Round 1 Game 4 Highlights; Detroit vs. Columbus

Detroit sweeps Columbus with a 6-5 win. LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!

Round 1 Game 4 Preview- Detroit Vs. Columbus

Many people are yelling to get the brooms out but I will not get mine out until I know this game is in the bag for Detroit. You never know which way a game is going to go. Columbus could have finally lit a fire under their butts and decided to play better hockey that is called playoff hockey.

Detroit once again needs to come out and dominate in the first 10-15 minutes and score. They need to dominate all 3 periods. They can't sit back a little during the third period like they did the last game. They must come out and dominate the entire game.

Draper has not been cleared to play yet. He'll probably be back in round 2. Cleary didn't practice yesterday but Babcock and Cleary both said he'll play in game 4.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Down 3-0 and nearing extinction in their first-round series with the powerful Detroit Red Wings, the Columbus Blue Jackets are trying to keep their heads up.

Too bad R.J. Umberger didn't do that in Game 3.

Umberger was carrying the puck down through open ice when he glanced at the puck for an instant. Detroit defenseman Brad Stuart closed fast and lowered the boom on the Blue Jackets forward. Umberger looked like a cartoon character with his eyes rolling around in his head for a short time, but later returned and scored his second goal of series - the Blue Jackets' only goals so far.

Umberger tried to look at the upside of that jarring hit.

"I had a kink in my neck for the last two months. It's gone now," he cracked Wednesday. "So I'm actually pretty happy. I should send him a thank-you note. ... It was better than a chiropractor can do."

For his part, Stuart was happy to oblige.

"Anytime, anytime. Glad to help," Stuart said with a grin. "I don't charge anything. Pro bono."

That one play spoke volumes about the entire series. The Blue Jackets, making their first trip to the playoffs in the franchise's eight years, have skated hard and been focused. But the wily veteran Red Wings have repeatedly beaten them down.

The Blue Jackets are in desperate straits.

"We're playing for our lives now," defenseman Kris Russell said.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Red Wings have won by a combined score of 12-2. The defensemen have been superlative. Cycling the puck on offense has been raised to an art form. Chris Osgood has stopped 76 of the 78 shots he's faced.

Many of the Blue Jackets have bemoaned their giveaways and missed scoring chances, adding that the Red Wings are approaching perfection.

Not even close, Detroit coach Mike Babcock said.

"We're a long way from error-free," he said. "It's not a perfect game. It's not supposed to be like that."

The Wings don't strive for perfection. As a result, they don't play with hesitancy, nor are they afraid to take chances.

"It's a game of mistakes and what we try to do and our philosophy and our program is to not be careful - Put your foot on the gas, go as hard as you can go, we'll fix it later or tomorrow," Babcock said. "But let's make mistakes on the aggressive side, not the passive side."

The Wings have no plans to alter that high-risk, high-reward attack in what could be the series-clinching game, set for Thursday night at Nationwide Arena.

"It's one of the toughest things to close a series," winger Marian Hossa said. "Obviously, no one wants to be swept. They're going to be ready for us and we have to make sure that we come out strong like we have."

The Red Wings had played indifferently down the stretch, long after they were assured of a playoff spot. But once the puck dropped in the postseason, they've been a different team.

"We had been looking forward to it for quite a while. So to do it and to be having fun doing it is a big thing for us," Osgood said. "But each game is a different moment. Game 4 will be completely different. We have to make sure we go out there and play solid hockey and play smart and make sure we're ready for the full game because we expect their best. We're expecting the best of ourselves as well."

The Blue Jackets have played well at the outset in all three games, but have not been able to keep up. On top of that, they've not been able to find the net - blame that on Osgood, Detroit's stout defense or Columbus' inefficiency and inaccuracy with the puck.

Unlike Stuart, they've even missed the Red Wings on checks.

In Game 3, defenseman Mike Commodore swooped in on Detroit's Daniel Cleary on the short boards. The largest crowd ever to see a hockey game in Columbus tensed for the thunderous hit. Except Cleary slipped past Commodore, who sprawled over the wall and under the Red Wings bench.

"He about got Babcock yesterday, so that would have been a good thing," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock joked. "He just missed him."

http://www.nhl.com/ice/preview.htm?id=2008030164

Round 1 Game 3- Highlights; Red Wings Vs. Columbus

3 down 13 to go!!!

