Even The Blackhawks Could Not Ruin My Birthday

By Adam W Parks

Sunday, January 17, 2010 Blackhawks 4 @ Red Wings 3 SO

Mom had never been to a Wings game. I had never been to a game that the Wings had lost. Despite the outcome, we had a great time at Joe Louis Arena.

Following the Lodge Freeway we arrived in downtown Detroit. It was a chilly morning, but not too cold for a walk around the arena. I wanted to go down by the river, check out the Canadian side of things, and walk across Steve Yzerman Drive. Once we made it inside, I wanted to show Mom all the sights that the Joe had to offer. She really liked the "Production Line" statues, even though Howe was the only name she recognized. Funny because she would soon meet one of the other guys shortly thereafter.

Not-So-Terrible Ted

As we walked circles around the arena, searching for the perfect lunch amidst all the food vendors, we passed a booth with a table, a stack of books, a short line, and an elderly looking gentleman getting his picture taken. Once I recognized Ted Lindsay, I whispered to Mom, "He's one of the Production guys."

"Go get in line, I'll take a picture of you two," she said. So I did. What the Hell? I thought, I may never get another opportunity to shake 'Terrible' Ted's hand again. I bought his book and he wished me a happy birthday. I asked him, "Do you remember how many goals you scored when you were 29?" He replied with a laugh, "I don't remember what I did last year."

I looked it up when I got home. At age 29 Lindsay hit a professional lull during the 1954-55 regular season, playing in just 49 games with just 19 goals. His 38 points were his lowest output since his first two seasons in the NHL. However he did net seven goals and 19 points in the playoffs in what would become the last Stanley Cup Championship Detroit would see until 1997.

During his playing days Lindsay was one of the most feared players to ever lace up the skates and lay the lumber. Standing just 5' 8", he was considered undersized by even the 1940-50s NHL standards, but his nasty disposition was as notorious as his elbows were fearsome. At age 84, the scars on his face were scarcely noticed amidst the wrinkles, and his handshake was warm and genuine. Nothing terrible about Ted that I could tell.

Although I never got to see the man play, I greatly admire his place in Red Wings lore and what he accomplished wearing the Winged Wheel for 14 of his 17 NHL seasons. It was a huge honor to meet him.

Onto the Game

Mom and I found our seats and I proceeded to inhale an Italian beef sandwich. Our seats were up high in one of the corners, the perfect place to sit and get a true scope of the inside of the arena. We gazed upon the retired names and numbers: Howe (9), Abel (12), Lindsay (7), Delvecchio (10), Sawchuk (1), and Yzerman (19). I pointed out the 11 Stanley Cup Championship banners and refreshed Mom's memory on the Wings most recent successes.

There were several Blackhawks jerseys mixed intermittently throughout. I wondered how rowdy it might get and whether any of the visiting fans would be moronic enough to partake in their idiotic tradition of cheering through the National Anthem. Sure enough, two degenerates a section to our right rapidly clapped throughout Karen Newman's entire rendition. Mom was visibly annoyed. I waited until after the song was over (because that is what respectful Americans do when the National Anthem is being sung/played) to inform her of the ridiculous ritual. She was not impressed, "That's just stupid, disrespectful to our country."

Note to Chicago Blackhawks fans: Do whatever you want in your own home. Do not take your BS tradition on the road with you. You look, and sound, like complete A-holes.

Breaking the Silence

Wings fans had little to cheer about during the first period until Nicklas Lidstrom scored with less than a minute left in the session.



That was the first Detroit goal against the Blackhawks in over 161 minutes. With all the damn Chicago fans in the arena we had to endure plenty of cheering when Troy Brouwer and Patrick Kane put the Hawks up 2-0, and had to continuously stifle "Let's Go Blackhawks" chants with booing and "Let's Go Red Wings" mantras of our own, so it was nice of Nick to give us something to scream about. After Henrik Zetterberg tied it up 2-2 in the second period, the somewhat lethargic crowd sprang to life, and a rivalrous playoff-like atmosphere enveloped the Joe for all fans.

Patrick Sharp scored, just minutes after Hank, to give the Hawks the lead again, but Wings fans kept the noise levels up. This game wasn't over, not yet. Two guys sitting next to me had driven in from Chicago for the game. They were polite, respectful, and good hockey fans. One admitted during the second period that the Wings look "scary good" and nothing like the team that was shutout by his Hawks in back-to-back games in December. During the intermission I joked with them, asking, "So how long has it been since your team won the Cup?" I wished them good luck with Marian Hossa, his 12-year contract, and his playoff ailments. Referring to Detroit's situation with the salary cap, I told them, "Your team better win it this year, because you won't have all these guys back next year."

Emotional Eaves

The player of the game for me was Patrick Eaves. He tied the game 3-3 in the third period with his sixth goal of the season, and roughed it up with Kris Versteeg in the first period for his first fight of the season.



He may not be the guy to call in when the going gets tough, but Eaves held his own against the scrappy, if not pesky, Versteeg. Coming into the game Eaves had just eight penalty minutes. With the fight and a high-sticking call he nearly doubled his season total in that category.

The referees tried to give the game away to Chicago with power play opportunities in the first period. All seven of Eaves' PIM came in the first and Derek Meech, Brad Stuart, and Todd Bertuzzi were all called for minor penalties during the opening session. Evening things out, the Wings were awarded all the PPs in the second period as Colin Fraser, Brent Seabrook, and Sharp were all whistled. With the nation watching on NBC, the refs got out of the way and pocketed their whistles during the third period, allowing the teams to play physical and decide the matters at full strength.

Speaking of NBC, anyone at home watching the game missed out on Eave's goal live as the crew were dissecting replays while the puck went in the net. Here is what you already saw if you were watching on TV:



From our vantage point we could see the shot leave his stick and sneak by the unsuspecting Blackhawks goaltender, Antti Niemi. We were in perfect position to see the screen in front of Niemi and watch the puck sail our way and into the corner of the net. "He didn't even see it!" Mom yelled. Neither did anybody tuning into NBC.

Talking Breakaway Blues

Eave's goal forced overtime and the momentum seemed in the home team's favor. Just seconds into the extra session Zetterberg poked the puck away from Seabrook at the Chicago blue line and walked in alone on Niemi.



A few minutes later Pavel Datsyuk had his turn at a one-on-one with the Hawk's backup goalie, but like his superstar counterpart, came up empty handed.

"We had two breakaways in overtime, it would've been nice to score on one of them," said Mike Babcock. Yeah, Babs, because that would have won the game...

The Wings outplayed and outshot the Hawks four to two in overtime but could not end it against Niemi. Those missed breakaways were to be remembered after the shootout and the game was over.

A Datsyukian Deke and Bertuzzian Spin-O-Rama

Even though the Wings lost in the shootout, everyone was buzzing about the two Detroit shootout goals after the game. First was Datsyuk's little lazy lofter (these are my videos):



If Datsyuk's goal wasn't amazing enough, Bertuzzi followed up with a mad rush to the net and displayed incredible nimbleness and artistry:



"In that situation, you have to be creative," said Bertuzzi.

The game was immensely entertaining and just slightly disappointing. All in all, the outcome was a formality for me; the Wings got a point. The entire experience was just amazing, and the opportunity to spend my birthday with Mom at a Detroit Red Wings game may not come around again. Thanks Mom!

Peace.