Jan 27 :: That’s Not Lake Minnetonka
No Sign of Brain.
Before getting started, it’s worth mentioning that Johan Franzen has been cleared to play. He’ll need some conditioning, but all signs point to him being two weeks out.
WHAT’S ALL THIS THEN?
The Red Wings are back on the road, this time visiting Minnesota. Puck drops at 8pm Eastern, which is relevant because I missed the first twelve minutes of yesterday’s game, incorrectly assuming that Versus could adapt to the Joe’s long-standing tradition of starting games at 7:37. Way to go, assholes!
WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?
1. Detroit is coming off of their most disappointing loss (which occurred when they found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of certain victory). How will they rebound?
2. Chris Osgood starts. Because why wait allll the way until overtime to be disappointed? Okay, calm down, children. It was a joke. In all seriousness, it’s a move that had to be made to avoid Howard exhaustion and to prove Babcock learned from the error of playing the same ‘tender in both games the last back-to-back set.
NOW WHERE WERE WE?
The Wings and Wild played a few days ago – January 21st. The Wings were eight-round shootout winners, 4-3, and propelled themselves (momentarily) into the 7th seed in the West. They currently find themselves in the 8th spot, so (stop me if you’ve heard this before) this is a good opportunity to solidify that standing.
OH, HI AGAIN / MEMBA ME?! / BEST NAME NOMINEE
We just did this, so here’s a reminder: there are no former Wings in St. Paul, and there are no former Wildren in Detroit. The BNN is Cal Clutterbuck. Obvi.
THEIR LAST GAMES
–I don’t want to talk about it.
–While Detroit is playing their NINTH set of back-to-backs this season, Minnesota should be fairly rested, since they haven’t played since SATURDAY (a 4-2 win against Columbus). Must be nice to, ya know, rest.
RECORDS
–Detroit Red Wings :: 25-18-9 (3rd in Central, 8th in West) :: 11-10-5 on the road.
–Minnesota State-Mankato :: 25-23-4 (4th in Northwest, 12th in West). 17-6-2 at home.
WILDREN YOU SHOULD KNOW
Mikko Koivu :: Guillaume Latendresse :: Owen “Picks His Corners” Nolan :: Brent Burns :: Bear Grylls :: Niklas Backstrom
EXPECTED LINEUP
Zetterberg — Datsyuk — Cleary
Miller — Filppula — Bertuzzi
Draper — Helm — Eaves
May — Abdelkader — Maltby
Lidstrom — Rafalski
Meech — Stuart
Kronwall — Ericsson
Kronwall — Ericsson
Osgood (starting)
Howard
Howard
Scratch
Brett “I Ain’t Like Those Other Guys You Hang Around” Lebda
Ville “Party Over Oops Out of Time” Leino
Injuries
Andreas “If We Can’t Make Babies, Maybe We Can Make Some Time” Lilja
Johan “It Means Forever And That’s a Mighty Long Time” Franzen
Jason “This Is What It Sounds Like When Doves Cry” Williams
Tomas “People Call Me Rude, I Wish We Were All Nude” Holmstrom (that’s for you, Nat)
Honorable Mention
Brad “I Never Seen a Pretty Girl Look So Tough” May
Derek “The Kind You Find at a Second Hand Store” Meech
Honorable Mention
Brad “I Never Seen a Pretty Girl Look So Tough” May
Derek “The Kind You Find at a Second Hand Store” Meech
QUICK THOUGHTS
1. Chris Osgood needs to play well enough to back up his mouth. Get it? Back up?
2. After throwing the smokescreen up that he might rest Kronwall after one game back, Babcock backed off when he realized that it meant Derek Meech AND Brett Lebda would go back into the lineup. Hoping Kronwall delivers more of the goods in his second game back.
3. After an heroic effort from Nick Lidstrom last night, who will step up today after completely letting the captain down?
4. Patrick Eaves. That is all.
5. The Bertuzzi Goal Countdown is sitting pretty at five right now. Five more goals and the TPL banner is changed for the rest of the season. This would be a great time to continue a goalless skid (for him, not the team). Also, doesn’t he want to hear the Bertuzzi Song from Andy? Come on, Todd.
3. After an heroic effort from Nick Lidstrom last night, who will step up today after completely letting the captain down?
4. Patrick Eaves. That is all.
5. The Bertuzzi Goal Countdown is sitting pretty at five right now. Five more goals and the TPL banner is changed for the rest of the season. This would be a great time to continue a goalless skid (for him, not the team). Also, doesn’t he want to hear the Bertuzzi Song from Andy? Come on, Todd.
WHAT WE LEARNED vs. the Coyotes
I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU
WILD WE COVET (JJ Special)
On the good side of things, 58 minutes is the longest they've held on the last couple of weeks. So 60 should be close.
Ville "Party Over Oops Out of Time" Leino
God. I never knew Prince could be so apropos to hockey.
Also, Brian and I enjoy making fun of Cal Clutterbuck's name because it sounds so effortlessly hick-ish. We'd always pegged Mason Raymond as the owner of the most hillbilly name in hockey, but Clutterbuck is right up there with him. (A close derivative, Clatterbuck, is a popular surname 'round these parts.)
Clutterbuck is a cool name. I usually just call him Clusterfuck
Man, I hope you're talking about one of the monsters and not the runaway nine-year old boy as the one you covet 😉
Cal Clusterfuck and Cal Buttercluck are just two of the many, many things you can do to that man's name. No wonder he grew up a goon.
Last week when we played the Wild, I listened to the first period on XM radio on the way home from work. (Games start two hours earlier here, so that happens a lot.) They only have the home team broadcasts during the regular season, so enemy broadcast it was.
At one point, everyone's favorite, Clutterbuck, took a penalty. The play-by-play guys actually said "Well, you have to expect that when you lead the league in hits, you will get a little bit of extra scrutiny from the referees!"
And I thought, really? Is that why he gets the scrutiny? It's not because, as J.J. points out, he has a reputation as a goon? No, of course, I'm sure that couldn't be it.
And Ville "Party Over Oops Out of Time" Leino has to be one of my favorite nicknames ever.
Does "rest of the season" include the playoffs? If so, it'd be a shame if Bert waited until the 82nd game of the season to get his 20th.
@Andy — for the last fifteen years, 58 minutes HAS been enough for the Wings. It can be construed as a good thing that they have to play the whole night now. Assuming they learn.
@Nat — I expect a full TSO post dedicated to the All-Hillbilly NHL.
@JJ — TPL is no place for kids. FACT.
@Jenn — thank you! I tried to pick my favorite Prince lines, but that one was just to perfect to pass up.
@Gander — shhhhhhhhhhhhhh! We didn't talk about that….
OK….I have to know…Did you intend to use a line from a relatively obscure Rick Springfield song in the 'what's the big deal' section?? If so, kudo's, if not…thanks anyway! And speaking of 80's music, I intend to comment on your other post re: NKOTB
My last thoughts, but still in the Prince vein…Mike B has to give the team a speech similiar to the one that Morris Day gave to his girl's during a frustrating rehersal: Mike: you ladies don't seem to realize how valuable my time is. You're going to make my boys look bad!
Bert: Why don't you let us come up with some of the plays?
[Nick shakes his head violently)Tried that memba..You're in the best possible place you can be in, what's the matter??? your skates on too tight or something??
Mike: Let's have some action. I want some asses wigglin….I want some perfection!!
@Mom — I actually have no idea which Rick Springfield song you're referring to, so I'm gonna plead ignorance.
BUT! Excellent EXCELLENT Purple Rain reference! I'd give just about anything to hear Babbles say "I wanna see some asses wigglin'"