Morning Skate: Howlin' at Home

by JeffHancock41 on Jan 12, 2012 9:44 AM CST in Game Preview

It's the second meeting of the season against the Coyotes and the second game at the Joe between the two clubs. Back on December 8, the Wings beat Phoenix 5-2 behind goals from Bert, Flip, Hudler, Homer, and Helm.

The Red Wings will be looking to bounce back from their lackluster effort on Long Island. The Wings got spanked by the Islanders 5-1. One has to imagine that after having the day off yesterday, the team will want to regain it's form tonight. They're a different team at home than on the road and see to play to the level of their competition. So I guess we should be thankful the Yotes are a better team than the Islander, eh? I guess that means the Wings will play better tonight.

Hopefully they just go int "F You" mode and dominate the game tonight. We'll know quickly which Wings' team has taken the ice. In the last three games, Detroit has gotten down 3-0, 2-0, and 4-0. If the Wings skate away with a lead or, hell, a tie after the first period, it will be a huge improvement over the last three games.

Five For Howling is your SBNation Coyotes blog.

Puck drop is just after 7:30p ET on Fox Sports Detroit

The Expected Lineup

Johan Franzen -- Pavel Datsyuk -- Todd Bertuzzi

Valtteri Filppula -- Henrik Zetterberg -- Jiri Hudler

Danny Cleary -- Justin Abdelkader -- Drew Miller

Tomas Holmstrom -- Darren Helm -- Jan Mursak

Nicklas Lidstrom -- Ian White

Niklas Kronwall -- Brad Stuart

Jonathan Ericsson -- Jakub Kindl

Jimmy Howard (starting)

Ty Conklin

Scratches: Mike Commodore and Cory Emmerton

Injuries: Patrick Eaves

COYOTES	HOW THEY MATCH UP	RED WINGS
20-17-6 (46 pts; 11th in West)	Record	26-15-1 (53 pts; 5th in West)
2.49 (24th)	Goals Per Game	3.19 (4th)
2.51 (9th)	Goals Against Per Game	2.36 (6th)
13.1% (29th)	Power Play %	19.4% (6th)
83.3% (12th)	Penalty Kill %	80.8% (23rd)
Radim Vrbata (20 goals)	Goal Leader	Johan Franzen (16 goals)
Ray Whitney (36 points)	Points Leader	Pavel Datsyuk (43 points)

The Red Wings are 61-39-22-3 (W-L-T-OTL) all-time against the Coyotes.
Datsyuk took the morning skate and I would expect him to play.
Phoenix has a really crappy power play. It's second worst in the entire league. Expect them to score at least one power play goal tonight.
Jimmy Howard can win is 100th game tonight and Danny Cleary can score his 100th goal. Mike Babcock can earn his 400th win.
The Coyotes have lost seven of their last nine games (2-4-3).
Detroit has won 12 straight games at home.
We could see the return of Jan Mursak tonight. He's officially been recalled from his condition stint in Grand Rapids and is now on the active roster. I've listen him in the expected lineup. We'll updated when the official lineup comes out.

Prediction: Make it 13 straight at home. Detroit wins a close, hard fought 3-1 game. Two goals from Zetterberg and and empty netter from Cleary. Everyone hits their milestones. Hank is your player of hte game.

Let's Go Red Wings.

Tweet Comment 22 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

4-2 Detroit Jimmah POTG.

Almost picked Kronwall since it’s his birthday, but when I’m not sure who to pick, I pick Jimmah… because, why not? I The yotes 2nd goal will come right at the end of the game as they desperately try to get back in, but it’s too little too late. LGRW!

by SlapshotGoal on Jan 12, 2012 9:56 AM CST reply actions

Going to the game tonight!

Getting off early and the boss is paying for dinner and drinks. My goal is to bankrupt him. Here’s to hoping that I will get to slur the lyrics to Don’t Stop Believin!

Also if Helm, Hudler, and Holmstrom all get points off the same goal, I’m going to call it the Pedigree.

by Brion on Jan 12, 2012 10:26 AM CST reply actions

I see what you did there

Have a good time at the Gammmeee-uuhhhh!

by Rat A Tat on Jan 12, 2012 11:45 AM CST up reply actions

4-2 Wings, Z is PotG

I just hope we start on time. I hate coming from behind…I also hate losing a lead. Hell, I just hate losing in general.

Let’s go Red Wings. Put the Sac Attack in there coach. I wanna see what he’s got!

Manager of the Mursak League's Banzai Bananas. BANZAI!!!

by Dannik99 on Jan 12, 2012 10:33 AM CST reply actions

UPDATE

Apparently Datsyuk and Commodore are both game-time decisions. Datsyuk with his mysterious “lower-body” injury and Commie with a bruised foot from the Chicago game.

