Spartans Get Back On Track, Winning Their Big Ten Opener-Islanders Give Wings An UnHappy New Year

Losing in overtime to a now 11 win team isn't the way the Red Wings nor their fans wanted to ring in the New Year. But that exactly what happened tonight down at the Joe with the Isle's winning 4-3 on a powerplay goal in overtime. The Islanders goalie Dwayne Roloson helped his team carry a 3-2 lead into the 3rd period by coming up with big stops in the first 2 periods. Valtteri Filppula gave his team some much needed momentum going into the 2nd intermission when he scored with 8 seconds left to bring the Wings back to within one goal. In the 3rd period the Islanders were in full defensive mode trying to hold onto their slim 3-2 lead and Tomas Tatar made them pay by scoring his first ever NHL goal. The game would go to overtime tied at 3 and after the Islanders killed off about 1:30 of a Red Wing powerplay Henrik Zetterberg took a bad holding penalty to give the Isles their own powerplay which they would score on to end the game. The Red Wings seemed to have broken head coach Mike Babcock's cardinal rule of always starting on time by not getting going offensively until midway through the 2nd period and allowing the visiting team to build a 3-1 lead. It was fun to see the Wings mount a 3rd period come-back but im sure all the fans wanted to see a win tonight just like i did for New Years. The Wings will welcome in one of the best teams not only in the Eastern Conference but in the entire league and also one of their former players on Sunday when Ville Leino and the Philadelphia Flyers come to town.

The Spartans opened up their Big Ten title defense with a come from behind win against Minnesota today. It didn't start out the way the Spartans had hoped it would with them being down 28-22 at the half but they found their mark in the 2nd half. Michigan State outscored Minnesota 49-34 in the 2nd thanks in part to Durrell Summers leading the way in scoring for the Spartans with 19 pts. Draymond Green also had a nice game scoring 14 pts with 6 rebounds and 4 helpers to help his team to a win. Some positives that the team can take from this gritty win were getting 24 assists on 28 baskets and only turning the ball over 8 times, which had been a problem for the Spartans in the non-conference games. The team will enjoy this win on New Years day and get back to work on Monday when they travel to Evanston to take on Northwestern in the Spartans first Big Ten road test of the season.

Goodnight from the greatest sports city in the world and HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! and good luck to the Michigan State football team tomorrow when they take on Alabama in the Capital One Bowl

Osgood Notches Win #400 In Overtime In Colorado

Third time was the charm for Chris Osgood, after failing to get his 400th win on two prior attempts he finally gained access to the ultra-exclusive 400 win club tonight in Colorado. It was an exciting game between the Red Wings and Avalanche in the Pepsi Center tonight with the teams going back and forth in scoring all night until Kronwall won it for his team in OT. The win gave the Wings their 50th point of the season tying Pittsburgh for tops in the league, but tonight was all about the Os-man. Chris Osgood became only the 10th goalie all-time to ever reach the 400 win plateau for his career and doing it in stellar fashion might i add. Ossie was flashing the pads all night stopping 46 of 49 shots again and making key saves when his team needed him to. As much as we all know that Osgood would have loved to have won number 400 in front of the fans in Detroit it seems fitting that the win came against a team and in a arena that he has always performed so well against. Tonight was just another chapter to the history of the Detroit-Colorado rivalry that Osgood has played a major part in over the years, who doesn't love watching the youtube video of he and Patrick Roy going toe to toe in the second Wings-Av's brawl. Now that he has reached his personal goal of 400 wins in his career he can start peeking ahead in the record books with Grant Fuhr at 403 and Glenn Hall at 407, both numbers very reachable for Ossie by the end of the season. 

Goodnight from the greatest sports city in the world and once again congratulations to Chris "Ossie" Osgood for winning his 400th NHL game.

Drew in the D

This Is What 23,000 Teddy Bears Look Like On A Hockey Rink

This is the annual Calgary Hitmen Teddy Bear toss where the fans throw teddy bears on the ice after the first Hitmen goal is scored and the teddy bears are hand delivered to the local childrens hospital by the players, how cool is that

Lidstoms Hat-Trick Helps Wings To A Win Over The Blues

It took 1,442 games into his carrier but Nick Lidstrom finally has his first hat-trick. Lidstrom's 4 point night helped his team beat their divisional rival St.Louis 5-2.  Cleary and Zetterberg also had big multi-point nights to help their team to the win. Datsyuk only recorded one assist on the night but he was up to his old tricks going all "Magic Man" on the Blue's defensive players, at one point beating 3 out of the corner and almost setting up Z for a goal. The "Magic Man" also pulled a new trick out of his very deep bag when he tried to go backhand forehand through his legs and almost beat Jaroslav Halak far side had the Blues goalie not been able to get a piece of it to send it just wide of the post. It was a very nice bounce back game for the Wings tonight after what had to have been a frustrating night on Monday getting shut out by Jonathan Quick on 51 shots. The Red Wings will travel out to Chicago tomorrow to get ready to take on the 'Hawks friday night at the United Center.

