I know I'm preaching to the choir here but I couldn't be happier with how the Wings are playing down the stretch. They've been on a 9-2-1 run since the Olympic break and look better than they have all year. Sure, last night wasn't the typical puck possession domination that we have become accustomed to seeing in the Motor City but they went out and still got the win without quite putting it all together. Valarie Filpula continued to shine and netted the game winner and added another empty netter. His line of Zetterberg, Bertuzzi, and Filpula has combined for 20 points in the last three games and is just rolling the fuck outta people. There has also been some seriously solid play along the back end with Lidstrom and Rafalski looking as good as ever and Lebda stepping up his game as well. It also doesn't hurt that Jimmy Howard is doing his best Ryan Miller during the Olympics impersonation.
The most recent win puts the Wings at 87 points for the season and 4 points up on Calgary for the 8th spot and just 2 points back of Colorado and Nashville for the 6th and 7th. If the Wings keep there eye on the prize each night and continue to get production from the first two lines I don't think it's far fetched to think they could end up catching LA who owns the 5th spot with 90 points. Which would be huge considering the reseeding done during the NHL playoffs.
Nevertheless, I've still come across a few doubters who are bitching about blowing their wad too soon and being spent for the playoffs. I don't buy into any of that. The Wings have always been fighting for something, whether it was the Presidents Trophy or the 1-2 spot, if there was ever a team capable of playing playoff hockey for an extra month at the end of the season it is this team.
PS - Anyone remember these fuckin clown costumes the Blues were gonna wear until Mike Keenan told the marketing team to go fuck themselves. Good call Mike.
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