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Greetings and happy holidays. We took 13 minutes out of our day to bring you this.




Go Wings.

I've become pretty bad at this.

A month between updating a hockey blog during the stretch run of the season is no way to operate, and it's also a good way to alienate both of your loyal readers. I apologize to you, Cregg and Karen. You guys are our biggest fans. (Cregg and Karen are my parents and if they actually have ever figured out how to stumble across this site without setting the house on fire, well, it's not possible so I hope my childhood home is still intact.)

I haven't balanced the working life with the writing life. I'm not going to say I've been too busy, because we all are, but during the non-busy times I haven't had the slightest desire to write anything. This sounds familiar. I think I might've said something like this 6 months ago..........
no -- I think that was Scott Niedermayer. Might have even been Rob Niedermayer. Whatever. Point is, I'm just letting you know that we're moving onto other stuff now from daily (haha) writing, so, thanks for reading. We might still post videos or something, but my main point here is that TTD is on my back burner and I'm putting my imaginary blogging pen down.

It's been real. We appreciate every nice thing that any of you have said to us personally or about the site. Three years ago I started this site thinking that I had a lot of shit to say and that I liked to write, but subconsciously it was probably because there was a missing connection with bat-shit crazy Wings fans from my real life. Over the following three years, I never would have expected to make dozens of new friends with people that were just as awkwardly insane about Red Wings hockey as myself. In fact that would be a ridiculous thing to expect, which is why you people are so cool. I consider many of you to be more than just 21st century pen pals. This has been above and beyond anything I would have imagined.

You can still catch us on Twitter @TheTripleDeke, @TheDecentGatsby, and @AstRegionalMngr. And eventually more videos will be added to our YouTube channel. Until next time, adios everybody. We'll be in the lounge with Kyle from Babcock's Death Stare.

Go Wings

Game #62 -- Red Wings at Sabres

DETROIT RED WINGS 3 - 2 BUFFALO SABRES (SO)

While Jiri Hudler was awkwardly trying to readjust to North American hockey (and failing) for the first half of this season, he wasn't catching any breaks. Tonight, he got a picture perfect rebound land on his stick to tie the game, and then he won it in the shootout with help from a very lucky bounce off the post. If only he could teach Zetterberg how to do that.

I'd have a bad taste in my mouth if I were a Sabres fan. Detroit plays 2/3 of game and still wins. That ain't right. But Sabres fans don't read this blog so fuck those guys haha we win, here's some bullets:

• MIKE MODANO! VALTTERI FILPPULA! IT'S RED WINGS HOCKEY, ON FOX SPO................ Oh god damn you Brian Rafalski. Once again, Boner Killington over here has a wonky back and throws a wet blanket over our parade. And he sort of resembles a boner, he should be all about them.
  

• A simply horrific start. Not for the Wings -- I was talking about this recap.

• Mrs. Johan Franzen was due to have their first baby today, says Ken Daniels. Almost instantaneously I Googled what a baby mule is called, when I read this on Wikipedia:

"Mules and Hinnies have 63 chromosomes, a mixture of the horse's 64 and the donkey's 62. The different structure and number usually prevents the chromosomes from pairing up properly and creating successful embryos, rendering most mules infertile."

In a related story, Johan Franzen hasn't scored in 13 games.

• Murph mentioned that Mike Babcock and Lindy Ruff share scouting reports with each other for teams in their respective conferences. If this is true, I think it's about time for Babs to swallow his pride, dial Lindy Ruff's number, and find a way to utter the words, "I give up ...... how do you beat the New York Islanders?"

• Surprising to see Ruslan Salei caught in a pinch, especially paired with Nik Kronwall, causing an odd man rush and a goal the other way. Had to rewind it twice just to make sure it wasn't Brad May.
  