Goodnight from the greatest sports city in the world and once again hats off to Nick Lidstrom on his first career hat-trick

Drew in the D

Quick Denies Detroit A Third Win In A Row

Uhh..is there a reset button on this thing? That's what the Wings were saying after their 5-0 loss to Jonathan Quick and the Kings tonight. Kings goalie Quick played out of his mind tonight saving 51 of 51 shots against him for his 1st shutout against the Wings. Basically this game was the entire Red Wings team against Jonathan Quick, and you know what Quick 51 Wings 0 i give the LA 'tender full marks for his outstanding play tonight. The fact that the Wings got shut out wasn't for lack of trying but it was just one of those nights when a hot team runs into a hot goalie and something had to give, except tonight Quick didn't give..AT ALL. While it wasn't what the Red Wings had in mind for their rematch with the Kings they can't let this one linger as they have two big division games this week, starting on Wednesday against the Blues at the Joe and Friday night against the wannabe Wings in Chicago

Goodnight from the greatest sports city in the world and will someone get the number of that purple and white truck that just ran over the Red Wings....i mean seriously WTF!!!

Drew in the D

Lions Give Fans Early Christmas Present

The Lions won their 3rd game of the season ending a 10 game losing streak to the Packers and picking up their first division win in 19 games. It was all about Detroit's defense today holding the Packers to 66 rush yards, 3 pts, 3 turnovers, and recording 4 sacks. Landon Johnson knocked Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers out of the game in the 2nd quarter with a concussion when he finished a tackle bouncing Rodger's head off of the turf. Back-up Matt Flynn took over for the Pack' and for a time looked to fill the void fairly well until he threw a huge interception to Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy in the end zone. 3rd string quarterback Drew Stanton did just enough to win the game for his team today tossing tight end Will Heller the ball on a well set-up and executed screen play that went for the games only touchdown, thanks in part to a great down field block by running back Jahvid Best. The Lions finally had a run game today gashing the Green Bay defense for 190 yds on 41 carries. It was great to see this team finally close out a game getting stops at the end when they needed to and not making the "same old" mistakes that us as Lions fans i'm sure were expecting to see. But those penalties never came, the bone headed mistakes never came and the Lions can and should feel good especially on the defensive side of the ball about their teams 60 minute effort today, i know this fan does. Detroit heads back out on the road next weekend to Raymond James stadium to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to try and get that ever elusive road win.

Goodnight from the greatest sports city in the world and get those shovels and snow blowers out people you're gonna need them tomorrow.

Drew in the D

Spartans Hold Of Gizzlies Down At The Palace-Osgood gets win # 399 Against The Devils

The Red Wings put in two early goals on Martin Brodeur to start on their way to a 4-1 win tonight in New Jersey. Pavel "En Fuego" Datsyuk was en fuego tonight recording another 3 point night with a goal and 2 helpers in the game. Pav's twin Henrik Zetterberg also had a multi-point night scoring a goal and recording an assist, Holmstrom and Cleary would also score on the greatest goalie of all time tonight. Not to be out done by his teammates Chris Osgood played in what was most likely his best performance this season stopping 33 of 34 shots and nailing down win number 399 of his hall of fame career. With this win Ossie brings himself with in one win of the exclusive 400 win club and now is just 5 wins away from passing Grant Fuhr and owning the 9th most wins in NHL history, i think its safe to say he will get there before the end of the season. The Red Wings will fly back to Detroit tonight and get ready to play the LA Kings Monday night down at the Joe when they will try to avenge the lose in OT they suffered out in la la land last week.

The Spartans avoid an upset to Oakland University in another out of conference road game down at the Palace of Auburn Hills, winning 77-76. The Grizz' gave MSU all it could handle never letting the Spartans build on a lead keeping it close to the final buzzer. Kalin Lucas led the way for his team scoring 25 pts and 5 assists, while Draymond Green had another solid game with 11pts and 5 assists. The team seemed to finally get control of their turnover problem during the game today only giving the ball up 8 times, although Lucas turned it over 5 times by himself. Little by little you can see this years team starting to gel and get more comfortable with each of their own roles on the floor, but they are a long way from being the pre-season #2 team and National Champion favorite that a lot of people had them at. 7-3 is a disappointing start to their season but im sure no one would argue that they have had one of the most difficult if not the most difficult out of conference schedules, playing all of their ranked opponents on the road. They have two more home games against Prairie View A&M and then against Texas before they open up the Big Ten season on New Years eve against Minnesota in East Lansing.

