GDT 12/08 GDT : Red Wings at Washington Capitals, 7:30 ET

[Jacksoni 418]

I agree, Howard doesn't perform up to his salary in shootout situations. Gotta fix that to par at least or simply shove him down to a backup position.

I'll gladly take the lone point though, we did a good job overall against a good team in their arena.

Larkin still looking damn good. Probably a little sore from Ovechkin's hit but he'll be fine after sleeping it out.

[Wheelchairsuperhero 1,453]

Good game with 2 good teams. Unfortunately the refs were awful and it had an impact on the game. I'm not blaming the refs but they didn't help.

Howard stunk in the shootout. I knew he'd let in a 5 whole goal. Back to mrazek Thursday please.

Blash Needs to give pav something to work with! Helm SUCKS. He honestly gives away the puck in the offensive zone every chance he gets. He belongs on the 4th line or 3rd line if blash plays pav and hank together. But fact is pav needs something to work with.

His ability to allow five hole goals is astounding. Did you catch the post game interview with Oshie? He said he wasn't even planning on shooting five hole but "saw something there."

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

I love how Howard helps get the team a point but the focus is that he didn't get the extra point because he is bad at a gimmick.

Also, keep in mind that Mrazek hasn't exactly lit up the sky recently (two games in a row with a sub-.900 save percentage), so I don't understand why people are so excited to go right back to him. He should have a bounce-back game, but I also thought he was going to have a bounce-back game against Nashville.

[wings_fanatic 677]

I love how Howard helps get the team a point but the focus is that he didn't get the extra point because he is bad at a gimmick.

Also, keep in mind that Mrazek hasn't exactly lit up the sky recently (two games in a row with a sub-.900 save percentage), so I don't understand why people are so excited to go right back to him. He should have a bounce-back game, but I also thought he was going to have a bounce-back game against Nashville.

He won. And while he didn't play his best he made some late saves. Remember that ot save and then play went the other way and we won. Mrazek is clutch. Jimmy isn't. Mrazek better play against the Habs.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

He won. And while he didn't play his best he made some late saves. Remember that ot save and then play went the other way and we won. Mrazek is clutch. Jimmy isn't. Mrazek better play against the Habs.

As yes, the Gustavsson principle.

Are you saying last night Mrazek would have let in 4 goals but his clutchness and intangibles would have willed the Wings offense to score more on the few shots they took?

[kickazz 5,459]

He won. And while he didn't play his best he made some late saves. Remember that ot save and then play went the other way and we won. Mrazek is clutch. Jimmy isn't. Mrazek better play against the Habs.

Not a Jimmy fan myself but this is a weak argument. Mrazek HAS sucked the last two games and I'd say he's lucky we scored in OT in the Nashville game.

Jimmy on the other hand was screwed by his team who had a damn 4 on 3 PP and blew it. Because aside from all the criticism we like to give him, he had close to 40 saves last night.

[NitzGuy 38]

Not a Jimmy fan myself but this is a weak argument. Mrazek HAS sucked the last two games and I'd say he's lucky we scored in OT in the Nashville game.

Jimmy on the other hand was screwed by his team who had a damn 4 on 3 PP and blew it. Because aside from all the criticism we like to give him, he had close to 40 saves last night.

yea .95 save percentage. If we don't win a game on those numbers it wasn't the goalie's fault.

I think I hate watching the shootout more even though I'm seeing less of it.

[wings_fanatic 677]

As yes, the Gustavsson principle.

Are you saying last night Mrazek would have let in 4 goals but his clutchness and intangibles would have willed the Wings offense to score more on the few shots they took?

Perhaps you are forgetting the first 2 games mrazek played against the caps. He plays very well against them and should have played. The team plays better in front of mrazek and a big reason for that is because of his ability to handle the puck and they just have more confidence in him (in the shootout as well). So yes the team probably would have gotten more shots on net.

I don't care how well Howard played, he didn't win. He has an ability to find ways to not win. He gets paid 5 million dollars to leave his legs wide open in the shootout every single time. Maybe he should practice that while mrazek starts to get more starts.

[kickazz 5,459]

I don't care how well Howard played, he didn't win. He has an ability to find ways to not win. He gets paid 5 million dollars to leave his legs wide open in the shootout every single time. Maybe he should practice that while mrazek starts to get more starts.

Mrazek's has only one more win than Jimmy does. He also happens to have one more loss than Jimmy does. So the whole "one can win so he is better" argument goes out the window as of now.

Sigh.. now I'm starting to defend Howard. Again.

Let's just say that Jimmy is terrible in the S/O. And his contract isn't worth it if we're getting a similar performance from his "backup".

Edited December 9, 2015 by kickazz

[wings_fanatic 677]

Mrazek's has only one more win than Jimmy does. He also happens to have one more loss than Jimmy does. So the whole "one can win so he is better" argument goes out the window as of now.

Sigh.. now I'm starting to defend Howard. Again.

Let's just say that Jimmy is terrible in the S/O. And his contract isn't worth it if we're getting a similar performance from his "backup".

Let's just agree that jimmy will never be a big time goalie. Since he took over for ozzie I have never felt that he could ever take our team all the way. Even with lidstrom and Rafi jimmy couldn't get us past the 2nd round. Jimmy is average and way over priced. With mrazek I think most of us agree we feel he can lead this team to new highs in the playoffs. He needs to start getting more starts and we should package jimmy up while he has value.

