Caption Mondays Volume 18...

Here's one I took during warm-ups before the game at Tampa Bay.  I was really excited to see Stuart making his return.

Red Wings vs. Kings GP...

Red Wings: 38-18-6

Kings: 35-23-4

Red Wing Zen:

Niklas Kronwall

10-19-29, +/- 5, 30 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Willie Mitchell

2-4-6, +/- 7, 15 PIM

Red Wings vs. Sabres GP...

Red Wings: 37-18-6

Sabres: 28-25-6

Red Wing Zen:

Nick Lidstrom

12-36-48, +/- 0, 16 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Nathan Gerbe

7-11-18, +/- 6, 26 PIM

Weekly Wrap-Up Volume Seventeen...

Caption Mondays: The general consensus this week was that the gentlemen in the stands were checking out Henrik Zetterberg. In light of that, here are two sets of captions for your reading pleasure.

From Norm:
Linesman: "Hey 40, those guys behind the glass-are they checking you out too, or just me?"
Zetterberg: (silence)

From Sara Neuie:
Zebra: I just don't get it man... I'm not a bad-looking fella, I'm tall, I've got a job with authority, why can't I get a girl?
Hank (gnaws on mouthguard): I'm telling you, chicks dig beards. Especially Swedish chicks.
Zebra: Really? You think that'd work?
Hank: Well, whatever you do, don't go around making faces like the guys behind us...

Trivia Tuesdays: Clark beat TimFill to the punch this week. That'll teach you to read things, Tim.

This week's question: The Wings hold the record for most home overtime losses in a single playoff run. How many OT losses did they have? What year did they set this record?

The Answer: They set this record during the '02 Cup run with four home overtime losses. One was against Vancouver, two were against Colorado, and one was in the Finals against Carolina.

Red Wings vs. Stars GP...

Red Wings: 37-17-6

Stars: 31-23-6

Red Wing Zen:

Chris Osgood

5-3-2, .903 SV%, 2.77 GAA

Point and Laugh:

Jason Williams (Who?)

0-1-1, +/- 0, 0 PIM

Red Wings vs. Sharks GP...

Red Wings: 37-16-6

Sharks: 33-21-6

Red Wing Zen:

Kris Draper

6-2-8, +/- -1, 8 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Jason Demers

2-16-18, +/- 10, 20 PIM

Trivia Tuesdays Volume 17...

The Wings hold the record for most home overtime losses in a single playoff run. How many OT losses did they have? What year did they set this record?

Caption Mondays Volume 17...

What's going on here?

Weekly Wrap-Up Volume Sixteen...

Caption Mondays: Crater had my favorite this week.

“Happy 400th win Ozzie!" *Kiss*

Trivia Tuesdays: TimFill takes home this week's non-existent prize.

This week's question: Who was the first Wing to record 100 points in a season? What year did he do it?

The Answer: Gordie Howe tallied his 100th point of the season on March 30, 1969. He finished with 103 points in 76 games that year.

Red Wings vs. Wild GP...

Red Wings: 36-16-6

Wild: 31-22-5

Red Wing Zen:

Darren Helm

7-17-24, +/- 7, 8 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Cal Clutterbuck

18-11-26, +/- 6, 36

Red Wings vs. Panthers GP...

Red Wings: 35-16-6

Panthers: 24-25-7

Red Wing Zen:

Niklas Kronwall

10-18-28, +/- 6, 26 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Mike Weaver

2-8-10, +/- 1, 20 PIM

Red Wings 6, Lightning 2: Post Game Snipes...

