DETROIT, February 2, 2011 – T.G.I. Friday’s® and the Detroit Red Wings invite hockey fans to experience a game at the Joe Louis Arena in style. In February, three lucky Michigan residents will win a VIP prize package that includes a private suite for 20 guests, as well as food and beverages (non-alcoholic) throughout the game.

From Feb. 7 – 28, fans can enter by visiting one of 17 participating T.G.I. Friday’s locations across Michigan and completing an entry form. Alternatively, fans can go to www.DetroitRedWings.com/TGIFridays and fill out the online form.

“Michigan fans are known for their spirited energy, camaraderie and dedication to the Red Wings,” said Reid Neumann, regional marketing manager, T.G.I. Friday’s. “This contest is our way of giving back to those fans who have cheered on their favorite team at our regional locations season after season.”

Winners will be announced each week during the three-week promotion. The VIP suites will be given away for the following games:  March 28 (vs. Chicago Blackhawks), March 30 (vs. St. Louis Blues), and April 3 (vs. Minnesota Wild).

Guests can call their local T.G.I. Friday’s for details or visit the Red Wings website for the official rules.

For more news and updates from T.G.I. Friday’s, fans can follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter @TGIFriday’s and YouTube.

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You shouldn’t need any other incentive beyond that, but in case you do, how’s this: with every $5 donation you have a chance of winning signed jerseys, pucks, photos, hats, sticks, and more.

H2H2: Twice the fun, twice the #fuckyeah, and twice the generosity.  Do it.

p.s. Big thanks to Casey from WIM for the donation flash animation and help with graphics.

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photo: Maureen Landers/Flickr

I’ve read 3 articles today pertaining to Nicklas Lidstrom.  A piece about the Mike Babcock’s philosophy of allowing his players to have fun from the Globe and Mail, in light of their recent curling competition.  An article from the Toronto Star on Dustin Byfuglien’s emergence as a defenseman and the inevitable comparisons to Lidstrom.  And a wonderfully, and rightfully, gushing feature on The Perfect Human from the Calgary Herald.

Two out of those three articles, from national newspapers, committed the same error that made my eyes just cross in irritation.  And so I’m reposting a blog post from a while back that I wrote on this very cause of annoyance.

He goes by many names on the blogosphere and the dressing room, from Swede, to The Perfect Human, Lidas, and more.  But he is not, nor ever will be, ‘Nik.’  That type of misspelling is simply inexcusable, and I’m sick of seeing it.

—Originally posted on Aug 17, 2009—

Dear hockey journalists, bloggers, and everyone else who likes to espouse about hockey as if our opinions really mattered,

The puck will soon drop on the 2009-2010 NHL season.  With the Detroit Red Wings kicking off against  the St. Louis Blues in Sweden, we’ll be certain to see plenty of coverage on both teams, most obviously, the Swedes on each team.

And so in light of that, I beg you all… please spell Nicklas Lidstrom’s name correctly.  I’m not talking about the 2008 Awards gaffe, which led to a kid wearing a jersey that said “Lindstrom.”  No, it’s so much more than that.

It’s Nick.

Not Nik.  That’s Kronwall.  Nik Jr., as it were.

6’2″, #5 as opposed to 6’0″, #55.  But it’s not just a matter of a few inches and the number 5.

He’s played in the league for over 18 seasons for crying out loud—you’d think you’d learn how to spell his name in that time.

Nicklas.  Nick.

It’s not even a difficult name, like Khabibulin, or Ponikarovsky, or Simeon/Semyon Varlamov, who’s already corrected the media on how to spell his name.

It’s just Nick.

There’s probably a kid who lives down the street from you, or goes to school with your kids whose name is Nick.

And yet, season after season, I see reporters, bloggers, twitterers, MSM, and fans calling him ‘Nik’ Lidstrom.

The guy is an ultimate captain, and statesman of the game.  He is the best defenseman of his generation, possibly all time.  He’s won the Norris 3 consecutive times, twice.  He’s a Conn Smythe winner–the first European.  He’s the first European born and trained player to captain a championship team.  He’s an Olympic gold medalist for Team Sweden.  He’s a 9-time First Team All-Star.  And his career is nowhere near done.

I implore you—give the man the respect he deserves and spell his name correctly.

Though when, undoubtedly, someone writes about him at the start of the season and refers to him as ‘Nik,’ I can take comfort in the fact that it’s at least it’s spelled right 4 times* on the Stanley Cup, where it really matters.

