It's a playoff atmosphere at the Joe. Even on Sunday night against the Flyers, fans were sauced and hollering their way through the National Anthem. Scores have that "playoff roar" to them. You don't even have to zip up your jacket on the way to the car most nights. The Red Wings are a win away from setting the record for consecutive home ice victories. Of course, whenever there is a record that has stood for 36 years, someone has to lift up a rock and the hockey purists slither out to poison the well.

Purists of any stripe are annoying. They are the self appointed guardians of whatever tertiary subject they have gathered interest in. They have the same mannerisms and physical dimensions of the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons. The only difference is they tend to wear dark sweater vests. They still hunch over laptops and squint at details with pig eyes, probably getting paid to talk about a subject they lost interest in decades ago.

The purists point their pudgy fingers in at the number of shoot out victories among the 20 Detroit has amassed. Games ended in a tie at the end of regulation until the 1983 season. 4 of the 20 would have been ties. They say the streak shouldn't count because the game has evolved to the Red Wings benefit.

Of course the purists are wrong. The NHL rule changed, but that doesn't make it easier to get a win. The NHL is far more competitive now. Players are bigger faster and stronger due to the advances in sports medicine. There is far more talent in the NHL than there was when the Flyers went on their 20 game winning streak in 1975. The first Russian trained player was not allowed into the league until 1988. Hey Detroit, did the inclusion of Russian players increase the talent level in the NHL? I know that the Flyers actually beat the Red Army team in 76, but today's players are still more talented for the amalgamated experience.

But the argument is stupid on the level it's made, too. The Wings were not given two players on the shootouts. They didn't get an extra power play because they were on home ice. Detroit could have won or lost any of those 20 games and had to win some under huge pressure at the end.

I think it more impressive that the Wings have won several of those games under the specter of losing. It's more impressive to heap gallons of pressure on your goaltender and gut it out. Doesn't even make it more impressive that they are winning with a guy that rang in 2012 in the minor league?

This is the standard hockey purist nonsense. They roll their eyes and act exasperated because people suggest the Red Wings are on the verge of history. They have to. If there isn't anyone there to toss a fire blanket over the enthusiasm, the role of the purist need not exist. Sometimes the purists can offer perspective but they are out to lunch on this one. Not to give way to sports platitudes but a win is a win. The Red Wings went into all 20 games with an equal chance to win and lose and have come out on the winning side.

So enjoy it. Fish those car flags out of the box in the garage and screw them into the holes from last year. The team is winning and the All Star goalie isn't even on the ice at the moment. They really could go the distance this year, and there is something to cheer hard for in February.

Oh, fun fact: every time you mention the streak it makes a hockey nerd mad. That's enough reason to do it constantly.