• One of my lifelong dreams has been to attend a Wings road game. I went to see them play Tampa last night, but I'm not sure that counts. Walking up to the arena, Wings jerseys outnumbered Lightning ones 4 to 1. I didn't see my first Bolts gear until I actually made it to area right outside of the rink. I expected there to be a significant percentage of Wings fans in attendance, but it was still exciting to see the army of red and white sweaters heading into the building. That has to be demoralizing for the home team/crowd.
• They were giving away noisemakers last night, but I was denied one because I was a Wings fan. I was okay with it though, because I don't have any desire to own anything that features the logo of another NHL team, even if the Bolts are my Eastern Conference secondary team. Once the game got underway, I figured out why they chose last night to do that giveaway: without the noisemakers, the home crowd didn't stand a chance of being heard over the thunderous LGRW chants the Wings fans started. The Bolts fans played the living daylights out of those noisemakers all game long. I found it obnoxious until I grabbed one on the way out. It was only then that I realized why they had been playing with them non-stop: they're incredibly fun and addictive. I used mine to play music to accompany my CD player for most of the trip home.
• I got to the rink excessively early because I wanted to make sure I had time to take a lap around the concourse and explore the only non-JLA NHL arena I'd ever been in. The place was nice enough, but I still missed the campiness of the Joe. The walls of the concourse were covered with giant replicas of front pages of the St. Pete Times from the past. It was more of a shrine to the newspaper than to hockey, which is also my number one reason for wishing against all odds that the Wings will never have to share a building with the Pistons.
• More I-miss-the-Joe notes: they only sell bottled pop there; I keep saying this wasteland is uncivilized and nobody believes me. This should prove it. Food and drink prices were way more expensive than I was used to at the Joe. I guess we really are spoiled back home.
• Call me a sap, but I also missed the old scoreboard at the Joe. The one in Tampa is slick for sure, but I found it hard to read, especially when I was trying to see how much time was left on powerplays. (Old people live in Florida. They should use larger-sized numbers so they can have a chance at seeing vital info like that. I could barely make it out and I'm young and spry.) [The entire purpose of the rant in parentheses was so that I could use the word “spry.”]
• The loudest cheer of the night came (predictably) when they showed Steve Yzerman on the scoreboard before the game started.
• By the time the Wings got the scoring underway, the ratio of red to blue in the stands had evened out for the most part. When they netted their first goal, half of the arena stood up and cheered. There was an entire section in the lower bowl that was almost full of Wings faithful.
• A fun game might be to play Where's Waldo? The Lightning Fan? with this picture:
  
  
  
• The Wings brought their A-game in the first period; perhaps they were eager to show Stevie that he should've stayed in Detroit.
• During the first intermission (and maybe the second—I left my seat during that one), there was what boils down to a zamboni party bus. It was towing the Bolts' mascot behind it on a wake-board. It was...interesting.
  
• Things went decidedly downhill during the second period as the Wings allowed the Bolts to erase their lead and tie the game up. Somehow they managed to wake up again and take back control of the game.
• I managed to get a shot of Abby's goal as the puck hit the twine. It was a really exciting moment for me.
• Here's a SSDD exclusive look inside my thought process during Darren Helm's breakaway goal: “Ooooh loose puck! What a chance to-oh, wait, it's Helm. Crap. Oh my god he scored!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Don't get me wrong—I love Helm as much as anyone, but I'm so used to seeing him go the donut goalie route on chances like that that I pretty much expect it now.
• I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Pavel Datsyuk is a ridiculous human being. There's really nothing more to add about him.
• The box score says the Lightning had twenty shots in the third, but it didn't seem like it at all.
• The final octopi tally for the night was three. One of the arena workers even twirled one. This made me deliriously happy, albeit a tad confused.
• I had a total emo moment during the third period when I started to wonder if it would be the last time I ever got to see Lidstrom play live. Last time I did an internship here, I missed Yzerman's last season. Things like this give me anxiety.

Hero: Pavel Datsyuk
His two goals made my night.

Villain: I'm not making anyone a villain for this game. I'm still in too good of a mood.


Final Thought:
I felt more at home at the game than I have at any point since I've been in Florida. I love hockey.

Red Wings vs. Lightning GP...

Red Wings: 34-16-6

Lightning: 43-17-6

Red Wing Zen:

Henrik Zetterberg

17-44-61, +/- 11, 28 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Teddy Purcell

12-24-36, +/- -4, 10 PIM

Trivia Tuesdays Volume 16...

Who was the first Wing to record 100 points in a season? What year did he do it?

Caption Mondays Volume 16...

Caption Monday returns this week after a laziness-induced hiatus.  Since it's Valentine's Day, I decided to go with this charming picture of Ozzie and Piet Van Zant sharing a moment.

Red Wings 4, Bruins 2: Post Game Snipes...

• I actually got to watch part of today's game on a real, HD TV. It brought tears of joy to my eyes. I sat at my desk starving for three hours because I wanted my lunch break to coincide with the third period of the game. I was more than prepared. I kicked back in the break room with a frozen dinner, my Wings hat from the last viewing party, and one of the last cans of Vernor's that I brought here from Michigan. The only thing that could've made it better is if it had been Ken and Mickey on the broadcast. Or if I hadn't been at work. You get the idea, though.
• I only got to watch the third, but it sure seemed like Datsyuk got knocked around a lot. It was uncharacteristic.
• Darren Helm had a great chance off of a rush in the third, but failed to convert. It's okay though; I'm pretty sure if he and Kris Draper had finished chances like that in the same game it would've caused a break in the space-time continuum.
• I kind of like it when the Wings play puck-possession hockey.
• I decided that the only thing I like about afternoon games is the fact that the lower bowl looks like it's full of fans in Wings gear instead of bored businessmen in work clothes.
• Remember that crazy run Bert went on last November/December? This kind of reminds me of that.
• I never, never, ever want Nick Lidstrom to retire. Never.

