[Honolulu_Blue]

I love HNiC's Satellite Hot Stove. I pretty much record both HNiC games every Saturday night. I watch the games on Sunday morning. I typically just fast-forward through the games, watch the highlights, and then watch all the between period stuff because I enjoy Coach's Corner, the Hot Stove, and Kelly Hrudey (who is probably the best analyst on the show) talk about minor details of seemingly random, totally inconsequential break out plays.

As for the Hot Stove, I really hate Al Strachan and Mike Milbury. Milbury sits there like the smuggest SOB in the room and can't help thinking: "You're Mike Milbury! You were one of the worst GMs ever. Everything you're saying has to be wrong!

As for the Wings, there are a couple of slightly irritating trends.

First, their defensive play and goaltending still haven't been that sound. I can't recall the last time Osgood let in fewer than 3 goals and he was beaten by a shot from the red line in Columbus on Friday. While the Wings won that game, that's the kind of nonsense that happened with Osgood 1.0. Osgood 2.0 - the goalie we've seen since his return to the Wings - really didn't let that kind of stuff in. He really isn't making timely saves at all.

This has led to problem number two. The Wings have been having a very difficult time maintaining leads. They have given up a number of 2 or 3 goal leads in games. The worse was against Pittsburgh a few weeks ago.

Speaking of Pittsburgh, this is problem number 3. The latest troubling trend has been the Wings' play against the other "top" teams in the league. Over the last 2 years, despite the common misconception, the Wings had always faired very well against the better teams in the league. Their record was much better outside of the Central Division than within, despite the fact that the Central was full of bottom feeders like St. Louis, Columbus, and Chicago (until this year). The Wings lost to the other top teams in the West - Anaheim, San Jose - and all the top teams in the East - Pittsburgh, Montreal, and Boston. They lost in overtime against Anaheim and Pittsburgh (but that Pitt game was awful, they were out shot 16-8 in the third period). San Jose pretty much blew them out and Montreal and Boston each won by a few goals.

The Wings have had a tough schedule and it's certainly not panic time, but I would really like to see them compete better against the top teams in the league. They have an opportunity to start tonight with the Ducks in town. They also need to stop relying so heavily on their offense and power play.