Thursday, May 05, 2011

Finis

Dejected Red Wings fans linger in their seats as Joe Louis Arena empties out after San Jose's Devin Setoguchi scored the overtime game-winner to complete a hat trick. (John T. Greilick / The Detroit News)

Detroit -- Over in a flash, again. Over by the narrowest, nastiest margin, again. And now, the Red Wings' season is nearly over, pushed to the bitter brink by an opponent they simply can't hold off.
The Red Wings blew their chance in this one, no doubt. But the Sharks also took it, and now they're on the verge of taking Detroit's season and snapping it over their knees again. Devin Setoguchi's third goal, 9 minutes 21 seconds into overtime, gave San Jose a 4-3 victory Wednesday, a 3-0 series lead and such taut command of Detroit, it's staggering.
The Red Wings lost the way they've lost many times to this team, an agonizing riddle they just can't solve. They lost on a terrific shot that might have tipped off a stick, and a series that could've turned tight stunningly turned the other way.
It's time to stop being surprised. The Sharks have beaten the Red Wings seven of their last eight meetings in the playoffs, all by one goal. The Red Wings played well at times, with Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk dynamic again, but not well enough to beat the relentless Sharks.
The Fat Lady is in the wings (heh) and she's tunin' up.  Yeah, it ain't over til it's over and all that happy horseshit but we know: it's over.  Bein' down 0-3 in a hockey playoff series is like that ol' sayin' in chess: you're playin' for heart failure... on the part o' the other guy.  These Fish have strong hearts, so that possibility ain't in the cards.  The maddening thing... the thing that drives us Wings fans abso-fukkin'-lutely NUTS... is how close these games have been, especially Game One out in San Jose when the game was decided by a garbage goal in OT.  The outcome of that game set the tone for this series and it's been ALL downhill since then.  

It's just like last year, only worse.  Last year the Wings went into the second round against the Sharks all tired out from a brutal seven game first round victory over those Feral Dogs... this year they swept those same Dogs and things looked pretty good.  Until last night.  And now it's déjà vu all over again.  The Wings will win the next one at The Joe and mebbe even another one after that but make no mistake: it's over.

Sigh.  Oh, well.  Sometimes it bees like that.  That's hockey, and a bag o' assorted other clichés about losing.  Still and even: not fun.  Not fun AT ALL.
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6 comments:

  1. Deb05 May, 2011 10:15

    Soon we'll both be on the outside lookin' in. And I was hoping to live vicariously through you. Sigh.

    heh, wv: fuskat

    ReplyDelete
  2. Barco Sin Vela II05 May, 2011 11:53

    VS didn't let us Florida folks in on the game until the Caps finished being brutalized by the Boston Bears. I saw that great Datsyuk goal and the finish of the second period.

    Went to bed thinking the Hometown advantage would carry them through.

    Better luck next year!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Barco Sin Vela II05 May, 2011 11:55

    Actually, VS had us skipping btwn the two games, (waiting on the Red Wings Game) so I may have my teams mixed up.

    (And I mixed champagne and beer)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Deb05 May, 2011 14:52

    Barco, the Caps got thoroughly tromped by the Tampa Lightning Bolts. Take a tip from Andy, don't drink and blog. (says she as she's having a beer.)

    heh, wv: sphistio

    ReplyDelete
  5. Buck05 May, 2011 15:08

    And I was hoping to live vicariously through you. Sigh.

    And I was hopin' this was the Year of the Twelfth Cup, too. Double sigh.

    Lou: "Damn" ain't half strong enough. You wouldn't have wanted to be in ECMdP last night when the game ended.

    Darryl: Yeah, you do have your teams mixed up. As noted elsewhere, I'd have dearly loved to watch the Caps get beat.

    Deb: Ah... (clink). Here we are, drinkin' together but separate.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous05 May, 2011 21:49

    It is tough seeing this happen. I always get worried when a team has too much time off due to doing well in the prior round.

    I think it just takes an edge off that you have a hard time getting back. If it doesn't come back after the first game it can cause a lot of additional pressure.

    Sure, they are facing a tough team, but with these games being so close, you have to wonder about the layoff time having some effect.

    ReplyDelete

Just be polite... that's all I ask.

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