News from the front today:
UPDATE: The #RedWings have called up Eric Tangradi from the @griffinshockey MORE: https://t.co/TgZIX353u4 pic.twitter.com/41UdeNpm60
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 28, 2015
Larkin skating with Zetterberg and Abdelkader. So maybe Larkin is ready?
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) December 28, 2015
Glendening not skating this morning.
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) December 28, 2015
Tangradi is expected to sit and be ready in case somebody gets hurt tonight. Lines below are as the Wings skated in the morning. No word yet on whether Larkin is playing or Glendening is sitting, but assume that Larkin sitting means Nyquist moves back up to the first line with Jurco slotting in with Sheahan/Tatar. If Larkin and Glendening can’t go, then Tangradi will play on the 4th line. If Larkin goes and Glendening does too, then Nosek will likely be bumped.
Blashill uncertain of lineup, Glendening sick, Larkin looks ready though. Ericsson out
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) December 28, 2015
Line Combinations
Red Wings‘ Lineup
Forwards
| Dylan Larkin | Henrik Zetterberg | Justin Abdelkader |
| Darren Helm | Pavel Datsyuk | Brad Richards |
| Gustav Nyquist | Riley Sheahan | Tomas Tatar |
| Tomas Jurco | Joakim Andersson | Tomas Nosek |
Defensemen
| Niklas Kronwall | Danny DeKeyser |
| Brendan Smith | Mike Green |
| Jakub Kindl | Alexey Marchenko |
Goaltenders
| Petr Mrazek (starting) |
| Jimmy Howard |
Scratches: Eric Tangradi, Luke Glendening
Injuries: Johan Franzen, Jonathan Ericsson, Kyle Quincey, Drew Miller, Teemu Pulkkinen
Wild Lineup
Zach Parise on the ice testing out his leg #mnwild
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) December 28, 2015
Kuemper getting the start #mnwild
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) December 28, 2015
Forwards
| Zach Parise | Mikael Granlund | Jason Pominville |
| Thomas Vanek | Mikko Koivu | Jason Zucker |
| Nino Niederreiter | Erik Haula | Charlie Coyle |
| Chris Porter | Jarret Stoll | Ryan Carter |
Defensemen
| Ryan Suter | Jared Spurgeon |
| Matthew Dumba | Marco Scandella |
| Nate Prosser | Jonas Brodin |
Goaltenders
| Darcy Kuemper (starting) |
| Devan Dubnyk |
Key Match-Ups
Everybody vs. Ryan Suter
Minnesota’s “best’ defenseman still plays a lot of minutes, but he’s not exactly in the Norris discussion. The guy screws up a lot and I want to see the Wings make him screw up really badly.
Zach Parise vs. Non-Americans
With an international cast of characters, the Wings should try to convince Parise that he’s playing in the Olympics. That ought to stop him.
The Wings vs. Uncertainty
We have no idea which team is going to show up in this game and that’s worrisome. Will it be the well-structured offensively-capable one or the tire fire that can’t hit the net to save their lives?
