Playoff Dry-run doesn’t go so well
Dom “I’ve fallen & I can’t get up” Hasek gives up the game winner
Mike Babcock suggested the mini road trip Detroit just completed could be a good test run prior to the playoffs. If that is the case you have to wonder if Detroit is destined for another first round exit from the playoffs. The Red Wings averaged a goal per game and took 17 penalties over both games.
The Wings seemed to miss Chris Chelios, who had the night off and as a result wasn’t available for Detroit’s PK unit. Both Calgary goals came off the power play.
The only bright side was that Pavel Datsyuk extended his career high in consecutive games scoring at least one point. His goal at the 1:27 mark of the second period was the 11th straight game where he has registered a point. Dominik Hasek, however, didn’t have a great game.
Helene St. James - Detroit Free Press
On the second goal, goaltender Dominik Hasek flopped to get a call after being hit by Jarome Iginla; instead, Hasek’s action allowed Kristian Huselius to score.
Wings coach Mike Babcock said replays showed Iginla elbowed Hasek, but that Hasek overacted.
“He embellished it,” Babcock said, “but (Iginla) got him, he was in his paint, he got him for sure. So I just said to Dom, ‘If you embellish it, it doesn’t go your way. You’ve got to hold your ground and stop the puck.’
Hasek evidently isn’t a very good goaltender when he is trying to moonlight as an actor. I guess I can understand when your team is constantly playing shorthanded that you think you can help them catch a break, but I just don’t think there is any place in the game for those antics. But with the “new NHL” my guess is you will continue to see that type of flopping. Mike Babcock said that “embellishment is something that happens in our game” and if anyone knows that it has to be Tomas Holmstrom, who has probably had more goals waived off and phantom penalties called on him than anyone in the league.
I agree with Helene St. James’ take in this blog entry that it would be nice if Detroit could avoid going to Southwestern Canada for the first round of the playoffs. Bill over at Abel to Yzerman touched on this the other day and suggested that he would like to see Detroit play Colorado in the first round.
Who would I rather play? Do you even have to ask?…My god, if Bertuzzi’s healthy against Denver? A series against the Dive is exactly what the Wings need in the first round to shake the trend.
So there are now two things we need to hope for: (1) The Wings need to secure the 1. (b) The Dive need to continue “never seeming to lose anymore.”
The Wings are in good shape to claim the #1 seed, although they passed up a chance to reclaim that spot last night. My preference would be to avoid the entire west cost/southwestern Canada part of North America and stick with a matchup in the nation’s heartland.
There are at least three teams that would be a good first-round matchup for Detroit: Minnesota, Dallas and Colorado. If Detroit finishes first overall there is a good shot they could play the Avs. Calgary has six game remaining on the road and they have been brutal away from Pengrowth. The Avs have a game in hand and are 6 points back. There is a decent shot they catch the Flames and overtake them for the final playoff spot.
The other option if Detroit doesn’t claim the #1 seed is to gain the #4 seed. Minnesota, San Jose and Dallas are all clustered within two points of one another and any of these teams could gain the #5 seed. Two of the three would be a good matchup for Detroit. Given how generous Detroit has been giving up the man advantage the Wings want nothing to do with San Jose.
So in an ideal world (from a Red Wings fan’s perspective) is for Colorado to claim the 8th spot and for either Minnesota or Dallas finish the season as the 5th seed. That would give the Wings the best matchup possible in the first round of the playoffs.
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