need for both teams.
Yeah, what's up with that? Sheesh. For all the Ozzie lovers, here's something to think about....Manny didn't get yanked after giving up 3 goals on 6 shots.
That says a little something about where Ozzie stands right now.
The only positives I took from last night's game were Yzerman's goal (way to go Stevie Y) and the way the Wings played in the 2nd period and last 5 minutes. This team needs a roster shakeup. What about Lang for Kovalev? Montreal needs a spark too and this could fill a need for both teams.
I would do a Lang for Kovalev deal in a heartbeat. But I dont think that would happen. Sadly.
Yeah, what's up with that? Sheesh. For all the Ozzie lovers, here's something to think about....Manny didn't get yanked after giving up 3 goals on 6 shots.
That says a little something about where Ozzie stands right now.
Take it easy Jack, it was merely some sarcasm on my part.
You can handle a little poke can't you ?
Kovalev is 6'2, 210 lbs. I wouldnt call him small. Soft? Well, he is very strong on his skates. AND...he is a winger.
I would do it.
I said arguably softer, since Lang isn't exactly a bruiser despite his size. But I think I'd rather have Kovalev than Lang, especially given Lang's play recently. He looks awfully lazy these days.
I said arguably softer, since Lang isn't exactly a bruiser despite his size. But I think I'd rather have Kovalev than Lang, especially given Lang's play recently. He looks awfully lazy these days.
The size and strength is about even for these 2 guys. But Kovalev simply fits a need for the Wings that Lang doesnt.
All of this is a moot point anyway, because I dont forsee the Habs trading Kovalev.
How to create chemistry in the scoring lines? I don't see much of it now that Zetterberg and Datsyuk are separated (which they must remain).
What to do with Lang?
Grind line absolutely no offensive threat this season. Could Cleary play 2nd wingman on it?
Defense depth so shallow. No way to tell if Fisch had made a difference, but it's becoming apparent some of the guys we play as regular D-men aren't up to the task.
System. Do we have the material to play "total hockey"?
Effort. Now this is hard to address. Do we need happy hockey approach or the whip? Is a Pushor/Macoun type the solution? We need a timely goal scorer. Our record when down by 2 is awful.
one of very few Wings games I got to watch live
my impressions:
1. Goaltending - was OK bordering on mediocre, a bit surprized how Manny did not even make an effort to get back to the net on the 3rd goal.
2. Defense. Lidstrom really cannot cover as much ice as he used to. Schneider and Wooley defensive game is pretty weak. Lilja's game is weak all around.
3. Offense. Not impressive at all. Datsyuk is playing nowhere near his potential. Zata is a notch better. Shanny seems to have problems with legs (knees?) as he could not stop and go/change directions on a couple of occasions. Is Lang still playing for this team? No chance in hell Montreal will take him (let alone give us Kovalev).
4. Coaching. Not bad at all - corrections made and the team almost came back.
5. Effort - for most parts was pretty good.
6. Captain Y - gave me a silver lining of such width that I did not mind the cloud.
Since Lidstrom's range is not what it used to be, is it really the best idea to put your slowest defenseman (Lilja) with him for most of the game every night? I would think someone like Lebda or Kronwall when he gets back would be a better fit, since they are both very mobile and can cover a lot of ice. Whether Lebda would be capable of playing 1st pair minutes against top lines, and whether Kronwall will be anywhere near as mobile as he was before, that remains to be seen.
Fischer's absence is becoming more and more noticeable. In October we didn't have any of these problems because Fisch was eating up 20 minutes a night and playing rock solid hockey.
Since Lidstrom's range is not what it used to be, is it really the best idea to put your slowest defenseman (Lilja) with him for most of the game every night? I would think someone like Lebda or Kronwall when he gets back would be a better fit, since they are both very mobile and can cover a lot of ice. Whether Lebda would be capable of playing 1st pair minutes against top lines, and whether Kronwall will be anywhere near as mobile as he was before, that remains to be seen.
