12\30 Detroit lead 2-0 with 4:20 remaining and found a way to lose 3-2 in OT at 
Nashville. The tying goal came after a terrible none call in which the Nashville sixth 
skater left the bench while Ron Tugnutt was 50 feet from the bench. Scoring were 
Datsyuk and Maltby. Next up: Minnesota at the Joe New Year's Eve.

12\29 Manny Legace was rewarded for his stellar play at backup net minder with a four 
year extension worth $800K next year and topping out at $1.5M the fourth year. The 
contract is also loaded with performance bonuses.

12\28 The Blue Jackets posed no threat to the Wings who won 5-1. Scoring were Dandenault,
Robitaille, Datsyuk, Shanahan, and Lidstrom. Sean avery was credited with his first 
career NHL goal but it was taken away overnight and awarded to Lidstrom. 
Next up: at Nashville Saturday.

12\27 Steve Yzerman scored two power play goals before getting hit in the ankle with 
the puck to lead the Wings to a 3-3 tie in Minnesota. Also scoring was Robitaille. 
It is unlikely Yzerman will play tonight, although x-rays didn't show any fractures. 
Next up: Columbus at the Joe tonight.

12\25 By Allan Kreda / Bloomberg News
        "Detroit goaltender Dominik Hasek was named the National Hockey League player 
of the week after posting a 3-0 record with two shutouts. Hasek, 36, opened the week 
with a 4-1 win over Vancouver on Wednesday. He made 19 saves Friday as Detroit ended 
San Jose's 10-game unbeaten streak with a 3-0 win, and finished the week by stopping 23 
shots in a 5-0 win over Chicago on Sunday. Hasek's shutout against the Blackhawks was 
the 59th of his career, most among active NHL goalies. 
    Hasek is 19-8-2 this season and tied for the league lead in victories with 
Toronto's Curtis Joseph and Chicago's Jocelyn Thibault. Detroit leads the Central 
Division of the Western Conference with a 26-8-2-1 record for 55 points."
   Just to put some of Detroit's players greatness into perspective, Igor Larionov is  
Captain of Team Russia, Chris Chelios is Captain of Team USA, Nick Lidstrom is an 
Assistant Captain for Team Sweden, and Steve Yzerman will likely share that honor for
Team Canada. The Wings also have 10 guys total playing in the Olympics. That's two
more then any other team. The Wings' top prospect, Henrik Zetterberg, also made team 
Sweden. The 10 current Wings on Olympic rosters are defenseman Chris Chelios (United 
States), forward Sergei Fedorov (Russia), goaltender Dominik Hasek (Czech Republic), 
forward Tomas Holmstrom (Sweden), forward Brett Hull (United States), forward Igor 
Larionov (Russia), defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom (Sweden), defenseman Fredrik Olausson 
(Sweden), forward Brendan Shanahan (Canada) and forward Steve Yzerman (Canada).
    Coach Scotty Bowman said MSNBC offered him an analyst job for the Olympics, but 
he couldn't take it because of the Wings' schedule.

12\24 Detroit dominated the Blackhawks 5-0 in Chicago. Scoring were Robitaille, Larionov,
Chelios, Shanahan, and Hull. 

12\22 Dominik Hasek earned his $9 million last night, stopping three point blank one on 
one shots and 19 total to lead the Wungs to a 3-0 win over the Sharks. Scoring were 
Draper, Yzerman, and Hull. Next up: at Chicago on Sunday night.
  Sergei Fedorov is officially on the Russian Olympic squad. Uwe Krupp could return any 
day.  

12\20 Goals finally arive from the hockey gods as the Wings pound the Canucks 4-1. 
Scoring were Hull, Chelios, Devereaux, and Shanahan. Next up: San Jose at the Joe on 
Friday.
    The Wings called up Sean Avery from Cincy for an extra body during the holiday 
roster freeze......Dominik Hasek has allowed only six goals in his past five starts.

12\18 Even the mighty Manny Legace wasn't enough to break the Wings' funk as they're 
shutout for the 3rd time in four games 2-0 against Chicago. Next up: Vancouver at the 
Joe on Wednesday.

12\16 The team didn't show up again and the Canucks get an easy one 3-0. The Wings came 
into the game not having lost to them since Feb. 6, 1997, and had gone 14-0-4 during that 
time. Next up: Chicago at the Joe on Monday. 
   Shanny was officially named to Team Canada for the Olympics.

12\14 The Wings get back on track behind Boyd Devereaux's goal and assist(Yzerman) to beat
the Oilers 2-1. Next up: at Vancouver on Saturday.

12\11 My old buddy Mike Vernon played his best game in three years and single handedly beat
the Wings 2-0. The Wings had a ton of incredible shots that Vernon pulled out of the air.
Hasek was equally impressive, allowing only one goal after the worst no-call I've ever 
seen. Shanny was skating with the puck out of Detroit's end and received a two handed 
slash across the hands which caused him to lose possesion and the Flames went in and 
scored. Shanny wasn't the same the remainder of the game. Those officials should be 
suspended for that crap. The Flames added an empty netter to cap off the win. Next up: 
at Edmonton on Thursday.

12\8 Nick Lidstrom started earing his money last night with a goal, but the dogs score in 
the last minute to force a 1-1 tie. Next up: western Canada swing begining monday at 
Calgary.

12\7 Nick Lidstrom signed a contract extension which will pay him $20 million over two 
years. This makes him the highest paid defenseman in the league.
    Yzerman on Lidstrom: "I think reliable is understating it," Yzerman said last month. 
"He plays at the highest level year in and year out, and for the most part, game in and 
game out. He's one of the best players in the world, and he shows every single night that 
it's not hard for him, because there's no ups and downs with this guy. He's just 
flat-out great." 

12\6 The Wings played well but fell victim to bad goaltending from Hasek and even worse 
bounces as they laid down to the Avalanche 4-1. Scoring was Fedorov. Next up: Phoenix at 
the Joe on Friday.

12\2 Outplayed for the second night in a row, the Wings couldn't hold on and lost in New 
Jersey 4-1. Scoring was Datsyuk. Detroit had a season low 17 shots on goal. Next up: 
Colorado at the Joe on Wednesday.
    Igor Larionov and Sergei Fedorov(if healthy) will play for Team Russia in the Olympics.
      
12\1 Manny Legace saved the day again as he lead the outplayed Wings to a 4-2 win at the Joe. 
Scoring were Larionov, Fedorov, Holmstrom, and Devereaux. Next up: at New Jersey tomarrow.
    It's not often you will catch the stoic Fetisov smiling. When the Red Wings gave him a 
video tribute in the first period for being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame this year, 
the crowd rose for a standing ovation and Vladimir Konstantinov applauded from the owner's 
box. And Fetisov smiled. Fetisov won two Stanley Cups as a member of the Red Wings and made 
up part of the now legendary Russian Five along with Konstantinov, Larionov, Fedorov and 
Slava Kozlov.