In Red Wings Land

Red Wings aim to maintain grittier disposition second half of season | MLive

The tone of the game was set midway through the first period when Alex Biega roughed Joel Kellman in retaliation for a hit that shook up Brian Lashoff. Bertuzzi and Stefan Noesen roughed it up in the second period. Justin Abdelkader fought Barclay Goodrow in the third period.

“There’s a lot of guys over there that like to play physical,” Dylan Larkin said. “We answered the bell. We’re sticking up for each other. You saw that a couple of times when they were going after Bernie. That’s what they try to do when there’s a hot goalie. We stick up for Bernie and we stick up for each other. It feels good.”

More physical play, more fun.

It was great to see the Red Wings win a game. If they want to get physical, play with grit, and stick up for each other, plus continue to win, be my guest. Just don’t forget to score goals too. Not every night will be a shutout!

Around the League

From crazy comebacks to pig races, 2020 Winter Classic had it all | Sportsnet

This event had everything: show horses, fireworks, a hockey team that only wore black to honour Johnny Cash (the Preds), a fighter jet flyover, square dancers, headshots, flame balls, country bands, Troy Aikman, penalty shots, golf carts, the longest walk of shame in hockey history, pig races, 68 body checks, jugglers, fluffy make-believe snow, a viral video of a popular analyst eating a corndog, a mechanical bull, Ricky Williams, power-plays galore, some guy jumping rope on a unicycle, some louder fireworks that totally spooked the beige horses….

This season’s Winter Classic delivered. I haven’t really cared about the game the last few years, but I enjoyed the spectacle yesterday. The jerseys, the stadium/rink set up, the atmosphere… it felt unique. Good work by the NHL diving head first into the cowboy theme.