Wings vs. Flyers - V is for Victory

(Update 3/18 11:53 AM -- can't believe I forgot our trademark soccer-style scoreboard at the top. Here:

Red Wings 3-2 Flyers

Also, I mentioned in the final analysis that the second goal Ozzie gave up was "somewhat soft", but I meant the first one. And even then, it was kind of a breakaway. Perhaps I shouldn't wait 12 hours to proofread shit I post on the internet.

Alright, the Earth can continue rotating now.)


1st Period

• 20:00 ... We are watching this game with anticipation -- or paranoia -- of Versus switching to the Devils game at some point tonight as Marty Brodeur closes in on Patricia's record. And it's St. Patrick's Day .... weird. At this very moment, New Jersey has a 2-0 1st period lead on the Hawks, so the switch is a distinct possibility.

• 15:53 ... The Kop/Pav/Mule line excels in the Flyers end and draws a PP. How this line does tonight will be interesting. Scott Hartnell has a Jheri curl.
  

• 13:32 ... Another whistle in the Flyers zone leads to a skirmish, and a penalty. It appeared at first that the Wings were going shorthanded, but then Sammy came out of the box and then a Flyer went to the box ... I don't remember ever seeing that. Then Philly takes another penalty to make it a 5-on-3. Hartnell's insightful pregame strategy is not working for some reason.

• 11:25 ... Wings pile on the shots (9 to 1 right now) but don't convert. Hossa takes the NHL's Obligatory Make-up Call ™ to put the Wings on their first PK. The only Red Wing with more penalty minutes than Hossa (57 PIM) this year is Lilja (66 PIM).
  

• 3:26 ... And of course, it's Scott Hartnell who opens the scoring. Awesome. He beats Hoss into space behind everyone, catches a nice pass from Braydon Coburn and makes your score Red Wings 0-1 Flyers.

• 2:22 ... Versus shows us a clip of the last time the Flyers beat the Wings in Detroit in 1988. The footage looked more like it was 1928 ... the ice looked like milk at the end of a cereal bowl that had been left out for three days.
  

::::::::::
INTERMISSION

The Wings outshoot Philly 19-8, Philly racks up 10 minutes of penalties, and it's a 1-0 Detroit deficit. An interview with Patrick Roy is on ... I'd rather tie a cinder block to my balls and heave it off the balcony than watch this.
::::::::::

2nd Period

• 17:34 ... Sammy had literally two whole seconds by himself to shoot the puck -- and he aims for Martin Biron's stomach. Unreal. I know that he has to be at least 8,000 times better at hockey than I am ... I know that even the worst player in the league would still make my ability look like that of an aborted fetus by comparison ... but I still can't help but think that even I could follow through with my shot and at least hit something else aside from the midsection of the goalie.

• 15:32 ... The Wings D gets caught pinching once again. Kron leaves Stu all alone, and Joffrey Lupol rips a nice shot over Ozzie's glove on a 2-on-1. That's the opposite of what Sam just did. GrrrraaaaAAAAAaaaahhh that's annoying. Red Wings 0-2 Flyers. (Also, great job by Versus, zooming in on Jeff Carter on that odd man rush so we couldn't see the play develop. Great job.)
  

• 11:40 ... Mike Richards was so alone on a scoring chance that he probably would've felt comfortable if chose to stop and masturbate. Luckily it was a rolling puck and the deficit is still only two goals.
  

• 4:58 ... Nothing doing. At this point I'm hoping they just do the Brodeur switch now so there's something halfway positive to watch.
  

• 2:33 ... Finally the Wings get on the board as Pav makes a little hitch move and the blue line, nearly makes a Flyer fall down in the process, and finishes it off with a nifty wrister. He's at the height of his powers. Red Wings 1-2 Flyers.
  

::::::::::
INTERMISSION

Rafalski gets questioned about the Brodeur thing, while in the middle of a Wings/Flyers game. Raf says something other than "I don't give a fuck about that at the moment," which makes him a classy dude.

Versus cuts to a live look of the New Jersey game. Devils 3-2 Blackhawks with 1:30 to play...

... and Brodeur finishes the deed. Roy's record is no more. Hey Marty, way to go and shit.
::::::::::

3rd Period

• 16:24 ... We now resume with the Wings/Flyers game without any major overlap.
  

• 11:13 ... Ozzie bails out the Wing skaters again with a poke check on a Danny Briere break in.
  

• 10:13 ... The Mule is fucking bank. And Pav is floating in another orbit right now, just incomparable in terms of how in-the-zone he is. Tie game, Red Wings 2-2 Flyers.

• 8:41 ... Hank the Tank. Lays a hit and then busts up into the play, and scores his 29th of the year. And Jonny E gets the assist. Hit the Shanny music, bitches, Wings have the lead: Red Wings 3-2 Flyers.

• 1:05 ... Flyers pull Biron. Kimo Timonen makes a ridiculous save on Hossa that would've iced it.

• 0:00 ... After an icing and defensive zone faceoff, the Wings hold the Flyers at bay and win in come-from-behind fashion.
  

Final

• The win wasn't without flaws. The Wings pinned them in deep a few times and then couldn't get back on the Philly breakout, leading to scoring chances.
  

• The common thinking tends to be, "we dominate, then the (fill in team here) catches a break and takes advantage of a Detroit mistake." I'm starting to think that it's a form of false domination. If you're the opposition, you know the Wings are going to take some chances. So why not sit back, play smart, and wait for them to get too aggressive? That sort of gameplan directly led to Flyers goals in this game ...
  

• ... but then you think about how the other team can't sustain that type of pressure for an entire game. When they can't handle it, they crack, and you see third periods like this one. It's a double edged sword I guess.
  

• Philly stood tall in the slot and kept the Wings from second and third chances early on. But Datsyuk almost single-handedly pulled the Wings back into the game. He created the first two goals practically by himself.
  

• Pav and Franzen look good together. Well, Pav and just about anybody look good together, but that's exactly why it would be most beneficial for the Mule's career if he stays in Detroit, at whatever cost.
  

• Random remaining thoughts: Hank was a monster in all three zones ... Ozzie didn't have to be that good, and the 2nd Flyer goal may have been somewhat soft, but he was still serviceable ... Jiri seemed completely invisible ... In his top line showcase, Kopy was the only minus player for Detroit ... Ericsson is tall ... Hossa didn't have one of his better games ... and finally (keep in mind my hockey-watching career is from like 1993-ish to now) I'm starting to entertain the thought of where Datsyuk's season will rank on the best seasons from a Wing I've ever seen.