I've never been a huge fan of Andreas Lilja, but missing him for a year made me change my mind. That and he's been playing pretty damn good since his return in late February. Why am I bringing up Lils, you ask? He has his own blog that is now being translated into English on the Wings' website and he wrote something that I've been hoping the Wings realize for Friday's game [and Sunday's]. He wrote:
"...We haven't been playing on our highest level before and we have an understanding now that it takes 100% by everyone and every shift! It's an amazing feeling to see and feel when we play as we did!
It's important to continue to play like this on Friday, beacuse Phoenix is far from being beaten, and they will rise its level for next game, so we better charge our batteries until next game!"
I was shouting this at my television during the postgame, but I'm pretty sure the players couldn't hear me [though Ken and Mickey usually can because they repeat what I say a lot]. The Wings have to keep their game up to that same caliber that it was on Tuesday night. Friday is definitely a must-win for us, even if it's only Game Five. If we can head back to The Joe with a 3-2 lead in the series, I have a good feeling that we can finish the Yotes off at The Joe.
I can't see the Red Wings slacking for Game Five like they did in Game Three. We're coming down to crunch time and as we all found out this season, the Wings play well under pressure. Maybe they should just pretend that they're always about to get knocked out of the playoffs and they'll just play like that all the time.
I'll end this with what Lils wrote, "Hope we continue to dominate like we did Tuesday, it can take us far..." I hope you're right, Lils, because I have to get up at 5am for work on Saturday and I'd like to go in tired and happy, not tired and disgruntled. And not have to explain why you guys lost to all of the regulars; I'd much rather talk about a victory.
As a non-hockey-related PS, I'm doing a top rated shuffle on my iPod. 1496 songs. Currently on #33 - Your Time Is Gonna Come by Led Zeppelin.
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I was like you - I still have nightmares about Lilja giving up the puck to Selanne in Game 5 in 2007. But he obviously brings something to the team that they were missing, especially on the PK.
ReplyDeleteAs good as the effort was in Game 4, it has to be better in Game 5. The Dogs will be in front of their home crowd (well, some of the home crowd) in all of their white, and they will be pumped. I'm looking for an early goal by the Wings to silence that crowd, and let's put them away early.