The Wings started to stake their claim on that 8th spot with a big win over the No. 2 team in the Western Conference on Sunday, their fourth in five games.  The win pushed them into the eight seed, just a point above the Calgary Flames.

So, naturally, Tuesday night's game against those pesky Flames was BIG.  Detroit was facing the team they are currently neck-and-neck with for that final, coveted, playoff spot.  A win distances them from the Flames, and a loss allows Calgary to leap frog them again.

The Wings might be predominantly healthy, finally, but one of their biggest problems all season long haunted them again on Tuesday against the Flames.  Healthy or not, the Wings have a problem closing teams out, finishing games, and/or suffering major collapses.

Leading 2-1 going into the third period, and the Wings somewhat in cruise control, the Wings gave up three unanswered goals to the Flames, and wound up falling 4-2 in the end.  As I mentioned, the loss puts the Flames in the 8th spot and the Wings on the outside looking in with just 16 games to play (including one more against the Flames next Monday).

So what about those disturbing collapses?  The Wings have lost 23 games this season, and Tuesday's disappointing loss marks the 11th in collapsing fashion.  That's NOT including the four times the Wings have been shutout this season (three 3-0 losses and one 6-0 loss).  In those 11 games, the Wings have at least had somewhat of a handle on the game and then utterly fell apart.  Here's a breakdown of those games, including some other tough L's and games of note (aforementioned collapses are in bold):

Game 1:  allowed final three goals (in the 2nd period) and lost 4-3 to the Blues.
Game 2:  allowed final three goals to end the game (two in the 2nd period and one in the third) and lost 5-3 to the Blues.
Game 5:  allowed five unanswered goals and lost 6-2 to the Sabres.
Game 8:  allowed a goal in the final three minutes and lost in OT to the Coyotes.
Game 9: allowed final three goals (one in 2nd and two in the third) and lost 3-1 to the Avalanche.
Game 49:  allowed final two goals in the 3rd and lost 3-2 to the Capitals.
Game 50: allowed final two goals in the 3rd, but won in a shootout vs. the Wild.
Game 51: allowed final three goals (one in the 2nd and two in the 3rd period) and lost 3-2 to the Kings.
Game 52:  allowed final three goals (two in the 3rd period and game winner in OT) and lost 5-4 to the Coyotes.
Game 53:  allowed final three goals (one in the 2nd and two in the 3rd period) and lost 5-2 to the Wild.
Game 58:  allowed final four goals (three in the 2nd and one in the 3rd period) and lost 4-3 to the Kings.
Game 63: allowed four unanswered goals before Wings scored meaningless goal in 3rd period and lost 6-3 to the Canucks.
Game 65: allowed two 3rd period goals, but held on to win 5-4 vs. the Blackhawks
Game 66:  allowed final three goals in 3rd period and lost 4-2 to the Flames.

The Red Wings are healing on the injury front from what it seems, but they'd be a lock in the playoffs right now if it weren't for their sluggish play late in games.  I don't know if this is a pattern for Wings losses in previous years, but it's a new feeling to me this season (and maybe it's happening all over hockey this year, I don't know).  All I know is, it seems the Wings aren't playing at a high level for a full 60 minutes on more nights than not.  Further proof being the plenty of Wings wins that have come as a result of late surges after sleep skating through the first couple of periods.  With just 16 games left, I expect to see a little more urgency out of the team that hasn't missed the playoffs since I was just a wee lad.

Wings play again on Thursday against the Wild.  Nine of their final 16 games will be at The Joe where they are 17-10-5.

Chris Chelios may get out of his December 28 driving under the influence charge because, according to a Chicago judge, the police lacked probable cause in arresting the former Red Wing.

After viewing a 15-minute police videotape, DuPage County Judge Cary Pierce ruled that police lacked probable cause to arrest Chelios, 48.

“The case is over,” defense attorney Terry Ekl told the Sun-Times. “This video is as clear cut as possible that he was not impaired by alcohol.”  Chelios was pulled over about 4 a.m. as he returned to his parents’ home, where he is living while he plays for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.

Au contraire, your honor.  The video and the facts of the case most definitely prove probable cause.  Speeding at 4 A.M., swerving, slurred speech, failing the one-leg stand test, admitting to drinking "a couple" adult beverages (which is what every drunk driver says), and the dead give away to me, Chelios "begging for a favor."  All those facts, and the reasonable knowledge of the police officer (and any other officer who helped in the decision) is more than enough to show probable cause for an arrest of a DUI in Chicago.   I know this because I actually researched the law under Proper Arrests in the Illinois Practice Series, Section 3:58.

So, I'm sorry kids, this Judge clearly doesn't know the law that good.  Chelios, regardless of how I feel about him for all his time with the Wings, deserves the DUI and I urge this Judge to take my advice into cooperation.

