Updates
#RedWings Blashill said Namestnikov and Helm both questionable for tomorrow vs. Florida. Svechnikov 13th forward right now and will go in if someone is unavailable. Bertuzzi remains out through at least the weekend.
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) February 18, 2021
#RedWings Blashill said Helm available tonight after missing three games with an injury but Namestnikov is out. Game vs. Florida starts earlier than usual at 7.
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) February 19, 2021
Red Wings Lines
(Guessing based on Khan’s tweets above – Peter)
Zadina – Larkin – Mantha
Ryan – Fabbri – Brome
Filppula – Glendening – Gagner
Nielsen – Helm – Erne
Merrill – Hronek
Staal – Stecher
Nemeth – Djoos
Greiss
Bernier
Panthers Lines
Verhaeghe – Barkov – Duclair
Huberdeau – Wennberg – Hornqvist
Vatrano – Luostarinen – Tippett
Lomberg – Lammikko – Connely
Weegar – Ekblad
Forsling – Stralman
Yandle – Gudas
Bobrovsky
Dreidger
Three Keys to the Game
Mild smirk followed by dead-eye stare; “…Scoowr…” The Wings just need to score some damn goals tonight. They need some from the top of the lineup, some from the blue line, some from the bottom six, and some from the power play. They need goals from everywhere, ESPECIALLY the power play. I’m tired of this Detroit power play turning me into that one guy in all the “worst movie lines of all time” videos standing on the beach muttering “oh god, oh man, oh god, oh man!” every time Detroit goes to the man advantage.
Run them ragged on the forecheck. One of Detroit’s bright spots this year is they’ve got a pretty solid forecheck. The last dozen or so games, Detroit has had a lot of success taking away time and space on the transition thanks to the forecheck and play in the neutral zone, and it has gotten under teams’ skin, including this very Florida team. Detroit will need to utilize this strength tonight to disrupt the Panthers, because they have too many dangerous players to give them anything easy.
Just have fun out there!…
Wait, no. Win the game! Somehow, some way, the Wings need to dig into their souls and win the stupid hockey game tonight, because they’re a better team than their record indicates despite playing in a grisly division. They’ve played the Panthers hard all year and nothing is ever given for free and the team that “deserves” to win often doesn’t, so none of that matters, except that the pressure of this season’s past is already weighing down on Red Wings’ nation, and something has got to give. LGRW!