Fischer's absence is becoming more and more noticeable. In October we didn't have any of these problems because Fisch was eating up 20 minutes a night and playing rock solid hockey.
No way is Montreal trading Kovalev for Lang. In Montreal they see Kovalev as there best player and is also the most favourite player!
Don't know what to think of Datsyuk, he putting up the number but apparently he doesn't play the game like he can (according to your reports)! Maybe there is something wrong (private life) and also the fact is that he doesn’t have any Russian players around him, Like the Swedish players on the team!
So Datsyuk gets blasted on here (rightfully so, his play has tailed off) while board favs Lang and Shanny (especially Lang) avoid the wrath. Lang, for the last time to Higgy and the rest of the "Lang Gang" on this board, is an abysmal player who is absolutely useless to this team. Yzerman, who I admit Ive been pretty hard on, showed more courage and heart on one first period goal than Lang has shown all year. The guy is a turnover machine, makes ridiculously dumb passes, rarely skates and losses EVERY SINGLE BATTLE for along the boards or for lose pucks. I dont want to hear about the playoffs last season, or his broken hand....THIS season he has been almost "Krupp like". I know Lang wont be here next season, but I want him gone ASAP. I've watched Hank, Datsyuk and Draper at the end of long shifts bust their tail to back check....Lang trails the play and skates like it's pond hockey. Lang isnt a Babcock player, and doesnt fit the style Babcock wants the Wings to play at all.
So Datsyuk gets blasted on here (rightfully so, his play has tailed off) while board favs Lang and Shanny (especially Lang) avoid the wrath. Lang, for the last time to Higgy and the rest of the "Lang Gang" on this board, is an abysmal player who is absolutely useless to this team. Yzerman, who I admit Ive been pretty hard on, showed more courage and heart on one first period goal than Lang has shown all year. The guy is a turnover machine, makes ridiculously dumb passes, rarely skates and losses EVERY SINGLE BATTLE for along the boards or for lose pucks. I dont want to hear about the playoffs last season, or his broken hand....THIS season he has been almost "Krupp like". I know Lang wont be here next season, but I want him gone ASAP. I've watched Hank, Datsyuk and Draper at the end of long shifts bust their tail to back check....Lang trails the play and skates like it's pond hockey. Lang isnt a Babcock player, and doesnt fit the style Babcock wants the Wings to play at all.
I've been saying that Lang isn't playing hard too. He'll be skating along with the puck and oops, there it goes, right off his stick, or he'll watch someone skate right up to him and take it away without doing anything. Datsyuk has done this a lot as well. Yet you look at their numbers and they're pretty good. Makes you wonder what they'd be like if they were busting it out there.
I think Shanny is hurting though, I don't think it's a case of him dogging it. Every time they had a closeup on him he looked like he was wincing. He supposedly had rib issues a few weeks ago and I would say it looks like they've gotten worse. Hopefully he doesn't have a groin injury - to look at his play lately you might get that idea.
But on the Lang issue, I'm not sure he won't be around next year - who would want to take him and his bloated contract, especially after the way he's been playing this year? If he's not around I suspect it will be because the Wings worked out a Roenick-style deal, where they had to give someone a pick to take him. Otherwise I'd just hope the Leafs or the Flyers are interested, because now that the Rangers aren't throwing money around anymore, no other team is dumb enough to give the Wings anything for him. And both those teams are really, really dumb.
This is pretty subjective, but it just occurred to me watching Lang the last week or so. Do you guys remember when he first got here how he always seemed to be smiling, like he was always upbeat and optimistic. I just realized though that he doesn't look like the same guy, both in terms of play and his outward appearance. Yeah, I agree with a lot of the comments that he seems to be floating, kinda lost, not using his size at all, always a second too late to the right spot or to shoot. Is it possible that he is still injured? If he just didn't care, he would be smirking or something, but I never figured he was that kind of player. I'm not sure what happened with Robert here.
Need to find some good pics of that goal. Saw the Detroit News pic,but was hoping for more!!