Despite picking up a point in last night's 4-3 shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues, Wings fans are in full-on panic mode. The Wings are 4-6-5 in their last 15 games, leading The Triple Deke to believe that they have hit rock bottom. I didn't really give much thought to the Wings' latest effort (or lack of) until I saw this tweet from @mserven.

2 crap efforts following 2 days off between both crap efforts. I think Babcock has lost the team. #redwings

Over the previously mentioned 15-game stretch, the Wings have held opponents to fewer than 30 shots only three times. To put that in perspective, they gave up more than 30 shots seven times over the entire 2008 regular season. The defensive effort is lacking, and you're a moron if you say otherwise.

So is the problem simply effort? I don't think so. And no, I'm not playing the "injury" card or crying conspiracy. I think the problem is bigger than just Mike Babcock, or even the team as a whole. I think the giant tournament looming ahead is what's causing this team problems. Take a look at the number of Wings involved in this year's Olympics. Seven of the team's top players, most of whom are coming off of injuries as well (ok, so I played it) are going to Vancouver.

Still, other teams have players in the Olympics as well. The big difference? Mike Babcock is coach of Team Canada. I love Babs, but he's no Superman. He's been hearing about this two-week stretch from every Canadian man, woman, she-man, and baby he's talked to the entire season, but the anticipation has to be ramping up as the games get closer. I think he's let his focus from the Wings slip a bit, and the product on the ice has suffered because of it. Do I blame him? No. There's no way Babcock will be fired after the ridiculous success he's maintained here in Detroit. If I had the chance to be a national hero I'd take it too, even if my performance at work suffered. Hell, my performance at work suffers enough by writing this post, so it's even more amazing that Babs has kept this team afloat with the weight of Canada sitting on his shoulders.

Call me an optimist, but I don't think Babs has lost the team. He may have already lost certain players, but I think the vast majority of guys on this team still respect Babcock. Getting past the Olympic break will be a big weight off of everyone's shoulders, but no person more so than Coach Babcock. Will this team come out with guns blazing after the break? Nobody knows. But they proved last year that there truly is an on/off switch in Hockeytown, and the Wings know where it is. [image via A2Y]

So D4L faithful, has Mike Babcock lost this team? If he's not in Detroit next year, who's your ideal next coach? Voice your vote in the comments.

Lidstrom: Yeah, we skated hard and the puck just bounced our way tonight. San Jose is a great team, with the best record in the league and we're just happy to get 2 points in their building. It looks like Coach Babcock is coming, so he'll take your questions now.

Ansar Khan: Coach, the team started off a bit slow tonight before picking it up late in the first period, what did you say to the guys to get them going after Thornton's second goal?

Helene St. James: Coach, Jimmy Howard had another strong game tonight, especially in the last two periods. Do you think he can keep up this incredible pace for the rest of the year?

Chris McCosky: Coach, Patrick Eaves took a nasty spill late in the game on a breakaway and hit the boards pretty hard. Is he ok, or is this yet another injury you guys will have to overcome?

[Doors fly open, a very drunk Larry Murphy stumbles in]

Wings put up a good fight against the defending Stanley Cup champs, but as has been the story for way too many games this season, the Wings came up short in a shootout.

Working like dogs for 65 minutes of action affected the Wings during the shootout.  Pavel Datsyuk, who usually puts on a show during shootouts, started things off for the Red Wings and missed after attempting what would have been considered a fairly weak move for a player of normal skill.

After Crosby put the Pens up 1-0 (in the shootout, as he did in regulation) after lifting a backhander into the water bottle, Jason Williams took a B-line straight for Fleury and flicked a wrister straight to him for an easy save.  1.) Why was Williams shooting?  2.) He may as well have gotten on his hands and knees at center ice and pushed it toward the net -- the odds of making it would have been fairly similar.

Malkin then punked Wings goalie, Jimmy Howard with a nifty goal, slipping one behind his left skate for the shootout win.

Here's the shootout in its entirety:

You feel for Howard who made 44 saves in regulation and then had to face two of the best skilled players in the NHL during a shootout, especially when his guys were too gassed to make good shots themselves.  However, it's good experience because come playoff time (assuming the Wings make it) these types of games won't end in shootouts.

Some might call it a finals rematch -- technically, since the two teams played in the finals last year and are matching up again on Sunday, it's just that.  If you want to get all fancy and argue that the Wings are a shell of their former selves and the 'guins are who they have been the past few years, then that's fine too.

I'll just stick to calling it a game between an elite franchise going through a weird time and the delusional defending champs who are convinced they're on the rise to be that kind franchise. But shhhh don't tell Penguins fans that, they might develop a hernia over this fact.  Don't strain yourself, Corky.

One thing I can give Penguins fans mad respect for is their photoshop and YouTube video skills.  As is the case with most Detroit bashing, it's rare to see one that doesn't mock Detroit's unemployment rate, rather than the actual team, but difference is that Pens fans usually bring the funny.  I couldn't help but laugh at this one from our pals over at The Pensblog due to it being of the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia variety.  And, shocker, it's about Detroit's unemployment!

