Game Day: DET @ PHX 1/2/10

Finally, I'm back home and ready to roll. Or skate. Or really, just watch skating. It's been so long since I was able to watch a game live, I feel like it's September all over again. Which, when I think about the first half of this season, might not be a bad thing. It's the first game of 2010, and I'd be perfectly happy pretending that the ones that happened before this point actually, you know, didn't.

Still, I wasn't born to be a hater (in spite of all evidence to the contrary) so I'm planning to move forward toward the end of the season in the spirit of optimism. Beginning with my thoughts on the upcoming game. Plenty of other blogs do fabulous previews, so I'm just going to do a wish list.

Here are the things I want for tonight's game:

• More righteous follow-through from Helm. I'm going to exercise my optimism by predicting that Thursday night marked the turning point for the Nightmare's breakaways and that from now on those shots get buried. Beginning with at least 1 point tonight
• Ville Leino should become Bertuzzi to my Petrella and ramp up his play for at least 80% decent, two-way play and end in 1 goal and 1 assist
• Datsyuk should show us all that he was just playing with us for the last 3 months and dangle himself silly to the tune of 1 spectacular goal
• Bertuzzi should make at least one truly awesome offensive play, turn to the camera, and blow a wet sloppy kiss to TPL
• Abby should hit someone hard enough to inspire at least one use of the phrase "Kronwall-lite"
• Homer should remember that he's supposed to draw penalties, not take them, and that if he stays out of the box, he'll have the opportunity to tip in those goals that made him famous
• Miller should show why he's on the 2nd line and Leino is on the 4th without resorting to the rude faces and finger gestures I personally would choose to use. He should also demonstrate to the 2nd line that whole "somebody's got to shoot the puck" thing that Uncle Mike keeps harping on. Result? Goal. And joy in my heart.
• Jimmah should demonstrate to Ozzie (who I really do adore and hate to see suck) why #30's not going to get those starts he says he needs to get him into the groove until he takes one of the opportunities he's given and forces Babs to give him another one. Which means Jimmah should keep Phoenix to 1.
• Final score? DET 4 - PHX 1

Like I said, that's my wish list. Let's see how kindly disposed towards me 2010 really is, shall we?

Go Wings.