Red Wings 2010-2011 Is Almost Here!

In a little less than an hour the Red Wings begin another "March for the Cup" with a home opener at the JLA (Joe Louis Arena for new readers) against the Anaheim Ducks. Needless to say the Hat Trick is happy to have Red Wing hockey back, even if I'm going to miss the game in my new home in South Jersey.

Some initial previews have the Wings winning the Central Division and having a much better year compared with the 2009-2010 season. We'll see where the pucks fall (ha ha) but I feel more confident at the start of this season then I did last year.

Let's Go Red Wings!

Red Wings Advance to Western Conference Finals

The Red Wings were victorious Thursday night in Game Seven against the Anaheim Ducks, winning 3 -4. Unfortunately the Hat Trick missed a good part of the game, including the end, due to a thunderstorm and the vagaries of Direct TV…of which the Hat Trick is very disappointed but that is another rant. The Wings will face fellow Original Six team, the Chicago Blackhawks, for the right to go to the Stanley Cup finals. Game One of that series begins tomorrow at 3:00pm EDT.

Needless to say the Hat Trick is pleased that the Wings seem to not experiencing a major case of “Stanley Cup Hangover” and managed to hang on playing a tough Anaheim team that had knocked off the number one seed (and President’s Cup winner) San Jose Sharks in the first round of the playoffs. I’m also happy about the Chicago series because it means there is only a 45 minute flight between the two cities…no need to haul out to the West Coast. Hopefully the Wings can continue to hang on when playing a young and inexperienced, yet hungry, Blackhawk team. Finally, it was important that the Wings persevere after getting hosed by the Zebras in Game Three (see previous post).

The Hat Trick was also sad to see the Washington Capitals destroyed in their Game Seven appearance, 6 – 2. Finally, the Hat Trick was dismayed that the Boston Bruins fell to the Hartford Whalers…err…I mean Carolina Hurricanes…in Game Seven of that series. Apparently being the number one seed did not work out well for either the Sharks or the Bruins in 2009. The Hat Trick was really hoping for an Original Six match-up in the Finals but it is not to be this year.

Final 2009 Playoffs Trivia note: Five of the Original Six teams made the playoffs this year! The only team to miss the playoffs was the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Wings Are Down and the Hat Trick=Not Pleased

After dropping Game 2 in triple overtime on Sunday, the Wings dropped Game 3 in Anaheim in a pathetic game featuring some of the worst officiating the Hat Trick has ever seen and it very well could have cost the Wings the game. With less than a minute left in the third period, Marian Hossa scored the game-tying goal only to have it called back because referee Brad Watson blew is whistle and called the play dead because he was out of position and lost site of the puck. Unfortunatley for Watson, video of the play clearly shows the puck crossing the goal line before the whistle blew. Check out the video from the Puck Daddy blog on Yahoo.

Word to the NHL...this is the playoffs and you need to have competent offials out on the ice. Call it sour grapes from a Red Wings fan...and maybe we woudln't have won the game...but we definitely didn't get the chance to even try due to the massive screw-up (the video doesn't lie) by the Zebras.

Duck's Brown Escapes Suspension

The NHL opted to not suspend Ducks Forward Mike Brown for his hit on Jiri Hudler in Game 1 of the Ducks-Red Wings series. Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle has maintained that it was a clean hit and it looks like the league agrees with him even if several Wing's players have been vocal on it not being a clean hit. Expect lots of boos for Brown today (Sunday) when Game 2 starts at 2:00pm at the JLA.

Congratulations to Wings Defenseman Chris Chelios who appeared in his 261st postseason game and his 24th year in the playoffs. Chelios continues to defy his own age with positive contributions even if he has had less ice time in recent years. Chelios was picked up by the Red Wings at the trade deadline of the 1999 season and was expected to only spend a year or two in Detroit. Ten years later he is still going strong and the big question from the Hat Trick is: Will this guy ever retire? Hopefully not soon...

Wings Take Game 1 Against Ducks

The Wings took Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals last night, beating the Anaheim Ducks 3 – 2 at home in the JLA. It was a tough and close game from the start but the Wings managed to pull off the victory with a goal by Wings Captain Nick Lidstrom (his second of the night) with 49.1 seconds left in the third period, avoiding a sudden death overtime situation. The Anaheim Ducks just came off of a brutal seven game series against the President’s Cup champions San Jose Sharks…and the Hat Trick has been real concerned about having to play the Ducks after they splayed the best team in the NHL regular season in the first round of the playoffs. While this first victory is important it’s going to be a long series in my opinion and won’t be a sweep like what happened against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Game 2 is set for Sunday, May 3 at 2:00pm EDT.

In other exciting news from the game Ducks forward Mike Brown was ejected for a hit on Jiri Hudler, causing Hudler to leave the game but eventually return. Brown was ejected from the game and could face a suspension although Duck’s head coach Randy Carlyle claims it wasn’t a dirty hit. During the post game press conference he was a little chippy when asked about the ejection. We’ll see what the league says, likely later today.