The Detroit Red Wings wrap up a two-game series against the unbeaten Tampa Bay Lightning this evening (7:00 PM EST on FSD/FS Sun/97.1 FM), with the Red Wings both attempting to rebound from a 5-1 loss on Wednesday while facing a team that possesses a 17-0-and-1 record against the Wings of late.
They’ve surely got a win in them for my 43rd birthday, right? Maybe? Okay, maybe not, but it would be damn good to see the team show up and show more competitive play, especially with Filip Zadina likely to return to the lineup this evening.
Our friends from Tampa Bay took to the ice first at Amalie Arena, just before 10:30 AM, for their morning skate:
If you had Gourde or Sergachev as the first players on the ice for #MorningSkate today, you WIN!!! #GoBolts #LGRW #DETvsTBL @953WDAE @BecklesRecher pic.twitter.com/IXFXDSLbu9— Jay Recher (@jayRecher) February 5, 2021
It looks like the Bolts “took an optional” morning skate, so we’re going to lean on TampaBayLightning.com’s Bryan Burns’ game preview for a estimated Lightning lineup:
Lines from Wednesday’s game (subject to change)
Forwards
Ondrej Palat – Brayden Point – Steven Stamkos
Alex Killorn – Anthony Cirelli – Tyler Johnson
Blake Coleman – Yanni Gourde – Barclay Goodrow
Pat Maroon – Mathieu JosephDefensemen
Victor Hedman – Jan Rutta
Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev – Luke Schenn
Cal FooteGoaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Curtis McElhinney
You would figure that both the Lightning and Panthers wouldn’t be playing on a Superbowl Sunday on which the game’s taking place in Florida, but the Red Wings play the Panthers in a Sunday matinee (3 PM EST start). The Lightning are off on Sunday, and Blake Coleman told Recher that they’ll find a way to watch the game:
Coleman says that they haven't discussed it as a team how they'll watch #SBLV but that they're all excited about the #Bucs being in the #SuperBowl and they'll figure out a way to watch it safely. #GoBolts #LGRW #DETvsTBL @953WDAE @BecklesRecher pic.twitter.com/MeduUyrwhy
— Jay Recher (@jayRecher) February 5, 2021
Recher continued his Zoom summaries…
Great back & forth between Coach Cooper & the great @DaveMishkin
— Jay Recher (@jayRecher) February 5, 2021
Mish says that because of Zoom calls he has heard all of Cooper's pressers this year & Coop replied that he could hear Mish during the games because of no fans at @AmalieArena #GoBolts @953WDAE @BecklesRecher pic.twitter.com/9Qxs0z78pp
(Yadda yadda yadda…I’m trying to keep the Bolts’ Zoom highlights short)…
Jon Cooper said the new protocols are “taking guys out of their routines” but they know there’s good that comes out of it. “It’s almost on a daily basis that something else is changing.” Coleman says players taking in stride. “We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do to survive.”— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) February 5, 2021
Asked #TBLightning coach Jon Cooper on zoom call about new #NHL #COVID protocols: He said players and coaches have to learn to adapt. “Like this right now, you’re talking into a — What is that #StarWars character called, R2D2? The little guy? — like that’s what I’m talking to.” pic.twitter.com/R7MlleGQCP— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) February 5, 2021
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ we’re all adjusting to doing things that we’re not accustomed to. Athletes aren’t exempt from adapting to help “stop the spread,” or at least stem it. I live with an immune-compromised 78-year-old, so I’ve had to spend more time living like a monk than I usually do, and I’ve done my best to just deal with it.
Oh boy, roster estimate, roster estimate! News! Much excite!
Looks like Andrei Vasilevskiy will get the start again tonight for Tampa Bay. Will be his 35th consecutive start going back to last season and including playoffs. Expect to see Curtis McElhinney make his season debut in back-to-back set Mon. & Tues. in Nashville. #Bolts #DETvsTBL— Bryan Burns (@BBurnsNHL) February 5, 2021
Sounds like #tblightning will go 11/7 again tonight, with Jon Cooper pointing to the early success with it. Would mean Volkov a healthy scratch. Expect Andrei Vasilevskiy to make his ninth straight start in net. McElhinney will get in on the back to back Monday-Tuesday— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) February 5, 2021
Coach Cooper sure as hell loves going with 7 defensemen, doesn’t he? TampaBayLightning.com’s Burns posted an article about the Bolts’ quick-reaction defense….
Also: If you are fashion-forward, the Bolts will be wearing their “Reverse Retro” jerseys this evening:
Getting our #ReverseRetro on tonight! ⚡️#DETvsTBL: https://t.co/bviUn3FkUq pic.twitter.com/DxoUYb3GP3
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 5, 2021
FYI from Fox Sports Detroit:
We introduce you to the newest crop of @DetroitRedWings on Wingspan: Newly Acquired, airing tonight at 6 p.m. on FOX Sports Detroit. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/f4HSP7Ejhq— FOX Sports Detroit (@FOXSportsDet) February 5, 2021
The Red Wings’ beat writers aren’t traveling with the team, so we were dependent upon the Bolts’ writers and Detroit’s Twitter account to give us some indication that there’s a morning skate going on.
At 11:38 AM EST, we got our first missive from the Wings, and I can tell you that 1. It wasn’t an optional skate and 2. Adam Erne, Patrik Nemeth and Givani Smith took part in it:
#DETvsTBL prep. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/TomOdYFwHM— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 5, 2021
Hello, collage time!
Puck drops @ 7pm on @FOXSportsDet and @971theticketxyt.#DETvsTBL x #LGRW pic.twitter.com/xeJILU09T2— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 5, 2021
Here’s the Bolts’ version:
Dialed in. #DETvsTBL | #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/9Vu7IVa9d8
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 5, 2021
This is half commercial for the Bolts’ reverse retro jerseys and half game preview:
As the @TBLightning get ready for action against the Red Wings, @KaileyMizelle talks the #ReverseRetro Jerseys and chats with Victor Hedman about the Bolts defense. #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/DghfsK2bOK
— FOX Sports Bolts (@FOXSportsBolts) February 5, 2021
Happy Birthday!!! Still young after being a Lifer Wings Fan.
Thank you 🙂