4 replies to this topic

[YzerFan19]

The Red Wings look to prove that their 5-3 win over the Minnesota Wild on Friday night wasn't a fluke, as they visit the Chicago Blackhawks tonight.

 

While the Wings have been reeling, the Blackhawks have been rolling.  With a 3-2 win in Columbus last night, the 'Hawks sit at 5-0 on the season.  A win tonight would set a new franchise record for victories to start the season.

 

It's looking like Detroit will get Jonathan Ericsson back in the lineup as they attempt to get above .500 for the first time this season.  If he can return from his shoulder and hip injuries, he'll replace Jakub Kindl (who made his first appearance of the season on Friday) on the blue line.

 

It's worse news for the forward lines, though, as Darren Helm has suffered a setback with his back injury and will be out tonight, replaced by Patrick Eaves.

 

Game time is 7:00 PM with TV coverage on FSD.

[YzerFan19]

Hell of a shot.  Lashoff got there just in time to screen.

[YzerFan19]

Likelihood that the 'Hawks get more shots on this Wings' PP than Detroit does?

[YzerFan19]

After 20 minutes...  Yawn.

[YzerFan19]

I'm seeing the Red Wings' official Twitter account quoting Wings' coach Mike Babcock right now and it's annoying me a bit.

 

"I thought we had lots of opportunity.  We skated hard and competed and got better as the game went on."

 

He seems pretty happy with his team's effort considering they didn't do anything worthwhile for the first 40 minutes of the game.

 

Yeah, they had plenty of opportunity early on.  They had six power plays in the first two periods.  Didn't do anything with them.

 

The fact that the team did show up for the third period and managed to score to force overtime is encouraging.  This loss wasn't quite like the ones to Dallas or St. Louis and there are good things to take away from it.

 

This team is not a team that can keep shooting itself in the foot with late starts and an ineffective power play, however, which overshadows the positives.

 

It's also telling that most of the positives were in the third period, a period in which Chicago was noticeably more tired, having played the night before in Columbus.

 

I don't know, we'll see what happens when the Stars come to Detroit on Tuesday.  The lackluster power play has been the only real trend so far this season so it'll be interesting to see what carries over into that game.