Round 1 Game 3 Preview

The Columbus Bluejackets finally get to experience their very first home playoff game. Hope the fans enjoy it. Playoff games are a wonderful and exciting experience.

Detroit needs to come out the first 10-15 minutes of the first period and play hard. They need to capitalize and score a goal. If they do this, they'll get into Columbus' head. This game will not be easy but with the way the Wings have been playing and them knowing that today is a critical game, I can see them bringing what they've brought so far and bring more to the ice. LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A raucous capacity crowd is expected to energize the Columbus Blue Jackets in their first home playoff game ever on Tuesday night.

Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said it's the other way around.

"It's our job to energize them," Hitchcock said Monday of the 19,000-plus expected to raise the roof at Nationwide Arena.

The Detroit Red Wings hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven first-round Western Conference series. They've won twice by playing well, certainly, but also by pouncing on every little mistake the neophyte Blue Jackets have made. Half of the Wings' eight goals in the two games have gone in off a Columbus player.

The Blue Jackets feel it's time they earn the support they'll get from their fans.

"A big reason we didn't do anything in those first two games is not because we're being outworked," Columbus forward Raffi Torres said. "We're working hard, we're just not working smart. A lot of times when they're creating stuff, it's off of our mistakes, which is not us. We know what we have to do."

The crowd Tuesday night figures to be very different from the first eight seasons when the Red Wings visited Ohio's capital city. For years, Wings fans have flooded south to watch their team. There were so many Yzerman, Zetterberg and even Gordie Howe jerseys around the arena, and the Detroit fans were so loud, often it was hard to tell who the home team was.

Those days may be over.

"It's a loud arena in the regular season, too. The crowd will really get into it and (the Blue Jackets) will certainly come out desperate," the Wings' Tomas Holmstrom said Monday. "We just have to play our game and be prepared for the first five or 10 minutes and try to turn the momentum our way."

At the same time, the Blue Jackets aren't misled into thinking that their fans will leave the mighty Wings quaking in their skates.

"You're not going to intimidate the Detroit Red Wings," Hitchcock said.

The reigning Stanley Cup champions have made the playoffs the last 18 seasons. They've been shouted down, antagonized and reviled by some of the most belligerent throngs from Tampa Bay to Denver to Anaheim. What they'll get from the Columbus crowd won't be anything new.

"A road team isn't as affected by the crowd. They're used to hostile environments," veteran Columbus center Michael Peca said. "The detriment you get with the crowd is if the road team has the ability to silence the crowd and quiet them out, then it really drops the energy level of everybody (with the home team). As the home team, you want to do whatever you can - do big penalty kills, effective power plays, strong five-on-five and puck control - to keep the crowd on their toes and keep them in the game."

The biggest concern for the Blue Jackets is what takes place on the ice. If they continue to lose faceoffs and take needless penalties they'll make things far more difficult for rookie goaltender Steve Mason, who has played much better than the 8-1 goal differential would indicate.

"We're going to be better at all areas of our game, from the goaltender on out," Mason said. "Coming back with an 0-2 series situation isn't the greatest, but we're looking for the home support and hopefully win Game 3 and go on from there."

With the games shifting to Columbus, Hitchcock, as the home coach, gets to see who the Wings put on the ice before sending out his matchups. As a result, he might be able to free up leading scorer Rick Nash, who doesn't have a goal or assist in the first two games.

Hitchcock is toying with one line change. He had Antoine Vermette center the first line with Nash and Kristian Huselius during Monday's practice. Manny Malhotra, frequently centering the top line, was on the third line between Fredrik Modin and Jason Chimera.

The Red Wings plan no lineup changes. They don't need to change anything.

"We have enough people to match up. We're not very concerned," coach Mike Babcock said. "They've got to play against our good players too."

Hitchcock draws some solace from the fact that the Blue Jackets have rebounded for surprise wins all season during their darkest hours, even when they've had injuries and were playing the hottest teams.

"We've kind of prepared for this type of game since September," he said. "All the barking and scratching and complaining and demanding things that have gone on, is for this time. (The Red Wings) are not going away from this level. This is the level they're going to play at for the rest of the playoffs. They're dialed in. And it's our turn to answer the bell."

http://www.nhl.com/ice/preview.htm?id=2008030163

Round 1 Game 2 Highlights; Columbus Vs. Detroit

Round 1 Game 2- Columbus Vs. Detroit

DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Red Wings were expected to get knocked down a few pegs when the NHL created a salary cap four years ago.

