Morning Skate: Anaheim

by Casey Richey on Feb 3, 2010 9:16 AM CST in Game Preview

I'm going to keep it pretty brief this morning, didn't get all that much sleep between the game and when I had to get up for class. Add in the quick turnaround and yeah, it's gonna be brief.

Detroit is 2 points up of Calgary for the 8th seed right now. Yippee!
Niklas Kronwall will be out of the line-up following a "tweaked" knee. Kronwall's left knee is the one bothering him, the same one Georges Laraque injured. This is likely a just a precautionary measure and will likely be back for the game against the Kings.
Don't look now but Anaheim is making a little run. Ducks sit only 5 points behind the Wings heading into tonight's game. Detroit can separate themselves from Anaheim even more with a "W" and build that lead to 7.
Thanks to a ridiculously long shoot-out win by the Phoenix Coyotes, the Nashville Predators only picked up a single point last night. If the Wings win or go to OT tonight they'll pass idle Nashville...temporarily.
Anaheim Calling is the SB Nation source for anything Anaheim you may want to know.
No Jean-Sebastian Giguere in Anaheim anymore. Jonas Hiller is the top guy following his contract extension (4 years, $18 million) and then Giguere was shipped to Toronto.
How beat the Ducks: Take the middle of the ice. The Wings made a lot of moves in the middle of the ice last night against the Sharks and it worked in terms of making paths to the net. Do the same and make Hiller make the first moves.
Key match-up to watch when the Red Wings are on the attack: See how Homer plays in his 2nd game back. 2 assists last night was pretty unexpected so watch to see how much of an impact he makes tonight.
Key match-up to watch when the Ducks are on the attack: Ryan Getzlaf. This guy always is a nightmare for the Wings and always tries to get under their skin. I loathe Getzlaf but he's a hell of a scorer.

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Wings looked strong last night

I hope they realized it themselves just how much better they played and decide to keep it going.

by 42jeff on Feb 3, 2010 9:48 AM CST reply actions

Redwings Got Lucky Last Night

Holmstrom played a tremendous game last night and deserved the first star of the game. Howard is facing so many shots because he is giving up way to many big rebounds, come playoff time that may bite the Redwings in the ass. Powerplay needs to stop trying the gadget tip play it is not working and start firing the puck at the net with authority and big bodies in front. I would put Datszuk with Bertuzzi and Holmstrom for the first unit and Filpula, Eaves and Draper as a second unit. Winning faceoffs on the powerplay is the key. Eaves seems to be all around the puck near the net lately. I pray that Lilja,s time off was spent learning how to not turn the puck over, Grand Rapids could become a horrendous turnover machine otherwise with Lieno and Lilja.

by Marcmargolis on Feb 3, 2010 10:29 AM CST reply actions

I wouldnt say Lucky.

The wings dominated the neutral zone, everyone was solid defensively last night.. so i really dont understand the luck portion you claim. and howard will eventually soak up the rebounds… he isnt doing that bad of a job at it all things considering.. If you watch majority of the games in a week you could probably say that about 80% of your goaltenders.

by bond021 on Feb 3, 2010 10:53 AM CST up reply actions

speaking of rebounds

I was watching the sharks feed last night and wow are their announcers big dumb homers! Jimmy gives up rebounds because he’s “young and inexperienced” but never a word when nabakov gave them up even the goal scored off rebounds. As long as he keeps kicking them out to the edges like he does most times, I’m not that worried about it.

by pkuszmaul on Feb 3, 2010 10:59 AM CST up reply actions

yeah I thought Nabokov gave up quite a few juicy ones too

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on Feb 3, 2010 11:34 AM CST up reply actions

How about that gift-wrapped one Nabokov presented to Datsyuk? If only that would have found its way into the back of the net. I would have died of happiness…

by Natalie on Feb 3, 2010 1:37 PM CST up reply actions

I especially liked watching Nabby do his best “Riverdance” impression as the puck skidded across his crease and one of his teammates had to clear it out.

by PhattyPaddy on Feb 3, 2010 2:20 PM CST up reply actions

yeah i really dont understand

why you would have neither cleary or hank on the PP. Obviously what we had last night work. we scored 2 ppg against the team that is 1st in the NHL and penalty kill. and its not like san jose is just some team. last time i checked they were 1st in the NHL in points. im not so sure about luck. the only goal i might consider luck was the meech goal. but still every team gets their bounces. we got ours.

by dhall25 on Feb 3, 2010 11:12 AM CST up reply actions

1st in the NHL in penalty kill*

by dhall25 on Feb 3, 2010 11:12 AM CST up reply actions

Some of us are making a bigger deal out of his rebound control than needs to be made. Shots to the body are hopefully gobbled up (unlike goal #1), but Howard plays a solid butterfly game and the very way he plays means he’ll give up what seems to be a greater number of rebounds. When the puck hits your pads it is hard to “gobble it up” and instead needs to be directed to the corners, which in large part Howard does. Howard’s quick lateral movement and effectiveness with his pads means more pucks will hit those leg pads, just part of the style. And like others have said, Nabby (who plays a similar style) kicked out a lot of good lookin’ rebounds. I don’t think Howard’s rebounds are all that more egregious.

by Brobz on Feb 3, 2010 2:23 PM CST up reply actions

I've noticed

Several younger goaltenders in particular directing rebounds instead of absorbing the shots. It’s the rebounds that fly out in unpredictable directions so his teammates can’t as easily clear them away that cause problems.

