Red Wings 6, Coyotes 1 (4-3): Post Game Snipes...

• After an agonizing first period, the Wings managed to absolutely destroy the Coyotes. I’ll be the first to admit that during the first intermission, I was almost positive that it was going to be “one of those games” where the Wings pump 50 shots at the opposing goalie and he absolutely shuts them down. Luckily, my fears were not justified.
• Datsyuk was, well, Datsyukian last night. And also Danglelicious (thank you, Versus). He and Hank even posed for an awesome goal celebration picture that makes it look like they're dancing.
  
• On top of that, one of his goals led to the creation of this masterpiece:
  
• I really think that Nick Lidstrom spent today staring at his birthday cake with forty candles (plus one for good luck) and laughing at it. He keeps on proving that age is just a number.
• As excited as I was about Stuart’s goal, I was also terrified when I saw Zetterberg go crashing awkwardly into the boards behind the net. I didn’t realize at the time that he had been tripped up (stay classy, Phoenix). I wanted to celebrate, but I was just waiting for the camera to pan over to see if Z was okay. The Wings got lucky on that one.
• How was that hook on Helm’s breakaway not a penalty shot? I was shocked, but not entirely unhappy. I figured the Wings would have a better chance on a powerplay than on a Helm penalty shot. It also negated the Coyotes’ powerplay so the Wings didn’t have to kill any more time.
• By the end of the night, Phoenix fans were throwing beer bottles on the ice during play. Hank was kind enough to try to pick it up off of the ice. I suspect it was so he could give it to Brett Lebda in the locker room, but that's just a guess.
• I watched the game from Kukla's Kasa with the rest of the #redwingscommune. We also launched Operation #redwingscommune: No Limits on a video chat with tweeps from around the country. More on that later.
  

GP Review:
13. The Wings need to stop the bleeding on the penalty kill. Sure, another three-goal performance from Phoenix’s powerplay is unlikely, but then again, that’s what we said after Game One.
The PK was not only functional, but I would argue that the long 5-on-3 kill in the second period was the turning point of the game. If Phoenix had scored there, things would have looked a lot uglier. On top of that, a fresh-from-the-box Brad Stuart scored his breakaway goal immediately after the last of those penalties was killed off.

12. The top two lines need to reappear again. When they’re clicking, good things keep happening for the Wings.
Your three stars for the game were Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Lidstrom. That pretty much says it all. (Yes, I realize that Lidstrom isn’t on the top two lines, but he’s the leader on defense and is generally part of the top unit out there.)

11. Coming out strong and aggressive is going to be really important. They can’t afford to be tentative and passive at the start of the game.
I was actually worried for the first few minutes of the game. The Coyotes seemed to be carrying the play (although that could’ve been my paranoid imagination), but eventually the Wings righted the ship and took control of the game.

10. Jimmy was far from the reason for the Wings’ loss on Sunday, but he needs to be in top form tomorrow.
The 6-1 score would make some people overlook the fact that Jimmy made a lot of good saves throughout the game. He was sharp. Sure, that goal off of the faceoff shouldn’t have gone in, but you have to look at the fact that it was a bang-bang play.

9. The Wings need to find a way to solve Ilya Bryzgalov. He may very well have stolen the game for the Coyotes during the first few minutes of play.
He looked like a brick wall during the first period again, and I was having nightmares. The Wings eventually solved him six times, which isn’t good for a goalie no matter how many shots he faces.

8. How many times am I going to be flailing around in search of my tin foil hat?
Oh there were ample opportunities for tin foil hattery. There was the quick whistle on a clearly loose puck that negated a powerplay goal for the Wings. There was the ridiculous string of penalties in the second during which the Coyotes seemed destined to tie up the game. There was some yelling going on at the #redwingscommune.

7. Earth to Playoff Franzen. Where are you? The Wings kind of need you to start producing.
I’m about ready to make some lost mule posters and hang them up around my neighborhood. Here’s hoping he was saving it up for the second round.

6. It sure would be nice to see a full sixty-minute effort…
This was as close to it as we’re ever going to see that, probably. I really have no complaints.

5. Can the defense avoid hanging Jimmy out to dry again?
The defense was there when it needed to be. They weathered the early storm, and had Jimmy’s back for the rest of the night.

4. It would be nice if the powerplay came back to life and scored more goals than it allowed. That’s a pretty good target, I think.
Indeed it did.

3. I hope that Justin Abdelkader keeps hitting everything in sight.
Abdelkader was less noticeable than he was the other day, but it didn’t really matter.

2. Capitalizing on mistakes: whoever does a better job of this is probably going to be playing some more hockey this season.
Verdict: Wings. End of story.

1. This is it. Game Seven. It’s all or nothing. Which team wants it more? No fear. No excuses. No mercy. No limits.
They came out strong and didn’t back down. Their top guys were their top guys. They never let up. We’ll see where the No Limits thing takes them.

Hero: Pavel Datsyuk
Best player on the ice. That’s what he needs to do every night.

Villain: Keith Yandle
Stay classy, dude. Enjoy the golf.

Final Thought:
Round two, here we come.

