What We Learned From Game 1: Preds Top Wings 3-2, Shanaban Fail.

Last night's Game 1 between the Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators was an odd game to say the least. The game featured 17 penalties called against two of least penalized teams in the league, it had lucky and unlucky bounces go both ways, a season ending injury and even some fireworks at the game. The fireworks of course being Shea Weber slamming Henrik Zetterberg's head into the glass, more on that later.

With Gary Bettman in attendance last night(something I'm sure the officials were made aware before the game) you knew something was going to happen. That something was an increase of penalties being called as officials tried to save their job because only 20 officials are selected to work the playoffs and can be removed for doing a bad job. The amount of penalties were so ridiculous that Mike Babcock addressed the issue in-game which will likely earn him a fine(no word yet on it). Babcock was so bothered by the penalties he even complained about them as his team went on to the power play.

I don't want to discredit Nashville on their win last night but it seemed like Nashville caught their fair share of lucky bounce. Their first goal was scored after Paul Gaustad threw the puck to the front of the net, it hit off of Brad Stuart's skate and went it. Their second goal was a tipped shot from about 40 feet out that jumped over Jimmy Howard's shoulder as he reacted to the original shot. After the Wings caught a lucky break and had the puck hit a linesman and redirect to Henrik Zetterberg in front the net the Wings were then robbed as Predators' defenseman Roman Josi blindly threw his leg out and made a kick save to prevent the goal. Earlier in the game, Pekka Rinne made a sprawling save on Zetterberg as his shot grazed Rinne's flailing elbow and missed the open net. That stuff happens, just seems like Nashville had Lady Luck on its side last night.

Darren Helm returned to the Red Wings lineup last night after missing 10 games with an MCL sprain in his knee. Helm played six shifts totaling close to three minutes last night before he was hit with another injury.


Alexander Radulov's skate cut Helm's right forearm after the hit, obviously Radulov didn't try to do that but it still sucks. Helm was taken to the hospital where he underwent successful surgery to repair sliced tendons. He's expected to be ready to start training camp in September.

Brad Stuart in my opinion has already made his mind up on where he'll be playing next year and judging by his play it won't be in Detroit. The last month or so of the season Stuart has looked nothing like top four defenseman he played like. He's been sloppy, reckless and just out of position. Last night he a minus three, he got split for a breakaway which Jimmy Howard stopped, he scored another own goal and had a terrible giveaway that led to Nashville's third goal. Unless he's playing through some serious unknown to the public injury it looks like his head and heart aren't in as of late. Shame too the guy had been playing like he was ready to man the top pairing once Lidstrom retires.



Lastly we're brought to the incident between Weber and Zetterberg from last night. Yes, Zetterberg hit Weber in the back trying to jar the puck loose but what Weber did was malicious with intent to injure, it was beyond stupid not "a reckless and reactionary play". The play looked more like you were watching a WWE wrestling match not a hockey game. I won't say that I'm surprised he wasn't suspended given the fact that it would have tilted things in the Wings' favor greatly to win Game 2 and even the series but sometimes the suspension needs to be handed out and this one did.

Weber was let go earlier in the season with a fine after a boarding incident, so it's not like Brendan "Shanaban" Shanahan haven't had this talk before. But apparently fining Weber $2,500 was good enough(Weber is making $7.5 million this year) to get the message across. Shanaban says that Weber will be watched the rest of the playoffs now too, big deal. That's like catching a murder and letting him go because he promises not to do it again.

Shanaban took into consideration the fact that Zetterberg wasn't seriously hurt and will play in Game 2 also made it ok not to crackdown on hits to head, which he's been doing all year. For the record, after dropping that tidbit to the public, Zetterberg made it known that his helmet cracked in three different spots from the blow. Just imagine if he didn't have it on how damaging the hit would have been.

I understand Shanaban would hate to suspend Nashville's best player for any amount of time during the playoffs but his failure to suspend him just made a mockery of the quest Shanaban has been on this year to swiftly and harshly punish those who target the head of an opponent. How can players now take him seriously after Shanaban just granted special treatment to a superstar of the league and the marketing department?

And for those who think Gary Bettman played a role in the lack of a suspension then Shanaban needs to step down. He can't effectively do his job he was appointed to if he has to run his decisions by Bettman for approval. If Bettman forced Shanaban into levying this ridiculous fine, he needs to go public and made it known, he owes it to the players and fans to let it be known that Bettman is willing to cut the superstars some slack. However, I speculate that this decision was made solely by Shanaban out of fear that him dropping the hammer on Weber could be viewed as him helping the organization where his career flourished and he won three Stanley Cups. Whatever the explanation or reason may be the Shanaban failed on this one.