Gameday Updates: Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning: Line Combinations, Key Matchups

Andreas Athanasiou split time with Ben Street during the line rushes this morning but is still considered a game time decision. If it is anything beyond just some soreness my guess is the Red Wings will err on the side of caution and hold him out another game. There is no reason to risk further injury to a key player to the future of the team in a meaningless game at the end of a lost season.

Updated Lineups

Power Play

PP1 – Nyquist, Tatar, Abdelkader, Kronwall, Zetterberg

PP2 – Sheahan, Nielsen, Larkin, Mantha, Green

Thanks to Achariya for passing along the anticipated lineup for the Lightning.

Power Play Unit

PP1 – Palat, Point, Drouin, Hedman, Kucherov

PP2 – Killorn, Gourde, Namestnikov, Stralman, Dotchin

Keys to the Game

Playing Spoiler

It is no fun watching other teams fight it out for playoff spots after your team has already been eliminated. It is fun to watch your team be the thorn in the side one of those teams, especially one who just happens to have been a thorn in your side the last few seasons.

Stay Focused

Playing out the final games of a lost season can tell a lot to a coaching staff and organization. Players who continue to give it their all and push themselves are the ones you want to look at keeping. Players who lose interest and seem to just kind of go through the motions are the ones that maybe you do not. It will be important for the Red Wings players, regardless of the outcome of the games, to continue to stay focused and push themselves. Right before the first offseason of an admitted rebuild is not the time to disengage from the game or do something dumb on the ice.