They Actually Did It!!

I can't believe what I just saw. Philly actually came back from a 3-0 series deficit to win. Not only that, but they also overcame a 3-0 deficit in the deciding game, to win that 4-3. WTF?? If that was the script of a hockey movie it'd be trashed for being unrealistic.

I think I saw Bruins fans throwing their shirts on the ice in disgust. It would definitely be a tough pill to swallow.

I'm not going to post much about the game because there'll be roughly 340,000 blog/articles about this historic game, but I just had to mention it.

So that does it for Round 2. After all is said and done, we now have Montreal and Philadelphia -- the teams of destiny -- squaring off in the East and Chicago returns to the Western Finals, this time against the San Jose Sharks. I'm shocked at how entertained I was by a playoff round that saw the Wings ousted in 5.

It feels like a bit of a role reversal as the Western Semi's were kinda boring while all the tight, nail-biting stuff was in the East.

The schedule has been released, if you wanna see it... LOOK UP!! I'll be covering the rest of the playoffs from here also. Just coz our beloved Wings are done, doesn't mean hockey is! I'm a hockey man at heart.

Flyers Seek History, New Cup Champs Assured

Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs continued last night but didn't conclude. In the Wednesday night double-header, Montreal staged another monumental 7-game upset, this time over defending Champs, Pittsburgh. Meanwhile in Philly, the Flyers staved off elimination for the third straight game against Boston, forcing a potentially history-making Game 7 on Friday night.

Philadelphia was the other team facing a sweep in Game 4 of their series. And while the beginning of their comeback was quite as auspicious as Detroit's 7-1 thumping of the Sharks, their 5-4 OT result still counts as a win and two more wins later, they find themselves with a shot of actually completing Mission: Impossible.

The last team to come back from a 3-0 series deficit was the New York Islanders in 1975. A win Friday in Boston would make the Flyers the first team in 35 years and the third in history to achieve the miraculous feat. Gees, I wish I was talking about the Wings right now. Anyway...

Stay tuned, for an all-new Stanley Cup Final.

That's right. The 2x defending Western Conference Champs --our Detroit Red Wings -- were joined last night by their mirroring rivals of the East, the Penguins. The Montreal Canadiens continue to shock the hockey world. 14 games, 28 nights, 1 Presidents Trophy winner, 1 Stanley Cup Champion. It's been quite a month for the Habs... and their fans.

Now, that's how you celebrate a Round 2 victory, right? A little looting, maybe a punch-on here and there and obviously a series of bonfires throughout the streets. God help us all if they actually win the Cup. One question remains for me though... is that guy's feet on fire??? Seriously. WTF?

I'll still be graphically covering the playoffs even though the Wings are out. I was hoping to change the graphics today but Boston had to go ahead and lose so we sit and patiently await the schedule for the Conference Finals. I'm so sick of looking at that damn SJS wins 4-1... UGH!

The Reason the Wings Have Lost

In the 2008 and 2009 playoffs, the mighty Detroit Red Wings went on a 7-game series win-streak good for one Stanley Cup. Since that point they've now gone 1-2 in playoff series'. Sure, it's not an alarmingly bad stat, but for this organization it just doesn't cut it.

The playoffs are a tough environment to win in. Games are closer, scoring is tougher and consistency is nearly impossible against an opponent that is constantly learning about you. Because of this, teams need to be able to win the close games. Holding leads and tying games in the dying moments is the trademark of a resilient contender. Coupling that with 3+ goal blowouts makes a Champion team.

For as long as I can remember, Detroit has always been able to smash teams from time to time. Even in the series' they lose, there are games where they've dominated. In the last three series' the Wings have lost, they've had two 5-goal wins and a 6-goal victory. However, it was the one-goal games that made the difference and cost them in the end.

During the 7-series streak Detroit went 11-8 in games decided by one goal. Not a dominant stat, but again -- when coupled with results by larger margins, it makes for a pretty good Cup run.

Over the last 3 series the Wings have played they've gone 0-7 in 1-goal games.

How can you expect to win a series if you can't win a close game?

Red Wings' fans keep speaking of how undeserved the 4-1 result was but -- all officiating complaints aside -- the Wings couldn't hold their leads and they couldn't score late goals to win the close games. Against a team like San Jose, you can't expect to be smashing them by 3+ goals four times like you can with Phoenix [something which, I might add, I think the Wings were very lucky to do].

