Wings 3 Ducks 4...aka SKATE WITH IT!

DUCKS 4 WINGS 3

Series tied 1-1

Well, my eyeliner had a good run, but all good things come to an end, it appears.

I made it down to the game this evening and as usual had nothing to actually write notes down on, so this is going to be a very objective sort of game review and I'm probably lacking a lot of information. First things first, I learned from Christy this afternoon that the Wings, as a Mother's Day special, were selling autographed pucks for $20. She couldn't make the game, but asked me to pick one up for her, so I made my way over to the table and snagged the last two - both signed by Bertuzzi - for us. We were also given rally towels and carnations for Mother's Day.

I hadn't been to a playoff game this far into a series in quite a few years, and I wasn't sure what to expect, especially at the Joe where we've been criticzed lately for the lack of sellouts and the lackluster crowd. I can tell you for a fact, there was nothing lackluster about the crowd at the Joe tonight. While the lower bowl had a fair amount of empty seats, the upper bowl was almost entirely full - just another bit of proof that it's really the high ticket prices that are doing us in. My seats were section 201, row 4 (the view from the picture above is ours) and priced at $158 a person - plus the $15 parking.


Before the game I was watching the Ducks warm up and looking for Ilya Bryzgalov (he and I have an illicit affair which we don't speak of because it means there's a Duck in the world I tolerate so shhh) - right before he skated off the ice he went to give Giguere a hug, or so it looked - but he ended up half-tackling him and knocking them both back into the goal. Cute. Also during warmup I was slightly surprised to see Kopecky skating around with the boys, and Meech as well. I wonder if my rookie Hudler is sulking about not getting to play - he wasn't out there at all.

The Wings and the Ducks looked fairly evenly matched throughout the majority of the game. The Ducks did outplay us in the first period, and through the start of the second (for the first chunk of the second it really looked like we didn't have any energy, any offensive power, our powerplay was downright anemic, until Maltby's goal, after which we really picked it up for the rest of the game).

Two of Anaheim's four goals were reviewed - the first of which we didn't get any sort of recap of except for the net-cam view, which didn't look remotely like it was in at all, but sounds like it was a fair goal from what I've seen elsewhere. The second seemed sketchier to me as Hasek had the puck and it didn't cross the line until he got pushed farther into the net - though looked more clearly like a goal on the view we were given.

The game really was either team's to win, and I don't believe this loss will have a major impact on us, especially if Hasek bounces back the way he usually does after having a less than stellar outing. Once the Wings found their stride they looked strong and more than capable of dealing with the Ducks, so long as they can keep it up. Our pp looked much stronger after Maltby's shorthanded goal, and both Lidstrom and Datsyuk notched a ppg before the game was over, not to mention our pk was as strong as ever and for the most part looked excellent.

Pavel Datsyuk looked a little off to me tonight - I hope it was just coincidence, and maybe even being shaken up a little from the first couple minutes of play where he took about three good hits in a row, but his skating seemed to have a lot less finesse than usual. He fell several times, didn't seem to have quite the control he usually does, and generally didn't skate with the skill he's shown he has. Then again, he wasn't playing necessarily poorly either, and he definitely had several nice moments.

There was a guy sitting behind us who seemed to know a lot about all the individual players and yet very little about hockey - he also had a tendency to be horribly loud and yell particularly random things at really odd times; "GET THE PUCK!" "SKATE WITH IT!", "CHARGE!", "ATTACK!" and "TODD!" being just a few. As odd as it was, it seemed to really apply overall - the Wings really did to do a lot more of all of those things (even including the Todd bit - I didn't see Bertuzzi making nearly enough impact tonight), and I hope they can pick all of them up by Tuesday's game.

Perhaps the most important event of the night, however, was me coming fully into my hatred of Chris Pronger. That's right, I couldn't, before this, even though I tried. I kept looking at him and seeing Chris Pronger, my playoff hero (okay, after Pisani), the guy who took that ridiculous penalty shot and made it. But after seeing him there, live and in person and hulking over everyone else on the ice, wincing everytime he took one of those laser shots from the blueline, hearing it rocket off the glass, worrying every time he got the puck during a pp, seeing that stupid gap-toothed grin and he celebrated with his little Ducklings, knowing just what an impact he has on a team and constantly thinking about how that impact, that god damn fucking puck moving defenseman impact, could have been Edmonton's all season instead of working against us right now, I hated him. So there. I booed him every time I saw him. I yelled, I cursed, and I hate Chris Pronger. You win, Lauren.

