"Last night illustrated the frustration we feel as Red Wings fans. I have little faith they'll keep up the effort in Game 5.

They have a hard enough time stringing two periods together, let alone two games."

- WDFN's Sean Baligian, reading a Red Wing fan's email this morning

I guess we should enjoy it while we can, because that fan is right. The Wings have obvious motivation issues. When their pride is at stake, they seem to rise to the occasion. When they simply need to win the game, they're maddeningly inconsistent.

Make no mistake, though, I did truly enjoy last night. For the first time in a year, I donned my Yzerman jersey prior to the game. Win or lose, I was going to pay my respects to the team that has offered so many hours of entertainment the past few decades.

Lidstrom's potential retirement added a bizarre subplot to the series as well. Lidstrom hasn't hinted one way or the other on what he'll do. Yet, when he coughs the puck up like he did in Games 2 and 3, I wonder if he's starting to believe his skills are diminishing. Would he want to hang on as a less-than Lidstrom? I doubt it. Having watched the dude most of this season, I don't see much of a dropoff. It's true that he's not Norris-caliber anymore, but he's still the team's top defenseman.

As for last night's game, the Wings made damn sure they would not get swept. They completely overwhelmed the Sharks, thanks to a world-class performance from Johan Franzen. Four goals in a playoff game? That's elite-level ability. The dude is special. And the Sharks looked frazzled. It was a wonderful sight. I commented to Mrs. Nofrownmotown, "I don't care if they blow their wad in just one game... this is awesome."

I'm a firm believer that momentum does not carry between games. Who can forget the '97 playoff series against the Avs? The Wings demolished the Avs 6-0 in Game 4, only to watch the Avs turn the tables with an exact 6-0 win of their own in Game 5. So, yes, expect to see a different Sharks team in Game 5. They'll be angry, bitter, determined. About the only thing the Wings have is the "nothing to lose" mentality. Sometimes, albeit rarely, that's enough.

Despite the lopsided scoreline, the Wings still managed to take their fair share of stupid penalties. I'd feel a bit better heading into Game 5 if they curtailed the stupid penalties by at least 33%. I do understand that the players are helpless with the arbitrary "goalie interference" and "holding" calls. But the Wings need to avoid any retaliation and/or roughing penalties. Don't get baited. Don't give the refs an opportunity to put you in the box. I imagine Babcock's been saying this all series long. With zero margin for error, let's hope the words stick this time.