Detroit didn't get the memo.

The defending Stanley Cup champions got off to a good start in their quest to repeat, beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1.

Detroit won its playoff-opening game in large part because of its knack for drafting and developing players to complement stars.

Columbus contained Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, but allowed the Red Wings' third line of Jiri Hudler, Valtteri Filppula and Mikael Samuelsson to combine for a goal and four assists.

"If you walked into Game 1 and said, 'Datsyuk's line and Zetterberg's line didn't get a point,' you'd be pretty happy," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said Friday, a day before Game 2 in Detroit. "But good teams find ways to beat you with other people."

The Red Wings have been great for a long time - winning three titles in 11 seasons - because the Ken Holland-led front office has unearthed players from around the globe such as Datsyuk and Zetterberg and wisely spent owner Mike Ilitch's money.

When Holland had to slash about half his payroll in 2005, following the lockout, he barely blinked and the franchise didn't miss a beat.

It helps that stars such as Marian Hossa were willing to play in Detroit on a one-year contract, hoping to hoist a Cup, and others like Zetterberg accepted long-term, salary-cap friendly contracts.

After signing Zetterberg to a 12-year deal and Johan Franzen to an 11-year contract this season, Holland acknowledges he might not be able to assemble a team as good as this one again.

"This is probably the best collection of talent you'll see on one team in this era," Holland said. "We can keep any player we want this season, but we're going to lose some players. I've shut down negotiations with our players on new contracts right now because our focus is on the playoffs.

"But we're going to have some hard decisions to make this summer."

Hossa, Hudler and Filppula will, too, because they're eligible for free agency this offseason.

"I'm not really thinking about it now," Hudler said. "It's kind of a distraction.

"Obviously, this is my home right now and I want to stay."

The Blue Jackets want to stick around in the playoffs and hope getting jitters out of the way will help them get back to their hard-hitting ways.

"It was the franchise's first playoff game, a lot of guys were nervous," forward Rick Nash said. "It's nice that it's over and done with."

Even though the seventh-seeded Blue Jackets seem overmatched by second-seeded Detroit, making its 18th straight postseason appearance, their players and coach sound confident.

"The series doesn't change until somebody loses a home game because it forces a team into uncomfortable territory," Hitchcock said.

Blue Jackets defenseman Jan Hejda said the key to earning a split before the series shifts to Columbus for Games 3 and 4 will be style of play.

"Really, it's not about what we can do against Datsyuk, Zetterberg or their third line," Hejda said. "We just need to focus on ourselves, checking deep in the zone and causing turnovers like they did to us in Game 1."

http://www.nhl.com/ice/preview.htm?id=2008030162

If Osgood comes out the way he did from the very beginning of game one and the rest of the team comes out and plays like they did in periods 2 and 3, they're going to win tonights game.

LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!

Round 1 Game 1 Highlights- Columbus Vs. Detroit

Round 1, Game 1 Preview- Columbus vs Red Wings

DETROIT (AP) - Chris Osgood would rather just play, take off his gear, get stretched out, and enjoy some grub.

As the No. 1 goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings, doing anything quietly is not an option.

"Everybody makes too big of a deal out of me," Osgood said Thursday, sounding slightly exasperated. "I'm just part of the team."

Despite Osgood's attempts to deflect attention, his play will be pivotal in the Red Wings' quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

Detroit's chances improve if Osgood plays like he did last year, showing this season was a fluke. He had a 2.09 goals-against average last season and a league-low 1.55 GAA in the 2008 playoffs.

This season, his GAA ballooned to a career-high 3.09 and there were doubts at times about whether he would start the playoffs in net.

Osgood's first shot to show he's still an elite goalie comes Thursday night at home in Game 1 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Does it bother him that some hockey analysts are giving the Blue Jackets the edge in net with rookie Steve Mason.

"Who are the people doing it?" Osgood asked.

Awkward pause.

"Go," Osgood said. "Next one."

Osgood's place in hockey history also brings out the testy side of his personality.