• FSD showed a clip from the press conference of the new Sabres owner wherein the mere presence of his Sabre heroes in attendance had him fighting back tears. I love that -- owners who give a shit. In fact it should be a requirement. If at your first presser as owner you do not cry, or at least look like an 8 year old who was just handed a Tonka truck full of pogs, the first season of TailSpin on DVD and methamphetamines (I was a strange child), the team should be immediately put up for adoption or on Craigslist or whatever the fuck they do. If it were me taking control of the Wings and Gordie Howe was sitting off to the side at my press conference, shit would literally be falling out of my pants. Within 10 minutes I'd be crying and reciting President Whitmore's speech from Independence Day while people looked on in terror and wondered if it was too late to get a refund on their season tickets. Then Gordie would slap me and tell me to quit being a Mary.

• So here's what a typical mid-season Wings game includes now: The almighty offensive tandem of Mike Grier and Andrej Sekera blowing through the neutral zone and past the blue line with zero resistance, and scoring a goal with the likes of Nick Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg on the ice. That sentence makes me want to take a blow torch to my eye balls.

• Datsyuk's power play goal was essentially Homer's. That screen was eclipse-like. Ryan Miller was on his knees and practically buried in his own net as if Homer had just finished a burrito during the commercial break.
  

• Don't know if Modano could have looked much better without scoring a goal. He was flying. Pretty impressive to come back from a scary injury like 'severed tendon' and not look hesitant.

• Really interesting setup to Jiri Hudler's equalizing goal. As the Wings were dumping the puck into the zone, and even as the puck was held up behind the net, Joey MacDonald was still not off the ice. As it happened I was about to complain about what was taking so long, but Jiri came roaring toward the net at the precise moment that a rebound landed on his stick for an easy goal. Had Joey gone to the bench as early as I had hoped, Jiri wouldn't have been in that same spot at the right time.

• Buffalo exclusively went to the trap in the 3rd. With at least a two goal lead, I'd absolutely employ this against the Wings; we don't dump in chase, so why not try to force us to while limiting the transition opportunities that we thrive on. But you're tempting fate by doing it with a one goal lead for an entire period (especially when the previous even-strength strategy seemed to be really working).

Good show from Joey Mac. He looked so old, making those shootout saves all half-standing up and stuff. Tom Barrasso, this guy.


Go Wings.

Game #61 -- Red Wings vs. Stars

DALLAS STARS 4 - 1 DETROIT RED WINGS

???

• My favorite "Murph-ism" ever was created last night. In describing Patrick Eaves: "He's very tough hockey." I'm just .......... I'm not going to say anything. I don't want to ruin the moment. Just gonna leave it be, take it in. He is very tough hockey. By God.

• Odd moment happened midway through the 1st. Dallas' Jason Williams played a shift and inadvertently went to take a seat on the Red Wings bench, but nobody on either team seemed to notice.

• Toby Petersen. Haha, Toby. That's a dog's name.

• Goofy first goal from Dallas, in that you don't ever see a goal result from a defensive breakdown from Pavel Datsyuk. Stuart chased out to the high slot, leaving Pav the only Star to cover down low, Mike Ribiero, who was alone for the easiest non-empty net goal I think I've ever seen.

• 2-0 Stars .... disgusting goal from Loui Eriksson. Kronner had to have felt like the loneliest man in Detroit not keeping that puck in at the blue line. And then a rarity for Joe Louis Arena, with the home fans showing their displeasure with some annoyed boos.
  

• At the halfway point of the game, I was just waiting for the third Stars goal. It's a pretty embarrassing game when Mike Ribiero is doing whatever he wants (including jawing with JLA fans a little later). Then it happened, almost mercifully just to kill the tension. 3-0 Stars. You could tell that Jimmy was pissed about what was going on in front of him -- he showed it from the first Dallas goal.

• Then Ribiero got checked into Jimmy's lap and he just about lost it. Not sure I blame him.
  

• The best thing that Jonathan Ericsson has done in weeks is get a few punches in on Steve Ott in a 3-0 contest.
  

If this game were a meal, it would be a dog shit enchilada. Fuck.

Go Wings.

Game #60 -- Red Wings vs. Sharks

SAN JOSE SHARKS 4 - 3 DETROIT RED WINGS


The Sharks take their seventh victory from the Wings in the last nine matchups. They must be getting used to this.

