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.

Wings vs. Bruins GP...

Wings vs. Bruins @ 7 PM

1. I’ve been told that the third line looked as fast and tenacious on the ice as they did on paper last game. Will they be able to keep it up?
2. Will Nick Lidstrom take this opportunity to avenge his lost Norris Trophy? Probably not, but it sure would be nice to see him put on a defensive clinic and show Chara that he’s still the best defenseman in the league.
3. How will Ville Leino respond to sitting out on Saturday? So far benching Helm seems to have been effective, so will Uncle Mike’s magic work again on Leino?
4. Was Saturday’s game an isolated effort, or a sign that the Wings have finally decided to show up for this season?
5. The Bruins, like the Wings, have gotten off to a slower than expected start. Which of them is going to show up tonight?
6. I'm not sure why, but the Wings always seem to play their worst when they're on Versus (case in point: the Buffalo game). Will they find it within themselves to not look like a trainwreck in front of a national audience?

I know it’s been said by pretty much everyone else already, but the Wings need to put together a string of wins to pull themselves away from the .500 mark. This team still has the ability to shut other teams down and they need to build on what I’m told was a strong effort on Halloween. It’s November now, and it’s time to get serious.

Like a Bad Blind Date...

I've never in my life watched the NHL Award show. People who know me find this strange because I spend almost every waking moment pouring over any NHL-related news that I can get my hands on. So you would think that I would love to see the players in a different setting and completely out of their element. Mostly though, it just comes across as awkward. Kind of like when Luc Robitaille had a cameo on Bones this year. I couldn't bring myself to look away and all I could do was sit there with a horrified grimace on my face.

So I prefer to stick with my annual Unofficial Awards, which this year managed to land me on both A2Y and Puck Daddy. I'm not ashamed to admit that this was the highlight of my day yesterday. Mostly I'm just amazed that anyone is reading my ranting and raving. So thanks, I guess.

As everyone not living under a rock knows by now, Dangle Dangle took home the Lady Byng and the Selke. I only watched the video of his awards and Vladdie's entrance, so I can't say for sure that his acceptance speeches were the best ones of the night, but I'm willing to bet they were. Why? Just because.

There weren't any real shockers on the night. The awards fell pretty much as I thought they would. I was disappointed that Lidstrom didn't win the Norris, but I wasn't remotely surprised. I had figured that one would be a toss up between Chara and Green, and I'm kind of glad that it fell to Chara. At least he appears to be a defenseman. Maybe next year Green will challenge Datsyuk for the Selke. I'm pretty sure Dangle Dangle would still win, though.

The highlight of the night was Vladdie's appearance. That and the Winter Classic are possibly the only two things the NHL did right this year. I still remember sitting in front of the TV watching the coverage of the limo accident with tears in my eyes. He's one of those guys who everybody except apparently Penguins fans can rally around. It makes me proud to say that he was/is a Red Wing.