I don't know if it's a mental thing or not, but you can't blame an 0-7 run on luck nor can you blame it on the officials. In 2008, Detroit killed a late 5-on-3 powerplay for the Penguins to go on and win a close game to take a 3-1 series lead. That is what it takes to win a Stanley Cup. That's Championship grit.

San Jose is a team that looks like they might be showing glimpses of that kind of Championship grit. Lop-sided penalties aside, San Jose won four 1-goal games against Detroit. That's huge, and as a result, they took the series in only 5 games and await Chicago or Vancouver in the Conference Finals.

I remain optimistic things can change next April but if they don't, the results will be very much the same as they were this year.

Red Wings Balance Sheet as at 4/28/10

Plus

The Red Wings won the series.

Minus

It took seven games and three trips to the desert.

Plus

The Red Wings are almost completely healthy. *touch wood*

Minus

The veteran Kirk Maltby's season-ending shoulder injury is that "almost".

Plus

Jimmy Howard had ups and downs, but overall showed he's not scared of the playoffs. His numbers aren't spectacular but solid: 2.59GAA, .919SV%, 1 SO.

Plus

Being a team that will probably start every series it plays on the road, going 3-1 in the other teams barn is a great sign.

Minus

What's up with them day games?? Hope we're done with them for the playoffs.

Plus

Trashville is out.

Minus

Chicago is not.

Plus

We get the Sharks for Round Two. Out of every team in the West besides Colorado and Nashville (for the travel), I'd have preferred to play the Sharks in the Semi's the most. The Red Wings went 3-0-1 against them in the regular season.

Minus

Who cares? It was the regular season.

Plus

Thornton: 6GP, 0G, 3A, -4, Marleau: 6GP, 1G, 2A, -2, Heatley: 5GP, 0G, 4A, -1

Minus

Pavelski: 6GP, 5G, 3A, +6, Clowe: 6GP, 1G, 7A, +6, Setoguchi: 6GP, 3G, 3A, +4

Minus

The Red Wings continue their massive travel schedule.

Plus

Each Wings player will have enough AirMiles to get a free holiday to Hawaii this summer.

Plus

The Ducks didn't make the playoffs so we don't have to worry about getting beat up by them at any stage.

Minus

The Ducks didn't make the playoffs so they couldn't beat up Chicago, San Jose or Vancouver.

Plus

The Red Wings look like they have the hunger to win...

Minus

...sometimes.

Minus

The Leastern Conference is looking to be particularly pathetic this year. Will someone please challenge the Penguins for once?

The All-Important Game 5; Red Wings/Coyotes Preview

The Red Wings/Coyotes Western Conference Quarter Final series' heads back to the desert as a best-of-3 series.

Ex-Red Wing, Mathieu Schneider, who has missed the first four games of the series will play, while Coyotes captain, Shane Doan will be a game-time decision.

Game 3 Preview: Coyotes vs. Red Wings

The Red Wings find themselves with a great opportunity in the next two games to stamp out any confidence the Coyotes can muster and take control of the Western Conference quarter-finals.

The Red Wings line-up remains unchanged from the one that took a 7-4 decision in Game Two in Phoenix to steal home-ice advantage. The Wings will hope to tighten up on a so far potent Coyotes' offense that has scored 7 goals on Jimmy Howard in the first two games. Luckily, the Detroit attack has been slightly more dangerous, with 9 goals of their own.

Vezina-contender Ilya Bryzgalov will hope to bounce back after giving up 6 goals on Friday night; a night he'd probably rather forget. Jimmy Howard's night wasn't much better, giving up 4, but taking the win.

Crazy Playoff Parity

For the first time in the NHL's history, every road team has seized home-ice advantage from their higher seeded opponents after the first two game of the series. Since 1980, round 1 of the NHL playoffs began with the first two games of the five- or seven-game series beginning in the barn of the higher seeded team. For 29 years, at least one home team has been able to "hold serve" and retain their home-ice advantage after the first two games, but that streak ended last night.

The Kings overtime victory over the Canucks last night made them the 8th of eight teams to win one of their first two road games of the series. Seven of the eight series' have had two games in the books with Nashville & Chicago playing game two tonight. If Chicago can bounce back and tie that series, it will also mean all 8 series' were tied after 2 games. Another first in the NHL.

