Wings things, thoughts on todays 5-3 victory

[yave1964]

  I posted elsewhere about the Canucks and how hard they played, here are a few thoughts about the Wings and their latest victory.

 

 Jimmy Howard was on his game today. He gave up 3 goals on 32 shots but some were dead on and he had to be sharp. This one could have gone either way, both teams playing end to end and Howard at least today was better than Miller.

 

 Speaking of Miller, Ryan stopped brother Drew on a partial breakaway for bragging rights they sowed the Miller parents in the crowd clapping ad laughing.

 

 Brendan Smith looked good in his first gam back, on an odd man rush he had a puck take a bad bounce or he would have scored.

 

Quincey has developed a snarl to his game. I actually enjoy him on the ice now, he looks more confident than at any time since he played for Colorado in his first season there.

 

 Goals by two d-men, first Kronwall and then Dekeyser on a deflection off a Canuck d-man. Dekeyser has been working his tail off, 9 assists but this is his first goal of the year, well earned.

 

2 more power play goals. What a difference Tony Granato has made for this team. He took over the special teams of a club that had been mediocre at best for several years in that area and now they are top five in both the power play and in the penalty kill. The best assistant coach in the game, period. He deserves and will get another chance to coach in the NHL again soon. Hopefully not too soon, he is spectacular and we need him.

 

 Weiss cooled off a bit, his first bad game since rejoining the team. Nyquist had a beauty for the Wings first goal, roofing one over Miller. Jurco, in very limited minutes continued his point streak. Helm was held of the score sheet but was the third star because he owned the Sedins and won 13 of 19 faceoffs.  The big negative is Abdelkader banged heads with a Canuck in th second and did not return, following concussion protocol. Hopefully nothing serious.

 

 Lets hope for more of the same when the home cooking continues on Tuesday against  wounded Panther team.