See everyone Tuesday night - GO WINGS!

It's Gonna be Duck Ice Tonight!

It's too bad Schneider won't be on the ice to let them know.

This series, in my opinion, is really either team's to win or lose - it all depends on how they show up, how bad they want it, and if they can keep focused and make use of their respective strengths. Anaheim's finished off both of their opponents in four and Detroit in six, but I think most of us did expect more out of San Jose than Vancouver to begin with. Like Dave said, the prospect of Anaheim doesn't seem as scary as their fishy cousins did, but that's not to say we should all be overconfident, and we have no reason to doubt that they'll be a rough team to overcome. And yet, I believe we can do it. I voted against us in two pools - but at the same time, when I did that I was falling prey to that widespread belief that this was never meant to be our year, not compared to the way the last couple were, and I think I only even gave us that San Jose win out of loyalty. The boys decided to prove my doubts wrong, and I'm saying Detroit in 7.

If you're looking for some nice in-depth analysis I'll spare you what would only be my rehashing and instead direct you to the blogs I've picked these gems up from:

Matt of On the Wings offers:

To me, Dom is the key to this series. He needs to carry the team here and if he does, expect a result similar to the first two rounds for the Wings. That said, I hope to see the Wings as a whole play up to their potential this round, something they did not do at times against the Sharks. That inconsistency almost burned them then and could do so again, in spite of Hasek, so they’ll need to be better overall against the Ducks.

Dave of Gorilla Crouch focuses on the depth of each team:

The Red Wings’ depth on defense has taken a big hit, so their blue line runs the risk of wearing down over the course of this series. But I think Detroit’s forwards, who chip in on defense as well as having better scoring depth than either Minnesota or Vancouver, will be the difference that will turn this series in Detroit’s favor.

Earl Sleek over at Battle of California says what I've been pretending isn't so all season long:

But there may just be one key difference this year, hopefully one strong enough to sway the winds of inevitability. This time Pronger’s on our side.

Finny of Girl with a Puck weighs in on the Norris Trophy candidates:

As predictions go, I'm about ready to do a coin toss on this one. I never like seeing Detroit in the playoffs. Ducks in 6. Why? Because I pit my two-Norris-trophy-candidates to Detroits one. Ha!

And of course then there's HG at Double D(ion) with a (horribly false of course) harsh prediction of her own:

Anaheim vs. Detroit? Really? Boooooooooooring-a-rooni-dooni.

It looks like the Wings will keep the lineup they used for game six tonight - I'm not opposed to Calder but I really wish my rookie Hudler would get just a little more playoff time. This afternoon I'm barbequing to the Wings success while of course rocking the eyeliner that hasn't steered me wrong yet - and Sunday night I've scored tickets to the game so I'll be once again making a trip across the state. Finally the chance to boo Pronger in person I've been looking for all season!

GO WINGS!

Lame Duck?

Chris Pronger wants me to hate him. He wants me to.

If you told me that he and Lauren sat up at night in their darkened room in balmy California, shrewdly, cunningly, plotting (Lauren because she likes to make peoples' lives miserable and Chris because she's promised him the return of his pants upon the discovery of a viable solution as to the problem of how to make every Oilers fan in existance consider him and him alone their mortal hockey enemy so that there would be no chance of his return to such a terrible place) just exactly how to deal me the lowest blow possible because I was one of those lingering fans who hates themselves for not quite hating him, I'd believe you.

I've hated him just enough to be an Edmonton fan this season. I've hated Anaheim as hard as I could, second only to Carolina, bitched whenever they won, whenever Pronger did something good--but I never entirely forgot last year's playoff run. Yeah the guy's a jerk for what he did, but damned if I just can't pretend he was never my playoff hero. Come on, you all remember that penalty shot goal too. So for two months I've been stuck in Pronger-limbo.