I think Bettman got that parity he was after.

All statistics and Bettman-hatred aside, it has been a very entertaining playoffs thusfar. There have been big saves, beautiful goals, huge hits, high scores with late-game goals and five of the 15 games have seen overtime action.

Another amazing statistic of these playoffs so far -- when taking away empty-net goals, every game except Detroit's 7-4 win in Game Two, has been a one-goal game.

The NHL has never seen parity like this.

Wings Have Rare Game 1 Loss, Trail 'Yotes

For the first time since the Conference Semi-Finals in 2006/07, the Red Wings have lost a series opener in the playoffs. Detroit won 4 of the next 5 games against the Sharks to win that series, the same sort of response will be required in this one to continue on in the playoffs.

Detroit faced a team last night that ran high on energy from a delirious Phoenix crowd enjoying their first taste of playoff hockey in 8 years.

The Wings drew first blood from a surprisingly bad goal given up by Vezina-contender Ilya Bryzgalov, but the Coyotes drive was admirable and weren't to be stopped. The Wings again gave Phoenix a deficit to look at but again they drew even and in the third period got the game-winner from the stick of Derek Morris to take Game One, 3-2.

Amid the unwelcome disappointment of a playoffs loss, there are positives to be taken from this tight game. Firstly, the Coyotes powerplay will almost certainly prove to be anomalous. Phoenix went 3/4 with the man-advantage, scoring on their first three chances in only 2:38 of cumulative powerplay time. All this against the best penalty killing team down the stretch. So, the PK can't get any worse. Improving that will go a long way to a W.

Further to that, the Coyotes were an electric team all night. Shot stats painted a muddy picture of the kind of game that was played. The Coyotes seemed to run on pure adrenaline for most shifts while making almost no mistakes in their own, nor the neutral zone. Even Dave Tippett wouldn't expect that kind of play to be sustained over a 7-game series.

It should also be kept in mind that the pressure remains on Phoenix for Game Two to hold onto their home-ice advantage. This is a pressure that the more experienced Red Wings will look to exploit to wrestle away the advantage.

Let's hope they can... stay tuned. Same place, same time, Friday night. Go Wings!

Red Wings vs. Coyotes; Game 1 Preview

This time last year, another young team surprisingly qualified for the playoffs and met a much more experienced Detroit team in the first round. The result was not good for Columbus, as they were comprehensively swept in one of the more lop-sided series' in recent memory.

Fast-forward 12 months and Detroit's team, whilst having to wear some significant losses to free agency, seems just as dangerous as the one that swept the Blue Jackets, but this time it's the 'Yotes.

The season series with the Coyotes was split down the middle, with Detroit's wins being in regulation and both Phoenix's in overtime. Both teams took a win at home and on the road.

Phoenix has probably been the biggest shock of the season, finishing 3rd overall in points in the West, and taking full advantage of the much-criticized shootout, with 14 of their 50 wins this season coming after a 65-minute stalemate.

Luckily for Detroit, there are no shootouts in the playoffs. Despite the obvious talent on the roster, the Wings had a very difficult time getting the extra point after OT and will be happy to have seen the last of them for now, particularly given Phoenix's dominance in that category.

The goaltending for both teams have been probably the most consistent positive of the season, with both Ilya Bryzgalov and Jimmy Howard both making the strongest cases for MVP of their respective clubs.

The Red Wings Have Gained My Respect

On October 26:
Detroit - 12th Western conference, 3-4-2

On November 27:
Detroit - 11th Western conference, 11-9-4

On February 11:
Detroit - 10th Western conference, 27-21-11

End of Regular Season:
Detroit - 5th Western conference, 44-24-14

Not bad, Red Wings. Not bad at all. It's been a very challenging season -- probably the most challenging since the early-90's -- but as displayed by the late climb through the standings, the adversity has been met with admirable character.

Since just before the Olympics on February 11, Detroit has gone 17-3-3 to shoot from 10th to 5th in the conference against some fierce compeition. The late-season tear has put the league on notice, with strong wins over highly-rated Cup-contenders like Chicago, Pittsburgh, Vancouver and Buffalo.