After years and years of pent up aggression from losing and having a city so conducive of being called Shittsburgh by simply replacing the first letter has to be unleashed by some medium.  Pens fans have found their niche.  But we can't get caught up in all that (too much).  Wings need a win in a bad way to stay in the playoff picture.  This isn't about playing the Penguins as much as it is about needing a dub.

Puck drops at 12:30 PM EST and it's on, sniff, NBC -- home of Jay Leno and Sidney Crosby.

Either three fans wanted to say they walked the catwalk at Joe Louis before the Wings move on to a new arena (which will be soon), or they had a premonition that the Wings are not going to make the playoffs this year and felt a little like flirting with death:

Three fans somehow found their way into a restricted area on the fifth floor of the arena.  Two of them were captured on the catwalk and escorted to safety.  Another climbed up onto a conduit one level higher, then seemed to panic a bit.  It took a while to bring him down.

The fans in Section 124, directly below the three fans, were ushered back to their seats midway through the third period.

And I'm not sure who's dumber -- the idiot that got too scared to come down without assistance or the Kings announcer who said, "If he falls, that's too many men on the ice for Detroit."

Helene Elliot for the LA Times said this was the first she's ever seen a game delayed because someone got up into a restricted area of the arena.  No word on whether these three fans were arrested, but I imagine they'll face similar repercussions as streakers.

Anyway, once this little mess was cleared up, the Kings re-focused and scored two goals to win 3-2.  The Wings now trail the Kings by three points and find themselves currently on the outside looking in of the playoff picture.  Not a very timely loss.

Another pic and video below:

[quote via Detroit News]

The Wings/Blackhawks game today was epic for a mid-January show down.  It had every feeling of a playoff game -- heavy hits, great scoring chances, thwarted scoring chances, back and forth scoring, and even a heated duel of fisticuffs.  It's a shame this game had to end, this was exactly the type of game that could have gone on for multiple overtimes.  But in the regular season it comes down to a good ol' fashioned Texas shootout should neither team score in the five minutes provided for sudden death overtime.

After you watch the shootout in its entirety, I think you'd agree that if there were judges scoring the skill of these goals, Detroit would have won.  Unfortunately, that's a crazy idea and not how the game was decided.  So the Blackhawks won in the sudden death round, thanks to a goal by Patrick Sharpe.  A great game, nonetheless.  Feast your eyes on how the shootout played out:

Datsyuk can thank the Swedes for that shot idea (H/T @blaxicopurress):

So this was a goal, huh?  It looks bad, with how quickly Howard swipes it away with his glove and all, and it's definitely very close, but that ref said it was no goal originally.  That means when they went to Toronto with it, there needed to be conclusive evidence that the puck did cross the goal line.  I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing conclusive. You tell me.

Wings lost 3-2 in shootout fashion.  They sit 2 points behind the 8th spot in the Western Conference and just six from climbing as high as 4th.

All the highlights from the game below. Wings/Blackhawks at 12:30 on Sunday. It'll be a doozie.

Wings made a 2-for-1 deal before the game, so to speak, in getting Henrik Zetterberg and Dan Cleary back from injuries, but lost leading-scorer Thomas Holmstrom to a broken foot for 3-4 weeks. Given all the injuries to the Wings this season, it's just nice to get an extra body back even though losing the leading goal scorer in the process is never ideal.

The game must go on.

The Wings played really well in the 1st period, but didn't have anything to show for it until Dan Cleary scored with 0.2 seconds left. It was all Kings after that, though, as the Wings were under attack for the rest of the game, with the Kings outshooting Detroit 52-24.  Detroit was completely dominated and with all the shots on net, this had that awful, 'I have to poop, but I'm not going to make it to the toilet in time' feeling about it.

And the continuing to surprise netminder, Jimmy Howard, had to stop the first 51 shots (!!) he faced before we got to that inevitable shart of a goal with about 4 minutes left.  Luckily, the Wings had just enough time (and offense in them) to put the game winner in the back of the net with 17 seconds left in the game and earn a much needed two points in the standings.

Darren Helm's game winner, here, for your viewing (and wiping) pleasure:

Kings broke a team record for shots in the second period with 27, where Howard seemed to be constantly diving around fighting off shots.  This is one of the most impressive games I've seen from a Detroit goalie in a long time and that's mostly because I can't tell you the last time the Wings gave up so many shots (and still won).  Your move Wings stats gurus.

The Wings picked up two points on the 8th place Kings, but still find themselves three points out of that last coveted playoff spot.  The Western Conference is quite the clusterfuck.  The Wings are just five points from being as high as 4th in the Conference, yet find themselves on the outside looking in right now.  These next three games are very important before they play a string of games against Western Conference teams they are jockeying with in the standings.  Let's hope Howard continues to grow and the Wings can somehow, someway find a way to a) stay healthy here on out and b) get the puck in the net.