Red Wings 4, Coyotes 1 (3-2): Post Game Snipes...

• I cannot express how much fun I had hanging out with the #redwingscommune on our fieldtrip to Hockeytown. You guys made my day like you wouldn’t believe. I’m so glad that we didn’t have #communefail again. That would’ve been way too much to handle.
• How good does it feel to see the Wings leading the series? Please close them out on Sunday, boys.
  
• During the first period, we answered trivia about the Wings and I tied with a bunch of other people for the most right. We had a bean bag toss to determine who got a Pavel Datsyuk autographed puck. After two rounds in which none of us managed to score (obviously we were intellectuals, not athletes, and they kept letting us move closer), two of us finally scored. We had one more round and my octopus bean bag (How cute are these?) hung right on the edge of the hole and slowly fell in. I was really excited.
• They were also giving away loads of free stuff (spring cleaning for their storage areas?). We got Red Wings bags, No Limits signs, Budd Lynch bobbleheads, ornaments, pom poms, playoff t-shirts, glasses cases, water bottles, car flags, and scrubs.
• I’m sorry, but when did it become legal to stand on the goalie while scoring a goal? There’s no way that flies if Homer does it.
• This is how we celebrate goals at the Commune:
  
  
  
• This game was so similar to Game 4—a close, back-and-forth game until the third period when the Wings score with a couple of quick goals. I like it. Except for the unnecessary stress part.
• Todd Bertuzzi drew a penalty. We were all a little confused.
• We had a good laugh at Homer’s goal since he was cruising behind Bryzgalov in the crease.
• Datsyuk’s goal was just a thing of beauty. Not many goalies are going to stop that shot, but even fewer players are going to be able to make it.
• Z’s empty net goal was about as skillful as they come. A lot of the credit for it has to go to Filppula, though. He’s the one who chased the puck down and stripped the Coyotes player of it.
• The second period was rough. The Wings were on their heels and there was a definite sense of panic going throughout the Commune.
• That was a nasty hit Rafalski took when he drew the boarding penalty.
• What was going on with Phoenix fans beating up Wings fans in the crowd? Stay classy, bandwagoners.
• There was actually one Phoenix fan in the bar. She was sitting right behind us with a group of Wings fans, and we couldn’t understand why they would be willing to hang out with her. They were giving her a really hard time after the game, though, so all was well.
  

GP Review:
14. We need to see more special teams magic tomorrow.
The powerplay did not look too hot. On the other hand, the PK was spot on again. I can live with that, all things being equal.

13. Can the defense hold steady again?
The defense was better again. The second period was a nightmare, but that was more of a team-wide issue than just the defense.

12. I’m still looking for full-fledged Playoff Franzen.
I think he’s starting to emerge. He’s looked better over the last couple of games and picked up an assist on Datsyuk’s goal. That whole top line was going tonight.

11. Shane Doan might be back tomorrow. What is he going to do to make us hate him?
No Shane Doan. No sadface here. Also no Doanface, but that's probably for the best.

10. Which team is going to work harder?
This one was pretty even. I’d say the Wings outplayed the Coyotes, but the also went to sleep for large stretches of the second period. They’ll need to be better in Game Six.

9. Jimmy needs to follow up his shutout and Calder nomination with another strong game. I have high hopes that that game was just what he needed to get his head straight and confidence back.
Oh yes he did. Those two quick saves he made on a rush in the third may very well have saved the game for the Wings.

8. How many goal reviews will we have to endure?
They reviewed Miller’s goal (which, to be fair, wasn’t that unreasonable), and even came up with the right call. The goal that should’ve been waved off was the Coyotes’ lone tally. That was just ridiculous

7. Insert standard sixty-minute effort question:
The second period was not good, but you already know that. The Coyotes got a lot of momentum off of their illegal goal, and I was pretty worried for a while. The Wings don’t tend to respond well to adversity.

6. Faceoffs need to improve.
Where do they post faceoff statistics online? I can never find them because they’re not in the boxscores. At any rate, the Wings should still be better on those than they have been. They’ve got good faceoff men. There’s no reason for us to be talking about this at this point.

5. The Wings need to keep up their physical play. I’m sure the Coyotes will be amped up to be back in their building, and the Wings have to keep dishing it back.
Brad Stuart and Justin Abdelkader had some good hits out there, and Helm was doing his thing too. I think I even witnessed Todd Bertuzzi throw a hit. The Coyotes weren’t running around tonight, and the Wings were actually more dominant physically.

4. They also have to get off to a fast start. The first five minutes of the game will be crucial for setting the tone.
Their pace from the start was pretty good. It would’ve been nice for them to have scored on that early powerplay they got, but the happy outcome of the game makes me not care so much.

3. The Eurotwins need to keep doing their thing. They’re absolutely essential.
Datsyuk: goal. Ztterberg: goal. Keep it up, boys.

2. I’m looking for good things from Drew Miller. He’s looked feisty so far, and I like that.
Did I call that or did I call that? I’m going to start saying something like that about a random Wing in every GP.

1. How many of Hockeytown’s finest are going to be detained by the Coyotes’ arena security?
There was an octopus on the ice near the end of the game. I hope there was a hat being passed around in a bar in Phoenix to bail the thrower out. We were thinking of wiring some money from Hockeytown too.

Hero: Jimmy Howard
Twice in a row for Jimmah. He has really turned things up since getting called out by people who weren’t happy with his Game Three performance.

Villain: Ed Jovanovski
He now leads the playoffs in goals scored while using the opposing goaltender as a stepstool.

Final Thought:
Life really is better in the Red Wings Commune.