[barabbas16 499]

I love how Howard helps get the team a point but the focus is that he didn't get the extra point because he is bad at a gimmick.

Also, keep in mind that Mrazek hasn't exactly lit up the sky recently (two games in a row with a sub-.900 save percentage), so I don't understand why people are so excited to go right back to him. He should have a bounce-back game, but I also thought he was going to have a bounce-back game against Nashville.

You're on the wrong forum if you don't want to trash Howard at every opportunity and love Mrazek unconditionally. Get with the program. Mrazek gooood! Howard baaaad!

[e_prime 1,936]

You're on the wrong forum if you don't want to trash Howard at every opportunity and love Mrazek unconditionally. Get with the program. Mrazek gooood! Howard baaaad!

Give him a break. Doc hasn't been around for a bit. He's gotta get re-acclimated with current protocols.

[kylee 727]

I can't stand how Ken Daniels and others refer to games that go to OT/Shoot Out as an "extra point." This isn't football. The Wings blew a lead and gave away a point, is more like it.

[GMRwings1983 8,802]

Give him a break. Doc hasn't been around for a bit. He's gotta get re-acclimated with current protocols.

Traitor probably went to hfboards instead.

[SDavis35 140]

Perhaps you are forgetting the first 2 games mrazek played against the caps. He plays very well against them and should have played. The team plays better in front of mrazek and a big reason for that is because of his ability to handle the puck and they just have more confidence in him (in the shootout as well). So yes the team probably would have gotten more shots on net.

I don't care how well Howard played, he didn't win. He has an ability to find ways to not win. He gets paid 5 million dollars to leave his legs wide open in the shootout every single time. Maybe he should practice that while mrazek starts to get more starts.

Getting a win is a team thing, it's not solely the goaltender's fault. Howard allowed 2 goals, that should be enough to win most games in this league. Both our goalies are playing well, Mrazek has faced far more shots on average and as a result has a worse GAA overall. Mrazek is certainly the future but he and Howard are on par with each other at this point in time, at least the way I see it.

[kickazz 5,459]

Let's just agree that jimmy will never be a big time goalie. Since he took over for ozzie I have never felt that he could ever take our team all the way. Even with lidstrom and Rafi jimmy couldn't get us past the 2nd round. Jimmy is average and way over priced. With mrazek I think most of us agree we feel he can lead this team to new highs in the playoffs. He needs to start getting more starts and we should package jimmy up while he has value.

Yah I agree that Jimmy was a downgrade from Ozzie 08/09 years. And it took him a while to play legit in the playoffs (2013 playoffs probably being his good one). Mrazek has a high potential and at this young age is already playing at a very good level.

[brett 1,029]

Horribly officiated game

Refs continuously gave the caps a chance to get back in the game

I do feel like mrazek would've gave us a better chance to get another point in the shootout but it Shouldn't have even gone to a shoot out had a pp in ot that should've ended it. Not like either our guys scored in the shootout anyway.

Nonetheless the wings got outplayed most the game. They could've stole it if the refs weren't so lopsided. Just really annoying how one sided the refs were.

[joesuffP 1,746]

Anybody else think that Dekeseyer has been really bad? The play where Ovechkin blew by him was an easy break up but he was just so timid, then Green had to cover for him and take a penalty which resulted in the game tieing goal. I think him and kronwall have been our worst defensemen for the majority of the year which is not good since Holland will be handing DD a huge contract. People complain about E being weak, I just don't get. I hope DD could be half as physical as E and I really hope he concentrates on filling out his awkward Bambi like body

[Sockman 1]

Datsyuk may as well start drinking if Blashill plans to keep playing him with Helm and Richards

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Abdlekader

TSN line

Larkin - Richards - Jurco

Helm - Glendenning - Andersson

[joesuffP 1,746]

Indeed DD has been inconsistent, and is guilty along with many of his teammates making blind passes, or not reading the play, and getting caught (again - seems as though there's more odd man rushes when compared to previous seasons).

Maybe Babs influence on guys like DD was underestimated?

Caps were getting odd man rushes at will last night. Idk if it's because they are really good or our guys were overzealous trying to jump into the play. We we're able to contain them once they tried to cycle but they we're flying up ice with ease. Complete opposite for us. Once we established control offensively we gave them a lot of trouble but coming up ice was a struggle and our fire check wasn't great

[joesuffP 1,746]

Dats line needs more speed. Helm is a very fast skater but he's not as quick a stop and go skater as Nyquist or Larkin. He's great to hit with the outlet but not as effective jumping on loose pucks or beating defenders. This team is one high end winger from being one of the better teams in the league. We don't have a back end like the Caps or Predators but our forwards are close to being one of deepest groups in the NHL

[Sockman 1]

Dats line needs more speed. Helm is a very fast skater but he's not as quick a stop and go skater as Nyquist or Larkin. He's great to hit with the outlet but not as effective jumping on loose pucks or beating defenders. This team is one high end winger from being one of the better teams in the league. We don't have a back end like the Caps or Predators but our forwards are close to being one of deepest groups in the NHL

Isn't Semin on waivers?

[kickazz 5,459]

http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2015/12/8/9872810/alex-semin-clears-waivers-because-your-teams-gm-is-a-dumbass

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Traitor probably went to hfboards instead.

Good guess.

[Sockman 1]

Lots of talent, but little heart or desire.

.

For sure. I was 100% joking about that one.