Wings 4, Avs 0 -- Rivalry Renewed?
Well now, that was fun, wasn't it? Just like old times, the Wings and Avs dropped the gloves, spilled some blood (Filppula was sporting a nice welt and four fresh stitches from a butt-end cheap shot in the 2nd period) and did their darnedest to remind all those millions of Versus viewers who tuned in why this was hockey's best rivalry a decade ago.
Truth is, it was a couple teams desperately in need of a win, but only one that's really any good. Wings win, 4-0. Wings lose Nick Lidstrom. Wings rally as a team and get vastly improved effort from blueline role players. Wings now face prospect of doing something they've really never done -- play a week or two (or more?) without Nick Lidstrom. They'll take the good with the bad, I guess.
Would've been nice if they'd done all this in an afternoon game rather than an 8 p.m. start, but the gist of the night's antics made it into the final editions I think.
Not sure we'll see any supplementary discipline or fines after Monday's hits and misses. Laperriere's hit was borderline, Downey stuck to the accepted fighting code pretty well, and Babcock's not on the hook for that third-period incident since he didn't put Downey out on the ice for the opening faceoff. Downey changed with Filppula on the fly shortly after the faceoff on his own, according to Babcock, though the Avs' coaches certainly weren't buying it.
Wings are off Tuesday so also not sure what kind of injury update we'll get on Lidstrom before Wednesday's practice. Babcock's 7-to-10-days estimate seems rather optimistic to me, but who knows? Brian Rafalski was expected back for Friday night's game, anyway, so for now it would appear the Wings will just hold off on sending Kyle Quincey back down to G.R. until Nick (or Nik) is ready to return. Ericsson would get the call if Rafalski isn't able to return in Lidstrom's place in the meantime.
Babcock had sort of called out the fill-ins on defense Monday morning -- "Everybody always wants to play more and be more important," Babcock said. "Well, here's your opportunity. If you don't do anything with your opportunity, that's just life. The bottom line is we haven't been winning." -- but Meech played well Monday, and so did Lilja/Lebda and especially Chelios, whom Babcock singled out for praise after the game.
