Many questions stem from that. The first should be: Obviously you have more to say about McCann, but you know you’re not gonna link to him because he blogs for the Wedding Singer.

You’re right. Typically, I don’t link to Klessel but today I’ll make an exception because I believe some of you may want to comment over there. Now, take that with some salt, because I don’t know if you’ll have to provide your credit card info in order to type.

Second question, and we’ll get to that link…have patience….“Pred Nation”? Really? Can someone tell me that anyone traveling to the game tonite from a distance greater than 50 miles isn’t a Wing fan? Ok. 100 miles. “Pred Nation”, I’m guessing, pretty much ends at the Nashville city limits. Good call Gary. Nice foresight. Ass.

Here’s the real reason I mention McCann, though. Check this out, from his latest blog over at the Grey Eyed Glances home page.

Two consecutive games where the officials have gotten in the way of the game. I was upset at the waive off of the Radulov goal… more upset at the blown offsides call on Detroit’s third goal… Perhaps we need to have a Hockey 101 for these linesmen…

Again… the Preds need to overcome these types of things… however you do begin to wonder…

“You do begin to wonder…” Oh, ok. So, without saying it outright, are we talking conspiracy here? Is this guy honestly even hinting at it? Have the refs sucked? Yep. League wide? Oh yes. It’s an epidemic, in my opinion. But is there some sort of NBC/Versus/Little Gary insidious plot to stack the deck in Detroit’s favor? C’mon.

Good point from YzermanZetterberg this morning.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but Nashville’s first, fluke goal was scored on what should have been a Red Wings power play. Arnott clearly hooked Hasek’s leg, yet the ref somehow translated that to “holding the stick” on Hasek.

Also, am I alone in waiting for the NHL to announce David Poile’s fine for saying the refs and supervisor of officiating are not making the right calls? Or are they just going to deduct it directly from Nashville’s profit sharing amount next season?

I’ve looked at Zetterberg’s goal more than a few times and I do think the play was offsides. I also think the waved-off goal on Saturday should have counted for Bubba. I also know for a fact the Wings have been bent over more times than they’ve benefitted from the officiating the last two years. If McCann thinks the refs have been directed to give the Wings an edge, he should say so and take the abuse that comes with an idiotic statement like that.

But this? “you do begin to wonder…” Not only is he an idiot, but he’s a gutless one.

And that leads us to the keys for Game 3.

Yep. The refs. If they feel they’ve made mistakes, or if the league has brought mistakes to their attention, you better believe that whistle’s gonna be quick tonite in Bubba’s favor. I’m betting multiple goalie interference calls on Homer or Franzen and even more garbage dealing with Hasek. Wings will be on the PK much more than the power play tonite. Guaranteed.

I think I’ve written this for every road playoff game since this blog began back in 1977. Withstand the emotion of the first period, or just the first ten minutes. The cousins filling most of the SoGay will be loud and Bubba will be pumped. Wings make it out of the first tied or even down 1 and the rest will take care of itself. Lidstrom, Rafalski, the circus, Drake, McCarty, Chelios…all are used to the kind of pressure they’ll find themselves under at the outset. Not a concern. Hudler, Kronwall and most definitely Lilja? I worry about their reaction. Stuart came here with a whispered reputation of a slight weakness when the temp’s turned up. We’ll see tonite. But even the players I specifically mention haven’t rendered me fetal.

Overall this is a veteran, poised team. Crowd noise and amped Predators aren’t going to shake them too much.

Splitting up the Circus. Is that the plan? Uncle Mike’s not really saying. Last change to Trotz tonite. My opinion? Change nothing. So Trotz throws another line out there against Zetterberg/Datsyuk/Homer? Who’s going to stop them? What scheme has worked this year against that healthy line? Not one. Whoever Bubba tosses out there is in trouble.

As far as stifling their top line of Dumont/Arnott/Hlavac? Which line of ours would they have a legitimate upper hand against? Maybe the fourth because it’s the slowest, but Drake’s been playing shutdown-type defense on the kill and I don’t see that changing. Hartigan has even looked effective.

If Bubba’s top line goes off tonite (defined: gets on the scoresheet at all), it won’t be because of the forward matchups. If Trotz can somehow get his boys out there against our third D pairing, that may be an issue. The only issue, and even that is a slight one.

So my hope is that Babcock says pretty much this: “Force me to change it up. Prove to me I have to, Barry.” I don’t think Trotz can.

Watch out Danny. Homer’s feeling more like Homer and a healthy Homer is no fun for you. Ellis already cracked to the media once, and if he’s saying this to them, you know he’s got 96 in his head.

“He does his job really well,” Ellis admitted. “But he bumped into me. I didn’t know you were allowed to do that.”

That’s from Wojo’s column this morning. In case you hadn’t noticed, he’s covering the Wings now. You know, because it’s the playoffs and all that.

So Homer’s in Ellis’ head. One more night of bonding just may send the young man completely over the edge. But, it’s more than the net-front presence Holmstrom’s bringing to the mix. He’s blasting Bubba in the corners. From the first shift onward Saturday, he was the most violent Wing. I have a pretty good feeling we’ll be seeing Calgary next round and, brother, they’re hitting the hell out of San Jose. We may not need it now, but next round an escalation of violence may be required. Homer’s setting the example now, so is Drake. Just like last year, it may catch on quickly…if necessary.

Ok. Tootoo. It may be time. He’s feeling his oats a bit and it’s likely to catch on. He’s agitating, which was expected. But he’s also scoring, which wasn’t. Thankfully, he’s the only one showing any offensive flair at all. But, like the agitation, it may catch on. Time to put a stop to it, painfully if possible. Easy for me to say, though. Up to McCarty or Drake, and I’m thinking Kronwall. A fight? Not necessarily, but a big-time hit. A little reminder if he happens to stray over the middle.

The Stress Train has grown quiet, and that’s not all bad. If we had our choice, we’d stay off that motherfu**er. It may be fun for a while, but overall? It just plain sucks, just like the playoffs. Now? Up 2-0? Quiet. But, still moving, meandering through the country side, taunting us. Waiting for an injury, a loss, or the situation the Train was invented for: overtime.

I mention OT because I feel it coming tonite, and I’m a pretty smart guy.