Reflections on the five-game winning streak and the losing streak that came before it, since I won't be around for the games this weekend...
Much has been made of the Red Wings' 4-8-2 slump through February. The calendar is an easy way to break up chunks of a long season. If you ignore the calendar and focus just on the schedule, you see that the slump was sandwiched by two five (or more, depending on how things go in the next several games) game winning streaks. Dividing the schedule up just a little bit differently gives a "slump" of 14-8-2 over 24 games.
That's one of the reasons I wasn't so worried during the slump. Everything balances out over a season. The Red Wings have had three winning streaks of seven games or more throughout the current schedule. They were due for some losses.
Of course, that's not to say there were no worries in February. The slump showed how important Detroit's defensemen are to the team. That's why I really liked (and still do like) Ken Holland's move to pick up Brad Stuart at the trade deadline. He's an important depth player and while he might not have been able to stop the slump on his own, I think a couple of those losses might have gone differently with him in the lineup.
The Wings haven't been back to normal in this winning streak. They're grittier but slower. Dan Cleary's absence has been felt. Johan Franzen is doing a great job of replacing Tomas Holmstrom but no one has quite replaced Cleary (though Tomas Kopecky is definitely trying in the limited time he gets). They're making it work, though, and that's important when looking ahead to the playoffs.
Something should be said of the Wings' amazing run of 17 seasons in a row making the postseason. I think that number speaks for itself, though.
Over at A2Y, Bill's been having people board the stress train for the last month. Some people will do that, sure thing. Me? No stress yet. Save it for the postseason.
Five game winning streak. It's all good.
Darren Helm!?!?!? 
I love Darren Helm! 
He's my favorite AHLer! That makes me....ecstatic!
Why is Holmstrom out? 0_o I haven't gotten around to watching the last game yet, plus I think I cut off the third period. ._.
Holmstrom's still recovering from a groin injury. Expected back shortly.
Funny thing in pregame. They showed Chris Chelios and Mike Modano standing at opposite sides of the center red line talking during pre-game warmups. And then Todd Bertuzzi skates by.
Yeah, it wasn't a clip from today's warmups, it was from last spring.
I should have realized it sooner, the jerseys weren't in the Edge style, which means that Dallas was in their old style. And Detroit was in red, they're wearing white tonight.
Not a good start. Damn.
Funny thing in pregame. They showed Chris Chelios and Mike Modano standing at opposite sides of the center red line talking during pre-game warmups. And then Todd Bertuzzi skates by.
Yeah, it wasn't a clip from today's warmups, it was from last spring.
I should have realized it sooner, the jerseys weren't in the Edge style, which means that Dallas was in their old style. And Detroit was in red, they're wearing white tonight.
XD Really? I didn't even notice 0_0
That was a cool little deke-thing by Dr. Fil. Which has now been converted to a goal! Woo!
Incredible tip by Franzen. Great to see him get going. Good for my DFHL team, too.
I've said it before and I know I'm in the minority but I absolutely love those new Dallas jerseys.
The Wings are due for the next penalty now, they need to score here.
Another early Dallas goal. Damn.
Morrow gets Dallas up by two.
Uh-oh.
Weird play with Osgood moving off the post on Dallas' third goal. Can't tell if kicking to make the stop pushed him off or if he was cheating to the other side, thinking the puck went behind the net.
I'll catch up with the rest of the game on DVR, heading out to soccer.
Pavel Datsyuk = Stellar!
(I love how no one has voted for Lilja yet on the poll x])
Let's see a Datsyuk hat trick!
Not even a minute later and now it's 4-3! XD Woo! That was a cool goal. No idea who batted it in.
Filppula & an empty netter Whoop! Whoop!
Red Wings have made it into the playoffs they just said! Yeah!
Hit 100 points!
I watched most of the third on fast-forward 'cause it's so late. Huge save by Ozzie with about a minute left. Pretty strong team play throughout that period for both teams.
I got an autograph from Darren Helm 2 weeks ago when the Griffins played the Lake Erie Monsters. I never expected him to get recalled, so now it makes it much more valuable. I also got one from Carl Corrazzini. I'm thinking he will be called up next season.
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