And now, finally, Chris Pronger and his Ducklings come to Detroit and I will have my very own chance to to boo him with all my Oilers-loving heart. When that man steps on the ice January 2nd, I tell myself, and Detroit wrecks the Ducks in memory of Stevie Y, I will get my chance. And then I will be satisfied. All I want is one good game of booing, of deluding myself into believing that with that, Chris Pronger will know just how I feel about what he did, and all will be right with the world. (Well, maybe two, since I plan to be down in Columbus watching the broadcast of that game, too.)

And the bastard goes and breaks his foot one damn game beforehand. Pronger you bitch!

(In case it wasn't apparent to anyone, I'm well aware that Chris Pronger has no actual care in the world as to my feelings--this has been shown quite clearly every time he has a press release--and did not break his foot just to spite me. Also, I really can't believe we're like, the first blog in the Oilogosphere to touch this at all?)

I Made This Post for "Personal Reasons"

Last year the Edmonton Oilers knocked the Detroit Red Wings out of the playoffs in the first round. I had my bitter little bout of "fucking Edmonton etc., etc." for a couple months, and then I moved on. The rest of the playoffs tore at my loyalties as team after team I resigned myself to got their ass kicked. Finally it came down to Edmonton, Anaheim, Buffalo, and Carolina, two of which I sure as hell weren't going to cheer for (I'll give you two guesses).

You'd think I would have gone for Buffalo, but the Canadian in me refused to allow it and instead made the excuse that if I cheered for Edmonton and they won, it meant the Wings didn't choke, Manny Legace wasn't to blame, and they might have lost, but it was to the Stanley Cup Champions. So, having watched them bitterly as they took out San Jose, I continued to watch, now cheering for them, as they decimated Anaheim, and by the time they made it to the Carolina Hurricanes I had forgiven their every wrong. I was in love with this team. (Incidentally, Pronger's was the first name I knew. Sure he was surpassed as my favorite player on the team by Fernando Pisani after that still amazing short-handed goal in Game 5 OT, and then again by Jussi Markkanen for that ridiculous playoff performance, but Pronger was first. From the instant MacT threw him out there to take the first ever Cup Finals penalty shot I was in love.)


When they lost and that sea of red flooded the ice it wrenched my heart--they came so close, only to lose it all at the last minute. When the Detroit Tigers lost the World Series this year and the Cardinals with their red uniforms stormed the field I had flashbacks.

This game might have been even worse. It was the same thing this team has grown so used to, all the expectations, the promise, only to have them all shattered at the last second or sixteen when everyone believes they'll pull through. It probably doesn't feel the same for the Oilers, that's for sure--but as a fan, I wanted to see them rub it in Chris Pronger's face. I miss him--but I have certainly not forgiven him, and after this, it'll be an even longer time coming if it ever happens.

I didn't actually get to see any of the game at all--I listened to the first two periods intermittantly on Oilers Radio, and was on the phone with Elly who was at the bar watching through the third. My feed was a minute or so behind hers, so when she started screaming no when that last goal went in I refused to believe it for a few seconds--and then my roommate had to come into my room and tell me to breathe. I can only imagine what would have happened had I been at Rexall Place.

---

Elly covered most of what my opinions are on Pronger as well (the only thing I'd add is seriously can he stop having press conferences in which he basically just throws "hahaha you still don't get to know!" in our faces?) so I'll avoid that and move on to: stepping back from the emotion involved in that loss, it is, of course, less surprising when you consider everything that played into it--namely all the injuries:

• Staios was out before the game even started--still. This meant players like Smid and Tjarnqvist were playing 30 and 27 (respectively) minutes of the game--not things those two are used to.
• Bergeron is said to have "looked green" literally upon walking into the arena. He played two shifts in the second period before leaving for good.
• Ales Hemsky, in what is the biggest cause of distress of the evening for me, got nailed after four shifts and went out for the rest of the game with a "right shoulder injury". Early diagnosis is not good.
• Winchester, though not a high-minutes player, left after a fight with O'Donnell and didn't play for the rest of the game.
• Jussi Markkanen, of course, is also still out with a knee injury--it didn't play much into this game, but it's one more problem for the Oilers lineup.