I want to play a game. Not with those of you who saw the Sharks beat the Wings tonight. Just the people who follow the Wings, missed tonight's game, and before hearing or reading anything about it decided to stop here at TTD. So nobody, essentially. Whatever. Here it is:

Hypothetical situation .... puck gets moved back to the point along the boards, is then passed across the blue line to the other defenseman. Without looking up to see if an opposing forward is rushing at him, this defenseman winds up for a one-timer. The shot is then blocked, resulting in a breakaway for the other team and, of course, a goal. If you could somehow bet money as to who this mystery Red Wings defenseman is, the odds would look something like this:

• 15-1 ..... Brad Stuart
  

• 20-1 ..... Brian Rafalski

• 20-1 ..... Niklas Kronwall
  

• 150-1 ..... Ruslan Salei. Mainly because I think he's attempted something like negative-3 shots this year.

• Infinity-1 ..... Nick Lidstrom. Infinity dollars would be the result of winning this bet. An impossible amount. This would be you -- which is also impossible, since you can't turn yourself into a cartoon. Unless you've clicked on one of those Internet ads that literally say "turn yourself into a cartoon!". Then it's possible, I guess. You've taken the first step to becoming an infinitely rich uncle duck with an enormous vault of gold coinage. Hey, remember that weird half animated movie Cool World with Brad Pitt? I'm drunk.
  

• 3-1 ..... Jonathan Ericsson.
  

I'll blow the surprise for the zero people whom I've allowed to play my little game: It was Johnny E. Not to pin this whole loss on the poor good-looking dumb guy -- I just wanted to concoct yet another reason for me to link the Scrooge McDuck picture again.

But that's been the Sharks/Wings games of the past year. San Jose wanting it just a smidgen more, making smarter plays, and probably doing a tiny bit of out-coaching.


Just a few recap bullets:

• Shots were 43-38 San Jose. When's the last time the Wings played a game where both teams had that many shots? Probably like a week ago, or more frequently than I think and I'm just really unobservant. But that caught my eye.

• After pulling out two more goals, it's time for the obligatory "this line needs a name" movement. Huds/Pav/Cleary is too white hot to go nameless. And, naturally, I have no ideas. It's Cleary that ruins it, honestly. If he had an oddly shaped head like the other two, we'd have the "Holy fuck, please put your helmet back on" line.

• Ryane Clowe, who was doomed at birth to be a cock because of the spelling of his first name, slew footed Johan Franzen and then ate his own shit in anger when called for a penalty. It was truly a sight. He committed a blatant penalty, and yet, reacted like somebody who couldn't believe the "you ARE the father" results on Maury. Imagine how he'd react if he were actually wrongly accused of something? That reminds me, stay tuned next week for the conclusion of my "Frame Ryane Clowe for an unspeakably heinous crime just to see his reaction" experiment.

That's all. Go Wings.

TTD Minute: Checking in with Herm

On March 11th, Red Wings fans from far and wide will gather for the 2nd annual Herm to Hockeytown extravaganza. In the newest episode of TTD Minute we pick up the phone and catch up with the event's namesake, our good friend Herm.

Getting the whole band back together

Jinx! I just broke Zetterberg's foot with that title.

"Defenseman Brad Stuart was cleared to play by the Detroit Red Wings' medical staff and said he'll be in the lineup Thursday, when the Wings visit the Tampa Bay Lightning." (Freep)

Check out the big jaw on Brad. Our boy Stuart was killed, like legitimately murdered dead, by Tom Kostopoulos only five weeks ago. He somehow came back to life albeit with a broken jaw, and will be playing hockey again in two days. This shit never ceases to amaze me. If I ever break my jaw, I will either be bed-ridden for 10 months or simply commit suicide over not being able to eat jerky for that long. Speaking of suicide, the Freep also reports that Mike Modano is slated to return in 11 days after taking a blade to his wrist and missing three months.

While it wasn't a humongous slip, Stu's absence has helped us to a sparkling penalty kill of 79% in his wake (82% prior to his January 7th injury). And after all of the glum reports after Modano went down I am thrilled that he'll get back in the lineup before the beginning of March. Things are looking up, for the moment.