Call it a close game? It could have gone to shootout instead. In the end, Detroit was that much more hungry and let's face it: they HAD TO BE. This win put them 2 points ahead of the Flames for 8th spot in the West. This was their game in hand over Calgary. Vancouver, now still an impressive 26-8-2 at home this season is 6 points up on Colorado and 4 points behind San Jose in the West. I guess the lead over Colorado is what matters most, unless you have a preference over who they may play in round 1 of the playoffs. I don't have a preference at this point because there is obviously too many games and possibilities left. Plus I believe we have a team that can take on all comers.
This game had comeback written all over it. The Wings outshot the Canucks 17-8 in the first period yet trailed 2-0. They were outshooting the Canucks badly again in the 2nd and scored 3 goals in 5 minutes between the 12:34 and 17:39 mark. The Canucks were starting to come on as time went along.
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2 of those goals came in 5 seconds of each other to set a new Wings' record by 2 seconds. Sure, you want to start putting blame on Roberto Luongo at that point but...
-he had almost faced a typical game's worth of shots by that point and by the Canucks' usual standards.
-Lou said post game: "What is there to talk about," Luongo asked. "Datsyuk used our 'D' as a screen and I couldn't find it right away and obviously he put it in the corner." - that in reference to the tying goal.
It was more Kevin Bieksa and Pavol Demitra that took hits after this loss:
On the wacky Bertuzzi goal that made the game 2-1 Alexandre Burrows said: "Juice [Bieksa] couldn't find it and they got the momentum there," Alex Burrows said. "It kind of kills the momentum, kills the crowd." Wings got the bounce there.
Pavol Demitra drew a bit of ire from coach AV on the OT goal: "Ehrhoff didn't have his stick and I thought Pavol [Demitra] should have come in there a little bit to help with the amount of time that was left," Vigneault said. "He didn't and the puck ended up in the back of our net."
Vigneault is referring to this:
Sure, Demo could have gotten a stick in there, but he was taking away Zetterberg's passing play. Ehrhoff is the guy behind Z without a stick. Bah I say! How about Kevin Bieksa screening Luongo there? Lou never saw it.
In the end, this graphic matters most:
Could have been a lot worse. I'll take the loser point. Hell the Canucks don't have enough of those!
Random:
-Ryan Kesler, Alex Edler and Demitra all finished a -2 and no points yet had 10 shots combined.
-Dank, Hank and Shane O'Brien were the only Canucks to finish in the PLUS category. SOB had a goal and an assist and a +2 rating. He also played 23:25...the 2nd most ice time of any Canucks d-man. Way to go OB!
-Rick Rypien played 3:58. Darcy Hordichuk played 4:11. Yeah I know there are no goons on Detroit's roster...so what's the point of dressing these guys? See the boxscore below on how Detroit spreads out their ice times.
-Zetterberg led all players with a +3 rating
-Johan Franzen led all players with 7 shots.
-Filppula and Zetterberg led all players with 3 points each. Damn that shorty by Filppula. Damn it!