In a 6-2 whipping of a team, there is always plenty [...]]]> The Detroit Red Wings continued their hot streak and commitment to making this 2010 playoffs with a 6-2 home win over the Minnesota Wild last night. The Wings started off the night by sprinting to a 4-0 lead with 8:37 left in the second period.

In a 6-2 whipping of a team, there is always plenty of good news to talk about. The first piece of good news is Johan Franzen, who came away with two goals and two assists. The next piece of good news is Henrik Zetterberg. Zetterberg has been the team’s best player over the past few games. And while he was overshadowed by Franzen’s four points, he appears healthy and highly engaged … hopefully ready for a deep run in the playoffs. And the third is Jimmy Howard. Howard has been playing well. But he now appears to be playing with a bit of confidence and a bit of swagger. He’s rebounding from soft goals quickly and he’s seeing the puck well.

The win puts the Wings six points above the Calgary Flames with eight games left. And they’re only two points, with a game in hand, behind Nashville, who currently sits in fifth place in the West.

It’s hockey, right?

Well, we thought we’d seen this before … but we hadn’t. In yesterday’s road game against the Vancouver Canucks, the Wings [...]]]> We’ve seen this before. The Red Wings put in a better-than-solid performance with few missteps and lots of shots on goal. Still, they end up short.

It’s hockey, right?

Well, we thought we’d seen this before … but we hadn’t. In yesterday’s road game against the Vancouver Canucks, the Wings showed they are still a force in this year’s playoff.

With .02 seconds left in overtime, Henrik Zetterberg nailed a backhand shot behind Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo to give the Wings a 4-3 win.

This is significant for a few reasons. First, it gives the Wings two points out of last night’s game. They’re still in eight place in the Western Conference playoff hunt, but they now have a two-point cushion on Calgary. And, it helps them keep pace with Nashville, who are currently four points ahead of the Wings.

So, does this game mean that the Wings are a lock to make the playoffs? Far from it. But they showed a tremendous amount of determination and will to grab two points last night. And that may be the determining factor on whether they make it to this year’s postseason.

Still, Wolverine fans can take cold comfort in a 2-1 win over 17th ranked Northern Michigan University in the CHHA tournament at Joe Louis Arena.

University of Michigan fans are already hoping for a better football season and licking their wounds from a basketball season that showed occasional glimmers of hope.

Still, Wolverine fans can take cold comfort in a 2-1 win over 17th ranked Northern Michigan University in the CHHA tournament at Joe Louis Arena.

Even better, this tournament win means that the Wolverines will get an automatic berth in the NCAA Hockey tournament. The tournament starts next weekend with the regional semifinals and finals taking place March 26-28.

News, CCHA News, Articles | The Official Site of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association

The Motor City’s annual rite of spring, opening day, translated into more than a simple Good Friday fish fry at Comerica Park. Armando Gallaraga shut down the bats of the [...]]]> After the failed hopes of last year’s World-Series-contending wannabees ended in a last place finish, the Detroit Tigers are showing signs that they’re determined to improve.

The Motor City’s annual rite of spring, opening day, translated into more than a simple Good Friday fish fry at Comerica Park. Armando Gallaraga shut down the bats of the Texas Rangers while Miguel Cabrera delivered a grand slam (his third homer in five games) and six RBI’s.

The Tigers showed the kind of skill and work ethic that so many expected from them last year, when their off-season blockbuster deals translated into a last-place finish and a variety of questions about General Manager Dave Dombrowski’s vision for the team.

Let’s hope that Opening Day is a sign of good things to come for the Tigers. It’s going to be a long summer around these parts.

Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans are headed to the NCAA Final Four, their fifth trip in the past eleven years. They got their by shutting down an athletic, high-powered Louisville team with two seniors, Goran Suton and Travis Walton, who look hungry to make a statement.

With the continual [...]]]> Man, we all need this bad.

Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans are headed to the NCAA Final Four, their fifth trip in the past eleven years. They got their by shutting down an athletic, high-powered Louisville team with two seniors, Goran Suton and Travis Walton, who look hungry to make a statement.

With the continual stream of bad news about the Big Three and the sinking national economy, Michigan needs a feel-good story right now. And from watching the Spartans on the floor today, I could tell that Izzo and his players know that. You can see the fire in their eyes and their play matches that fire.

Check out the Freep’s game blog.

Millen was shown the door yesterday, although Bill Ford Jr.’s comments earlier in the week should have had Millen tidying up his desk and identifying empty boxes [...]]]> Lions fans across the state are happy for the long overdue liberation of the Detroit Lions from Super-Bowl-player turned popular-and-charming broadcaster to grossly-unqualifed National Football League executive Matt Millen.

Millen was shown the door yesterday, although Bill Ford Jr.’s comments earlier in the week should have had Millen tidying up his desk and identifying empty boxes near the service elevator so he could carry out his bobblehead collection (Autographed Joey Harrington, anyone?) in style.

Lions fans need to take a collective deep breath. Remember that replacing Millen is unlikely to happen during the season. So over the next 13 games of Three Stooges-style offensive attack, what happy accidents on the field could possibly convince Bill Ford Sr. of the “quality” of the coaches and players on the team.

Remember, this is Bill Ford Sr., not Junior. Sr. is the guy that thinks the Taurus is sporty, so what will he think of a team that scraps out 5 or 6 wins at this point (I know, unlikely…).

The point I’m getting at is that starting over is the only real option at this point. Lions fans, if you ever want to see this sad team in the playoffs, the best thing we can do is start over. Let’s hope they run the table and go 0-16. That will give us the best choice at a franchise player we can actually keep, someone who might provide enough presence to bring other, qualified players to Motown.

Pray for a loser, you won’t have to pray too hard, and hopefully we’ll be on the right track in the next few years, if Ford Sr. can learn from his mistakes and bring in someone with real coaching, player development and executive experience.

John Heuser of the Ann Arbor News covers the issue yesterday. This [...]]]> Apparently, the answer is no. The team in 1– 2 heading into the Big Ten round of the season and the first team of the Rich Rod is not convincing many folks, including myself, that they will win more than 5 games this year.

John Heuser of the Ann Arbor News covers the issue yesterday. This has been all over sports talk radio the past week as well.