Mark Spizzirri: GAME 2: Red Wings vs. Blackhawks Matinee; Put up or shut up time...

As along time suffering Hawks fan who's hate for the Red Wings became a healthy respect for the winged wheel. I have to say that the pendulum is definitely swinging the HAWKS way these days. Detroit's defense is what is going to sink the Wings. They simply can not handle the Hawks forcheck

As along time suffering Hawks fan who's hate for the Red Wings became a healthy respect for the winged wheel. I have to say that the pendulum is definitely swinging the HAWKS way these days. Detroit's defense is what is going to sink the Wings. They simply can not handle the Hawks forcheck
- mmurray892

They don't really have the forward depth the Hawks have not that many teams do but it is a miss match when you guys both play similar styles. The Hawks are just faster and better at that style at this period in time. The Wings young guys I feel have looked pretty damn good though. I don't think the wings will be missing the playoffs for a while.

As along time suffering Hawks fan who's hate for the Red Wings became a healthy respect for the winged wheel. I have to say that the pendulum is definitely swinging the HAWKS way these days. Detroit's defense is what is going to sink the Wings. They simply can not handle the Hawks forcheck
- mmurray892

Your story seems to be a similar one for many--I never really hated the Red Wings (maybe Probert, Kocur, Stefan back in the '80s and Konstantinov and then Chelios), mostly just jealousy and respect. I don't get the "Detroit Sucks" chants other than mere envy on the part of Chicago fans (and maybe it's just fun), because the Red Wings have been mostly very classy teams. It's perhaps the higest compliment that the Blackhawks have tried to become the Red Wings.

Lets just not embarrass ourselves today . I want to see the fight that got us into the playoffs. The torch has definetly been passed on but the future looks bright. Grand Rapids will be overstocked next year lots of new faces to come soon. Well give em hell in the east and we will meet in the finals before long!

Lets just not embarrass ourselves today . I want to see the fight that got us into the playoffs. The torch has definetly been passed on but the future looks bright. Grand Rapids will be overstocked next year lots of new faces to come soon. Well give em hell in the east and we will meet in the finals before long!
- jdd0001

I am totally rooting for the Red Wings. Never liked the Hawks and i don't like their cockiness attitude. Seeing that the Kings never did well in the playoffs, the Red Wings were always my team I rooted for. It was so great watching the Ducks go down and was very thankful to the Wings. Still hoping for a Kings-Wings semifinal.

Your story seems to be a similar one for many--I never really hated the Red Wings (maybe Probert, Kocur, Stefan back in the '80s and Konstantinov and then Chelios), mostly just jealousy and respect. I don't get the "Detroit Sucks" chants other than mere envy on the part of Chicago fans (and maybe it's just fun), because the Red Wings have been mostly very classy teams. It's perhaps the higest compliment that the Blackhawks have tried to become the Red Wings.
- AL SEC0RD

I do have to wonder if the "Detroit Sucks" chant is simply from the fact the Wings have been an elite team for the last 15 years and a hated rival. Chicago has had to rebuild from the ground up with high level draft picks and development... which is a long, slow and painful process. But it's paying off in spades now... they are a mirror image of the Wings when the Wings use to dominate. Hawks can roll four good lines and are deep on defense too.

The good thing for the Wings is that their farm system in Grand Rapids is stacked with talent. The AHL Grand Rapids Griffins can move onto the Conference finals if they win tonight. So the Wings still have a bright future I'd say.

I do wish some of the Hawk fans were not so cocky... good grief over on J.J.'s thread they're already talking about playing the Kings with only one game played in their own series. Granted... they are the favorite and will probably win this series. Most don't have the level of respect for the Wings that you'd think they would after all this time.

Although completely outplayed last game, I thought adjustments could be made and they seem to have been today... not to say the Hawks play dropped a bit, as it did, but this is a big confident booster for the Wings.

Although completely outplayed last game, I thought adjustments could be made and they seem to have been today... not to say the Hawks play dropped a bit, as it did, but this is a big confident booster for the Wings.
- BooBoo997

This was a big gut-check game for Detroit. If they would have lost today, this series would have been over. I liked seeing the scoring spread out with 4 different players. Wings will need secondary scoring to win this series. Jimmy will have to stay sharp and probably steal at least one game for the Wings to have a chance. What I liked most is the Wings defense only giving up 20 shots on goal. Wings need to keep the Hawk's offense bottled up and limit their chances... then the Hawks may start to get frustrated. The team that showed up today is the same team that beat the Ducks.

This was a big gut-check game for Detroit. If they would have lost today, this series would have been over. I liked seeing the scoring spread out with 4 different players. Wings will need secondary scoring to win this series. Jimmy will have to stay sharp and probably steal at least one game for the Wings to have a chance. What I liked most is the Wings defense only giving up 20 shots on goal. Wings need to keep the Hawk's offense bottled up and limit their chances... then the Hawks may start to get frustrated. The team that showed up today is the same team that beat the Ducks.
- Vladdie_Kon1

agreed.

We simply cannot rely on skill like in years past, but team efforts until some, if at all game changers emerge. This series can be won by the Wings, but everything you said has to be there each game.

I like the battle of these Wings, they continue to make adjustments that surprise me but are effective.

I do have to wonder if the "Detroit Sucks" chant is simply from the fact the Wings have been an elite team for the last 15 years and a hated rival.
- Vladdie_Kon1

It's 100 times worse here in Nashville whenever the Wings are in town, sadly that chant has been around for 6 years or so, glad I don't have to hear it as much starting next year. The difference here though is Preds fans are more upset when they have seen their barn half red since their existence, with some of those wearing red are Preds season ticket holders who were Wings fans first....gotta love it!