Dallas at wits end.

May 12 2008 Detroit @ Dallas
Detroit opened the scoring with a Pavel Datsyuk goal, but Dallas tied it up on a goal by Nic Grossman after Dallas had controlled the puck for one minute and 14 seconds in the Detroit end. The Wings problems started when they iced the puck. The line had already been on the ice for a while so Detroit took a time out to try and rest the players stuck on the ice. Needless to say it didn’t work. Detroit did reclaim the lead 37 seconds later though when Datsyuk finished from Thomas Holmstrom for his second of the game.

Dallas started the second period on the power play and came up empty. They had about 3 chances and missed them all. Detroit would make them pay again for their lack of finish. You don’t get that many so you had best be burying the ones you get as Dallas is no doubt painfully aware of by now. The Dallas got a bounce their way as Brad Richards tied it with a bank shot off the knee of Brad Stewart on the Detroit defense. Hudler restored the Detroit lead with a brake away goal at 11:54 of the period. Then Henrik Zetterberg made it a two goal bulge scoring short handed and taking advantage of Brad Richards (a forward) playing defense for the power play. Detroit then went into the shut down mode, sitting back and waiting for Dallas to get too aggressive and make a mistake on a bad pinch. Chris Osgood was very steady again in the Detroit net. He has not been spectacular but he has not had to be.

This was the best game Dallas has played in the series. They tried to get physical, out hitting Detroit by more than 2-1, but it still was not enough to get the “W”. Detroit bent on occasion but never did break. Zetterberg did his Houdini impression, taking the puck through 3 stars players and fed Datsyuk for his 3rd goal of the game in the 3rd period. The final was 5-2 and a 3-0 series lead. You have to admire the likes of Datsyuk and Zetterberg, not only are they great offensive players but they don’t hurt you on defense either. They back check hard all the time and more often than not regain control of the puck.

My gut tells me that Dallas won’t win a game and that goes double for Philadelphia.

May 13 2008 Penguins @ Flyers

To be honest I missed almost the whole game as I had my two girls out for their first lacrosse game of the season. I saw the last five minutes and I think the final score was 4-1 Pittsburgh. It looked like just more of the same. Philly is finding it pretty tough sledding without their top two defensemen for moving the puck.

On a side note Canada beat Finland 6-3 in the Hockey World Championship Tournament and with the win will face Norway in the quarter finals. There you have it, you are up to date.

Sincerely Walt Webb
http://allsportsontheweb.com
http://thesportingnews-walt.blogspot.com/