Game Thread: Red Wings at Sabres – 12/10

I have high hopes for Niklas Kronwall in his NHL debut. People affiliated with GR said he was performing very well and should have no problem stepping right into the line up and playing well. I wish that Lewis would have pulled Niklas up when Hatcher got hurt but Lewis thought he needed more playing time in GR. Durring the long off-season, I found some footage online of Kronwall in a tournament somewhere in Europe and also some excellent footage of the Wing’s highest ranked prospect, Igor Grigorenko. He looked better than Henrik Zetterberg in stats and in the video. I was hoping the Wings would unleash Grigorenko, Hudler, and Kronwall at the begining of the season, but Igor was in a nearly-fatal car accident and Kronwall wasn’t needed. Hudler got to see some NHL action and had a pretty impressive preseason.

WhizKid07 December 11, 2003 1:20 AM

I didn’t realize how SMALL Hudler was until this preseason. He looked like a little kid out there. They say that he has some incredible skills, and I’m hoping he’ll get a chance to display some of those tonight. I saw him play a little in the pre-season, but did he play any regular season games with the Wings yet?

The Grigorenko situation was very unforunate. Car accidents have not been kind to the Wings!

eyetricks December 11, 2003 1:38 AM

Especially Russian Redwings. First Konstantinov, Menostzikonov(sp), and I think Fetisov get pounded in a limmo accident leaving Konstantinov with a closed head injury. Then Fedorov goes and wraps his Ferrari around a tree like a Christmas present. And then Grigorenko barrels off the road and hit a tree or whatever and left him nearly dead. Man, someone should refer those Russians to a Driver’s Training course. It was also unfortunate that they all were or could have been star players.

WhizKid07 December 11, 2003 1:47 AM

Ruff stuff! Why did Buffalo let Miller take that beating? I’m not so sure that a young Goalie deserves that. The poor kids family was watching at the game.

Wooley deserves alot props from the people that wanted him gone. He is playing Awesome.

Mowers looks like he’s a keeper and Hudler will get his time to shine and I think the Wings will have to make room for him when the big guns return.

Devereaux may actually be finding his all around game.

The rotating goalie system seems to be working, they should all be fresh by play off time.

Good GR! Go Wings!

Shadyrock December 11, 2003 2:25 AM

Shadyrock… Wooley has fit in really well with the Wings. Given the injuries to Hatcher and now Chelios, he will see increased ice team on the blue line. The Sabres organization basically gave up on him and I think he and the management there didn’t get along to well!

Their loss is our gain…. plus he’s a former MSU Spartan hockey player, so that makes it even better!

I did hear that Ryan Miller’s family travelled from Detroit to watch him play. Must have been a drag for the kid. What’s strange is that he was AMAZING in college. He had a GAA of something close to 1.00 one year. I think this is when he won the Hobie Baker award… I guess it’s a whole different game in the big leagues.

eyetricks December 11, 2003 5:38 AM

Miller was playing great during the pre season and down in the minors. I’m sure he will get it together. Right now I think it’s time for Ruff to go. maybe Keenan could wake that team up. They have a good core there. The D looks promising as well as the goaltending.

Shadyrock December 11, 2003 7:32 AM

I thought all the new kids played great last night.

Yea the first period seemed a bit fuzzie, as they were still trying to gell and also get a feed on the Sabres.

Period 2 and 3 were much better. Pasha and Maltby’s goals at the end of one sure were pretty. Pasha scores again, Draper gets in there, Hudler, BOYDees, and Schneids all getting goals in the 3rd were great!

When the D is working, the Offense clicks! And what small mistakes were there, will work themselvs out. Kronwall did well and Rivers popped in there. I’d but Dandy back with WOOLEY like they were and Put Kronwall with LIDs, SCHNEIDS and FISCH seem to be a pair.

Tonight will be a better indicator if last night was real or just built up anticipation. Malts, DRAPER, Shanny, Hully, Pasha, Boydees, Lids, Dandy, Fisch, Woolley and Schneids all did a great job helping Hudler, Mowers, Kronwall and Rivers gell into this line up. (Lewie sure mixed up those lines. Only Hully and Pasha played together. Shanny, Draper and Maltby kept getting new line mates all night)

WHO IS #4? Is that Rivers? Kronwall is 55 and Hudler is 26 I think. Sheesh…I couldn’t keep them all straight.

Drapesfan33 December 11, 2003 12:53 PM

Ruff stuff! Why did Buffalo let Miller take that beating? I’m not so sure that a young Goalie deserves that. The poor kids family was watching at the game.

SR….

I wanted to check around the other FORUMs to see what others were posting about this. Kesh said the same thing you did. Funny.

ANywhooooo….

I think RUFF did the right thing in that game. Some young guys need to learn, to stand up, stay the storm, keep finding the right move to stop all those puck. Sure it didn’t “look good” to keep him. I bet the coach wanted to see how R. Miller reacted. How did that shell shocking affect his play. He didn’t get frustrated, he kept playing his game. He didn’t get angry and bang his stick like HASEK and CUJO have done. He stayed calm… worked through it.

I bet Mr. Ryan Miller will be a much better goalie. He will have that tape to watch… and learn from, not humiliated. I’m sure his Dad and Bro…were proud that he stayed the course and didn’t fall apart. There is something to say about learning though mistakes, esp. in a sport like hockey.

R. Miller get’s props in my book for that game. Yea he and his team lost. But he made some nice saves and he needs to be proud about that. Detroit, when they get clicking like that…it doesn’t matter who’s in the net…they find the holes and there is no stopping that MIGHTY RED MACHINE!

Drapesfan33 December 12, 2003 1:55 AM

Yea I love Kesh’s posts. He actually livs in Michigan again. I think he just works in Chi Town from time to time. I think he posts at Redcootie.com under the name Robert Campbell. Cootie just asked me to be his PM buddy,but I’m yet to see him on line. Maybe he wants to ask me to help his site with an appearance. You know who else’s posts I love.. Fatherrock’s at Mlive. I think Nick plays that Character great. It’s all fun and games. It’s only Sports.Have agreat Day Drapesfan!! Glad we are buds now and you frequent this site.