MLive’s Ansar Khan posted a column regarding the Red Wings’ 3-2 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres this morning, with Khan noting coach Jeff Blashill and captain Dylan Larkin’s comments regarding the crowd at Little Caesars Arena being utilized as a motivating force:
The Red Wings don’t play in front of regular sellout crowds like they did at Joe Louis Arena during their Stanley Cup championship years, but the fans showing up at Little Caesars Arena are giving the team some “juice,” coach Jeff Blashill said.
“I think they’ve been awesome,” Blashill said. “I know the roads weren’t great today so it’s hard for everybody to get down here, but I thought the crowd was great tonight. The energy in this building has been great. I think that’s a huge reason why we’re 7-2-2. It gives so much momentum to our guys when the crowd is like that.”
The Red Wings (10-9-3) have won three in a row at home for the first time since Dec. 31, 2019 to Jan. 10, 2020. They are 7-2-2 at LCA.
“We play well here,” Larkin said. “The fans have been showing up, the atmosphere’s been great. We’re just get excited to be here. It was a long year without fans. We missed them a ton. To have them back and to play in this building, some of the loudest moments that I’ve heard here since it’s been open have happened this year. We got to keep going to make sure there’s louder moments and we’re right there in a playoff spot, where we want to be.”
