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Game Time: 6:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Not Getting Any Younger: Winging It In Motown
The Hawks can attempt to make history as a victory today will break the franchise record for best start, something this team tied last night as I’m sure you’re all aware by this point. It’s almost fitting then that the Hawks will attempt this record against their biggest rivals (at least historically). After last night’s game that was harder than it ought to have been the Hawks get no time to rest as the Scum have been waiting in Chicago since Friday’s victory over the Preds.
What the Hawks will face at the UC tonight isn’t exactly the kind of squad we’re used to seeing wearing the winged wheel. Most franchises go through the normal cycles of up and down periods. Some last a while and some are short (or they never come at all if you’re from Ohio). At the moment though, the Wings appear to be slowing down after damn near 20 years of being at the top. The lose of captain Nicklas Lidstrom was certainly a major blow – even with his increasing age and diminishing skills, Lids led last year’s Scum team in TOI/G and was better than most defensemen half his age. It wasn’t just Lids that left though – Brad Stuart, an important part of the Wings PK, bolted for out further West. This leaves the jumpy Kronwall as their new #1 blue liner, which shouldn’t make anyone in Detroit happy although it brings me great joy. The rest of the Scum D isn’t fairing too well either – Ian White, Carlo Colaiacovo and Jonathan Ericsson are all out, leading the Wings to give Kyle Quincey who has been something of a disaster so far this year, to put it nicely.
Up front, the Wings are now without Tomas Holmstrom and his gigantic ass blotting out the sun in front of goalies and scoring annoying goals. The rest of the team remains pretty much the same. Datsyuk and Zetterberg are still insanely skilled and, as much as it pains me to say, still fun to watch. They’re getting up there in years though. Todd Bertuzzi is still hanging around and put up two goals on Friday. If the Wings are hoping for him to put up big numbers all year though, they’re going to have a bad time. The power play for the Wings was finally able to find the net on Friday but is still only 26th best in the league.
Not to say that the Wings aren’t dangerous though. Though they aren’t a powerhouse anymore, they will still easily make the playoffs and will not let the Hawks off as easy as the Jackets did last night. When the Hawks have been on their game the last few years, the Wings have had trouble keeping up. If you give Detroit and room though they’re still capable of burning you. Tired legs will be an issue but hopefully since it’s still so early in the season it won’t be as big of a problem as it will towards the end of the year. Play smart and the Hawks could make it 6 in a row.
Oh, and fuck Jordin Tootoo
Let’s Go Hawks
