Homer's in His Office, All's Right with the World

Because if there had been Red Wings in Browning's time, I swear he'd have been a fan.

Ah, October! That most glorious on months. The month where the weather cools, the leaves turn, and men start leaving their teeth on sheets of polished ice (fortunately for Kopitar the tooth was fake; fortunately for the fans, the blood was real). And all I have to say is...

IT'S ABOUT DAMNED TIME!!!

The Wings played their first two games, winning 4-0 over Anaheim and 3-2 over Chicago, leaving me with a warm, fuzzy feeling of contentment. Though I got to see both games, I unfortunately have yet to be reunited with Ken and Mickey, since I had to put up with the Anaheim feed on Friday and the NHLN coverage on Saturday. Still a win's a win, and I'll take both of these and summarize my thoughts here:

• 1 game = 1 shutout for James Tiberius. How awesome is that? Keep it up, pal, and the media will be eating the word "slump" along with a great big side of "too old."
• Pasha is the man. No only can he deke and score and humiliate opponents on the ice, but he can kick their asses when it's called for. Good going, Pasha. Now don't ever do that again.
• Franzen made it through the Chicago game, and in a week or so, I expect my nightmares to fade as the relief sinks in.
• Modano scored his first goal as a Wing and looked like a solid presence on the 3rd line. I like Mike. So far.
• On Saturday, Bambi was the man. With his big doe eyes fixed on the net and his luxurious locks flowing in the wind (well, their would be if he hadn't been wearing a helmet), Filppula sank 2 around Turco. I love it. This is his year. I can feel it.
• Ozzie looked good. He gave me a moment or two of nail-biting anxiety, but over all, he got the job done. 1 of the 2 goals he let in was entirely not his fault but rests on the shoulders of Dan Cleary and the defense for hanging him out to dry while the puck was banged out of the corner. The other goal, maybe he should have had, but he came up with the save he needed to when we needed them. So, go Oz!
• I like Jakob Kindl 100 times more than Ericsson. He might not be as pretty (by like a factor of 100) but he was solid and steady out there in a way Big Rig hasn't been in a year. He gets my vote for the 6th D-spot.

So next game is tomorrow v. Colorado. Since I'm both a traditionalist and a sentimental fool, I'm looking forward to a couple of hours of  vitriol and hate in my living room.

Ah, hockey! How I've missed you...

Let's Go Red Wings!

Even Gods Like Booty Shakes

I presume it was my primitive ritual dance that persuaded the Hockey Gods to keep Ericsson's injury to a manageable deep bone bruise and calf sprain rather than making it an MCL or ACL tear. There's clearly no other explanation. Because the weeping, crying, bargaining, praying, and body part-crossing I did for all the other injuries this season made absolutely no difference to them. So yes, I am taking credit.

Turns out that Kenny is calling up Janik rather than Kindl, which of course makes sense when you think about their roles. Janik is a penalty killer, and that's the area where Ericsson's loss will be felt. So, I approve. What the hell, it's Kenny f'ing Holland; I'd approve if he called up Bozo the Clown, because I know he'd have good reason. I'd just have to listen to the games with a blindfold on. I don't. Do. Clowns.

Next up is Tampa, and I'm bracing myself. Two days off in a row haven't been the best thing for the Wings this year, but maybe the spirit of grinding it out will move them again. Here's hoping.

Go Wings!

Red, White & Black'n'Blue

Is the naming of this blog a sin I should have confessed to the Hockey Gods over at Snipe, Snipe, Dangle, Dangle? Honestly, when I started, I was thinking of classic moments like the '97 fight against Colorado, or even the kind of punishing, open-ice hits Kronwall makes that give me a little tingle. THAT was the "black'n'blue" I was referencing, not this never-ending parade of injuries marching through our depth chart. I swear. I never meant to cause...this.

Tonight we pulled out the win against Phoenix, but I have a bad feeling that it came at the expense of Jonathan Ericsson. No word so far on the extent of the injury, but after seeing it on TV (and several times on DVR) I have a very bad feeling it might be an MCL or ACL tear, which would wrap up the season for him. Believe me I'm crossing my fingers, praying, lighting candles, and doing primitive ritual dances in hopes that it's nothing more than a bruise. But if the season so far is any indication...

I've heard some speculation on bring Ward in off waivers or inviting Chelios back, but I think it's much more likely that we're going to see Kindl back up from grand Rapids, and I'm actually fine with that. Hopefully, Kronner is back in 4 weeks or so, Cheli is not much of a realistic possibility given his age and the amount he played his last season with us, and I don't think Ward is worth the price. Kenny's already said he's not making trades, and if there's one thing I've learned in my time as a Wings fan, it's to always trust Kenny.

Just don't trust the Hockey Gods. Sneaky bastards.