The surge, as impressive as it was, was still not enough for the Wings to nab home-ice advantage. It has however, allowed them to stay away from Chicago and San Jose for the first round at least. Having said that, playing Phoenix should prove to be just as challenging.

The year has seen man-games lost through injury like no other Red Wings season I can remember. Guys like Franzen, Kronwall, Filppula, Williams and Holmstrom are costly players to lose, but the effect is compounded when you look at how the Wings' best players struggle with the loss of their teammates.

Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg have both had difficulty excelling without the support cast. Both players put up 70 points on the season. For both players, it's their worst point total since 2003/04, except for Hank's 68 points in 63 games in 2006/07.

Both players showed a return to form with the returns of Williams, Filppula and Franzen, and it's no co-incidence.

The one constant in the final two-thirds of the season was, shockingly enough, the goaltending. 26-year old rookie Jimmy Howard has surely been the MVP for the Red Wings this season, with consistency that will no doubt get him a Calder trophy nomination and a continued solid presence between the pipes will go a long way to the Red Wings going deep in the postseason for the fourth consecutive year.

Whatever the case, while the Red Wings can be proud of the last two months of hockey, if they can't be proud of the next two, it's a failed season. Such is the pressure of being part of this great franchise.

"To whom much is given, much is expected."

Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets Preview

In the second of the home-and-home series between Detroit and Columbus, the Wings look to solidify their dominance of the Blue Jackets, and jockey for position in the Western conference standings with only Sunday's game remaining after tonight.

Right now Detroit sits in 6th place on even points with both Los Angeles (5th) and Nashville (7th). The Wings sit ahead of the Predators by virtue of having one game in hand but the Kings high wins total gives them the tie-breaker over Detroit for 5th place.

Wednesday night's game was not what Mike Babcock had hoped to get from his squad but is somewhat satisfied with getting the all important 2 points with the help of three 3rd period goals in just 76 seconds. A more defensively responsible effort will be required tonight to get another two points and wrap up the season series with the BJ's getting 11 of a possible 12 points.

Turnovers in their own end gave the Jackets a chance at the win, but the Wings explosive third period saved the game and got the 4-3 result.

The Playoff Picture in the West

Not too bad, Wings -- seven in a row. It wasn't too long ago the Wings weren't able to find a way to win three in a row, and now we await a visit from Nashville tomorrow, with a shot at our 8th consecutive win.

The Wings have received no help from the Predators of late, so don't expect any on Saturday. Despite having a scoring drought that lasted almost 200 minutes, Nashville still has not given up many points, with a stingy defense of their own. Unfortunately for them, Detroit refuses to give up any points and now sit in a commanding position to take and hold 5th spot in the West. Detroit sits one point behind the Preds with 2 games in hand.

The playoff race looks something like this:

		Pts	Games still to play
1	San Jose	104	5	@ MIN	@ COL	@ CGY	vs VAN	vs PHX
2	Chicago	101	6	@ NJD	vs CGY	@ DAL	vs STL	@ COL	vs DET
3	Vancouver	96	5	@ ANA	vs MIN	vs COL	@ SJS	vs CGY
4	Phoenix	100	4	vs EDM	vs NSH	@ LAK	@ SJS
5	Nashville	96	3	@ DET	@ PHX	vs STL
6	Detroit	95	5	vs NSH	@ PHI	vs CBJ	@ CBJ	@ CHI
7	Los Angeles	94	5	vs ANA	@ ANA	vs PHX	vs EDM	@ COL
8	Colorado	89	6	vs CGY	vs SJS	@ VAN	@ EDM	vs CHI	vs LAK
9	Calgary	87	5	@ COL	@ CHI	vs SJS	vs MIN	@ VAN

Looking back in the standings, it's beginning to look more and more like a worst-case scenario for Detroit is 7th. The Kings are hot on the trail with a big 8-3 victory over the Canucks last night, one point back with the same games played, but Colorado, who has one game in hand, trails by 6 points and Calgary trails by 8.

Shockingly, Detroit is still mathematically able to win the Central Division Championship, though the chances are very, very slim.

Also unlikely, but with improved odds, is the chance at seizing home-ice for the first round of the playoffs. Phoenix, who has played one more game than the Wings, has a 5 point advantage for fourth. Right now, these two teams seem destined to meet in the first round with Phoenix being the first team to hold home-ice over the Red Wings since Colorado in 2000. Wow, that's a crazy stat!

