Morning Skate: ‘Nuck if you Buck

Detroit finished off a semi-sloppy game in Edmonton last night with a 3-1 win. It wasn’t the exact outcome you’d hope for against one of the lower teams in the league but 2 points is 2 points. Right? Yeah. Right? Yeah. Right? Yeah. Right? Yeah. (Bonus points for anyone that knows that reference) Anyway, this will be a pretty short post since the Wings played last night. It will focus mainly on the Vancouver side of things instead of Detroit.

• Last night’s game was “meh” in the entertainment department but tonight the Wings take on the Vancouver Fanassualters Cancuks and it will be a much tougher test. In fact, it might be the toughest test that the Wings have come across thus far this season.
• The biggest question on my mind is how the Wings adjust after playing last night and having to travel again. Vancouver played on Thursday so it’s not like they’ve been resting for a long time. Will Detroit come out with active play or be sluggish at the start?
• Vancouver started off pretty poorly, going 2-3-2 in the first 7 games before winning 5 in a row. So the big question is which Vancouver team will show up? The one from the first 7 or the one from the last 5?
• Vancouver’s averaging about 30 shots on goal both for and against. Detroit put up 30 shots last night on Edmonton but I think it will be tougher to get shots on net against Vancouver.
• In three of Luongo’s five losses (OT&SO included), he’s allowed 4 goals. His GAA is at 2.61 right now
• The Sedin Twins are looking as scary as ever–both on the score sheet and in the photography department. Daniel has 8 goals and 7 assists while Henrik has 2 goals and 12 assists. Even though they’re capable of Detroit’s ass all night long, they’re still incredibly fun to watch.
• Face-off man Manny Malhotra is now in Vancouver as one of the changes from the team last year. Malhotra’s 64.5% is second best in the league. Dan Hamhuis also joined the team but Kyle Wellfed Wellwood and Willie Mitchell are both gone.
• Vancouver has the best power play in the league at 28.3%. With Detroit’s PK being one of the best in the league it should be an interesting battle to watch. In addition to their good PP, Vancouver has a strong PK–boasting the 9th best in the league. Special teams might be the key factor in tonight’s game as both teams match-up pretty well at even strength and on the man advantage.
• It’s Brad Stuart‘s birthday. Woop woop.
• Nucks Misconduct is the SBN affiliate for the Canucks.

That’s it for now.