What it all boils down to is that we got a bad break. We played a bad third period, but with all those injuries, we can forgive a little more. And if anything, the Oilers fans just have one more reason to hate Chris Pronger now--and hate they will. Maybe next time they'll let us actually show our disdain instead of taking away the signs at the door (you know, I understand the profanity bit, but "sucks"? I was really upset to hear they shut down such clever signs as "I made this Chris Pronger Sucks sign for 'personal reasons'" even if we did still get gems about freezing at -44 degrees.).

I will say this one last thing about Chris: He might not have had any other way around what he did--but he could at least have wish it could have come out differently.

Welcome back, Chris, sorry we had to kick your ass

I'll admit it: I still love Chris Pronger.

Am I mad at him? Only a little. However, it is the very reasons I'm still a bit frustrated at him that make me love him in the first place. He is a rough, totally-unapologetic player, who has made no bones or compromises in this situation. When questioned about the whole affair, he sticks to what he said way back at the end of the finals, '"I've been asked that question a million times and I've answered that question a million times and my answer isn't going to change," he said. "It's personal, family reasons and that's as much as I'm going to get into it."' (Thanks, CBC) It's troubling and irritating, why did he leave after he said so many time how much he loved playing in Edmonton? Just like with the tootsie pops, the world may never know.

Of course, on the practical side, I also miss his 20+ minutes on the ice, his hard-hitting defense, and watching his 6'6 frame skate around and scare the beejesus about of the opposing team. I don't care what the rumors may say, because they are just that: rumors. Your personal life off the ice is, well, personal. As long as it doesn't affect the play or hurt anyone, I don't care. What made me angry, as I believe many other fans feel, was the way in which he handled the situation. Don't drop hints and then leave to go on vacation. That is rude and tactless...besides, right after a spectacular playoff run like that, any fan would be upset over the heartbreak of his defection.

The fact that he went to Anaheim, of all places, is a completely different story.

I am happy to see that the rest of the Oilers aren't smack-talking Pronger, and apparently have said, 'Pronger, they said, is more machine than man on game day — a cold-eyed Terminator with a six-foot hockey stick, an uncanny knowledge of the game and an instinct for the jugular.' Now while the 10 year old in me is giggling at the 'six-foot hockey stick' part, anyone who has seen him play can attest to his determination on the ice. The crowd won't phase him.

On a bit of a tangent: Does anyone know why Markkanen was dropped? He didn't have a spectacular game against the Blues the last time he was on the ice, but that shouldn't be a reason to drop him after the finals last season. Was there an injury? I can't seem to find anymore information on it. Besides, it's not like he lost a playoff game. (We still love you, Ty, but you don't adventure as well as Jussi)


Game time: 9pm EST
Predictions? I'm not good at them...but my hope is for a good, clean game, with Edmonton crushing the Ducks into a little feathery pulp in a 4-0 shutout. Lots of hard offense is going to be key here, and some solid netminding from Roli. I expect to see no less than 300 hundred anti-Pronger signs, hear some very loud booing (Edmonton fans are some of the most vocal in the league...think they'll let them sing the anthem this time?), and hopefully, after all is said and the Ducks beaten, people can move on. Fans love their teams, just look at the Pens fans booing Jagr...still.

Go....Oilers!

Days of our Lives.....on Ice?

I wasn't going to start with this already since the game isn't even until tomorrow night (I still don't have a place to watch it for that matter--Oilers PPV certainly doesn't reach into Michigan, and my plea to the Kalamazoo livejournal community as to establishments playing Center Ice games went unanswered), and I have the Wings/Stars game to be concentrating on as of a minute and fifty two seconds ago, but I just thought I should throw out there that Kevin Lowe is a little bit my hero.

"I'm not afraid to bad-mouth Chris Pronger," was a start, but when he, in speaking about the whole Pronger incident, told the Edmonton Sun, "It's a great subplot in the season," he sealed the deal.

I imagine this is only the start of the Pronger media explosion. Anything else important will likely get posted as it happens...I expect flooding on all the Oilers blogs I read in the next day or so.