A big game tonight, albeit with limited effects on the Red Wings outlook, is the match between the Avs and Calgary. Right now Colorado has command over the 8th and final playoff spot in the West, but a win from the Flames would suddenly put huge pressure on Joe Sacco's team in Denver. The Avalanche would still remain 8th on wins and hold a game in hand, but every game from then on would be a danger game.

So, that's what I'll be watching tonight. While unofficial, the playoffs really have begun for many teams and the Flames seem to be facing the equivalent of a 3-0 series deficit if they lose to the Avs.

The only other game of real note for me, is the Blackhawks visit to New Jersey. A 'Hawks loss would increase that slim hope of grabbing the Division title at the 11th hour. Plus, it's nice to watch Chicago lose.

Wings Seek Seventh Straight; Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets Preview

Detroit looks to do something they haven't done in two years; win 7 in a row. More importantly, Detroit looks to do something they haven't done this season; sit 5th in the West.

Tonight's game vs. Columbus marks only the fourth game of the season between the divisional rivals, who will play another pair of games against each other before the conclusion of the regular season.

Columbus has been pretty hot lately under the guidance of new coach Claude Noel, going 7-2-2 in their last 11 games. Two of those wins against the Central division leaders, the Chicago Blackhawks, by a combined score of 12-5.

Detroit on the other hand, has been the hottest team in the NHL after the Olympic break with an impressive stretch of their own going 12-2-1 since Canada won Gold in Vancouver.

This surge has pushed the Wings from 9th in the West to a solid 6th position and all but a certainty to continue their playoff qualification streak to 19 seasons. A victory tonight would give Detroit an almost insurmountable 8 point lead over the Calgary Flames in 9th, with only 5 games to play in the season.

Other Previews:

Winging It In Motown

As mentioned on FSD: Nightmare on Helm Street

Hot Wings Get Fifth Straight; Red Wings 1, Preds 0 (SO)

Maybe I should be cut off from the outside world in Miami more often. Believe it or not, the Red Wings have now set a season high win-streak of 5 wins. Yep, five. The win, coupled with another loss for the Flames all but secures a playoff birth for Detroit as 9th-placed Calgary is now 8 points behind.

Anyway, onto the game...

The Red Wings continued their dominance of the season series with Nashville tonight, with an important road win over the only other team that has been as hot as Detroit.

Contrary to what may be assumed from the uninspired final scoreline, the game saw its fair share of great scoring chances from both sides, but conservative attacks, rough ice and some exceptional goaltending from two young netminders, kept the game scoreless through 65 minutes.

Wow Factor

In the third period, a turnover from Johan Franzen in the Red Wings zone resulted in a brilliantly set up play from Nashville. A perfect tic-tac-toe exchange gave David Legwand an open shot from the slot with a gaping net in front of him. Legwand got the shot off quick, but Jimmy Howard shut the door, getting his left pad over in time to keep the Wings in it.

Special Teams

Obviously all penalties were successfully killed in this one with Nashville going 0-3 and Detroit going 0-2.

In Net

- Jimmy Howard stopped all 33 shots from the Predators for his second career shutout.

- Pekka Rinne continued his phenomenal run, stopping 38 shots for Nashville for his fourth shutout of the month!

The Shootout

Detroit participated in their longest shootout in franchise history. The game-decider lasted 11 rounds, with Todd Bertuzzi and Steve Sullivan both converting in the 5th round. Howard and Rinne each made five more saves until Niklas Kronwall found Rinne's 5-hole to score what turned out to be the winner, after Howard shut the door on Francois Bouillon, giving the Wings the two-points.

Next...

The Wings go back home for a three-game home-stand, the first game being on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers. Detroit still seeks their first win over the last-placed Oilers in the final of four contests between the two clubs this season.

Words of the Week

Some great reads for the Red Wings-lover:

Red Wings and anteaters are totally clutch

The Production Line had returned. I really love the anteater pic but it's a great recap and also sums up the great success of the worthwhile cause of H2H.

Taking this seriously

Drew at the Fox Sports-acclaimed Nightmare on Helm Street put together a shortie but a goodie earlier this week about the Red Wings taking the Oilers seriously. Whether or not they actually did remains debatable.

