What goes best with Hot Wings?

Well, if you ask Henrick Zetterberg, the answer might be three goals and a side of Arby’s curly fries.

The Red Wing forward scored three goals as part of his five-point night for the Wings’ first hat trick of the season. The feat also gives fans around Michigan a free order of curly fries at participating Arby’s restaurant.

For a team that was supposed to struggle on offense this season, the Wings have been doing everything but, scoring 19 goals in the last three games, including nine against Columbus on Wednesday in a 9-1 win over the Blue Jackets, and seven on Saturday in a 7-4 win over the Ducks of Anaheim.

In one of my first posts of the season, I said that the stars would have to step up and take over a majority of the goal scoring, and play making if the Wings want to get back to playing the way we have become accustom to over the last two decades. Well, if anyone needed proof that was happening, I think Hank’s triple dip on Saturday was a sure sign that Mike Babcock has these guys playing like a team that has been in the Stanley Cup Finals twice in as many seasons.

Despite Jimmy Howard having his worst performance in three games, the offense responded, and it was more than just Hank who contributed. Daniel Cleary had a solid game as well, scoring a goal and playing a part on a couple of others, while Datsyuk and Rafalski also played key roles in another Detroit offensive explosion.

Unlike the game on Wednesday, Saturday’s contest was a hard fought, grind it out type of game for about 58 minutes. The goals the Wings scored were big because Anaheim matched the wings tit for tat until Rafalski scored with just over two minutes left to give Detroit a two-goal advantage. With the Ducks pulling Hiller for the extra attacker late, Hank showed of his “Licence to Kill” as he sniped a shot from center ice into the empty net with :00.7 (007) left on the clock.

After a forgettable two games in Sweden, the Wings are now 10-3-3 on North American soil, 2-0 on the home stand and have one three-straight.

I think this week the concern that most of us had (notice I said ‘us’, sorry I doubted you guys even a little.) has changed to  a bit of relief and pure excitement about being able to watch the level of play we have come to expect in Hockeytown.

My three stars

3. Brian Rafalski

2. Daniel Cleary

1. Henrick Zetterberg (DUH!!!)