MLive’s Ansar Khan filed a game-day notebook ahead of tonight’s game vs. San Jose (7:30 PM EST on Bally Sports Detroit/NBCS California/97.1 FM), noting that Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill wants his team to take more shots after taking less than 25 against both the Capitals and Bruins:
“We got to make sure we do a good job shooting pucks when we have an opportunity to shoot pucks,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “We had three two-on-ones the first four minutes of the game (Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the Bruins) that we didn’t get a shot off. That can change the whole story of the game if you score on those. So, we got to shoot more when we have the opportunities to shoot, got to make sure we cross in front of the goalie’s eyes and that we’re hard at the net.”
The Red Wings (15-15-3) have scored only one goal in each of their past two games. Tonight is the end of a three-game home-stand.
Two of the Sharks’ three games since they returned from the holiday break have been unusually high-scoring – an 8-7 shootout victory over Arizona and an 8-5 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday.
San Jose (17-15-1) still has a better goals-against average (3.06) than the Red Wings (3.39), who have scored only one goal in each of their past two games.
“Getting our offense back on track is largely up to us more than the opponent,” Blashill said. “Certainly, they’ve had some high-scoring games coming out of the break, but I also know that usually means that the team puts an emphasis on defense. Through the course of the season, they’re a good defensive team. They’ve been a team that’s had good defensive success in most of their different systems that we track. If they have a sour taste in their mouths, so do we. You got a chance to see two ornery teams tonight. That’s good.”
