Red Wings vs. Ducks – Grinding It Out

Red Wings: 3  Ducks: 2 (OT)

In years past, we would have said that the Wings only won a game like this because they finally showed up in the third period. As I alluded to yesterday, this injury depleted roster is not the caliber of talent we’re used to seeing. Don’t get me wrong, the organization has depth. Tons of it. But Justin Abdelkader is not a second line center. Some day? Yeah, I could see it. But not now. He will have some good games where we see flashes of his potential (which is true for all the young Wings, not just Gator), but there will be bad ones too. I’m not singling out Gator for good or bad play last night (didn’t really notice him, to be honest) but he’s the prime example of what happens when injuries force guys into positions or spots that they shouldn’t be in.

Note: Apparently Abdelkader got into a fight (with Corey Perry, no less) last night. I missed a little bit of the game and it looks like the fight took place in that 5-10 minute span I was away from the TV. If anyone finds a Youtube video of that, please e-mail the link to gordiehoweht@gmail.com or post it in the comments.

Last night’s game was the product of two evenly-matched teams going head to head for 60+ minutes. Thanks to the incredible depth this organization has built, the Wings are still able to ice a lineup that can compete with anyone in the NHL. When other teams overpay their stars, they too have to rely on younger, cheaper talent to fill voids that they normally wouldn’t be filling. I believe the Ducks have overpaid a bit on some guys (namely Ryan Getzlaf, and soon-to-be Bobby Ryan) and its cost them, especially on the blue line. There’s no way the Wings win that game last night if douche-extraordinaire Chris Pronger is on the ice with Scott Niedermeyer.

Looking at the game itself, I thought the Wings put together a good effort. Not the best we’ve seen this season, but good enough to get 2 points (which is all I’m asking for at this point). Both teams got a fluke goal off a bad bounce (even if Jimmy Howard’s was more preventable) and no goals were disallowed by sheer incompetence. The penalty kill was awesome (again), while the power play unit finally got on the board, scoring twice in 10 chances. Yes, we expect better out of the PP unit, but as the FSD broadcast team pointed out last night, 5 of the 10 guys that started the year on the two power play lines are currently injured. The PK units have remained fairly stable, and the Wings have always had a surplus of guys that have the ability to kill off opposing power plays.Notes:

• Apparently when I bash Todd Bertuzzi, he scores goals (we’ll see how long this lasts…). I finished last night’s post during the second period, and Bert scores two goals, one in the third period and the other in overtime. So Todd? You suck.
• I was pretty confused as to what happened in that scrum in front of the Wings net at the end of the first period, but I did learn one thing: George Parros is a douchebag (and no, not just because of that moustache). I’m upset May didn’t step in after the second goalie interference penalty Parros took, let alone after the first one.
• I almost died when Brian Rafalski took that puck to the face early in the game. I don’t know if the Hockey Gods are finally satisfied with the amount of suffering the Wings have gone through or they just like Brian or what, but thank you for not putting another one of our guys out of the lineup.
• Jimmy Howard was solid for the Wings, though that second goal should have been stopped. He rebounded nicely though and didn’t allow anything the rest of the way. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like he doesn’t get rattled by soft goals, and I like that.
• Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, WTF? They continue to be solid in the defensive end, but disappear when the Wings get into the offensive zone. Pavs needed to bury that chance on a wide open net at the end of the game, and I’m starting to believe Mickey Redmond when he says that Henrik Zetterberg is using a piece of spaghetti for a stick (seriously Mick?).
• Corey Perry = mega-douchebag. This is why I hate the Ducks. They get rid of the one guy I hate more than anyone affiliated with the Columbus School for the Mentally Challenged, yet they still find guys that take cheap shots like Perry and Getzlaf.
• Apparently Mike Babcock has called Brad Stuart “the Wings’ best defenseman this year.” I love you Nick, but I have to agree. I don’t want to jinx him, but Stuart is having a certain-trophy-we’re-used-to-seeing-here-in-Hockeytown-like season.

Overall, a strong effort from the Wings and a big two points in front of the smaller-than-usual home crowd. I hate myself for saying this, but last night’s win put the Wings in the 8th spot in the Western Conference. Several of the top teams in the conference (except for Chicago, who lost last night) have played more games than the Wings as well, so we’re not in a bad spot. A hot streak over the next month will see the Wings shoot up the standings, as most of their opponents are right around them in what is turning out to be a dog fight of a conference, top to bottom. Case-in-point: St. Louis is 14th in the West. They would be 9th in the East right now (with two games in hand on #8, Montreal).

The Wings are back at it tonight in Nashville. A win would put them one point behind the Predators for second in the division and four behind the division-leading Blackhawks. The puck drops at 8:00, and this time there’s no football in the way. Go Wings.