Babcock On Red Wings: 'When I Look At Our Group, I Think We've Got More'
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - With the first-round NHL playoff series between the Detroit Red Wings and the Tampa Bay Lightning tied, 1-1, Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock wants more from his team.
The Red Wings won the first game of the series, 3-2, and dropped the second game, 5-1. Goaltender Petr Mrazek, who got the nod over veteran Jimmy Howard, made 44 saves in Game 1, but in Game 2 he was pulled at the end of the second period after the puck got past him four times.
Still, Babcock liked how the team played, and he actually liked how Mrazek played, too.
"I actually thought our goalie played real well and we played well in front of our net and in d-zone in Game 1, and we didn't play well anywhere else in the rink," Babcock told Stoney, Bill and Sara on 97.1 The Ticket. "And then I thought in Game 2, we played way better, but we made some big mistakes, and our goalie maybe could have had one of them. The rest of them, he had no chance on them.
"I like the way we played better [in game two], but I don't like the result," Babcock added. "We didn't box out as hard, we weren't as hard in front of our net, and when I look at our group, I think we've got more. We've got to get more."
Babcock suggested grit, not talent, will take the Red Wings further in the playoffs.
"You're not finding out how good teams are until you play them head-to-head in the playoffs," Babcock said. "The more ultra-competitive guys you have, those guys show, so when you look at the Montreal game last night, their fourth line scored two goals, they've got five goals in the series. One of our best lines for sure is supposed to be our fourth line and [Luke] Glendening. Competitive people at playoff time, that's what gets you over the top. We need more guys on board."
At the end of the regular season, Babcock had been alternating between Howard and Mrazek in net, giving each chances to grab hold of the starting job. Babcock selected Mrazek for the playoffs, and even though Babcock took Mrazek out Saturday, he never considered making a switch for Game 3.
"I'm here every day, and I just go off what I know," Babcock said. "To me, there's no question Pete Mrazek had a chance to stop one of those goals. Those were team goals, not goaltending goals. Let's move on."
Game 3 will take place Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena. The Lightning entered the series as heavy favorites, but Babcock said the competition is almost always tighter than what is projected.
"This thing about you're going to dominate the team, no, you're not," Babcock said. "Half the time you never even touch the pucks. Half the shifts are 50-50 at best. A good play is banging in your zone. That's just the playoffs. Each and every year you've got to get your head around that and understand how competitive you have to be. But the great thing you do each day is you show your teammates how competitive you are, you show the fans how competitive you are, you show your coaches how competitive you are.
"There's nowhere to hide," Babcock added. "That's what I love about the National Hockey League at playoff time. It's the same for coaches."
On his day off Sunday, Babcock told the morning show he did a good amount of work but also got to spend some time with his family.
"I started by, I think I had coffee in the hot tub, I went to church with my family, I went to Coney Island in Northville like I always do for breakfast, I went home and watched our game 'til the cows came home so I could present to our coaches this morning," Babcock said. "Then I watched - I didn't watch the Islander game - then I watched the Chicago game, then I watched the Ottawa game, I had a real nice dinner, barbecue, hang out with the family, that kind of stuff, and came in here this morning."
