Grounded by the Jets

[yave1964]

  I hate the Winnipeg Jets. Really, I really do hate them.

The Wings swept Western Canada and were finishing up a tough four game road trip tonight against the Jets who have lost three straight including an inept 5-1 drubbing a couple of days ago to the Blackhawks.

  I wrote somewhere not long ago in here that the Jets were capable of winning 6-1 and losing 6-1 to any team in the league on any given night, that they are the most schizophrenic club in the league.

  Well.

 

  Tonight the Wings showed up expecting an easy game, Babcock allowed Tootoo to start the game because of friends and family in the stands and on the opening faceoff for absolutely no reason other than to entertain his family Tootoo got in a fight and grinned and hammed it up all the way to the penalty box. The Wings players laughed, relaxed assured of an easy win. Just throw the helmet on the ice and watch the Jets fold.

  Nope, not tonight. I really believe in my heart of hearts the disrespect shown them by Babs fired up the Jets. Little and Ladd and Halischuk and the other forwards lived in Jimmy Howards face all night long, pushing the defense out of the way, the Wings took borderline penalties as they were caught by surprise that this was not just an easy exhibition as with few exceptions most Wings mailed it in tonight expecting an easy victory.

  It is hard to say a goalie was sharp when he gives up 4 goals but Howard played a decent game. The ice seemed tilted all night into his zone, Montoya on the other end of the ice could have gotten a rocking chair for large portions of the game.

  Dekeyser was solid defensively and scored his first NHL goal on a wicked slapper right off of a faceoff win by Weiss, who played his best game as a Wing winning faceoffs left and right and getting an assist on the Dekeyser goal, putting the Wings up 2-1.

  Moments later Datsyuk who was solid came close, in fact he put the puck in but the net was dislodged. The play had been blown dead for less than two seconds before Datsuk potted it. If the goal had counted the Wings would have been up 3-1 and likely won the game. Instead a few minutes later the Jets tied it at 2-2 then put it away in the third.

  This was the Jets team that can beat anyone any time. They were solid and defended their own end and rushed the net. They could have beat any team in the league tonight.

  The Wings came in to play and goof around and take their two points and go home. It angered and woke up the Jets. So now we go home licking our wounds. Bad night of hockey for Wings fans.

  Kindl was a minus 3. Quincey was not much better and fell down allowing Little a breakaway goal with a minute left in the first which set the tone. The new kid playing his first NHL game Almquist was pushed around all over the ice and looked tentative, not at all like he looked in Grand Rapids.

  It is just one game. Best to forget, but hopefully the team remembers the lesson, don't take any team lightly because on any given night........

[Polaris922]

Jets beat us early on too... You just never know!

[yave1964]

Jets beat us early on too... You just never know!

  I don't mind losing, hell in this age of parity we all lose at least 20 times a year.

 

  What I hate is when we throw a game like we did tonight by not taking the opponent serious. Helm is from Winnipeg so his line started to honor his comeback, fine. But Tootoo is on that line and he had over 20 family members there and he started a fight with Thorburn off the opening faceoff then took off his helmet and cheesed it up smiling for his family and laughing all the way to the penalty box.

  We lost last nights game by not taking the Jets serious. They are a talented but poorly assembled club who when they want can beat anyone or when they don't care can lose to anyone. We LOST the game last night more than the Jets won by making them mad.They had lost 3 in a row including a non effort against the Hawks 2 days before and we would have bee much, much better served to allow sleeping dogs to lie.

[WingNut722]

I think the issue the Wings are having this season is rather simple...

 

Shoot the bleepin' puck!

 

I can't remember how many times I said that to my TV last night.  I don't understand why these guys have to wait until just the perfect opportunity opens up.  Shoot the bleepin' puck!  DeKeyser did, and look what happened!  That was an unbelievable goal!  Had Nick Lidstrom written all over it!  Ya know why?  Because Lidstrom would shoot the bleepin' puck!  Last two minutes of the game and Detroit is on a power play and needs two goals,  Pavel Datsyuk, the master, floating around the slot, looking lost.  Stood there with the puck for about 10 seconds and did nothing.  Shoot the bleepin' puck!  The Jets registered 47 shots on goal last night, clearly, they were not afraid to shoot the bleepin' puck!

 

There, I'm done........

[yave1964]

@WingNut722

  I agree with the whole shooting the puck thing, but it was like the ice was tilted downhill all night into our zone.

[WingNut722]

Yeah sometimes it's like that.  Although it was a potty-poor performance against the Jets, the Wings did manage to pull 6 out of 8 points through a 4-day trip through Canada.  Still a very impressive run.  Just wish it ended a little better.  They got a few days' rest and now they go on a homestand for the next two weeks.  I will certainly be fun!  

 

By the way, we just scored tickets to the game against the Islander on 12/23.  My wife and I will be spending the holidays with my family in Michigan and we can't pass up the opportunity to get to the Joe.  Not going to be around for the Winter Classic though.  I'll be glued to my TV back in Jersey for that one.  I'm kinda bummed.  Would really like to take in at least on of the alumni games at Comerica Park downtown.