Game Day Updates: Blue Jackets at Red Wings

Man, I don’t know how I’m going to fit all the news from morning skate into this post, but here goes…

Wings have an optional skate prior to Tuesday’s game with Columbus. Only skaters on ice – Tatar, Eaves, Helm, Samuelsson and Smirh.

— Chuck Pleiness (@wingsfrontman) October 15, 2013

That’s pretty much it. Jimmy Howard worked alone with Jim Bedard and didn’t take any shots in practice. So Jonas Gustavsson will get his first home start as a Red Wing, and his first regular season career start at the Joe. Tiberius thinks he’ll be ready to start Thursday against the Waaavalanche The injured players and healthy scratches were the only players to skate this morning, but that’s not a big surprise with the team playing back to back games, and being so old that Danny Cleary once tried to suck the blood of a velociraptor (am I doing this right?).

Per MLive, after the game yesterday, regarding his bruised hand, Jimmy Howard said:

“Tried to get through it (warmups) and just not happening,” Howard said. “I took three shots in the area where I got injured and it was extremely painful, so decided to rest it and get the swelling out of the area. It’s probably just day-to-day.

and Mike Babcock said:

“He practiced (Sunday) and was all right but he’s got some blood in the hand and they’re trying to keep (the swelling) down, but maybe it’s swollen too much now, so I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. We’ll monitor the situation and decide who goes tomorrow.”

You may remember that Jimmy Howard left practice for a while on Sunday after taking a “high shot”, that’s probably what aggravated his hand after the initial soreness from the Philly game on Saturday night.

Presumably the Red Wings lines from the Morning Skate still stand, with one change. Petr Mrazek has been called up from Grand Rapids to back up Gustavsson tonight. The Griffins don’t play again until Friday, and Jimmy doesn’t need to be charting faceoffs, he needs to be resting his hand and letting it heal.

The #RedWings have recalled Petr Mrazek. He will back up Jonas Gustavsson tonight.

— MiHockey (@MiHockeyNow) October 15, 2013

Blue Jackets morning skate updates:

Marian Gaborik had the flu yesterday and didn’t fly to Detroit with the team. The plan was for him to fly in this morning/afternoon and be in the lineup tonight. He wasn’t at the Jackets’ morning skate and will be a game time decision. If I were security at the Joe, I wouldn’t let him in the building when he arrives. Seriously, keep that flu shit to yourself and don’t infect the Wings with it. Chemical warfare has no place in hockey, unless it’s coming from the posterior of a Wings player in the opposing goalie’s crease. A flu epidemic is about the last thing the Wings need right now.

Matt Calvert will remain out of the lineup for the BJ’s as he undergoes abdominal/groin surgery today, he was put on IR yesterday and the Jackets called up Sean Collins from their AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons.

Blake Comeau received a laceration on his ankle in the Jackets’ game against Boston on Saturday, but remains a “question mark” for tonight.

Nick Foligno and his wife (well, mostly his wife) had a baby yesterday and while he was originally slated to play tonight, he will not be in the lineup for “personal reasons”.

Just the Facts:

• Todd Bertuzzi has 44 points (15-29-44) in 47 games vs Columbus
• Daniel Cleary has 16 goals in 55 games vs Columbus, his most against any NHL team
• Pavel Datsyuk has 65 points (21-44-65) in 56 games vs Columbus
• Johan Franzen has 15 goals in 47 games vs Columbus, his most against any NHL team
• Jonas Gustavsson is 2-0-1 with a 2.55 GAA and a 0.908 SV% in 3 games vs Columbus
• Niklas Kronwall has 26 points (9-17-26) vs Columbus, his most against any NHL team
• Justin Abdelkader made his NHL debut on 4/3/08 vs Columbus
• Brian Lashoff made his NHL debut and scored his first goal on 1/21/13 at Columbus
• Jordin Tootoo has 126 PIM against Columbus, his most against any NHL team
  
• The Red Wings saw four players record three point games in Saturday’s 5-2 home win against the Philadelphia Flyers: Daniel Alfredsson (0-3-3), Pavel Datsyuk (1-2-3), Niklas Kronwall (1-2-3) and Henrik Zetterberg (2-1-3). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it marks the first time Detroit had four players collect three or more points since Marian Hossa (0-3-3), Jiri Hudler (2-1-3), Brian Rafalski (1-2-3) and Zetterberg (0-3-3) accomplished the feat in the team’s 6-4 win at the 2009 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic over the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field.
• Johnathan Ericsson set a season high ice time yesterday against the Boston Bruins, playing 5:13 shorthanded and a total of 26:22.

This Date In Red Wings History: October 15, 2009 –Nicklas Lidstrom collects his 1,000th career point -a third-period assist -that helps the Red Wings to a 5-2 win over Los Angeles.

This was the projected Columbus lineup before it was announced that Foligno was out tonight. I’m not familiar with their two AHL callups, so I’m not sure if one of them will fill in directly for Foligno, or if there will be additional line juggling.

Let’s Go Red Wings!!!