DetroitRedWings.com’s Ethan Sears filed a notebook article ahead of tonight’s game vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets (7 PM EDT start on BSD+), and he discusses the Red Wings’ desire to restart their sputtering power play:
We didn’t see much of the Red Wings’ power play during Wednesday’s preseason opener, but on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres, there were five chances. And, during a three games in three days stretch that begins on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, it will continue to be a focal point.
The Red Wings didn’t score on the power play against Buffalo, but they did create chances with a consistency they sometimes lacked last season, when they converted just 11.41 percent of their chances on the man advantage.
“You’re creating opportunities,” [Nick] Leddy said. “I think the ultimate goal, too, obviously is to score. But create momentum for your team and the team will respond to that as well.”
[Coach Jeff] Blashill said that during the preseason, it’s hard to evaluate the power play unit as a whole – he looks more at individuals who are fighting for spots. Leddy, Seider and Filip Hronek are currently in contention to run power play units, though Blashill said the Red Wings could try Hronek on the flank as well.
“What you’d like for certain,” Blashill said, “if you have the righty on the flank and the righty up top, someone that’s running it on the other side, with a righty in the middle and then a lefty. And now you’ve got righty options, or (go) down and then he’s got all righty options. And so that’s what you’d love. And vice versa if you run it off the other unit.”
A static PP is predictable and doomed. If you watch TB PP you will see movement of both players and the puck. When Z winds up on the right circle the goalie will be there. That is one reason he shot at 6.1% last year. Players in motion opens opportunities to score.