HockeyRed Wings poised for spoiler role

Beginning of Story Content

For years now the Detroit Red Wings have been one the NHL's elite teams. For 18 straight seasons they have made the post-season, in six of those years they made the Stanley Cup final and in four of those, they were crowned the Cup champions.

This franchise is accustomed to coming through in big games, but rarely have they played such an important one during the Ides of March.

With 63 playoff games played in the last three years alone, it has been a forgone conclusion that the Wings would be playing in April for a shot at the Cup.

This season, however, has been like no other Red Wing year in recent memory.

Detroit has had a frustrating year with injuries to key personnel and early struggles by key veterans. They have seen themselves drop as low as 10th in the Western Conference and have had to claw their way back tooth and nail to get back in the playoff picture.

Two key plays

With a one-point lead over Calgary for the eighth and final playoff spot, Monday night's 2-1 road victory may be remembered as the game that put them over the top and into the playoffs.

The Wings were at their experienced best, never panicking and staying in the game. The outcome was decided on two plays that drastically changed the momentum of the game.

Down 1-0 in the second, rookie sensation Jimmy Howard stopped Curtis Glencross on a short-handed penalty shot, then less than two minutes later, Pavel Datsyuk tied the game. With 1:19 left in the game, Tomas Holmstrom's deflection secured the win and with it, a three-point cushion on the Flames.
  
The way the Wings are coming on right now, they look to be a lock for either the seventh or eighth spot. In doing so, they have to be considered the most dangerous lower seed in recent history.
 
How would you like to be top seeds San Jose and Chicago and see your reward for finishing at the top of the West end up being the Cup winner and finalist from the last two years?

A dangerous team
  
The Wings have loads of playoff experience, and are finally getting healthy enough to have their full roster in tact. Their core playoff performers in Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Rafalski, Franzen are all finally healthy and are highly motivated to make up for sub-par seasons.
   
In goal, Howard may be a question mark with his lack of experience, but he has played extremely well and would love to cap off a Calder Trophy nominee regular season with a strong playoff.
   
Most years it's the Wings that have been the favourites, the team that every other franchise has been gunning for. This year they will play the less-pressured role of spoilers.

With the combination of talent, experience and extra motivation, I don't think I would bet against them. 

End of Story Content