Winging It In Motown

by Amerinadian on Jan 12, 2012 10:48 AM CST reply actions

Damn....

Picked Dats for POG with Wings winning 5-0….may have to request near game-time predict change…x-ing fingers he’s playing.

by wingsluver4ever on Jan 12, 2012 11:57 AM CST up reply actions

Wings win

Coyotes fans (both of em) suck.

The end.

by J.J. from Kansas on Jan 12, 2012 11:21 AM CST reply actions

When did the Coyotes get their second fan?

by Hornecker on Jan 12, 2012 11:27 AM CST up reply actions

When they started advertising in New Zealand, apparently.

by J.J. from Kansas on Jan 12, 2012 11:34 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

5-2 Wings, Z as PotG

Not sure why I picked this, but I gave up a long time ago trying to figure out why I do some things. Home ice rejuvenates all. Yotes are still having nightmares after their last game against King Henrik and will have the same luck against Jimmy.

by zfan16 on Jan 12, 2012 11:23 AM CST reply actions

4-1 Wings, Val

Two goals from the second line, and Cleary’s 100th is into the empty net.

by EthrDemon on Jan 12, 2012 11:30 AM CST reply actions

4-1, DET....The Sac is your POTG

by Veihl789 on Jan 12, 2012 12:16 PM CST reply actions

I hope Z plays a big game tonight

I’ve missed his badassery this season. I want another goal like that bat-in from last year where I just cry at the beauty. 5 – 0 Wings on Jimmy’s 25th win of the season and 100th of his career. Jimmy for POTG.

Living in Chicago is great... apart from the Blackhawks fans.

by Cornelious on Jan 12, 2012 12:22 PM CST reply actions

Don't blow it Wings

DAE want the Emmerton – Helm – Mursak line to happen? Tonight would be perrrrrfect for it.

by shanny14 on Jan 12, 2012 1:57 PM CST reply actions

5-1 Wings, Franzen POTG

I like to Dangle Dangle.

by playboyperry509 on Jan 12, 2012 2:45 PM CST reply actions

I want not Bert on line 1.

Gimme someone else to play with Pavs, Uncle Mike. Please.
Also, LGRW!

"I'll smile in June."

by Lords of Olympia on Jan 12, 2012 3:06 PM CST reply actions

The last couple years

I’ve been a big proponent of moving Holmstrom down in the lines. But this season I would rather have him on the top line than Bertuzzi.

by Brion on Jan 12, 2012 3:13 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, it's weird.

I wasn’t really sure why people were calling for homer to be bumped down until i saw the results. It made total sense then. I don’t think Bert has been utterly abysmal but Pavel has been the only consistent threat on that line, both offensively and defensively.
The forwards have felt “incomplete” or lacking in chemistry most of the season.
I don’t even expect dazzling brilliance on every play. I just want our first line to seem like a first line.

"I'll smile in June."

by Lords of Olympia on Jan 12, 2012 4:59 PM CST up reply actions

5-2 wings, zeke

I remember the Production Line and the Darkness

by beemerron on Jan 12, 2012 3:31 PM CST reply actions

the problem is

DRW’s have Jekyll & Hyde syndrome. how else can it be explained? I refuse to mention that shoddy debacle tuesday night. what a shitfest that was! can’t say I’ve never seen such a piss-poor effort by our beloved group cuz it’s been happening off and on throughout half the season already. I’m wondering if they’re going to play at the level they’re capable of tonight or if they’re gonna give the Yote’s a lead only to snatch it away…or not. getting awfully tired of watching them struggle to come back from stupid deficits created by inept play in the first period. I don’t EVER remember the DRW’s ever being this dysfunctional, especially at this time of the year when they should be asserting themselves as the eventual division winner.

almost kinda weird with what’s going on with the teams around the league. plenty of injuries to go around for all, been plenty of suspensions, up is down and down is up. just about the strangest season I’ve ever seen. makes one truly wonder if it has anything to do with the CBA which expires after this season.

"If we knew what the outcome would be it wouldn't be called hindsight."

by wjr on Jan 12, 2012 3:49 PM CST reply actions

Using creative math

I noticed Phoenix recently beat the Islanders 5-1. The Islanders beat us 5-1. Therefore, the Phoenix Coyotes will whitewash the Red Wings by a final score of 25-1. The goal judge behind Jimmy is the PotG.

Fan of the Detroit Tigers, Lions and Red Wings.

by Elfuego51 on Jan 12, 2012 4:43 PM CST reply actions