Wings Vanish on the Island, Dharma Initiative to be Questioned…

On By mpetrella

Rob is working on a post-game that I’m certain will be more complete than the following (or at least contain more references to furniture in the yard), but I thought I’d take three minutes and get a few thoughts off my chest. Read at your own risk – I can’t be held responsible for the depression you’re sure to feel.


TPL’S (brief) TAKE
The Islanders got started on time, and the Wings did not. 1:11 into the game, Islander We Covet Matt Moulson worked his butt off and got a stick on a pass from behind the net, directing into the net. It was a great play and a wonderful tap.

Darren Helm was hurt on the following shift after what looked like a knee to the ribs (which, apparently, is allowed now). But, remembering he was Darren Helm and had superhuman healing abilities, he didn’t miss a shift and probably just needed a second to get his wind back.

I have no opinion of the first Schremp goal. His second, however…

Brad Stuart must have thought it was still Game 7 of the Final with that vicious, ugly turnover. That goal made it 3-0 Islanders, and enough was enough. Mike Babcock must have heard the Osgood Fanboys screams between their sobs, as he switched goalies right around the halfway point of the game. Great to see Ozzie prepared, by the way, as he wasn’t in the walkway and didn’t show up for a few minutes.

For the record, I don’t think Howard could be blamed on any of the goals against, and the goalie switch was probably more of a shake-up for the whole squad than a commentary on Howard’s play. It’s a game he probably shouldn’t have started, but I don’t think fatigue was to blame for the outing.

On the fourth Islanders goal, Mark Streit had enough face-to-face time with Chris Osgood that they were probably having a conversation about the podcast before Osgood gave him enough daylight to sneak a train through his legs. Granted, the entire team was on the other side of the ice, but Chris Osgood will NEVER get that kind of time before a shot again.

Known thug Pavel Datsyuk was penalized after a shove that wouldn’t have knocked my fiancee over, but clearly destroyed supposed man Kyle Okposo. “That’s not Lady Byng-like,” the most annoying man on the planet, Billy Jaffe, quips.

Okposo must have recovered from the brutal Datsyuk nudge, as he scored on a wrist from beyond the faceoff circle to make it 5-0. How retarded is it that they play a Quagmyre sound bite after each Islanders goal? What is this, pee-wee? I kind of stopped paying close attention after five, but they scored again (making it three against each Red Wing goaltender).

Red Wing killer Dwayne Roloson played strong, but he didn’t face many shots. The Wings straight up didn’t feel like playing tonight, and hardly mustered any opportunities at all.

REVISITING THE PRE-GAME QUICK THOUGHTS
1. I don’t know if Jimmah was suffering from fatigue, as I suggested earlier, but he certainly wasn’t winning that game single-handedly like the Kings game.
2. Yup. The Wings play terrible against quote-unquote weaker teams, and better against good ones. The trend continued. The Islanders looked damn good from the jump, and apparently are playing much better hockey the last few weeks.
3. Helm’s torrid pace hit a bit of a speed bump, as the Wings walked away with nada.
4. I guess this means that JJ and I will have to take full responsibility for Zetterberg’s non-goal. Read the comments of the pre-game for more info.

What’s next?
Hurricanes Thursday. Let’s see how they do against that last place team…