-- Andreas Lilja was in the doghouse after getting caught up ice on Kristian Huselius' first goal. Coach Mike Babcock preached to the media after Game 3 that defensemen shouldn't pinch in the neutral zone, they need to gap-up. If he's saying that to us, you know that the message to the players is much, much louder and clearer. So when Lilja gets caught in Game 4, he gets moved to the third defense pairing with Brett Lebda at the start of the second period. Lilja's ice time in the first period was 7:54. In the second and third periods combined, his ice time was 7:58.
-- It doesn't make sense to me, but perhaps the Wings are better with one dominant line. At least it's worth exploring this time of year.
-- It seems like Valtteri Filppula is getting hit more and shoved around more than he did last season.
-- I'd like to know why Henrik Zetterberg is at center and Pavel Datsyuk is on wing when they play together. Just any hockey-based reason. I'm not saying it's not the right thing, but no one will say why it's that way. Babcock says the players decide. The players shrug. Datsyuk often says he has some mystery wrist ailment. Personally, I think that Zetterberg is just very good at paper-rock-scissors.
-- Niklas Kronwall's hit on Craig Conroy halfway through the first period sent a charge through the crowd as if it were a game-winning goal in the playoffs.