[Insert BJ joke here]

Wouldn't it figure that after waiting 4 days, the Red Wings are playing on the evening that I'm going out? Ah well...can't watch 'em all.

The Wings battle the BlueJackets tonight, Detroit has already taken the first 2 games of the series, and could use the 2 points tonight after a disappointing game in Colorado.

Here's the Geek's Winning Formula for tonight's affair:

1.) Start tightening the D - Very simple, you can't give up 4 goals in the 1st and expect to win a game, the Avs showed us that, and the BJ's will remind us of that if we let them.

2.) Shrug it off - One bad game doesn't mean anything. Two in a row might cause some concern. Start playing your game right away, Jimmah.

3.) Urgency - Please, boys, play like you care about the game. Fight for puck control and win some board battles, you -are- a puck possession team, are you not?

Thus far, my record with the lucky shirt is 3-1-0, my record without (which is the case tonight) is 0-1-0. Need to see the Wings win one for themselves, with skill and not luck.

Enjoy the game, Wingnuts! Let's Go Red Wings!!

Down With the Canucks! Wings Battle for Top Spot

Feel like ass today. No, not -an- ass. I'll be off and on for this one, but I have the lucky shirt, which is now 2-0-0 this year, tonight can make it a streak.

Big thing that I'm concerned about for the Wings? Play full periods of hockey! That late period goal we gave up against Calgary pissed me off royally. We allow those kinds of goals way too often, and it was a big factor in us chasing the Flames all through that game.

Don't stop playing at 19:30 of the period. Play thorough hockey and we'll take two points from a surging club.

Enjoy the game, Wingnuts! Let's Go Red Wings!!

Corralling Calgary: Detroit Seeks Sweep of Season Series

Detroit (25-10-5) @ Calgary (18-20-3)

May not be following this one too closely, but the lucky shirt is on so I'm not too concerned. 2011 record is 1-0-0 with the shirt, 0-1-0 without, so I made sure it was put through the wash and ready for gametime.

The Red Wings can, as mentioned earlier, sweep Calgary tonight, but to think that this'll be easy would be beyond foolish. A couple of things to tighten up on for this game from previous matches in tonight's Geek's Winning Formula:

1.) Learn When to Draw Well - The Wings are losing key faceoffs, and it's been hurting them for days now. It's not that they've been atrocious at the dot in general, they've actually been holding their own quite well. It's the draws they -need- to win that they are -not- winning, and it's turning into goals, penalties, you name it!

2.) Communicate - Way too many bad decisions being made on the ice by guys not paying attention and being aware of where everyone is positioned. Cut it out, boys. The other team knows how to play hockey, you don't need to give them any handouts.

3.) Confidence - This stems from the Communication part, but the Red Wings need to make the effort to know where guys are so they can make those tough plays, like our bread-and-butter stretch pass, with higher completion percentages. That gets you in a rhythm, -that- gives you a little swagger to throw the opponent off balance.

Hoping to find out my lucky shirt is still undefeated in 2011, want to get a little streak going with it.

Enjoy the game, Wingnuts! Let's Go Red Wings!!

Red Wings can Start New Year Right VS Flyers

Detroit (24-9-5) VS Philadelphia (23-10-5)

2011 has begun, and the Wings rang in the new year on a sour note, dropping their last game of 2010 it OT to the New York Islanders. They begin anew as they defend the JLA ice against the Flyers, who are only 2 points shy of Detroit's own record coming into tonight's matchup.

Some key notes:

- Detroit needs to win more clutch faceoffs. This was the killer in the NYI game: 3 goals off of blown draws in the defensive zone. 3 faceoffs that, had the Wings won them, would've prevented 3 goals.

- When the Wings -do- lose the draw, they need to get to their assignments much quicker, especially in the D-zone. One of the few things I can remember former coach Mike Milbury saying that made sense was this: if you're going to be successful at the faceoff circle, you have to play it like you're going to lose it. The worst thing that happens then is you do lose the faceoff, but it's better to be prepared for the lost draw than to leave yourself open when it's too late.

- We need to keep the depth scoring going. I was -pumped- to see Tatar net his 1st goal, and it's more performances like that while guys like Dats and Cleary get better.

Enjoy the game, Wingnuts! Let's Go Red Wings!!