Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE
7:00p ET, Joe Louis Arena
Detroit, MI
TV: Fox Sports Detroit Plus, NHL Network (US)
Radio: 97.1 The Ticket
This game would be much more fun if the Red Wings weren't desperate for a win. Getting revenge for last season's first round playoff Tuesday's loss to the Predators would be ideal. Watching Jordin Tootoo skate like crazy again his old team is going to be exciting. But, instead, to be honest, I don't care about much of that tonight. I just want to see the Red Wings end their losing steak.
Three Five straight games and three five straight losses. Only one two losses has come with a charity point. Nashville on the other hand is the best team in the league at prolonged losing. They lose more than they win, but they lead the league in overtime/regulation losses. In a short season that will be the difference for them when it comes to making the playoffs. Ultimately, I don't really care about this rivalry or anything like that tonight. The Wings need two points and they need them desperately. I hope like hell they play like it on the ice.
No one is scratched tonight because, well, there is no one left to scratch. The Wings have waived goodbye to Jan Mursak. Plus, Kyle Quincey joins half the team on the injured list. Pavel Datsyuk will most likely have to skate around the ice pulling along the corpse of Daniel Cleary and the offensively challenged Justin Abdelkader. If the third line gets any playing time they should be decent. The two kids from Grand Rapids and Patrick Eaves seemed to play well last time they were all skating together. Jakub Kindl will have a chance to take more first period penalties tonight and Kent Huskins remains in the lineup due to Quincey's absence. It would be nice to have Brendan Smith back right about now that's for sure.
The Expected Lineup
Damien Brunner - Henrik Zetterberg - Valtteri Filppula
Daniel Cleary - Pavel Datsyuk - Justin Abdelkader
Tomas Tatar - Joakim Andersson - Patrick Eaves
Drew Miller - Cory Emmerton - Jordin Tootoo
*
Niklas Kronwall - Brian Lashoff
Jakub Kindl - Kent Huskins
*
Jimmy Howard (starting)
Scratches: None
Injuries: Kyle Quincey (ankle), Mikael Samuelsson (finger), Johan Franzen (hip), Todd Bertuzzi (back), Brendan Smith (shoulder), Darren Helm (back), and Carlo Colaiacovo (shoulder).
| PREDATORS | THE MATCH-UP | RED WINGS |
| 8-5-5 (21 pts; 4th in West) | Record | 7-7-3 (17 pts; T-9th in West) |
| 2.06 (LAST in NHL) | Goals Per Game | 2.59 (18th in NHL) |
| 1.94 (3rd) | Goals Against Per Game | 3.00 (21st) |
| 14.8% (22nd) | Power Play % | 12.8% (28th) |
| 85.5% (6th) | Penalty Kill % | 75.7% (25th) |
| Colin Wilson (5 goals) | Goal Leader | 2 tied with 8 goals |
| Colin Wilson (14 points) | Points Leader | Henrik Zetterberg (22 points) |
- The Red Wings are 46-24-4-8 (W-L-T-OTL) all-time against the Nashville Predators.
- Detroit has lost a season high five games in a row. The Predators dropped a 1-0 game to the Canucks last night in Nashville. It was their third loss in their last four games. The only win for them during this stretch is against the Wings.
- Let's try to forget what happened the last time these two teams played.
- The Red Wings have blown a 2-0 lead three time during their five game losing streak.
- Detroit is 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. Nashville is 5-3-2.
- Jimmy Howard is 6-5-1 with a 2.55 GAA and .912 SV% with one shutout in 14 career starts against the Predators.
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