GDT: WCSF | Game 5 | Detroit Red Wings @ Chicago Blackhawks | 8:00 PM EST | NBC

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

Hawks were swarming everything & everyone. If there was a loose puck there would be one Hawk on it right away & then in instant there would be another their for support. They came ready to play & were willing to outwork us in every situation tonight. Hopefully the Wings come to game 6 ready to go, if we lose that I'm not liking our chances in game 7.

Oh and can we get the Abby of the past month back? I'm not a fan of typical 4th line, take all the penalties Abdelkader. He took 2 baaaad ones tonight & I think it helped sway the momentum in the game, hopefully the coaching staff told him to smarten up.

 

[8snake]

Let's be honest with ourselves here...the Hawks are unquestionably the superior team and Detroit needs to be near or at their absolute best to even look like they belong on the same ice as Chicago. Jimmy stole game 4 and tonite he was human. The Hawks speed is taking over this series, and Toews had several great.chances last game and wasn't going to be snakebitten all series. Game 6 is all about Jimmy. He needs to be great.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

I don't think it's that painful honestly. Chicago is a GOOD TEAM. Even if they're going down, they're going down fighting. Detroit is a good team too, though, and they'll see that on Monday.

If the Wings don't take it on Monday, then people can worry. I think Detroit is in charge of its own destiny until then.

 

[Cbdudek]

Let's be honest with ourselves here...the Hawks are unquestionably the superior team and Detroit needs to be near or at their absolute best to even look like they belong on the same ice as Chicago. Jimmy stole game 4 and tonite he was human. The Hawks speed is taking over this series, and Toews had several great.chances last game and wasn't going to be snakebitten all series. Game 6 is all about Jimmy. He needs to be great.

Game 6 is all about the Wings. They need to be great.

Game 4 was not just Jimmy, it was the defense playing a great game. It was the offense backchecking the heck out of the Hawks. It was the bounces the Wings got during the course of the game as well, but Game 4 was not just the Jimmy show. Jimmy did elevate his game, but the team around him elevated their games as well.

The Wings need to come forward with a big game as a whole and play a full 60+ minutes of hockey.

 

[TKB]

**** the refs. We flat out sucked; officials could have tried to give us this game and we would have choked on it.

This.This.This.

If anyone did not like the calls, be thankful that they came on a night when the Wings did nothing to deserve a win.

 

[Sadekuuro]

This feels like the series against the Sharks a couple years ago. Helm scores an empty net goal to send it to 7. They played game 7 lazy with no effort it seemed after coming off an exciting win.

They were just as lifeless early, but they eventually came to play. That was easily one of the most disappointing games I've ever watched though. Why bother staging an epic 0-3 comeback to force Game 7 if you're going to mail it in for half the game? But there's still time to regroup from this one. Just gotta bring it on Monday.

 

[Vladdy84]

You could maybe make a case for charging (took 5 strides from about 40 feet), but the hit itself is a good hard and clean.

55 has delivered plenty of punishment, and even if it was a charge, that was how you want your guy (if a Hawk) to react. A good hard hockey play, certainly not dirty. I would much rather see that then a fight.

Don't care about the charge or whatever. But thought the point of contact was from behind. I may be wrong though.

 

[Yemack]

They were just as lifeless early, but they eventually came to play. That was easily one of the most disappointing games I've ever watched though. Why bother staging an epic 0-3 comeback to force Game 7 if you're going to mail it in for half the game? But there's still time to regroup from this one. Just gotta bring it on Monday.

yeah I can't remember the last time Wings just flat out gave up like tonight. Though, Anaheim series game 1 comes to my mind.

what the hell was that? really a good message they sent out tonight

 

[SoupGuru]

We'll see what this team is made of now. I have a hunch the Wings close this out next game. They got reminded that no one is going to give them anything, they need to earn every inch of ice.

 

[irishock]

Imo Corey Crawford is a better goalie than Jonas Hitler..

 

[Claypool]

Kronwall injured?

 

[SoupGuru]

Kronwall injured?

Yeah, I think he's going to sit out a couple of games. We'll see. Wasn't DeKeyser on the verge of returning?

 

[JmanWingsFan]

Yeah, I think he's going to sit out a couple of games. We'll see. Wasn't DeKeyser on the verge of returning?

He came out for a couple of more shifts after that hit.

 

[Sentinel]

I said before, and I'll say it again: Smith sucks.

 

[Claypool]

I said before, and I'll say it again: Smith sucks.

He needs at least one full season in the NHL before they should give up on him. They spent too much time and money developing him. Kindl took a long time, too.