Hero: Todd Bertuzzi
Back-to-back two-goal games? Get this man a round of glitter.

Villain: Zdeno Chara
I know it's not his fault that he's tall, or that people keep talking about it, it's just that I'm tired of hearing about it. Yes, I get it. He's an extremely large person. Being tall isn't a skill though; it's an asset, but that doesn't mean the world.

Final Thought:
I usually hate NBC, but I could've kissed the tv when I turned it on and saw the Joe.

Red Wings vs. Bruins GP...

Red Wings: 33-16-6

Bruins: 31-17-7

Red Wing Zen:

Valtteri Filppula

12-19-31, +/- 1, 16 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Michael Ryder

16-15-31, +/- -4, 31 PIM

Red Wings vs. Bruins GP...

Red Wings: 32-16-6

Bruins: 31-16-7

Red Wing Zen:

Ruslan Salei:

1-8-9, +/- 3, 38 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Milan Lucic

23-14-37, +/- 17, 81 PIM

Red Wings vs. Predators GP...

Red Wings: 32-15-6

Predators: 28-19-7

Red Wing Zen:

Darren Helm

6-16-22, +/- 7, 8 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Steve Sullivan

10-10-20, +/- 3, 22 PIM

Red Wings vs. Predators GP...

Red Wings: 31-14-6

Predators: 27-18-7

Red Wing Zen:

Henrik Zetterberg

16-40-56, +/- 8, 28 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Shane O'Brien

2-6-8, +/- -5, 43 PIM

Weekly Wrap-Up Volume Fifteen...

Caption Mondays: TimFill had this week's best caption. I loved it.

"Darren, if you hit 88 out there, you will go back in time. It's a truth fact. You yoost can't do it."

Trivia Tuesdays: Ari Twice got this week's answer.

This week's question: Which player holds the Wings record for most powerplay goals in a single playoff series?

The Answer: Andy Bathgate had 5 in the Wings' series against the Blackhawks in 1966. He's tied for second place in league history behind only Chris Kontos with six.

Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets GP...

Red Wings: 31-13-6

Blue Jackets: 23-22-5

Red Wing Zen:

Jiri Hudler

4-4-18, +/- -7, 12 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Kristian Huselius

9-6-15, +/- -15, 8 PIM

Red Wings 7, Senators 5: Post Game Snipes...

• I wasn't going to do a recap since I only caught the third period, but then Mule went and did his Muletrick and I couldn't very well let that go by without mention.
• Now that it's after the All-Star break, Franzen evidently decided that it was time to kick things up a notch.
• At his best, Mule is unstoppable. He's like a force of nature when he puts his mind to it.
• What are the odds that I can get an Arby's down here to give me free fries tomorrow? Or that I can find a printer in time?
• The explanation for the Senators' no-goal in the third was just plain silly. Even on my grainy feed, I could tell that the refs' version of what happened there was nowhere close to reality. My feed was only getting video from the rink, so during commercials and post-game segments in the studio, I got random camera shots and audio from the on-site crew. After the game, Ken Daniels and Larry Murphy were ranting about how stupid the explanation was. Daniels said pretty much the same things everybody on twitter said. It was the right call, but not for the reason stated. It was nice to see that the guys up in the booth get as frustrated about silly things like that as we do.
• I'm working on a theory that the blizzard/snowpocalypse/snowmageddon/whatever you want to call it somehow time-machined the two teams back into the 80s for one night. I followed along with the first two periods via text messages, and trying to keep up with the game was a challenge. I had a lot of, “wait, what?” moments when I got back-to-back-to-back texts announcing goals.
• That moment when Z went awkwardly into the boards almost killed me. I was practically holding my breath until the next time I saw him out on the ice.
• This was the first five-goal game for a Wing since Fedorov did it back in 1996. I'll never forget that game because it was right after Christmas the year I got my first ever Wings jersey. I watched the game on the floor in front of the TV, wearing my brand new #91 jersey, and I was pretty much convinced that he scored all of those goals because of it.
• Henrik Zetterberg's streak of games in which he had at least two shots on goal has officially ended. Can we never speak of this useless stat again, please? Pretty please?

Hero: Johan Franzen
This needs no explanation.

Villain: Chris Neil
I just don't like him.

Final Thought:
It was nice to see Cleary back in the lineup.

Red Wings vs. Senators GP...

Red Wings: 30-13-6

Senators: 17-26-8

Red Wing Zen:

Kris Draper

4-2-6, +/- 1, 4 PIM

Point and Laugh:

Erik Karlsson

8-21-29, +/- -19, 26 PIM

Trivia Tuesdays Volume 15...

Which player holds the Wings record for most powerplay goals in a single playoff series?