What a hockey game, what an effort by the Ducks. They did exactly what they needed to do and they did it without Pronger, which is even better. This will have little effect on the Red Wings psyche, but will provide a good jolt to a Ducks team that needed to see what they were made of. Other than Giguere, Pronger is probably the most important player on the Ducks roster, I bet it feels great to win this game in the fashion they did. Detroit threw everything they had all throughout the game, even having two 5-on-3 chances for 45+ seconds on each chance. What more can you ask for from a team that wasn’t supposed to even have a chance, a team that was supposed to be down after losing 0-5.
I personally have no nails left, I pretty much bit them all off after watching the last seven minutes of the game. It was pulsating with energy, I can only imagine what it must have been like to be have been at the Honda Center. The Red Wing fans were in full force, as usual, as was that annoying Ducks fan the camera always finds. You know the guy, the one who does the bang, bang thing with his fingers and wears his gayPod headphones and all the Ducks paraphernalia…Orange County…
Honestly, what more can any guy or any of the coaches ask for each other from game four? Everyone on the roster played to their strengths, played pretty smart hockey and got the job done. It was kind of a surprise to see Ryan Carter out on the ice tonight. He had 36 points and was a -5 this season in Portland, hardly the guy I had in mind to play in place of Ryan Shannon. Whatever works though, you can’t say it was bad move by the coaching staff, they DID win. Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne all had their best game of the series. Selanne may have had his best game of the playoffs, he was fighting for pucks, kind of finishing his check (kind of) and he even created a couple chances for his teammates.
From a physicality point, the Ducks simply took advantage in that department. Todd Bertuzzi certainly got his licks in on Francois Beauchemin, but flip that coin as well. Pahlsson was a monster tonight, he created chances, played awesome in his own end and did anyone see the aging Chris Chelios get up pretty slowly after Sammy cleared him from the front of the net? Beauchemin knocked Bertuzzi down on that play too, which got him a nice shove after Beauchemin came over to see if Todd was okay, he looked pretty frustrated. Anaheim walked all over Detroit in this case, they walked right into the crease, doing what they wished. One play, Rob Niedermayer came in after Hasek covered the puck and the whistle had blown. Rob stopped about six inches away from the Dominator and Datsyuk pushed him a little and Robbie kind of shrugged it off. Total lack of respect for the guy guarding his teams net, haha.
But you have to give Detroit credit, they made a game out of it. At 3-3 I was a little worried, not too much but just a little bit. You have to admire a team that comes back like they did, given the situation. Emotions were high, the Ducks HAD to win this game and Detroit knew it, to come back from two goals down is big in my book. They got two more power play goals tonight, which is too many, any power play goals is too many.
Anyway, this is a Ducks blog, so lets move on now shall we.
Pronger out, Jackman in and who was going to step up to replace those big minutes? Beauchemin and Neidermayer both played over 34:00 minutes, the often left out veteran Sean O’Donnell played just over 24:00 and Huskins played 12:38. The May, Thornton, “Carter” line had the only minus players. The biggest player was the man in goal though, Jean Sebastian Giguere played his ass off, he gave his team a chance to win and they rewarded him for it. The shots were 39-23 Detroit, you know your goalie had an excellent game if he faces that many shots and you win. I raise my Jack n Coke to you sir.
Now we move on to Sunday, good god could they have waited any longer to schedule a game? Detroit needs the rest, squawk all you want about how tough and destine your team is Detroit fans, your boys need a couple days off. I have a banquet to go to on Sunday for the high school hockey team I coach, so I might be delayed to post that day. Now I will concede to the ones who love to comment here, I wonder how vocal they are going to be given tonight’s results.
Jason, Dan…Hooters is back on the radar, who is bringing the Blue Moon or whatever else wont kill Dan?!?! RocketRob of comments fame, you are invited. We will have to formally initiate you though, bring a helmet and an extra set of clothes.
I will bring my own beer as I’ve said before, you guys can have the stuff that will kill me I’ll be fine.
As for this game, good god, I must agree I have about 2% of my nails left and even a little bit of skin around my finger nails is missing (eww) but anyway, 3 of the 4 people watching this game tonight on our HDTV were screaming at the top of our lungs after Anaheim took that 4-3 lead, I probably won’t have much of a voice tomorrow… great game in general, admire the Red Wings heart for fighting back to make a game of it, that coulda very well been a blowout, kudos to the Red Wings for their determination. the more this series goes on I am almost convinced whoever comes out on top will have their names put on the greatest trophy in sports…The Stanley Cup.
Go Mutha Fucking Ducks!!!!!
Wait, there was a hockey game tonight? Son of a…
Nice win. Can’t wait to read the wings fans comments. Go halos, I mean Ducks.
I don’t usually comment on opposing fan’s blogs - it’s pretty fun, then depressing, the fun again - to read the conversations that happen on these blogs (and the last week or so has NOT disappointed).
But since no Wings fans have commented yet, I guess I’ll just say this: freaking awesome game by the Ducks tonight. When the Pronger suspension came down, a little voice in the back of my head told me the Ducks were going to be fired up tonight, and I think that little voice was right. Getzlaf’s goal was earth-shatteringly beautiful - and unstoppable thanks to the screens, though perhaps pretty hard to stop anyway. Maybe “earth-shatteringly” is a bit hyperbolic, but I digress.
I also have to say, though, excuses notwithstanding, the WIngs looked overconfident. I gave Babcock huge credit for Tuesday’s win, and frankly, I’ve got to place some blame on him for tonight’s loss. They didn’t come out with a “step on their throats” attitude tonight, and only seemed to get jacked up when they were down.
