Islanders at Red Wings: Gameday Updates

Power Play Units:

1. Larkin-Vanek-Zetterberg, Sheahan (net-front), Green
2. Tatar-Nielsen-Helm, Abdelkader (net-front), Kronwall

Keys to the Game:

Fix the first period

The opening frame has been especially difficult for the Red Wings lately, who have given up early first-period goals like someone told them that was the new playoff standard. Even in games they ended up coming back to win, like Pittsburgh and the first Boston game, they’ve been handing opponents quick leads. Enough of that “start on time” garbage. Just stop doing the thing.

Special teams are, uh, special

You thought I might be joking this morning about Riley Sheahan on the power play, huh? Oh no, I was being entirely serious. Anthony Mantha and Gustav Nyquist found themselves off the practice lines for the man advantage on Thursday, and Andreas Athanasiou was also nowhere to be found.

Parking big guys like Sheahan and Abdelkader in front of the net worked when Sheahan could actually score and when Datsyuk was around to use #8 as a backboard, but those days are distant memories now. Maybe they’re hoping those additions to a futile power play will somehow cancel out cosmic workings and get a goal on the board?

Fun Facts!

• The Red Wings are 51-45-6-5 (W-L-T-OTL) in the regular season against the Islanders.
• Petr Mrazek is 4-2-0 in 7 career starts against New York with a .911 SV% and 2.50 GAA.
• Groundhog’s Day was yesterday, and six more weeks of winter were foretold. Michigan residents shrugged and continued placing bets for the snow day in April.