"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero

by Baroque on Feb 3, 2010 5:36 PM CST up reply actions

Re: Redwings Got Lucky Last Night

“I would put Datszuk with Bertuzzi and Holmstrom for the first unit and Filpula, Eaves and Draper as a second unit.”

So by that logic, you have Cleary and Zetterberg (who scored a PPG last night) sitting in favour of Draper and Eaves, two thirds of our checking line.

“I pray that Lilja,s time off was spent learning how to not turn the puck over, Grand Rapids could become a horrendous turnover machine otherwise with Lieno and Lilja.”

*LEINO. not Lieno. Also, Leino is not playing for Grand Rapids. He is with the Red Wings, he is a healthy scratch. He won’t play for Grand Rapids ever again. And Lilja was playing quite well prior to his injury. Other than that, a very well written post.

by Rob Benneian on Feb 3, 2010 11:03 AM CST reply actions

Oh, and *Datsyuk

by Rob Benneian on Feb 3, 2010 11:04 AM CST reply actions

and Filppula

by Rob Benneian on Feb 3, 2010 11:07 AM CST reply actions

Anyone know if it Kronner “tweaked” his knee when his skate decided to fall apart? Or was there a separate incident later in the game that may have caused it?

by Robocop on Feb 3, 2010 12:08 PM CST reply actions

Last I heard, it was an ankle.

and the result of a separate “slew-footing” incident in the 3rd (which I didn’t see, and apparently was never shown on FSD). The stories have been all over the map though.

by jennbikegirl on Feb 3, 2010 1:05 PM CST up reply actions

Kronwall’s left knee is the one bothering him, the same one Georges Laraque injured.

As if we needed ANY more reasons to hate Laraque…

had a tremendous game last night. I was so happy to see him return, in fact, triumphantly. Can’t say I expected to see quite so much of his A-game last night, but man, oh, man, did he step it up. I missed him so much.

by Natalie on Feb 3, 2010 1:39 PM CST reply actions

hmm...

For some reason, my “#” and “96” turned into a “1.” at the beginning of my last comment when I posted it. Gah!

by Natalie on Feb 3, 2010 1:40 PM CST up reply actions

SBN formatting. Isn’t it great?

by crperreau on Feb 3, 2010 1:44 PM CST up reply actions

Kronwall...

Got slew footed allegedly, and I don’t think they showed the replay on the feed I was watching (FSD) as has previously been said.

This guy is made of glass though. He’s really only had like, 2 healthy seasons his whole career. He plays huge, and it’s really wearing his body down.

Also, I think Holmstrom proved why he needs to be resigned this off-season last night. he’s all heart, and the Wings need that to wake them up. It’s the intangibles he brings to this line-up that are unparalleled.

by eight_legged_freaks on Feb 3, 2010 1:42 PM CST reply actions

Jimmy Howard...

Any news on if the kid gets the nod tonight? I hope so.

by PhattyPaddy on Feb 3, 2010 1:55 PM CST reply actions

He's in.

by jennbikegirl on Feb 3, 2010 2:05 PM CST up reply actions

I’m kind of surprised/ kind of not surprised. I don’t really know how to feel. I’m guessing all three starts for the week though, with the way he played against LA last time at their place.

by crperreau on Feb 3, 2010 2:12 PM CST up reply actions

I think at this point

Not only Babcock has zero confidence in Osgood, but the team doesn’t either. The guy just flat out has lost everyone in the organization’s faith in him, and now he’s lost the fans completely.

Tiberius has done an amazing job for us this year, just phenomenal, but I am so afraid that this workload is going to drain him. So far, he’s facing a zillion shots a night, but he’s staying mentally sound and still making the right decisions.

I thank Santa for this kid everyday. He has kept our playoff hopes alive almost entirely on his own.

by eight_legged_freaks on Feb 3, 2010 2:54 PM CST reply actions

Kronwall injury

He got his foot knocked out from under him when he was driving to the net on Cleary’s goal in the first period. It’s pretty evident, based on how awkwardly he went down, that this was the incident Babbles alluded to. You can see it on most angles of the Cleary goal.

by Rob Benneian on Feb 3, 2010 3:47 PM CST reply actions