The penalty that led to the Wings 3rd goal was regretful. Either the players get used to the new rules, or they change the way they’re calling the games. It just cannot go on like this.
The last ten minutes of this game was pretty damn exciting - my nails are currently short as any Ducks fans’. This has been a weird, but really great series.
I just want to give you guys props for playing a great game. We were able to tie it up but I have to admit that your players really brought it in the absence of pronger. I can take some solice in the fact that we played pretty good and had a higher number of scoring chances for the game. See us Red Wing fans can be civil and actually good sports. Good game guys and lets have some more fun.
Scott
Yeah, the Ducks were great and showed resilience at a time when they could have folded. Even though the series is 2-2, the Ducks still have an uphill battle in front of them. This series isn’t about who CAN do it - both teams CAN. It’s about who WILL do it. That’s why I’m still confident because of the Wings’ experience, and the fact that they’ve faced adversity all season and all playoffs - and have pulled through.
One question, though…when did the Ducks sign Bertuzzi? Geez. The second he let go of that puck I said outloud, “it’s going in the net.” Blue line turnovers are killers. I was impressed with how the Ducks withstood the 3rd period barrage, and I think Babcock’s knee-jerk decision to pull Hasek was the wrong one. The Wings were playing so well, getting so many chances, I think they’d have been better off with Hasek in the net. It would have given them another minute to keep shooting, instead of wasting the last minute of the game.
The Wings gave this one away in the first period. The goal off Bertuzzi’s giveaway was the killer. He stood there uncontested for 5 seconds then passes the puck right up the middle into a sea of black. What a stooge.
Buttslap got his goal, so I think he recovered from the vicious Maltby high stick in game 3
Other than some idiotic play in the first period the Wings dominated this game. The difference was the Ducks took advantage of their chances - shots that went wide, were blocked, or fanned on suddenly were on (and in) goal. The Ducks survived the 3rd period because the Wings were unrelenting with their offensive pressure.
So I give credit to the Duckies for rising to the occassion without the Goon, but they were fortunate to win. It all comes out in the wash - the home teams are 2-2 but should be 0-4. The visiting team has deserved to win each game. Call me biased but I think that is a fair assessment of the series thus far.
It’s a new series and the Wings have home-ice disadvantage. It has all the makings of a 7 gamer. Hopefully Bertuzzi atones for his gaffe and smashes Pronger’s face, or at least takes out LetsGo’s Grandma
Take that Bettman!
A few thoughts:
That was one of the worst called games I’ve ever seen, and obviously Bettman is trying to turn this series to the Wings, but we didn’t let it happen. I kept a little tally sheet of my own during the game of penalties that should have been called and penalties that were called, but should not have been.
The Red Wings committed 147 infractions as defined by the NHL rulebook while the Ducks did not committ a single one. Of course, penalties were 8 for the Ducks and 7 for the wings. That means the refs blew the whistle wrongly 8 times on the ducks and called only 4% of the penalties the Wings committed. Its pretty obvious that Bettman had his hand in this.
Furthermore, the Ducks only gave up one goal that should have counted, that being the deflection by Cleary. The other two goals were both Goalie interference and should not have counted. The Ducks should have had more as well, considering that no fewer than 4 Penalty shots should have been called for hand covering in the crease etc. Really, we are looking at something in the range of a 10-1 game.
It is also clear that Bertuzzi and Cleary should be suspended for the rest of the playoffs, and in the case of Cleary, he should probably be dealt a lifetime suspension. He attacked a player going off the ice in a clear attempt to end his career. It was nauseating that he merely got a 4 minute penalty, while his unsuspecting victim got a penalty as well. It is very clear that Bettman not only wants the Ducks to lose, but to see one our players murdered on this ice by this gang of thugs.
Finally, this Wings team might be the worse team I’ve ever seen in the playoffs, without Bettman, this series would be over as a 4-0 sweep right now. The Ducks have dominated every game, and the way they dominated last night was almost embarrassing, it was like they were playing against 5 year olds. The Wings suck.
Still hurt’in about the grandma comment eh? That was a good game to watch both teams played well and had their chances. The Ducks took better advantage of theirs. Go Wings! From your view the Ducks already won the Cup.
The Ducks haven’t won the Cup yet because the league doesn’t want them to. If real hockey was being played, we wouldn’t have lost a game yet. But with Bettman making the calls inot the referree headsets, you never know.
Your idea is very intriguing I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. There is a movie in there somewhere. Oh yeah they already made it.
So much more civilized in this thread, am I on the right site?
Great comments from Paul, Peter and Scott, classy, fact based and unbiased. Rob & LetsGo, I officially think of you as family now.
The penalties in this game were balanced on both sides, the Wings did a better job of taking advantage of them, except the 5-on-3 times of course. Paul is correct when he said Hasek should not have pulled, I never understand the logic. The Wings were doing fine with five guys, no need to add an extra guy so he can be schizophrenic about not letting in an empty netter, that is a waste of a skater.
I suppose it’s worth remembering that against San Jose, the Wings pulled Hasek and Lang tied the game with about 30 seconds left, and they went on to win in overtime. However, that all only happened because San Jose totally blew a chance to score into the empty net, and pinched offensively - which is about the dumbest thing you can do in that situation.
“Great comments from Paul, Peter and Scott, classy, fact based and unbiased. ”
You still haven’t figured out that Wings fans are the best and smartest sports fans in the world, and fans of all the other teams are just a bunch of idiots?
