Sure, we've had plenty to cheer about in this series as Wings fans, but you still can't deny that the Joe has been exceptionally rowdy this year. In two games we've seen more passion out of a fanbase that has seemingly grown old or slightly disinterested with 20 straight years of playoff hockey than we've seen since the late 90's when people would've given you their left nut and their last coney dog for a playoff win.
So far the seats have been full, the crowd has been loud, and most importantly they've cheered and jeered at the right times. Last game Pavel got a standing ovation after an absolutely dominating shift early in the second in which he almost scored 3 different times. A lesser knowledgeable crowd might've overlooked that or even been disappointed in the fact he didn't score, but the Joe acknowledge what an extraordinary effort it was. The "Todd Ber-tuzz-i, clap-clap, clap-clap-clap" chant after his fight in game one was another moment when you could actually feel the crowd reach out and give the Wings a boost. But If I had to pick one thing I'd probably say the consistent "BULLSHIT!" chants we've heard when a call hasn't gone our way or when Franzen gets his face reconstructed by Shane Doan and the end boards have been the most impressive. It's a sign we're back to being an interactive crowd that won't let refs, opposing teams, or our own team off the hook if we don't like what's going on, and for that I commend Hockeytown.
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