Reaction from the blogosphere
Here are what Wings and Flames’ bloggers are saying about last night’s game…
Red Wings’ bloggers
Matt at On the Wings has a very extensive game recap up and you should definitely check it out.
One of the most encouraging things about the game was that the Wings were getting the majority of the breaks. That complemented their stellar play and is one of those indicators that things are going their way. The Lidstrom goal and the play that set up Pavel’s goal, in particular, were lucky bounces and lucky bounces are what teams that are going to go far into the playoffs need. Now, it was only Game 1 and the series could still go differently. I have to say that. However, I don’t see things going south. This is a new Red Wings team and I believe they have set out to prove that they are capable of playoff success.
Dave at Gorilla Crouch likes the effort he saw last night by the Wings:
The Red Wings played like a top 10 offense and won Game 1 of the playoff series against the Calgary Flames. The team scored two goals in the first and second periods and then held on for the win. The Flames’ physical play didn’t really affect Detroit until roughly midway through the third period when Detroit didn’t skate as hard as they had for much of the game. At that point they became easy targets and the Flames finished every check.
IwoCPO at Abel to Yzerman predicts that there will be a larger crowd at the Joe on Sunday and thought we finally saw a physical Detroit team:
Lots to prove over at least three more games. Game 1 didn’t win this series, but it sure as hell woke some people up. This wasn’t a fluke Kirk Maltby goal to escape with a victory you didn’t earn. This was eleven months of frustration exorcised in sixty minutes.
Gloveside’s Brennan looks at reactions from the Calgary bloggers:
I woke up this morning with a spring in my step, the thoughts of crocus’ and daffodils in my head, regardless of the tundra-like weather outside. The Wings took game one, and took it handily. They had a loud, resounding response to the media’s assertion that they were a soft, fancy-pantsing team about to beaten down by a rough and tumble group of Albertan good old boys. That response included Schneider’s early check on Lombardi, Datsyuk and Zetterberg jumping into a scrum to defend Homer, and Markov diving into a ten man scrum after Cleary tapped Kipper.
The Calgary bloggers, apparently as fickle as the Canadian MSM, have already so thoroughly taken apart the Flames, that I don’t think I need to say much about the shame of Alberta.
…
I suppose I could mention how much I enjoyed watching this “Tough†team throw a period long temper tantrum. Iginla’s “fire†looked more like a two year old wanting a cookie than a leader seeking a victory.
It’s only one game, and there could be six more, but if we wanted to come out of the gates strong, we succeeded.
Flames’ bloggers
Metrognome at Five Hole Fanatics wasn’t impressed with his team and wasn’t surprised with how they played last night:
Had last night’s game been the first example of shocking ineptitude, a wholly unique occurrence as compared to their typical performance, perhaps I could act stunned today. But that’s just not true. Sadly, Calgary pulled this same act all too frequently this season: the inability to execute elementary plays, the total absence of cohesion, of intelligence, of discipline.
Duncan at the Flames Blog was pissed about how poorly his team played. He also called the Flames’ coach Jimmy Canary Shirt, which cracked me up:
But screw the numbers. Watching the Flames play was just sickening. I don’t want to take anything away from the Red Wings, who came out fast, strong and consistent, just like a team in the playoffs should. But aside from the aforementioned fluourishes of brilliance from Datsyuk, Detroit didn’t do anything super-extra-special except oh, you know, skate, hit and make plays. All Flames were at most times flat footed, unwilling to take or give a check, unwilling to drop and block a shot (Langkow looked ridiculous trying to skate in front of Schneider on his goal), and making the cheap play with the puck every time.
HG at Double Dion said the team didn’t show up:
Has anyone seen the Flames?
BECAUSE THEY WERE
NOT IN DETROIT TONIGHT.The End.
Oh, what? That was them? I did see head dumbass coach Jimmy, looking nervous and confused behind the bench now that I think about it.
Steal Thunder at Completely Hammered wondered what would’ve happened had Kipper not been in net (I asked myself the same thing during that game):
Sure Detroit scored four goals, but its not like Miikka had a chance on any of them. The evil road Flames were out on full display tonight, missing checks and passes and pinching in too much. They couldn’t seem to get the puck out of their own zone, and when they did they would miss the next pass or would just dump the puck in a little too far. They couldn’t seem to clear out the front of the net, allowing way too many screened shots on Kipper, who repeatedly came up with huge saves on what appeared to be open nets…
Kyle at Real Deal Hockey agreed with his fellow Flames’ bloggers:
The Flames can’t argue it was bounces, even though there were a couple lucky ones that went Detroit’s way.
No, simply put, the Flames got brutally outplayed. MG, DD and Duncan have already covered it, but that game was just overall a terrible effort - to all the relatively new Detroit readers: we told you there were two Calgary teams, and you just got a taste of the version of the Flames that never learned to read. I’ll have more to say before next game.
Oh, and if any readers get some bad headlines, feel free to post them in the comments so we can all gaze upon the copy editor’s sheer laziness.
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