Jumped the Shark: Thoughts on last nights game

[yave1964]

  Wings lost the game last night 1-0 to the Sharks in  a shootout.

 

It would have been nice to have handed the Sharks their first regulation loss, after doing so to the Avalanche last week. Easily my two least favorite teams from the days in the West.

 

  Antii Niemi was never tested, the Sharks consistently put three bodies in front of the net, forget screening, it is impossible to get anything through them. That leaves the angles which Niemi is as good of a goalie in the game at playing.

  The Wings defense this season was epitomized by last nights game, five men units constant back checking. Really shut down the flow of the game. Made for a bit of a boring game, but when you consider that Kronwall was out and so was Ericsson (Wife had a baby) and the Sharks have 39 goals through the first 8 games, losing 1-0 in a shootout and frustrating their offense all night long with three rookies and Brendan Smith, combining for 113 career games against a jet fueled offense, really stealing a point is how I have to see it.

  Franzen was moved to second line center. All night long I could see the look on Alfredsson's face as he entered the zone with the puck, waiting on his lumbering center to catch up. And Franzen had to have had the puck knocked off of his stick a good eight to ten times. The guy has flat out lost it. Forget Mickey Redmond going on about how old number 93 can win this one right now, Franzen is just plain bad and an anchor on whichever line he plays on.

  The third line however of Cleary, Weiss and Tatar had a spark. Cleary had new life playing with a real center, Tatar brings energy whenever he is in the lineup.

  Sorry to see Glendening sent out, thought he did an admirable job on the PK in his short time here. Really excited about Helm, hoping he still has something left in the tank. He played two nights in Grand Rapids and rode a bus on a nine hour road trip and declared himself fit, saying his back is good but he loses his wind easily. Hope he gets it back, we could really use him for his speed and abilities.

  Now on to Wednesday where Alfie gets to play his former team the Senators. Oughta be a beaut!

[WingNut722]

@yave1964  There is no way you can consider their point to be "stolen" by any stretch of the word.

 

I agree that the defense was huge for the Wings despite being short-handed.  They really mustered up to the challenge.  Neither team was able to generate any real, sustained pressure in the zone.  The Wings have been consistently allowing way more shots on goal than they should, but to keep the Sharks, who up until this point had been averaging close to 40, down to 27 SOG, including overtime is a huge feather in the cap for this young defense.

 

The fourth line of Miller, Tootoo,and Andersson really had some jump.  I wouldn't call this a boring game at all.  Normally I despise 1-0 shootouts, but this was a gem to watch.  

 

The Sharks have developed a suffocating defense strategy, and they can easily frustrate the likes of Datsyuk and Zetterberg.  Still, the Wings didn't get a lot of help from the officials (again) on this one.  The Sharks got away with several minor penalties, not to mention Cleary's offside call in the third when the puck hit the linesman.

 

The Wings should be proud of this performance, despite taking the OTL.   

[WingNut722]

I prefer not to discuss the (lack of) performance from The Dump Truck....

[yave1964]

@WingNut722

 

By 'stolen point' I simply mean we were facing an uphill battle with both Kronner and Ericsson out against a team averaging 5 goals a game. To come out with a point in that situation is a moral victory.

[WingNut722]

@yave1964  Understood.  In that case I agree with you.  These next two games should be fun.  Darren helm has been reactivated of LTIR and should be in the lineup by Saturday.  Kronner is due back tomorrow as well as Ericsson.  Having Helm back should probably take The Dump Truck out of the centerman's position, so the faceoff circle will probably see Datsyuk, Weiss, Andersson, and Helm.  Franzen should be on the third line until he starts showing some decent, CONSISTENT play.  

 

Here's my Mike Babcock moment:

 

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Abdelkader

Cleary - Weiss - Alfredsson

Franzen - Andersson - Bertuzzi

Tootoo - Helm - Miller

 

The only negotiable point would be switching out Tootoo with Samuelsson, but it's really based on who can throw rubber at the net.  Tootoo only had two shots on goal last night, but given the stingy defense the Sharks played, it might as well have been a donzen.  I'd like to see Cleary on the second line playing netfront from Alfie's point shot.  Cleary is more tenacious in front of the net than Franzen.  Weiss would be perfect in close somewhere to fish rebounds.  

[goalnut3133]

I agree, anytime a team can shut down the Sharks' offense the way they've come out swinging this season, & keep the game 0-0 til the end of regulation (!) & then only lose due to a shootout (of which I detest as game deciders!), I say FULL KUDOS, KUDOS, KUDOS to the Wings!!  A 1-0 loss in a shootout to those darn Sharks is very highly respectable! 

[SpikeDDS]

Remarkable defensive performance, especially in contrast with the Phoenix game(s), and especially since Kronner and E (?) were not available. They need to use this game as defensive strategy foundation for future strategy sessions.

Sharks sure do look stronger so far this year. Nice to bring them back down to Earth a bit.

[yave1964]

@SpikeDDS

 

And now the big E (Sorry Flyer fans) is out for two to three weeks. He has been our most consistent blueliner. I hear old number five might be around for the upcoming oldtiemrs game, lol. Maybe if we promised him to only play the power play.....

[WingNut722]

I hear old number five might be around for the upcoming oldtiemrs game, lol. Maybe if we promised him to only play the power play.....

 

 

I kinda like that idea.  But since the Wings are so close to the cap, Lidstrom would have to play for federal minimum wage, but he'd get bonuses for every point.