I bet the purple gang would win sixteen Stanley Cups in a row

The girls from Hockeytown Static take a look into the future of the Red Wings uniforms with this one.

Playoff picture: 3 and a half weeks to go

Wings Win, Eh? has a great summation of the playoff picture for both conferences as we near the end of the regular season.

You mean to tell me it's Wednesday and it's acceptable to drink and write?

An funny St. Patrick's Day read from the Scrappy Octopus.

Preview; Red Wings vs. Canucks

After a dramatic comeback loss to the last-placed, lowly Oilers, the Red Wings will now have to get it done in Vancouver against the Oilers' division leader, the Canucks.


The last meeting at GM Place saw a Red Wings victory, and the same will need to happen as the Calgary Flames refuse to let up on the playoff race after a narrow win at home to the Sharks last night.


The Red Wings still hold the eighth and final playoff spot over Calgary by virtue of win%, having a game in hand, but the two teams share equal points. A regulation loss will see Detroit slip to 9th and out with 11 games to play.

Revenge Served; Red Wings 2, Flames 1 Recap

It was a red-hot start for the Flamers, in stark contrast to the one they'd had the night before but they weren't able to build on the early goal, as the Wings slowly took control and in turn, control of the playoff race.

The Flames were quick to get on the board, as Craig Conroy nabbed his first goal in 2010 only 1:47 into the game to take a 1-0 lead.

The Red Wings then took over in the second piling the pressure on the Flames, but goalie, Miikka Kiprusoff, was equal to the task. The Wings first and only powerplay of the game came late in the second and it didn't get off to a great start as Curtis Glencross forced a breakaway early in the PK. In an attempt to stymie the chance, Jason Williams was forced to hook the streaking Glencross, resulting in a penalty shot. Jimmy Howard made the save and pumped his fist in relief which proved to be the turning point for the Wings.

40 seconds later, Pavel Datsyuk ties it up, to enter the final period all square.

After a big 4-minute penalty-kill for Detroit, in which Calgary mustered almost no offense, the third period was a stale-mate most of the way. The game looked destined for overtime until, with just 79 seconds remaining, Tomas Holmstrom tipped in a shot from Johan Franzen silencing the rabid Southern Albertan fans.

Jimmy Howard was able to withstand the barrage of the final minute to record his 27th win of the season and give Detroit a 3-point lead over the Flames with equal games remaining.

WOW Factor

The obvious turning point of this game was Howard's penalty shot save on Curtis Glencross. Without that, the Flames would've owned a 2-goal lead in a very tight game and the Wings would most likely be sitting out of the playoffs right now.

Special Teams

Only 16 PIM's were handed out in this game resulting in 4 powerplays but the Red Wings dominance of special teams was where the game was won. Going 1-1 on the PP and killing Calgary's 3 chances, including a 4-minute double-minor for high-sticking in the third period set up the victory.

In Net

- Jimmy Howard stopped 22 of 23 shots for Detroit including a penalty shot from Curtis Glenscross.

- Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 26 of 28 for Calgary.

Next...

Detroit heads to Kelowna for a few days before meeting the last-placed Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place on Friday night. Calgary will meet the Avs in Colorado on Wednesday.

Detroit Visits Calgary; Aims for Payback

I'm not going to lie, I was slightly tempted to copy and paste last week's Calgary vs. Detroit preview and just make a few appropriate changes. But I guess I like my blogging.

Nevertheless tonight is a rematch of last week's pivotal game between the Wings and Flames, the only significant difference: this one's in Southern Alberta.

Just like last time, Calgary looks to leapfrog the Wings, who sit one point ahead of them in 8th place while the Wings look to pull within one point of the 7th-placed Predators. This time around, the Wings are hoping events go a little differently.

Mike Babcock will try to overcome the disadvantage of playing on the road and hope to benefit from a Calgary squad that played and lost in Vancouver last night. The also look to do something they have still not been able to do this year; win three games in a row. Their last opportunity to achieve the mark came against this very team, but fell 4-2 to a hungrier Flames team.

If the preceding meetings between Detroit and Calgary are anything to go by (and let's face it, they probably aren't), the Wings should be favored tonight as all three past meetings went the way of the visitor; Detroit winning 3-1 in Calgary and the Flames topping the Wings 3-0 and 4-2 in Detoit. The Winged Wheelers are in desperate need of this trend to continue tonight.

