Mar 15 :: It was always burning since the world’s been turning
Anyone else think Billy Joel looks like Jean Reno?
WHAT’S ALL THIS THEN?
The Wings start the fire. 9:30 on a Monday. Doesn’t exactly have the same ring to it as nine o’clock on a Saturday.
H2H IMPLICATIONS
Each goal tonight is worth at least $20.90.
Matching TPL’s pledge of $2 per goal tonight are Drew from Nightmare on Helm Street, Rob from Etched in Cold, Jennbikegirl, Brad Boswell, SigSegFalt, and Sara from A Neuie Perspective. Mike Serven has pledged $5 per goal and my pops is dropping 10% of the grand total.
A win is worth at least $79.20.
Vicky Bash has pledged $26 per win, Mike Serven $19, Andy from Fight Night at the Joe $9, Beanie $5, Nurse Nitz $5, CaptNorris5 $5, Ben from Below the Crossbar $3. Plus the same 10%. Krononymous will donate an extra $5 for a shutout.
WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?
1. Holy balls, the Red Wings are in control of their destiny again. Just like last time they played the Flames.
2. There are a few days off between tonight’s game and Friday’s tilt against the Oilers, so everyone should go balls out.
3. Not only would a win tonight put some breathing room between 8th (Detroit) and 9th (Calgary), the two points would bridge the gap between 8th and 7th (Nashville). The Predators have played one more game than the Wings, but sit three points above them in the standings. And just for parallelism, “balls.”
NOW WHERE WERE WE?
Tonight’s game is a rematch of last Tuesday. That game was at the Joe, but the Flames won, taking over the final playoff spot – albeit momentarily. Final score was 4-2, including an empty netter. Datsyuk and Holmstrom were your goal scorers, and a paltry $67.32 was raised for the kids. But we were treated to some Latin hotness, which is TPL’s consolation prize to the universe.
OH, HI AGAIN / MEMBA ME?! / BEST NAME NOMINEE
Repetition is a sign of mental illness, and you said that only proves that I’m insane:
:: No former Wings.
:: Bertuzzi flamed out in Calgary after a single season (TREND!), Brad Stuart spent 27 games as a Flame, and assistant coach Brad McCrimmon was behind their bench for three years.
:: Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla.
THEIR LAST GAMES
–Detroit beat Buffalo 3-2, in overtime no less, on Saturday.
–Calgary lost to Vancouver, 3-1, last night.
RECORDS
–Detroit Red Wings :: 33-23-12 (3rd in Central, 8th in West) :: 14-13-7 on the road.
–Lanny MacDonald’s Mustache :: 34-25-9 (3rd in Northwest, 9th in West) :: 17-15-3 at home.
FLAMES SHOULD KNOW
Harry Truman :: Doris Day :: Red China :: Johnny Ray :: South Pacific :: Walter Winchell :: Joe DiMaggio :: Joe McCarthy :: Richard Nixon :: Studebaker :: Television :: North Korea :: South Korea :: Marilyn Monroe :: Rosenbergs :: H-Bomb :: Sugar Ray :: Panmunjon :: Brando :: The King and I :: The Catcher in the Rye
EXPECTED LINEUP
Since none of the beat writers bothered to wake up today, I’m going to assume that the lineup stays the same as the last couple games, although it will likely be announced that Ericsson is back in and Lebda is out as soon as I press Publish Post down there. So… wait for that.
Franzen — Datsyuk — Holmstrom
Filppula — Zetterberg — Cleary
Bertuzzi — Miller — Williams
Draper — Helm — Eaves
Lidstrom — Rafalski
Kronwall — Stuart
Lebda — Lilja
Howard (starts)
Osgood
Scratches
Jonathan “Nice White Dress and a Party On Your Confirmation” Ericsson
Injuries
Kirk “Makin’ Love to His Tonic and Gin” Maltby
Honorable Mentions
Chris “Go On and Cry in Your Coffee But Don’t Come Bitchin’ to Me” Osgood
Henrik “Sooner or Later, You’ll Get Your Second Wind” Zetterberg
Todd “I Just May Be the Lunatic You’re Looking For” Bertuzzi
Marian “Tradin’ in his Chevy for a Cadillac-ac-ac-ac-ac” Hossa
QUICK THOUGHTS
1. Seriously… don’t come out like the last Flames game.
2. Hey, Jimmy Howard, with the rebounds. Knock that shit off.
3. Fire lots of rubber at Mmiikkaa Kkiipprruussooff.
4. Perhaps tonight is a good game to start the next “Jarome Iginla hasn’t scored against the Wings in 19 games” thing.
5. Jiri Hudler’s season came to an end this weekend – as his team bowed out in the opening round of the KHL playoffs. Do you know how many times the Wings exited in the first round during your tenure in Detroit, Scuttles? NEVARRR!!!
WHAT WE LEARNED against the Sabres
Boom. Overtime.
FLAME WE COVET (JJ Special) SPECIAL VIDEO SELECTION
I love this post.
Love the nicknames. Meech's is poetic and a little sad and that's why it's my favorite.
I watched the Flames/Canucks game last night while in the GDT with the Canucks kids over at Nucks Misconduct and it was great. Vancouver really only played the first 20 minutes of the game and still killed the Flames. (Case in point: Vancouver scored 3 goals to get Kipper chased by the end of the first period and then didn't score any goals on TOSKALA in the final two periods.) Both of their goalies played last night so neither one is completely rested. We really have to take advantage of that and fire pucks on net early and often.
I have a good feeling about this but I'll reserve my optimism until after the game is played.
Damn you. Usually I'm not as familiar with the songs you pick, but now I'll have multiple songs running through my head all day.
If I go insane and run down the street screaming, I'll blame you. (And the Wings if they lose to the freaking Flames.)
TREND, you say? Let's hope so! 🙂
I'm working on 1.5 hours of sleep right now and my clients have basically spent the past 7 hours taking turns jamming their dicks in my ear. A jailsexed Monday if there ever was one. I needed this.