Red Wings vs Predators Game 1 Pregame Thoughts and Concerns
Tonight the Wings will take to the ice in Bridgestone Arena to take on the Nashville Predators in game 1 of the Western Conference Quarter Finals. I'm not going to lie here when I say I'm honestly very scared about this match up. The Preds have been damn hot at the end of the year and you better believe that arena will be electric with noise coming down from every where. The biggest concern I have right now is knowing Helm is still not 100% with his MCL injury. We need him to be 100% in the lineup. This team seems to just click when he's in there along with Cleary too. The good news is it looks like Helm will be in tonight according to http://www.sportsoverdose.com/nhl-players/darren-helm but Cleary however is still not 100% sure he'll play all game either. I know you need to win every game in the playoffs but tonight in my opinion is a must win. We need to send both Nashville and the West a message saying "we might be beat up but damn it we're still deadly." Not a lot of people out there are saying we'll get to the 2nd round. Need to make a strong stand tonight and get the early series lead! I'm sick of hearing "Renne" this "Raduolov" that. Time to put these bastards in their place! GO WINGS!
is playing so ... very nice, great success.
Everyone stay healthy and we should win this series.
Good thing he's in the lineup so we've got at least one guy giving it his all.
I'm not terribly confident in this series, unless the Wings get back to their early season "we actually care" style of motivation.
Either way, I've got a pint of Kessler to celebrate or cry with.
Anyone know if there is a stream for this game?
Go Wings!
Helm or Cleary is still pretty effin fast of a skater. They will bust their ass if they are out there, I am not worried about that. If they think, or Babs thinks they wont help the team they wont play, the young guys will have to step up and learn from the mass amounts of veterans on this team on how to win a playoff game.
Why? Because 11 out of 12 ESPN "analysts" (including Barry Melrose) picked Nashville. So Nashville is DOOMED!
If we play well on the penalty kill and take advantage of power plays we will win the series. Bottom line.
If we (Wings) had home ice, I'd be a lot less concerned, but Nashville has been insane at home this year and we have not been so great on the road. That being said its the playoffs and Helm will be back, so hopefully, that will give us a jump.
My biggest areas of concern are two-fold: scoring early, and powerplay. If we can get those clicking, I think we can win this series pretty handily.
Go Wings!
nobody's 100% this time of year. pumped to have Helm back.
maybe it's arrogance, but I trust babcock and the team's experience, and barring a catastrophic injury, I think the wings take this in 5 or 6.
Pekka Rinne is pretty damn good. I still think Detroit can win, but it isn’t as if Nashville is just going to lie down and die. In 5 seems a bit too optimistic to me.
The Preds home ice is tough. Bridgestone can get loud. However, I don't like teams that can't rely on two goalies in the playoffs. Even the Wings usually had two (Vernon-Osgood, Hasek-Osgood, Osgood-Howard, etc.). Pekka is a beast, but his backups are unproven. I think the Suter-Weber line is crazy good, but they will get tired when they play a lot of minutes and by game 3 or 4 should probably be split. I like the Datsyuk line to score well against only one of Weber and Suter.
The key will be to avoid penalties, which we're usually good about anyway. Let's go Wings!
I don't think tonight is a must-win, but they do need to win one of the first two. If they don't, this series could be over quick.
If they leave Nashville with one win, I'll be very happy and confident.
We win. 'nough said.
because that was more fun. I think this series is a tossup. This year might be our last legit shot at a cup before blowing it up. Win one for the... homer?
I think the Wings win in 7, but I'm very nervous about this series. I can see them losing in 5 or 6. Obviously, I'm hoping it all works out, especially if Helm is good to go for the whole series, but more injuries to our key guys would be deadly.
The key: score early and often. Close games are not only bad for my own health, but will wear the old guys out if Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Zetterberg have to be out there for half the third period. We are best when we roll all four lines and don't have to shorten the bench to come back or protect a one-goal lead.
Go Penguins. Sorry, wrong thread-ish, but I gotta get that in somehow! Man I love me some playoff hockey. I'm not exactly the biggest hockey buff but man it's some intense and exciting sport to watch this time of year.
"Go Penguins" and "I'm not exactly the biggest hockey buff" tend to be syononymous in my experience.
p.s. Crosby Sucks
Interestingly enough I've been watching hockey since I was six/seven years old. I fell in love with the Penguins with Lemiuex, Jagr, Ron Francis, Tom Barasso et. al. Sorry if that made me a bandwagon six year old. Me not being a huge hockey buff makes sense because I'm from and grew up in IOWA; football, basketball, track, baseball were my sports of interest the most as I was able to play them. Still always enjoyed watching the game and learning about it....and cheering the Penguins on.
P.s. Crosby is the poo...and Malkin...and Kunitz, Staal, Andre-Fleury, Orpik, Letang, Dupuis...
out of love. Because the Rangers coach....well he's right about your team
Not flamebait in any way, shape, or form.
If so, please explain why. Don't knock someone because they have a differing viewpoint i.e. roots for a different team. It's sports people, settle the eff down, we're not in Europe/Egypt.
Posting, "Go Penguins," in a Red Wings thread is almost the definition of flamebait.
Gonna Hate
Trashville is pretty decent this year they have team depth and the wings have to match their intenseity if they do the wings will win. The past few years the wings have been sluggish to get moving. Helm changes things on several aspects. Hall Gill might be out for the preds he skates like hes stuck in slow motion.
I am worried we are going to continue to eat turd like we have been lately.
OMG IT'S HAPPENING!
This is the time of year where we can pick out all of the formerly banned users after one of their meltdowns. We know who Wolverine318/319 is now. We figured out who BRCE was and he was banned again. We're still trying to identify the reincarnation of TheBigHouse500th. Am I missing any of the other Kneejerk Nancy's?
So, uhhhhh, where da stream at?
Let's Go Red Wings!
Justin started a game thread here.