Red Wings 2, Coyotes 5 (3-3): Post Game Snipes...

• I missed the entire first period, running in the door seconds after the horn went. This was upsetting, because from what twitter and the radio tell me, it was the only period worth watching. Thanks, soccer, rain, accidents, construction, and Ann Arbor.
• I scared the crap out of my mom because I was driving while she napped. When the Coyotes scored their shorthanded goal, I was screaming, “NO, NO, NO!” and woke her up. Brief moments of panic ensued on her part. I should not be allowed to operate a motor vehicle while hockey is on the radio.
• Stuart’s goal was a beautiful shot after a nice pass from Datsyuk. He momentarily redeemed himself after that turnover that wouldn’t have looked out of place in Game Seven of the Finals last year.
• I really didn't think that it was possible for the Coyotes to have another game where they scored three powerplay goals on the Wings. That shows you what I know.
  
• I didn’t even react to the Coyotes’ last goal. I just kind of shrugged and sighed and went back to waiting for time to run out so I could move on with my life.
• Darren Helm’s goal was very clearly over the goal line after looking at the replays. Of course, I was 100% convinced that they were going to rule that it was not a goal. But mostly I just didn’t care at that point.
• My Bryzgalov nighmares that plagued me before the series but have been dormant for the last several days? Yeah, I won’t be sleeping much until after Game Seven.
• I still don't know why Abdelkader ended up with a Game Misconduct at the end. It looked like Yandle was the one pulling wrestling moves out there.
  
• This makes it two straight series going to Game Seven for the Wings. Three out of their last four have gone to seven games. Not cool, boys. It's fairly apparent at this point that the Detroit Red Wings do not want me to live past the age of 23.
• The Wings have scored exactly two goals in each of their losses this series. That doesn't really mean anything, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway.
  

GP Review:
13. It’s a day game on NBC. Uh oh.
Yeah. That…

12. The Wings still need to work on their faceoffs. There’s really no reason for Phoenix to be winning more draws.
They actually won the faceoff battle today, not that it mattered much.

11. The Eurotwins need to keep firing on all cylinders. The last couple of games have been quite a show.
I barely noticed them in the part of the game that I saw. To be fair, I kind of checked out after Wolski’s goal and was only half watching. I stand by my statement that as the Eurotwins go, so go the Wings.

10. What tin foil hat-inducing moments are going to occur as the Wings try to end the NHL’s team’s season?
I got nothing. I suspect the Wings’ parade to the penalty box in the second was an attempt to even things out after the first period, but that goes on in every single game around the league.

9. The first few minutes of this game are going to be key. The Wings need to get off to a much better start than they did last Sunday.
It sounded like they came out flying, but couldn’t buy a goal. This is better than last Sunday, at least, even though the outcome was the same.

8. I’m looking at Dan Cleary to do something good tomorrow. This worked for Miller last time, so it’s worth a shot.
Well so much for that…

7. Jimmy Howard needs to stand strong again. He’s had an incredible run over the last two games, and has managed to restore all of the fickle fans’ confidence in his abilities.
Sure, the first goal should’ve been stopped, but Brad Stuart also shouldn’t have turned the puck over like that. Jimmy didn’t look nearly as good as he has the last couple of games, but he was miles away from being the reason the Wings lost today.

6. Are we going to have to put up with Shane Doan again?
He was scratched again today. You’ve got to figure that if he can hold a stick at all, he’ll be in the lineup on Tuesday.

5. This series, the Wings have played better when they’re the ones carrying the physical play to the Coyotes. They need to keep hitting hard and not letting Phoenix run around.
They once again outhit the Coyotes, and Abdelkader in particular looked like one of the few guys who wanted to end the series at the Joe. It’s too bad that things like that don’t show up on the scoreboard.

4. The PK and powerplay need to keep doing their thing. Since the disastrous first game, the PK has been fantastic. Special teams may very well determine the winner.
I went ahead and bolded that last sentence. Yeah…

3. The second defensive pairing has looked much better over the last two games. Brad Stuart, in particular, had a great game on Friday night. The Wings need them to keep bringing their physical presence.
Why does it seem like every time we heap praise on Stuart, he goes out and does something that makes us all facepalm? It’s like the man is addicted to being in the doghouse or something.

2. Will we get treated to a full-game effort tomorrow?
Yeah right.

1. The Coyotes are going to come out hard hoping to get another home game in Phoenix. The Wings need to take this game seriously and shut them down. There’s no reason to make another trip to Phoenix and risk all of the assorted bad things that can happen in a Game Seven.
They did not take the game seriously at all. Now we get to live in terror for the next 48 hours as we wait for Game Seven.

Hero: Justin Abdelkader
He at least looked like he was interested in the third period. That’s more than can be said for most of the team.

Villain: Derek Morris
Way to go after Abdelkader to make him defend himself after throwing a clean hit. And then hitting him while he was down on the ice.

Final Thought:
Ken Holland needs to tell the NHL schedulers that the Joe is mysteriously booked until 7:30 every weekend until eternity. It’s so weird. How did the facilities manager let something get on the schedule like that?