Tied 1-1 at the Scotiabank Saddledome after two periods, the Red Wings saw Steve Begin score two of the easiest goals he’ll ever net. Calgary goalie Mikka Kiprusoff did the rest, torturing Detroit again to help his team drop the Red Wings 3-2. The Flames finished off a season sweep of the Red Wings in the process, winning all three meetings between the two teams in 2013.

The 34-year old Begin was the beneficiary of two fluky plays that may be proof that this just isn’t Detroit’s year. The first came at the 2:28 mark of the third, when Jonathan Ericssson fumbled he puck trying to bring it out from behind the Red Wings net. Begin poked his sick in, knocking it off the back of Jimmy Howard‘s skate and across the line for an unassisted goal.

Apr 17, 2013; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames right wing Lee Stempniak (22) celebrates his goal against the Detroit Red Wings with his teammates during the first period at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Begin’s second goal may have been even easier despite coming shorthanded. With Dennis Wideman off for cross checking, Howard was behind his own net trying to start the play up ice. His mishandle ended up right on the stick of Begin as he cruised by, allowing him to tuck the puck into an empty net for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Johan Franzen answered in equally bizarre fashion with just under three minutes to play. The Mule made a routine backhand lob into the Calgary zone and watched it take one big hop by a surprised Kiprusoff. The goal was Franzen’s tenth of the season and third in as many games.

Mike Babcock called his timeout with 1:26 left, and Howard headed for the bench 20 seconds later. Curtis Glencross made the finish extra interesting by hooking Pavel Datsyuk with 30 seconds remaining, but Kiprusoff finished off his 29-save night by making one final glove stop on Jakub Kindl.

The Red Wings outshot the Flames by wide margins in both the second and third periods, but they trailed after 20 minutes thanks to Lee Stempniak‘s even strength goal. Gustav Nyquist netted Detroit’s other goal on an excellent feed from Joakim Andersson at 12:31 of the second. Henrik Zetterberg and Damien Brunner combined for 15 shots on goal, but neither figured in the scoring.

Thanks to the Anaheim Ducks’ loss to the surging Columbus Blue Jackets, the Red Wings will wake up on Thursday morning looking in from the outside of the Western Conference playoff race. With just five games left to try to avoid staying home in May, every game is a must-win for Detroit, beginning with Saturday’s visit to the Vancouver Canucks.

The game was over when…

The Red Wings couldn’t score more than one goal in the second period. They dominated play for most of the frame but only managed to get one puck past Kiprusoff, That turned out to be fatal since they couldn’t absorb two bad bounces in the third.

The unsung Red Wings hero was…

I’ll say Cory Emmerton, though Patrick Eaves also played some valuable minutes. Let’s just say it wasn’t the checking line’s fault the team lost.

Mar 18, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Calgary Flames right wing Jarome Iginla (12) skates in the Dallas Stars zone during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Flames 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Okay. Shoutout to Aaron Ward on what might be the worst night he’s ever had. Hope he keeps his job – he’s a good guy.

Anyway, the Calgary Flames have traded captain and franchise centerpiece Jarome Iginla to the Pittsburgh Pengu

ins for a 1st round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Ben Hanowski, and and Kenny Agostino.The season is over.

Seriously. It’s done. Just give the President’s Trophy and the Stanley Cup to Pittsburgh and let’s skip to draft day.Honestly, the Wings may as well tank now. Even if we make it to the Cup Finals, we’ll undoubtedly be facing Pittsburgh, a team with two of the three best centers in the world (don’t think for a second the Pens didn’t try to snag Datsyuk, though), 4 players who can score 40 goals in a season, three captains, and depth to rival the Mariana Trench. There’s no winning against that. Here are their forward lines:

Kunitz – Crosby – Iginla

Neal – Malkin – Morrow

Cooke – Sutter – Dupuis

WHO CARES – WHO CARES – WHO CARES

This may be the most unbeatable team since the 2002 Detroit Red Wings.

Speaking of the Red Wings, what does this deal mean for Detroit?

At first glance, things seem bad for every team in the league not based in Pennsylvania. Oh, sorry Philly, couldn’t see you in the standings behind THE ISLANDERS. Pittsburgh immediately becomes the best team by a country mile, and Flames GM Jay Feaster traded Jarome Iginla away for a 30th overall pick and two prospects nobody’s ever heard of. He set the price so low for rentals at the trade deadline that teams are gonna be counting their pucks one-by-one rather than just sending a full bag the other way in a deal.

In the Western Conference, at least.

But you can bet that Eastern Conference teams are going to do their very best to bolster their teams through any means necessary. We’re talking larceny, kidnapping, murder…but more importantly, overpaying for rental players. The league just became a seller’s  market – and eastern teams aren’t gonna be giving up annnnyyyyythhhinnnggg.

But Detroit might be.

Players like Valtteri Filppula and Johan Franzen just saw their trade value skyrocket. Teams in the east can’t avoid confrontation with Pittsburgh, so they’ll be doing everything they can to soften the blow. I made a half-kidding comment on Twitter earlier tonight about the Wings moving Filppula to Toronto for prospect Tyler Biggs. Now I wouldn’t even consider this deal…maybe if the Leafs throw in a 1st round pick or two. Maybe.

…So I’m exaggerating a little bit, but my point is that no matter where they are in the standings, now is a prime time for Detroit to become sellers. Teams will throw draft picks and prospects left and right to find playoff additions, and Ken Holland needs to make as many catches as he possibly can.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see moves of this ilk happen by the upcoming deadline:

1) Detroit sends Valtteri Filppula  to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Tyler Biggs and a conditional (upon resigning) 2nd round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft

2) Detroit sends Johan Franzen, Mikael Samuelsson, and a 2nd round pick to the New York Rangers for Chris Kreider (and then adds a 1st round pick, Drew Miller, and Valtteri Filppula to take Marion Gaborik back as well)

3) Detroit sends Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula to the Winnipeg Jets for Evander Kane

4) Detroit sends Mikael Samuelsson, Cory Emmerton, and Patrick Eaves to the Boston Bruins for a 1st round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft

Now, I’m not saying these particular deals, or even ones this big, WILL happen, but don’t be surprised if Detroit starts selling off and raking in some ridiculous trade value. And hey, if they suck and miss the playoffs, this is supposed to be one of the best drafts ever, right?

Okay, I gotta go to bed. I have an exam to fail in eight hours. Tweet me whenever: @dzkefalas (more…)