Calling All Skeptics...Ignore Road Record

Ouch. I was ready to write my first legitimate post for this season after a strong Original 6 road victory in Montreal. Damnit. Maybe I should go back into hiding…

Anyway, I had an idea for something to write about and I’m not going to let an embarrassing 7-2 loss on national television with no other NHL games scheduled for last night ruin an otherwise well thought-out and perfectly perfect article.

 

Where the Magic Happens



The Wings have played to quite an amazing first half of the season. The positive and exciting story lines abound with Detroit’s home record shining brightest. In particular the franchise-setting 17-game winning streak at the Joe has garnered the most buzz. Yet with all the illumination showering down on the Joe, skeptical eyes inevitably peek at the losing record on the road. Networks and publications, both national and Michigan-based, seem to support this skepticism.

Wings fans are notorious for wanting their team to be perfect. They also want their Little Caesars pizza to be hot, ready, and actually taste like pizza. My official response to those of you with worries over the road record: relax, remember your pills, sip some Scotch, and let me refill your glass with some confidence looking forward to the second half.

Detroit is 13-14-0 away from Detroit. Sure, that looks bad. It looks even worse when lined up next to the ridiculous 20-2-1 record at home. However, they still have the third most wins and fifth best road record in the Western Conference. In fact, Detroit is eleventh in the league in road winning percentage and only the Philly Flyers, NY Rangers, Vancouver Rioters, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators and Jersey Devils have more road wins than the Wings.

Dr. Munchum and Mr. Pennridge

Now check out the other teams in the Central Division that Detroit will competing most fiercely with from this point on. Chicago is 10-9-2. St. Louis is 8-10-3. Whoooaaaa…what great road teams…

Wanna know what I think? Of course you do cutie, you wouldn’t have gotten this far without yearning for my opinion. Mike Babcock obviously lit a fire under his team’s ass to protect their home ice this season after going just 21-14-6 at the Joe last season. The Wings were considerably better away from home with 26 road victories a season ago. A proverbial Jekyll and Hyde act from last season to this.

“Yeah, but…” If you’re still concerned about the road record, here are a few reasons that should make you stop your whining. The Wings open up the second half of the season on the road at Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Phoenix. Say they go 2-2 and earn four points, that’s about what should be expected on a West Coast run. Detroit then gets to feast on six-straight at home with 11 of the next 14 games at the Joe. After another four-game road trip, the Wings finish off the season with seven of ten games at home.

Fear the 'Puss

At the halfway point the Wings are first in their division. They are first in their conference. They are first in their league. Datsyuk is healthy. Franzen is healthy. Zetterberg is struggling but healthy. Bertuzzi is tearing it up…and healthy. Filppula and Hudler are having career years, both are healthy. Lidstrom is still awesome, and healthy. Ian White (Rafalski who?) is healthy. Kronwall has played in EVERY GAME THIS YEAR and has 11 goals and is healthy. The grinders are producing and are healthy (except for Patrick Eaves). Emmerton, Mursak, Conner, Kindl (ugh), and Commodore are all rotating and contributing and healthy. And Jimmy Howard. I friggin’ love Jimmy Howard. This guy has completely stolen my heart. I love that he’s not the starting goalie in the All Star Game. More motivation. I love that Lidstrom isn’t an All Star. More rest. I love that Zetterberg is struggling now. More time.

Long story, short summation, I’m more confident in this squad than I have been since 2009, regardless of a slight losing road record.


Peace. AWP