Uh oh....

The Wings are flying high again. 12-3 in their last 15 games. Is all that about to come to a screeching halt? Just read that Jimmy Howard is out for 2 weeks with a hand injury. So now the Wings are forced to replace Howard (2.03 GAA, .924 SV%), with Ty Conklin (3.2 GAA, .886 SV%), who will be backed up by Joey MacDonald (you don't wanna know). Will Conklin be up to the task? Well Wings fans better hope Conklin doesn't go down, and they also better hope that the Wings play some extra solid defense in front of him.

So, where do the next two weeks take the Wings? Luckily, After Saturday and Monday in Edmonton and Phoenix, respectively, it's a six game home stand facing the Oilers, Ducks, Flyers, Stars, Predators, and Sharks. Howard may be back for the Stars. Maybe. So in reality, Conklin only needs to start 5 or 6 games, and maybe Coach Babcock throws Joey MacDonald out for the game against the Ducks. Actually, if the Wings are lucky, it will only be two games, which is about right for a broken pinky. Which, as I understand, is the injury.

It sucks really bad for the Wings to lose their top performer at this point in the season, but look at the big picture. At least it isn't the middle of the playoffs. The injury bugs have been rather kind to the Wings so far this season, so lets hope that it stays that way.

I have also read that the Red Wings are looking for a top-six forward. Uhhhhh....is this because the Wings don't need another D-man? So who gets the ticket to Grand Rapids if the Wings pick up another stellar player? Probably Jan Mursak. Wait, where the hell did Chris Conner go? Oh yeah, Grand Rapids...guess he isn't top-six. And who are the Wings courting? As usual, Kenny Holland is locked up tighter than Fort Knox on this subject, other than to say that they are looking at Tuomo Ruutu. A defenseman.

In other news, how the hell does Nick Lidstrom have more penalty minutes than Mike Commodore? Oh yeah, Commodore has only played 15 games to Nick's 51.

FOR KEN: The Rangers are going into a three game home stand, facing the Flyers, Devils, and Lightning, then away at the Flyers. I don't know about you, but I see the fighting majors going through the roof in the next 5 games. MSG might want to consider adding a second deck to its penalty boxes.

Feelin it....

So Im just not feeling it this week. I mean, it was all star weekend and all, but this time of year really sucks donkey. the Wings got their asses handed to them just before the break, and then there was a depressing week of no hockey. Well, the week wasnt completely devoid of hockey, as we have a few WHL teams in the Pacific Northwest to follow. In fact, Landon Ferrarro's old team, the Everett Silvertips, is a few miles away. But it aint the Red Wings. Now that we are past the all star break, let the run to the playoffs begin. With a win at Calgary last night, the Wings solidified their grip on first in the West, and in the NHL. Vancouver is next, and i hear through the grapevine that Datsyuk and Howard were excused from practice. FOR KEN: the Rangers are still tops in the East, but they are winless since the all star break.