Red Wings @ Predators: Updates, Lineups, Keys to the Game

Updates

The Preds got to skate first because it’s their house and we got some good updates from their beat writers

Unless Nashville plans to play four people on the second line, we’re kind of left guessing whether this means Kyle Turris is just skating for practice and sitting or whether he’ll be in and will be bumping Smith and Aberg down (and Watson out).

On the Wings side, we’ve got the nightmare pre-trade scenario potentially playing out.

There is some good news though:

Lineups

Red Wings

Anthony Mantha - Henrik Zetterberg - Gustav Nyquist
Tomas Tatar- Dylan Larkin - Andreas Athanasiou
Darren Helm - Frans Nielsen - Justin Abdelkader
Tyler Bertuzzi - Luke Glendening - Martin Frk

Jonathan Ericsson - Trevor Daley
Niklas Kronwall - Nick Jensen
Danny DeKeyser - Luke Witkowski

Petr Mrazek
Jimmy Howard

Predators

Kevin Fiala - Ryan Johansen - Viktor Arvidsson
Filip Forsberg - Calle Jarnkrok - Craig Smith
Scott Hartnell - Nick Bonino - Pontus Aberg
Miikka Salomaki - Colton Sissons - Austin Watson

Roman Josi - Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm - PK Subban
Matt Irwin - Anthony Bitetto

Pekka Rinne
Juuse Saros

Keys to the Game

Everybody clap your hands

Our goalies have had to hurl themselves across the crease to stop a shot from a wide open player far too often lately. Every time there’s a pass across the front of the net it feels like it will end up in the back of the net because we seem to never be in position to prevent that pass across and the snipe. We saw it with the Islanders, Capitals, (but not the Ducks, huzzah), Lightning...we just can’t seem to be in the right place to play defense.

Story of our season.

How low can you go?

Yet again the penalty kill let us down in Tampa, allowing two goals in four power plays. Nashville is the fifth best powerplay in the league, however they’ve gone 0 for 18 their past 6 games, so it could be a battle of who is worse at their job. Our powerplay hasn’t been good either, we’re 7 for 60 since around Christmas, but Tatar showed it can be done with a help from Kronwall and Abby.

Reverse, reverse

I’m dying for some creativity, some crazy play that even if it doesn’t work is still funny. You can see the Wings are frustrated and lacking confidence, but there’s nothing to be afraid of, we are already in a race to the bottom -- even if none of the players will admit it. If Jeff Benchkill would loosen the reigns a bit, even bring out the line-blending Bingo Wheel of Doom, we could see the guys have some fun and nobody is thinking about getting scolded (benched) because they were irresponsible (risk-takers). What lessons are left to learn from “trust the process” and “compete level”?

Let’s Go Red Wings!