Red Wings expect Calgary’s Best Tonight
Tonight is pretty much do or die time for this series. If Calgary wins they are right back in the series, down 2-1 and a chance to tie the series up before heading back to the JLA. If the Wings win, however, the Flames would have a monumental hill to climb to claim the series. So Detroit knows what they are in store for in Game 3.
Ted Kulfan - Detroit News
…the Wings are expecting the Flames to come out as hard as they have the entire series the first game back on their home ice.
“These (two) games will be different,” goalie Dominik Hasek said. “They’re going to throw everything at us. We know they play very well at home, but we have a lot of confidence in this locker room.”
The Flames won 30 games at home this season (the Wings won 29 at Joe Louis Arena). “We expect them to come out with something to prove,” forward Dan Cleary said.
John Niyo of the Detroit News reports that the Flames are going to take the approach that any shot is a good shot in order to try and force Dominik Hasek to try and make more than the 15 saves he had in Game 2.
they’re looking for quantity first, figuring the quality will follow, just like it has for the Wings, whose 23 shots on goal in the first period Sunday were a record high for a Calgary playoff opponent. Conversely, the Flames’ paltry 15 shots in Game 2 tied a franchise playoff low.
…
“We’ve just got to start throwing everything at the net,” said Craig Conroy , who centers the Flames’ top line. “If it’s from the blue line, if it’s from the corner — doesn’t matter. We have to get a shoot-first mentality. Get shots going and go for rebounds — that’s what they’re doing.”
If that mantra sounds familiar it’s something Detroit said in playoff matchups against Calgary and Edmonton. As Wayne Gretzky once famously said “you’ll miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.
The Flames have averaged 3.5 goals for while playing at the Saddledome while allowing 2.2. The Flames will have the last change, which could help them to put their best foot forward to shut down the top line of Henrik Zetterberg - Pavel Datsyuk - Tomas Holmstrom. So once again it will provide a big boost for Detroit if the second line can get hot.
Keep an eye on Bruce MacLeod’s Red Wings Corner blog to find out if Bertuzzi will play tonight. The word amongst the various beat reporters is that the decision will be made after this morning’s skate. Bert could be the straw that stirs that line to becoming an offensive threat.
Detroit has struggled while playing in Alberta. So tonight will give them a chance to get on the right side of the ledger.
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