The #8 in this picture wearing red is loads better than the other one. Image via clydeorama/Flickr
1-3-1 Trap Scheme, eh? I don’t think it worked very well for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, as they left the DrinkScotch with a 3-0 shutout loss handed to them by the opportunistic St. Louis Blues. It’s a shame that a team with as many skilled players as the Lightning have to resort to silly, gimmicky defensive tactics to get them through games. Furthermore, there were no fights contested in the game. So, The Note holds still with six fighting majors, putting them in a massive tie for 16th in the National Hockey League, with a fight record holding steady at 3-0-3.
I lament having to do this report on six occasions every year. It’s basically the six times that the Detroit Red Wings are the next opponent. Not a team to drop the gloves often, the Red Wings anger me to the point that I hope someone CAUSES a fight by doing something stupid instead of getting one to naturally happen during the course of play. And that’s not good, as most of you know. Thus far this season, the Red Wings are tied for 26th in the NHL with two teams that each only have four fighting majors on the season, going a decent 2-1-1 in those fights. Last year, the Wings were DEAD LAST in the NHL with only 13 fights on the season, going a lackluster 3-4-6 in those fights.
Red Wing players that have fought this year include Justin Abdelkader (6’1”, 219lbs, 1-0-1) with two fights and Jonathan Ericsson (6’4”, 221lbs, Win) and Jakub Kindl (6’3”, 216lbs, Loss) each with one. Current Wings who fought last year include Ericsson (1-0-2) and Abdelkader (0-0-3) with three fights each and Todd Bertuzzi (6’3”, 229lbs, 2-0-0, on IR with a sinus infection), Brad Stuart (6’2”, 213lbs, 0-1-1) and former Jacket Mike Commodore (6’4”, 227lbs, 0-1-1) each with two. Solo fighters included the ultra-talented Pavel Datsyuk (5’11”, 198lbs, Draw) and some guy named Drew Miller (6’2”, 178lbs, Draw).
Will there be a fight in this game? Probably not. Should there be a fight in this game? Maybe. We’ll see how this goes, but I’d love for there to be fisticuffs a-la this melee from many, many moons ago that included a goalie fight between Curtis Joseph and Tim Cheveldae. I could watch that clip over . . . and over . . . and over again.
I only have two words . . . Beat Detroit. Alright, three more . . .
LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!
Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights
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