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Morning Skate: Here We Go Again

By Jeff Hancock Updated
NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 19: Brad Stuart #12 of the Detroit Red Wings checks Patric Hornqvist #27 of the Nashville Predators on March 19, 2011 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 19: Brad Stuart #12 of the Detroit Red Wings checks Patric Hornqvist #27 of the Nashville Predators on March 19, 2011 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
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Well that was fun, wasn't it?

After arguably the greatest November hockey game I've ever seen, the Wings don't give us much time to rest and they themselves don't have much time to recover either.  The men in red and white are back at it again, this time against the division foes from Nashville.  

21 games into the season and this is the Wings first game of the year against the Predators.  Nashville comes into the game as losers of three straight (vs CBJ, vs EDM, @MIN) and are hanging in the hunt thanks to a league high four charity points (4 OTL).  Detroit meanwhile has quietly won eight of their last 10 games and are two points back of Chicago for the Central lead with two games in hand. 

 

On the Forecheck is your SBNation Predators' blog.

Puck drop is just after 7p ET.

 

The Expected Lineup

Johan Franzen -- Pavel Datsyuk -- Todd Bertuzzi

Danny Cleary -- Henrik Zetterberg -- Valtteri Filppula

Jiri Hudler -- Darren Helm -- Justin Abdelkader

Drew Miller -- Cory Emmerton -- Tomas Holmstrom

 

Nicklas Lidstrom -- Ian White

Niklas Kronwall -- Jonathan Ericsson

Brad Stuart -- Jakub Kindl

 

Jimmy Howard

Ty Conklin

 

Scratches: Mike Commodore and Patrick Eaves

Injuries: Jan Mursak (ankle)

 

PREDATORS HOW THEY MATCH UP RED WINGS
10-7-4 Record 13-7-1
2.71 (T-16th) Goals Per Game 2.86 (T-9th)
2.67 (15th) Goals Against Per Game 2.29 (6th)
16.5% (T-17th) Power Play % 18.7% (11th)
84.3% (11th) Penalty Kill % 79.8% (20th)
2 tied with 7 goals Goal Leader Johan Franzen (10 goals)
3 tied with 15 points Points Leader Johan Franzen (21 points)

 

 

  • The Red Wings are 43-21-4-7 (W-L-T-OTL) all-time against the Predators.
  • The Mule registered an assist yesterday and the Wings won.  He has at least one point in 12 of the 13 wins this year and has zero points in all eight of the Wings losses.  I've said it before and I'll say it again...Feed The Mule.
  • Nashville was one of four teams that didn't play yesterday.
  • Is anyone else ridiculously happy with the Wings goals against per game number?  Almost top five in the league.  Compared to where this team was a year ago when it came to allowing goals this is nothing short of awesome.  The defense and goaltending has carried this team at times.  
  • Ryan Suter and Shea Weber have a combined 30 points between them (they're 3rd and 4th in scoring on the team).  Watch them very closely tonight.  One of these two men could be a Red Wing next season (or maybe at the deadline?  We'll see).
  • Pekka Rinne is 10-6-4 with a 2.68 GAA and a .927 SV% with 3 shutouts.  The GAA is a little high, but the rest of his numbers aren't too shabby.

 

Prediction: Wings build off their strong performance in Boston and win 3-1.  Valtteri Filppula is your player of the game.

 

Let's Go Red Wings.