Game Day Updates: Red Wings at Ducks Line Combinations, Keys to the Game
It was an optional skate for the Red Wings out in Anaheim. The lines below are from last game. However, it appears we know at least one change to the lineup and that comes between the pipes.
#RedWings Mrazek in starter's net. pic.twitter.com/OjDxtZsSe6
— Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) January 4, 2017
The Ducks also had an optional skate this morning. Ryan Getzlaf didn't participate. He's day-to-day with a lower body injury and will not play tonight.
RC said Ryan Getzlaf (lower-body injury) is progressing day-to-day, but will not be in the lineup tonight.
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) January 4, 2017
Detroit Line Combinations
Forwards
| Tomas Tatar | Henrik Zetterberg | Anthony Mantha |
| Gus Nyquist | Frans Nielsen | Thomas Vanek |
| Riley Sheahan | Dylan Larkin | Luke Glendening |
| Steve Ott | Andreas Athanasiou | Drew Miller |
Defensemen
| Danny DeKeyser | Nick Jensen |
| Niklas Kronwall | Brendan Smith |
| Jonathan Ericsson | Xavier Ouellet |
Goaltenders
| Petr Mrazek (starting) |
| Jared Coreau |
Power Play units:
- Tatar-Ott-Mantha, Zetterberg-Kronwall
- Athanaisou-Nielsen-Vanek-Larkin-Nyquist
Anaheim Line Combinations
Forwards
| Andrew Cogliano | Ryan Kesler | Jakob Silfverberg |
| Joseph Cramarossa | Rickard Rakell | Corey Perry |
| Nick Ritchie | Antoine Vermette | Ondrej Kase |
| Logan Shaw | Chris Wagner | Jared Boll |
Defensemen
| Cam Fowler | Sami Vatanen |
| Hampus Lindholm | Josh Manson |
| Kevin Bieksa | Brandon Montour |
Goaltenders
| John Gibson (starting) |
| Jonathan Bernier |
Keys to the Game:
1. Let Steve Ott loose
We need a fight between Steve Ott and anyone early to spark the team. No need to wait to energize the team. Do it nice and early. This will be a win-win because the team will obviously play better because of Ott's fight AND he'll be taken off the ice for at least five minutes. If he can drop the gloves with Corey Perry, that's even better too.
2. Score on the power play
We can just leave this key here forever until it happens. The Red Wings are pretty much guaranteed to score on the man advantage tonight with Ott on the power play. I'm really curious to see how long the five forward unit lasts.
Let's Go Red Wings.