Game 1

Red Wings got sorta hosed in that first game. True, they gave up three friggin' power play goals, but the refs clearly missed two massive calls on the Coyotes. The first was a distinct interference on Helm immediately prior to the Coyotes' 3rd goal. Helm was literally leveled after the face-off, clearing the lane for the Coyotes' shot. The replay is at 1:55 below:



Later, when the Wings had a power play, Lidstrom took a stick to the face. In any other game, this would've been a 5 minute major, but the refs apparently missed the infraction. This is a massive gaffe since the penalty would've given the Wings a 5-on-3 late in the 3rd period.

I know it's not fasionable to blame the refs, but they severely impacted the result of this game. If I was a Coyotes fan, I'd be a bit embarrassed, especially by the errant high-stick non-call. The refs never miss those.

Overall, the game was relatively even. While the Wings had the majority of the shots and chances, Phoenix proved their capable of beating the Wings. Phoenix even overcame an incredibly bad goal allowed by Bryzgalov. Shane Doan decided to single-handedly injure every wing player and came damn close to doing just that. I respect the dude's passion, but he's gotta know that acting like a one-man wrecking crew will occasionally land you in the box. When he was called for charging, Doan was completely shocked as if he was framed for murder.

Despite the loss, the Wings still have every chance to recover. It doesn't take a genius to know that Babcock is focusing practice on the penalty kill. At this point in the season, it's difficult to know how much improvement they can actually make. Perhaps winning a few faceoffs might help.

If I were Babcock, I would also spend equal time working on the power play. Despite the Wings scoring a power play goal, they're becoming a tad predictable. The 2nd power play unit, especially, needs work. They haven't scored in weeks. With a historically strong penalty kill, it's not a stretch to think the Wings may shut down Phoenix next game. So why not focus on the offense?