The Wings only put had to play 5 regular season games in April, so the three stars of the month will come down to those who did the most in that span. The Wings as a team put together a 3-2 record this month, by winning their first two, dropping the next two and then closing out with a victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks. Let’s take a look at who starred in April!
Darren Helm
Big Red Machine gathering steam
The Wings stormed out to a two goal lead and never looked back, winning their second straight and dispatching the visiting Minnesota Wild. Though it lacked the same passion and intensity of yesterday’s game against a Nashville squad that is quickly climbing the ranks among the Red Wings top rivals, it was a similar gritty effort that got the job done for the Wings. The win clinched the Central division for the Wings, as the Chicago Blackhawks can now only tie them in points, but would lose out on the tie-breaker.
Furious Finish Falls Short
Despite a frantic end to the game that saw the Red Wings swarming the Canucks net, Roberto Luongo was able to slam the door shut on all but one Wings shot. The NHL’s leading scorer Daniel Sedin added two goals to bring his season total to 40, in a battle of the Western Conference’s top two teams.
Battle of the Two Seeds Goes in Detroit’s Favor
Two of the top four seeds in the NHL took the ice tonight in Detroit, Michigan. When the dust settled, the team from the West was victorious in a hard fought, tightly contested battle. It really was an incredible game from start to finish, so join me to break down all the excitement after the jump.
Unsung Players Get it Done
Remember a few days ago when Red Wings Nation was panicking about dropping four straight decisions? Haha, me neither.
Roster Decisions on the Horizon – Forwards
The other day, I talked about how Ken Holland had some decisions to make regarding some of his prospects and their upcoming waiver eligibility. I determined that of the two defensemen who will be losing their waiver exempt status, Logan Pyett and Sergei Kolosov, that Pyett was the more likely of the two to be on the Wings opening day roster for 2011-2012. Now, let’s look at the forwards who are in the same boat.
Better Effort, Same Result
The Wings deserved a better fate in this one. I’m not one to blame the refs for a loss, especially since I am one myself, but they determined the outcome of the game tonight.
Late Collapse Leads to Shocking Defeat
Stunned. That’s the only word I can think of to describe my reaction from about 5 minutes left in the game on. Absolutely stunned that the Wings could let a third period, three goal lead slip through their fingers, only to fall in the shootout.
Full Team Effort Leads to Wings Win
General Manager Ken Holland chose to stand pat at today’s trade deadline, and let 3 p.m. pass without making a single move. His reasoning was that, when healthy, this team is already a Stanley Cup contender, and has plenty of depth in their 23 skaters in Detroit as well as those available to them in Grand Rapids. Tonight, the team he assembled showed that he was right.
Eaves out, Wings to recall a Griff?
For all you Red Wings fans that were hoping that by this Saturday we’d get to see what a completely healthy Red Wings forward group looks like…not so fast! Patrick Eaves suffered a leg injury last night when he was delivering a check to a Sharks player and their knees collided.
Bert Puts Exclamation Point on 1,000th Game!
Todd Bertuzzi has been as hot as any one in the league lately, netting 6 goals in his last 4 games headed into this afternoon’s battle with the Minnesota Wild. While he was officially held off the scoreboard today, it was his shootout winner that decided the game in the Red Wings favor.
Wings Survive Panther Scare, Hang on For the Win
Red Wings 4 – Panthers 3
The Red Wings coughed up and then regained a two goal lead for a second straight night, and picked up their 4th straight win. The game wasn’t without it’s dangerous moments, though, which I’ll get to after the break.
Take Your Measuring Stick and Shove it
Red Wings 6 – Lightning 2
In a game that was a measuring stick of sorts for the Lightning, they did not stack up well against the Red Wings. With players coming back in droves off of the injured reserve, the Wings have begun playing like the team we were treated to in the first two months of the season. Follow along after the jump for the breakdown.
What to do with all these healthy bodies?
Very soon, the Red Wings will have to deal with a problem they’ve barely had to think about for two full seasons. When Brad Stuart, Valtteri Filppula and Mike Modano all return sometime this month (hopefully) the Red Wings will have…*gasp* too many healthy players!
Detroit Earns the Sweep
In a rare home and home with the Boston Bruins this weekend, the Detroit Red Wings took home all four points, thanks in large part to the four goals scored by #44.
Wings Take the Off Wing View in Win
Red Wings 6 Bruins 1
There are times as a writer where it is tough for me to pick the three stars of the game. Some of the time, it is because the Wings got thoroughly dismantled and no one deserves a star. Then there are games like tonight’s…