Goodnight from the greatest sports city in the world and congrats go out to one of the great Swedish players ever to play in the NHL, Marcus Naslund's #19 was retired in Vancouver tonight and very deservingly so.

Drew in the D

Wings Snap Their 3 Game Slide With A Win Against Original 6 Rival Habs

First off let me apologize for being missing in action for the last few days, with a nasty cold and finals this coming week i was a little distracted so i humbly ask for your forgiveness. Now onto the real business, Jim Howard put on another all-star showing tonight in his team 4-2 win over original six foe Montreal. The Red Wings big guns were on display tonight with Lidstrom, Kronwall, and "Magic Man" Datsyuk all scoring goals. Lidstrom got his team on the board and tied the game at one when he scored with 1.2 seconds left in the 1st on a 5 on 3 power play in the 1st period. Jim Howard was the big star for the Wings again tonight stopping 36 of 38 shots and stonewalling the Habs in the 3rd when they tested him on multiple occasions, including a spectacular glove save on a rebound from his behind. Howie has quietly become the goalie that every team wishes they could have and has had anything but a sophomore slump this season with 16-4-2 record and a .916%. The Red Wings will take the flight out to New Jersey tonight to take on the Devils tomorrow night at 7pm.

Goodnight from the greatest sports city in the world and GO GREEN in the Big Chill tomorrow

Drew in the D

Wings Go Duck Hunting In Anaheim

Jim Howard records his 2nd shutout of the season blanking the Ducks again this time in Anaheim 4-0. This wasn't cheapy either Howard stopped all of Anaheim's 41 shots on goal, with more then a few high light saves. Johan Franzen broke the ice scoring just 1:09 into the 1st period and the Wings would take that 1-0 lead into the 1st intermission. Anaheim come out strong in the 2nd carrying the play to Detroit and bulging their shot total to 25 to the Wings 10 mid-way through the 2nd. But the Wings picked it up and Homer found a juicy rebound off of a Zetterberg shot in front of the net and banged it home putting the wings up 2-0, and about 4 minutes later Cleary would deflect in his team leading 12th of the year giving his team a 3-0 lead at the break. The Red Wings played a solid third but the Ducks were still able muster 41 shots on net that Howard had to deal with and deal with them he did, always managing to find a way to get in front of the puck and keep his 2nd clean sheet of the season intact. It was self-admittedly not the teams best 60 minute effort but when you have number 35 between the pipes right now you don't have to be perfect every night. The Wings will take the short trip up to L.A. from Anaheim to take on the young and dangerous Kings tomorrow night at 10:30, looking for the sweep on this short 3-game road trip.

Goodnight from the greatest sports city in the world and maybe don't do the sing-along next time Rich Rod it's just not working.

Drew in the D

Wings Take A Bite Out Of The Sharks

The Euro Twins were in full effect last night in the Wings 5-3 win over San Jose at the Shark Tank. The Wings didn't waist time getting on the board first ,when Henrik Zetterberg recorded his first of 4 points on the night putting the puck on Cleary's stick for a tap in, giving Cleary his 11th goal of the year and his team a 1-0 lead. The it was Datsyuk's turn and once again he went all "Magic Man" splitting two San Jose defenders and fighting off a desperation hook to regain control of the puck and shot it past a sprawling Antero Niittymaki, making it 2-0 in favor of the Red Wings. Datsyuk and Zetterberg would combine for a total of 7 point on the night with Pavel recording a goal and 2 assist and Zetterberg scoring twice and getting 2 helpers on the night. Jim Howard just continues to be the solid-get the job done goalie that this team needs between the pipes with all the offensive talent that he has playing in front of him. He saved 25-28 shots and made a big save that lead to Zetterbergs 2nd goal on the night providing a big 2 goal swing in the 3rd period that made it a 3 goal game and basically sealed the win for the Wings. The Sharks scored late in the game to make the score a little more palatable for the home fans but they were never really in this one after giving up that early goal in the 1st period. The Wings will make the short trip up to Anaheim where they will get an extra day off and play Friday night at 10 pm est.

Goodnight from the greatest sports city in the world

Drew in the D