My blog lives a sort of double existence as I have a “Twitter audience,” which is 9,000 strong, and a blog audience which is not quite as big. I find it interesting that the two groups of TMR followers can be discussing two completely different things.
This evening, the Twitter folks who follow @georgemalik are still pissed off about the way that the Red Wings’ 2-1 OT loss to Arizona last night ended:
Now there are a dozen reasons why this goal didn’t have to count as the gamer, from the lazy Michael Rasmussen icing that cost the Wings the game-tying goal from Ryan Dzingel at 13:31 of the 3rd to the Red Wings’ lack of killer instinct in the 3rd period, where the Wings went from out-shooting Arizona 16-6 in the 2nd period to being out-shot 13-10…
But Red Wings captain was pretty pissed off after the game, mostly with Jakub Chychrun being allowed to whack the puck out of Alex Nedeljkovic’s glove, as he told Bally Sports Detroit:
Ultimately, two penalties were committed on the play: Chychrun hacked the puck out of Nedeljkovic’s glove, and, when Phil Kessel pitchforked Nedeljkovic in his crease, Kessel prevented Nedeljkovic from getting back from the lip of his crease into said crease to stop Clayton Keller from scoring.
But the goal counted after an NHL “war room” review, and that’s an indictment of two things:
- The NHL, for no longer protecting goaltenders;
- And the Red Wings, for not possessing the killer instinct to score that necessary 2-0 or 2-1 goal that would have provided Detroit with a 3rd period cushion.
One way or another, the game is over, and the Coyotes won it. That’s the biggest issue to be rectified–the result–and the process by which one rectifies that is by what the Red Wings can do–move forward as they come home, practice, and prepare for a two-game week by sharpening their all-round games.
Detroit needs to both score goals and surrender fewer goals against, and both issues were on full display last night. That’s the Red Wings’ problem to solve, through practice and playing better vs. St. Louis on Wednesday and Buffalo on Saturday.
This different treatment has been around for years at all levels. Young son (goalie) smacked a much bigger player with his blocker, worked but suspended 10 Games, BS.
He pulled the puck out of the goal and tried (lol) to shoot it down the ice. It barely got to center ice and stayed on the ice. Referee was standing somewhere around were the puck stopped. Sask Minor hockey suspended him for 5 games during the playoffs. Ref thought he was in the NHL, I let him know he couldn’t even understand NHL games on TV, something about being a piss ant, a few other things… 10 yr old.
Arizona still needs every break given to them to stay in Gary’s League. Points in the NHL are not easy to come by. At the end of the season 1 point or more could cost a draft position, playoff spot, etc.
Being pissed of lets out some frustrations but nothing will change. Slashing any players equipment IS A PENALTY.
A broken hand for a good goalie or any player will continue to be ignored in different situations. Hockey Politics.
Now you have me commenting on Kessel wayyyyyyy back whennnnn as a Junior in the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. I think the game was USA vs ???. Anyway the crowds can be very nasty. They were joyfully chanting for someone to take out his only jewel he had left.
It was odd that everyone knew he was missing a ball and he was not liked very much even back then. Vancouver has a different fan base from pointing out a part of his anatomy missing to trying to break and burn downtown Vancouver.
Back to the Wings, Blashill got the D he wanted but now a lack of scoring. I think a young team will keep the fans guessing until they grow up together. In an odd way, I don’t mind, as the playoffs are not showing up yet in my crystal ball.
There I go, talking about Kessel missing one of his crystal balls.
Now if I was Ned , payback will come down the road, against a Coyote.