lordstanley

Wings’ tragic number is 5. Any combination of Ottawa points and Detroit dropped points adding up to 5 eliminates the Wings. 4 games left for each. So for example, even if the Wings were to win their final four games (ha!) so 0 dropped points, Ottawa going 2-1-1 for 5 points would eliminate the Wings.

I think with Buffalo making the playoffs, and Edmonton having made it to Game 7 of the SCF the past 2 years, the Wings will be the NHL's new punchline, at least for the next year.

Yes, that’s how I saw it too

17 seconds away from winning in regulation. One save away from winning in the 3rd round of the shootout. But lose in Round 5. That should just about do it.

Good grief. Tying goal with 16 seconds to go.

Faulk! Wings lead.

And almost 2-0. Wings already look listless.

Cool! I will come back with 2006 thoughts at some point but just wanted to add how fun it is to look back at "as it happens" game threads and broadcasts. I have shoebox of old cassettes from the 1980s and included in that for about 100 games each for 1983 and 1984 are game recaps I recorded from the radio - a combination of Paul Carey's post-game summaries from the radio broadcast, Kell or Harwell key play highlights, Eli Zaret's next morning Tigers banter with JJ & the Morning Crew (including George Swell and Al Foulline), and JP McCarthy morning interviews with Sparky. I'm in the process of digitizing it and cleaning it up a bit.

Tonight is the first time when I think that a Wings' victory - few as far between as they've been - wouldn't be a satisfactory result. The Wings need help, having to gain 3 points on Ottawa in their last 5 games. So one of the best chances of doing so is Ottawa losing to a Tampa team that is in a 3-way race for 1st place. A Wings' victory tonight over the the Jackets would put them ahead of Columbus and NYI and then the Wings have a chance to get even with Philly at LCA on Thursday, so Ottawa is the concern now. No expectations whatsoever though.

U of M radio home feed of the final 13 seconds. Michigan Wins BB Natty.m4a

Finally pulling away? 11 up, 12 to go.

No, they’re 2 out (effectively 3 due to losing the tiebreaker) with 5 to go. If they go 4-1 and Ottawa goes 2-2-1 the Wings are in unless a couple of Metro teams get hot. But no reason to think the Wings will go 4-1. More likely to go 2-3 or 1-4. If the Wings lose in regulation tomorrow and Thursday and Ottawa wins tomorrow and Thursday, the Wings will be officially eliminated.

The reason why I want them to make the playoffs, even though hopes have faded to say the least, is that getting the drought monkey off their back may make it more likely not less that the Wings sweep out a lot of the deadwood this summer. This is a flawed team - Yzerman knows it, McLelland knows it, the rest of the NHL knows it, we know it. My concern is that if they miss this year to run the drought to 10 years, they won't have the resolve to risk taking a step back next year. Which would mean status quo + a few additions around the edges this summer.

Hmm, quite a take by Keith Gave. I agree with the final 3 sentences, but I'm skeptical about sentence #2, "the coach ran his ...". Does anyone here who tracks these things know whether Larkin, Raymond, DeBrincat and Seider were given an inordinate amount of ice time the first 2/3 of the season to compensate for lack of depth?