"I'll worry about it when I'm done playing," the 37-year-old Osgood said. "It's not easy to win in this league, otherwise everybody would be doing it. I don't know how many goalies have played here in the last 15 years that I've been here, but I'm still here and I'm still wanted.

"That's what matters most and accounts for more than anything else. I'm a winner. That's all I do."

His 389 career victories put him in a tie for 10th with Dominik Hasek, who retired last year after losing his job to Osgood, and trail only Martin Brodeur and Curtis Joseph among active goalies.

Osgood will likely pass Grant Fuhr and Glenn Hall next season on the all-time list, and he might have a shot at surpassing Tony Esposito, Jacques Plante and Terry Sawchuk before his current contract expires in two years.

He's won two Stanley Cups in Detroit as a starting goaltender in 1998 and 2008, and was a backup when the storied franchise won a championship in 1997.

He has franchise records in the playoffs with 52 wins and 12 shutouts and his 62 postseason victories overall trail Joseph by one and Hasek by three.

Osgood's accomplishments seem to make him a Hall of Fame-caliber goalie, but helping the Red Wings hoist the Cup last year didn't do much for naysayers who overlook him in conversations about the game's best between the pipes.

"There's two goalies I know that are playing hockey in the national league that have three Stanley Cups," Detroit coach Mike Babcock bristled. "One's named Brodeur and one is named Osgood. That's it."

Teammate Kirk Maltby chose to expound on the topic.

"His numbers are as good as anybody playing, other than Brodeur, but the hockey world doesn't give him the acknowledgment he deserves," Maltby said. "When he left here, he helped St. Louis and the New York Islanders get in the playoffs. Then, he came back and helped us win a Cup.

"Maybe it's just because Ozzie is just a shy guy, who doesn't really relish trying to be in the spotlight."

The glare on his game will only intensify if Osgood fails to help the second-seeded Red Wings get past the seventh-seeded Blue Jackets with a rookie in net.

Mason had an NHL-high 10 shutouts this season and his 2.29 goals-against average ranked second in the league, lifting Columbus to postseason play for the first time in the franchise's eight-season history.

"It's about time this team had some success," the 20-year-old Mason said. "The city has waited a long time for it.

"Everybody should be proud of what we accomplished, but nobody is going to be satisfied with just making the playoffs. We want to make it to the Stanley Cup final."

While some might scoff at Mason's bravado, his coach embraces it.

"I think our whole franchise is under the radar," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Teams still think we're goalie only. We're more than that."

Blue Jackets star Rick Nash, though, isn't sure he would still be playing if Mason didn't emerge as a star after Pascal Leclaire had a season-ending injury.

"He's the backbone of our team right now," Nash said. "Pascal Leclaire was a great goalie as well, but he got injured and Steve took full advantage of his opportunity.

"He keeps everybody calm and looks like a veteran."

The only thing that seems to rattle Osgood is being surrounded by reporters and TV cameras, probing for answers.

"I just get sick of it," he said. "I just want to get my stuff off, get stretched out and feel half decent and go eat. If I don't eat now, I'm 37, I get mad.

"Some days I don't want to deal with it."

http://www.nhl.com/ice/preview.htm?id=2008030161

I would of written up my own but I found out that I am going to the game tonight so I don't have time to write up one. I will write up a game summary and my experience at the playoff game along with pictures. LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!!

'09 Stanley Cup Playoffs-First round, Columbus

First off, Happy Easter to those who celebrate it :) Now onto what is really important (at least to hockey fans).

The 2009 Playoffs have been set. In parentheses I will place who I think will win the series. I don't like to pick how many games it will be won in tho. It's a jinx for me.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens (Boston)
#2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers (I'd like to say Rangers but Caps take it)
#3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes (NJ Devils!)
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers (Flyers!)


WESTERN CONFERENCE
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks (Sharks)
#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets (Whoever wins the 1st game)
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues (Canucks)
#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames (Either or, I'd be happy with both moving on)



Detroit didn't end with a very high momentum this year. However, either did Columbus. With that being said, I really think whoever wins the first game of the series will win the series. If Detroit can figure out their blue line issues at practice and don't falter during game time, they should be fine. Osgood has been playing well this past month and I think once the second period of game 1 comes around, he'll be great.

Good luck to all the teams in the playoffs. Good luck Columbus, I look forward to a good series.