Bob Duff: Wings, Tigers share common trait Holding late leads was a problem for Mike Ilitch's baseball team; it's developed into one for his hockey team as well.

You're not going to score the next goal or have a killer instinct when you sit back trying to protect a lead in the 3rd period. They controlled much of the play for the game and then sat back in the last 10 minutes of the game trying to protect the lead and as usual, it came back to bite them in the a$$. That defend the lead stuff worked well in the late 90's to early 2000's but it doesn't work anymore so stop doing it. Go after them for a full 60 minutes trying to score/control the play and you won't have this problem much.


First 50 minutes of the game they were fore checking with 2 players, being aggressive in the offensive zone and controlling the play. Last 10 minutes up until Buffalo scored their 2 goals, 1 fore checker, passive, letting them come at them and just dumping pucks out of the zone or into the Buffalo zone. Dumb way to play hockey today.

It's been the staple of the Wings for several seasons now, but most of the time it's the curse of the 2 goal lead that they always seem to lose, and for the life of me, I'll never understand it. The decision and/or fear to always go into a prevent defense with a lead, should be clear by now that it never works, playing not to lose instead of not playing to win, is ridiculous, and lord knows how many points/playoff games it has cost this franchise over the last several years.

Buffalo was another example of a Tigers/Red Wings comparison, they can both consistently lose to teams in which they have to business losing to, yet somehow manage to beat one of the tougher teams in the league, no problem...makes zero sense.

That penalty shot by Jurco was awful. Coast in side to side and then wrist a shot from the hash marks? C'mon man.

It's been the staple of the Wings for several seasons now, but most of the time it's the curse of the 2 goal lead that they always seem to lose, and for the life of me, I'll never understand it. The decision and/or fear to always go into a prevent defense with a lead, should be clear by now that it never works, playing not to lose instead of not playing to win, is ridiculous, and lord knows how many points/playoff games it has cost this franchise over the last several years.

Buffalo was another example of a Tigers/Red Wings comparison, they can both consistently lose to teams in which they have to business losing to, yet somehow manage to beat one of the tougher teams in the league, no problem...makes zero sense.
- Hockeytown4life

yep, every team has a decent shot of winning almost every night. We lost 3 straight I thought we should win (Edmonton, Calgary, Canucks) but then go on to beat LA and Wings....go figure