Jimmy Howard will make the start tonight and didn't mince words about his team's intentions, "We owe Calgary after they embarrassed us in our own barn in the third period. We'll be ready."

Howard's opponent in net will be Miikka Kiprusoff, who was pulled after the first period when the Flames trailed 3-0 by coach Brent Sutter, in a move that was more for preservation for tonight's game than anything else.

Detroit will certainly need to be ready and they'll need all their top players performing to beat the Flames, who have won 4 of their last five.

Scary Pairs:
Zetterberg & Franzen
5v5 TOI - 32.6 min, HOOK-UPS - 2, MIN/HU - 16.3, +1

Bertuzzi & Holmstrom
5v5 TOI - 271.7 min, HOOK-UPS - 6, MIN/HU - 54.3, +5

Memorable Night Ahead for Millers; Buffalo @ Detroit

Red Wing, Drew Miller and Sabres' goalie, Ryan will meet for the third time in their NHL careers, but tonight will mark their first ever meeting in Detroit, the hometown of the Miller family.

“It’s always been a fun experience playing against Drew; it hasn’t happened often in our careers,” older brother, Ryan said.

Drew, who scored Thursday against the Wild, hopes to find the net for the first time against his silver-medallist, Olympic-MVP brother but says it's not going to be easy and never was, even as a kid.

A win over the Sabres would get the Red Wings into 8th spot in the Western conference, with Calgary set to meet Vancouver Sunday night to claim that spot back. A loss could prove to be very costly with Nashville and Calgary showing no signs of making the chase an easy one, for the Red Wings. Calgary rides a 4-game winning streak -- one of them in Detroit, and Nashville knocked off Anaheim in SoCal last night, 1-0; all but putting the Ducks out of the playoff picture.

Early in the season, the Wings visited Buffalo in what turned out to be a disaster for the boys in Red, as they were dismantled 6-2.

Now the Wings seek consistency, looking to build a playoff-clinching win-streak beginning Thursday against the Wild.

Jimmy Howard stopped 21 of 22 shots in that win and will make his 15th consecutive start tonight to face home-coming Ryan Miller.

Scary Pairs:

Datsyuk & Holmstrom:

5v5 TOI - 506.2 min, HOOK-UPS - 9, MIN/HU - 43:00, +10

Cleary & Filppula:

5v5 TOI - 233 min, HOOK-UPS - 8, MIN/HU - 37:30, +1

Detroit Blast Wild 5-1

Two out of three ain't bad: Detroit came up big over Minnesota, Nashville loses 8-5 to the Sharks, but Calgary rolls on, shutting out the Senators, 2-0. All this means that Detroit remains out of the playoffs -- in 9th for now, but draws within a point of 7th-placed Nashville with all three teams having playing the same amount of games.

In this game, not always does the score reflect the game but in this case it was fairly accurate, as Detroit steam-rolled over the Wild, 5-1.

The Wings got off to a start quick which, in the end, set up the victory. Johan Franzen opened the scoring at 2:25 as the Wings piled the pressure on Wild goalie, Josh Harding, the puck barely exiting the Minnesota zone for the first five minutes. Tomas Holmstrom and Henrik Zetterberg added two more mid-way through the 1st to make it 3-0. Some hope came though, as Andrew Ebbett gave the Wild a chance, just 11 seconds before the 1st intermission as the puck went in off his skate making it 3-1.

Detroit controlled the game from that point on however, Howard shutting the Wild out the rest of the way with Miller adding a shorthanded goal and Franzen netting his second late in the game, to seal to win.

Henrik Zetterberg answered the call from his coach to be better, adding 2 assists to his 1st-period goal, to tie Pavel Datsyuk for total points this season for the Red Wings lead. Johan Franzen's 2 goals is also a welcome sight for Wings' fans. A hot Mule come April can decide the winner of a playoff series and all signs seem to show that Franzen can once again, be a hassle for defenders in the second season.

Chris Osgood's patient wait on the bench looks like it will continue as Jimmy Howard doesn't seem to be showing signs of faltering. Howard stopped 21 of 22 shots, but didn't need to be spectacular for the win with a lot of help from his skaters.

Detroit will play their last home game before a 3-game Western Canada road trip next week when they meet the Sabres at the Joe.