 

[TKB]

Yeah, I think he's going to sit out a couple of games. We'll see. Wasn't DeKeyser on the verge of returning?

I would be shocked if 55 does not play on Monday.

Looks like a shoulder, not unlike what Cleary seemed to be dealing with in the Duck's series. I am sure it is painful enough to keep a civilian out of work for a few days, but if he did not leave the bench for treatment...my money says he is in there on Monday...

 

[KJoe88]

I would be shocked if 55 does not play on Monday.

Looks like a shoulder, not unlike what Cleary seemed to be dealing with in the Duck's series. I am sure it is painful enough to keep a civilian out of work for a few days, but if he did not leave the bench for treatment...my money says he is in there on Monday...

We need him. Obviously Lashoff will play instead if Kronwall sits.

 

[Sentinel]

Honestly, I don't see why everyone is so surprised. We played pretty much exactly the same way as in the entire series. Howard was spectacular, a handful of players -- decent, and the D -- atrocious. The only thing that changed was that Hawks raised their intensity. When that happens and our D keeps committing turnovers, we are doomed. I still hate Abdelkator on the first line, but remember: he always took bad penalties. Giving Nyquist ten or so minutes of IT is criminal. Playing Smith and Q on PK is criminal. I don't know who is supposed to be teaching out players how to play in their own zone, but I suspect it's coach's job.

To sum up: I'm not surprised.

 

[detgirl13]

They played really, really badly from the start. Chicago isn't a team that's gonna go down without fighting, that's for sure. They have to take it in game 6 or else I think they will have lost the series for good.

Although it's not an excuse, I think the refs gave Chicago a lot of favourable calls.

 

[FlashyG]

You today

I don't know who is supposed to be teaching out players how to play in their own zone, but I suspect it's coach's job.

You a couple days ago

Red Wings are terrific in their own zone, when without the puck. Their man coverage and stickwork is stellar. Notice how Hawks could not even set up their PP: all because of Wings speed, backchecking, and positioning.

Unless you're exclusively talking about their play with the puck, in which case you should be more specific.

We're up 3 games to 2 on the best team in the league, lets just see how things go before we start getting all dramatic.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

I said before, and I'll say it again: Smith sucks.

Any reasons why he sucks? Him driving the net was 1 of the reasons we got our only goal. He had a rough game 1 but since then he's been our 3rd best Dman.

 

[Sadekuuro]

Honestly, I don't see why everyone is so surprised. We played pretty much exactly the same way as in the entire series.

Yeah, no we didn't.

 

[Sentinel]

You a couple days ago



Unless you're exclusively talking about their play with the puck, in which case you should be more specific.

We're up 3 games to 2 on the best team in the league, lets just see how things go before we start getting all dramatic.

Nice cherry-picking. Then I said:

But as soon as they get the puck, it's like they forget how to skate, pass, or stickhandle. I've never seen a winning team turn the puck over so much. We are exceptionally lucky Chicago can't capitalize at all. Wings really need to work on puck possession in their own zone.

All that didn't change at all. The play in our zone hasn't become better or worse. It's just that Chicago capitalized a few times.

Any reasons why he sucks? Him driving the net was 1 of the reasons we got our only goal. He had a rough game 1 but since then he's been our 3rd best Dman.

I don't know what game were you watching but he turns the puck over EVERY TIME he is on the ice. He was on ice for the last two goals. He absolutely sucks in his own end, and letting him kill penalties is absolutely criminal.

 

[PelagicJoe]

The visiting team has to put their line on the ice first, then the home team can get the match-up it likes.

At home we've been matching Zetterberg up against Toews line, in Chicago the Hawks are getting Toews out vs Datsyuk's line.

Thanks.

 

[nik jr]

reaction here to this game is surprising to me, other than to the lack of effort in later part of the game.

imo, difference in this series has been chicago's level of play. chicago played below their usual level in games 2, 3, 4, but played well today. they were not aggressive enough previously. game 1 was as much about DRW's d-men playing like AHLers. chicago were flat in 1st period of game 1, though.

if chicago forechecks well and uses their advantage in speed, they can win this series, since they are a better team.

chicago also looked subpar for big parts of their series vs minnesota. pittsburgh often looked like that vs NYI.

OTOH, STL and LAK were almost always playing very hard.




i didn't like that babcock used regular lines as PP's. nyquist is probably the 3rd most creative player on the team, but got only 4 seconds on PP. cleary had about 1 minute more on PP than datsyuk and franzen.


i wonder when it will become common for players who lose their sticks on PK to go get a new one. chicago probably would not have scored if datsyuk had gone to the bench.