--

Elly has just brought the following to my attention, courtesy of EPSN. I have highlighted the important part so everyone's sure to catch it:

Hockey Fact: The Oilers began the week 10-2 at home and 3-6-1 on the road. They have three home games this week, including Chris Pronger and the Ducks on Tuesday night in Edmonton. Mrs. Pronger will drop the ceremonial first puck.

Um. What? No seriously....what? If that is honestly the case, then there is someone in Edmonton with an amazingly twisted sense of humor, and they'd best be checking fans at the doors for rotten vegetables. I might die if that happens. Come to think of it, so might she.

Confessionals

I am in love with Sidney Crosby.

Now, before you label me as one of those barely legal teeny-boppers that buy pink jerseys and hold up signs asking for his children, let me explain my deep and unwavering affection. Sidney arrived on the scene like a bolt of lightning, creating a stir and bringing hope to an often troubled club. Now I can admit, we haven't been the most stellar of teams in the past. True, the early 90's were the golden years...but in Sidney, and the other bright faces that we've seen come in, it looks as if there may be a renaissance. We saw the start of it last year (even though we had a horrid season, bidding Mario a final farewell), this year has been a breath of fresh air, a shining patch of sunlight on a cold, dreary November day.

Metaphors and similies aside, this year has been wonderful for Pens fans, with Sidney our poster boy in more than his good looks. Racking up 30 points, and trailing just barely after our Russian superstar, he has endeavoured to learn constantly, asking questions of more experienced players, and fixing slights that he can see within himself as he continues on his career. If you haven't seen him skate, especially with Malkin, you are truly missing something special.

It is all of these things, his drive to be the best, his commitment to the game, his willingness to learn and share, and just the pure enjoyment he gets out of playing hockey, that make me love him. Of course, his incredible shoulders and cute smile don't hurt, but his talent is indeed more than skin deep.

Why am I bringing this up? Sidney has missed the last two games from a groin injury, and although I was unable to watch the Islanders game yesterday (so much for getting out of work early on Black Friday), I heard that it went much the same as the performance against the Bruins. We have the talent, we have the drive....but we need something to put it together. On Wednesday, I saw a lot of great skating, passing, and moving the puck around...but there was a lack of scoring chances made and when those did become available, we tried to make plays instead of just taking the chance. I love that we are trying to make plays, that we share the puck, but really....shoot the damn puck more. Fleury was pretty solid, although he let one slip by that made me cringe, and from what I heard, T-bo was also on his game. So what is the problem?

I fear that Sidney's posterior warming the bench may let us get a preview of what is to come. Now, as all the sports websites love to tell us, Sidney's contract is up after next season....and so is Fleury's. I would love to see us keep both...but we do not have enough money, and we may not even have an arena. What would the Pens do without Crosby? He is only one man, and we do have quite a bit of great young talent...but as we have seen the past two games, he does a lot to bring things together. It could just be a coincidence, and Malkin has stepped up as the second in command while the captain assistant captain is away wonderfully, but it does beg the question: Is Sidney Crosby essential to the Penguins success? He is phenomenal, but it takes more than one man to play hockey.

Next confession: I am happy that the Oilers won against Calgary. The Flames are great, and Kipper in particular....but you just can't help but enjoy watching the Oilers play. Congrats to Edmonton for being first in the division! Now let Jussi out of whatever box you keep him in and let him play a little more.

Take two asprin and call me in the morning

Speaking of the Pens and what they would be like without their headliners, Malkin was injured yesterday against the Islanders. Therrien says that he will be back for tonight, but he said that about Crosby as well...will they both sit out tonight? I'm used to seeing the Pens at the bottom of the roster...but I guess it could always be worse. We could be where the Flyers are.

Last confession: I may still love Chris Pronger. Please bear in mind, this does not mean that I have forgiven him, and I can't imagine the feelings of the long-time Edmonton fans (unless having Jagr give you the figurative bird and go to the Rangers counts), but I am sure that we will hear from those fans on Tuesday, loud and clear. Until then, I will leave my comments about Pronger for another time.


Puck drop at 7:30 pm at Mellon. Go Pens!
(P.S. Go Flames! The Kings need a good ass-kicking)