Red Wings-Sabres morning skate Tweets and articles: Howard starts, Green out, and a Sabres game preview

Updated 3x at 11:37 AM: The Detroit Red Wings host the Buffalo Sabres this evening (7:30 PM EST on FSD/MSG B/97.1 FM) in a battle of “selling” teams.

The Wings hit the ice at Little Caesars Arena just after 10:30 AM for their morning skate, per MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Jimmy Howard in starter’s net at #RedWings morning skate. Face @BuffaloSabres tonight at @LCArena_Detroit

Mike Green (upper body injury) not skating today. Has missed three games. Likely to be traded by Monday’s deadline, so at this point might be best to just keep him out of lineup. #RedWings

#RedWings lines at skate: Nyquist-Zetterberg-Mantha Tatar-Larkin-Athanasiou Abdelkader-Nielsen-Helm Booth-Glendening-Frk (Bertuzzi working in)

#RedWings defense pairs: DeKeyser-Jensen Ericsson-Daley Kronwall-Ouellet Witkowski appears to a scratch tonight.

Bertuzzi working on second power play unit, so it looks like he’s in tonight and Frk out, replaced by Booth. #RedWings

DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji delivered bad news regarding Mike Green…

And…

Based on morning skate, #RedWings Frk out tonight, replaced in lineup by Booth and on PP by Bertuzzi.

The Wings said, “Hello”…

After the skate, per the Wings…

Ouellet is in tonight. #BUFvsDET

Blashill said he expects Green to play this weekend. #LGRW

The Free Press’s Helene St. James…

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan…

And Khan:

#RedWings Blashill said Green feeling discomfort. Hasn’t been shut down. Hopeful for Saturday (unless he’s traded by then).

#RedWings scratches tonight are Green (upper body injury), Frk and Witkowski. Howard starting.

Wakiji, too:

#RedWings Blashill said Green out tonight but hopes to have him back for one of the weekend games.

NHL.com’s Dave Hogg said, “Hello,” too:

Ditto for CBS Detroit’s Will Burtchfield:

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia…

The Sabres website’s Chris Rydnak posted a set of game notes:

Tonight’s matchup

From the Game Notes…

  • This is the third of four meetings between the Sabres and Red Wings this season.

  • Last meeting: Detroit defeated Buffalo 3-1 in Detroit on Nov. 17

  • Next meeting: Thursday, March 29 in Buffalo

  • The Sabres are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games vs. the Red Wings; 3-6-1 on the road

  • Since joining the Sabres, Robin Lehner is 3-2-1 against the Red Wings with a .953 save percentage and a 1.65 goals-against average.

  • Ryan O’Reilly has four points (2+2) in his last four games against Detroit.

  • Victor Antipin has recorded an assist in both of the Sabres’ previous meetings with the Red Wings this season, including his first career point on Oct. 24 in Buffalo.

  • Ryan O’Reilly has recorded 19 points (9+10) in his last 19 games.

  • Sam Reinhart has totaled 17 points (6+11) in his last 16 games.

  • Rasmus Ristolainen has 18 points (5+13) in his last 23 games dating back to Dec. 29. Ristolainen’s 18 points during that span tied for eighth among NHL defensemen entering play Wednesday.

  • Kyle Okposo has recorded 17 points (4+13) in his last 18 games.

  • Evan Rodrigues has totaled six points (2+4) in his last seven games.

  • Scott Wilson has posted five points (3+2) in his last six games.

    The Sabres took to the ice at 11:30 AM, per WGR 550’s Paul Hamilton…

The Buffalo News’s John Vogl…

St. James also continued…

 

 

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George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, and have worked with MLive and Kukla's Korner. Thank you for reading!