*I’ll acquiesce that for the 2001-2002 team he shows up as “N. Lidstrom” on the Cup.

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Use the Paypal button below, or send your money to payh2h2@gmail.com.

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Ok.  This is possibly the funniest episode I’ve listened to in a while, and that’s saying a lot because they’re always excellent.

I would recommend against listening to this while driving, working, or really while being anywhere in public unless you want to get strange looks as you convulse and laugh silently.

Oh yeah, and there’s some Wings talk that goes on, too.

The boys at TPL are joined by Kris from Snipe Snipe, Dangle Dangle, and Greg from The Winged Wheel.

Check it out.

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Game Day Notes: @ Atlanta [OtW]

Nov. 24 :: No One on the Corner Has Swagga Like Us [TPL]

Morning Skate: Is that a…tornado bird? [WIM]

Red Wings vs. Thrashers GP… [SSDD]

GDT – Game #19: Red Wings at Thrashers (7:00) [A2Y]

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I honestly refuse to listen to this because I loathe the sound of my own voice (not sugary enough, Disch?), but we talked about a fairly broad range of topics, covering Cleary’s red-hot play as of late, the press box rotation, Kris Draper, Joey Mac and Chris Osgood, and the Colin Campbell controversy (+1 for alliteration).

I also realized that I am fairly certain I used the word onus a couple times when I meant catalyst when talking about Colin Campbell.  Head, meet desk.

Another point along those lines that I thought of later is that I can’t imagine Gary Bettman firing Campbell.  At least not immediately.  He likes to present the image that he’s in complete control of the league and if he didn’t let Campbell go when the emails first came to light, there’s no way he’d do it now.  Firing Campbell would be the rash choice at the moment, demonstrating that he wasn’t aware of everything going on, and that’s not something that Bettman’s prone to do.  As I mentioned on the podcast, I think it could be something coming later, maybe in a few months or a year, I don’t know, and these emails could be used as evidence or cause.

Anyway, my comments aside, go listen!

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For just $55 you’ll get to hang out with about 200 of your dearest friends at Hockeytown Cafe and at the JLA to see the Wings take on the Oilers.  Prove that Red Wings fans are still the best in the league by giving back to the Detroit community and donating to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation.  Oh, and maybe win some cool stuff while you’re at it.

If you have already RSVP’d, you should have received information on how to pay for your tickets via email. Or you can pay via the button below:

The boys over at TPL are already getting ready for their pledge drive, so hop on over and come up with some creative donation pledges.

Like Petrella said, for those of us who went last year, it was a weekend that I don’t think any of us will forget.  So if you’re on the fence about coming… do it.  You won’t regret it, I promise.

H2H2: 2x the fun, 2x the #fuckyeah.

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Rounding up everyone else’s game previews for tonight’s tilt in Edmonton:

GDT – Game #11: Red Wings at Oilers (9:00) [A2Y]

Red Wings vs. Oilers GP [SSDD]

Game Day Notes: @ Edmonton [OtW]

Preview: Detroit Slides Into Oil-Town [Datsyukian Geek]

Sleeping with the Enemy: Edmonton [NOHS]

Game #11 [Brendan Smithsonian Institute]

Hawaiian Time Morning Skate: THERE’S A WHOLE OCEAN OF OIL UNDER OUR FEET! [WIM]

The Jonathan Ericsson Watch resumed on Wednesday with his triumphant return to the lineup.  This puts the game count at 3.  Him being out with an injury skews the predictions quite a bit, but I’m still interested to see where this goes.

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No word yet on the specifics, including the extent of how long Howard will be out.  Rafalski was put on short term IR and Draper on LTIR.  Injured reserve put Rafalski out seven days at minimum.  The schedule for the Wings is finally picking up too, which means we’re likely to see the Osgood/MacDonald tandem for at least 3 games, I think.  Please correct me if I’m wrong.

My take on this: I’m ok with it.  Let’s not all freak out.  It’s not a severe injury, and 3 games isn’t that many.  And admittedly, the histrionics did calm down a little once we found out it wasn’t anything major with Howard.  But I still don’t understand the fatalism about having Osgood start a couple games.  Give the poor guy a chance to redeem himself.  His play so far this season really hasn’t warranted the sheer vitriol he receives.  He’s 1-1-0 with a 2.49 GAA and a .905 SV%.

It’s up to Osgood to seize the opportunity, but it’s not a foregone conclusion that we’re going to lose the next few games 0-7.

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