Last night when the Wings won they displayed the fighting attitude of Joe Louis. When the Mathieu Schneider goal was scored it was the left hook that the team needed on the road. When Robert Lang tied the score it was the extra jab that Red Wings needed to set up the knock out punch, the series is back at the Joe Louis Arena. Tomas Holmstrom delivered the first big blow the the nose of the Sharks before the second intermission. To leave the fans fearing the Red Wings flight rather than the jaws of the teal Shark.
Todd Bertuzzi and Dan Cleary have been important at times. Last night Chris Chelios was the player who won the fights. IN every push on Joe Thornton and poke check on the puck he kept the Sharks away from the blue crease. Todd Bertuzzi need to ramp up his play and Dan Cleary needs to keep doing what he has been doing. And the Wings in game six on the road need a game that the Sharks will not expect a winning punch the San Jose will not see hitting them.
A confident Dominik Hasek is a key to this. Confident in his style and confident that he will dominate the Sharks and the series. Not being intimidated by the Sharks as I have seen Hasek allowing the Sharks to do. For example the jitters and shaky play in the first two games and in game 4 in the first period. Ken Holland signed Hasek for the domination goalkeeping. Dominate the Wings net and the puck. We believe! The Wings will land the Joe Louis string of punches that will end the fight in a stellar series that was hard fought to the last second in the last game of the series.
When the Sharks come up this type of Red Wings team (a must on the road in this series and the following ones) the opponents will find them selves only when it is to late to recognize it, on the canvas staring at the fingers counting for them to get up. When the count is over the series will be over in Detroit or in the shark infested San Jose? It is up to the Red Wings to decide when and where. I am not in charge of that only this opinion.
Doesn't matter which team you're rooting for. That was a fantastic game last night. Holmstrom's return certainly helped the Wings. For once, Lidstrom wasn't the only defenseman out there. Man did Hasek ever come up big. Looking forward to the next game at the Joe.
LGRW - It's been a long time. Nice post. When Hasek is on he still has it. Consistency seems to be a bit of a problem but if he gets hot and that confidence kicks in it could be a nice run for the Wings. What the hell is in the water in Detroit? Chelios is older than dirt (in hockey sense) and is still playing productive hockey. Same with Hasek and a few others. Good to read you again.
Thank you for reading and sharing your thougts.
The Red Wings have had a good fight and the Red Wings have not had it easy. If I had to pick a player to watch in the rest of this series from the Wings it is Val Filppula.
For the Sharks it is Patrick Marleau.
The game of hockey is intense, it is a game that is not about finesse all the time. It is about second chances and detmerination and the fight to win welcome back DMAC #25!
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