The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed a game-day notebook which discusses the Red Wings’ need to rely upon an interim set of defensemen with Simon Edvinsson and Ben Chiarot out due to upper-body injuries…
“It has to be (a) next-man-up (mentality),” [Justin] Holl said. “We have a lot of good defensemen here, and we’re confident in our ability to control the situation. Guys might be playing left or right (side), or different sides than they’re used to, but it’s a part of the game. We’re professional and we have to figure it out.”
Lagesson, 28, was signed as an unrestricted free agent on July 1 to be a player capable of providing the Wings NHL experience, for this very type of injury-riddled situation. Lagesson played 16 minutes 18 seconds Saturday on 23 shifts, with a minus-two rating.
“It’s fun to be in the NHL again and I’m going to try to help the team win again,” Lagesson said “I’ll play my game, a hard and tough game.”
The defense was pretty much set coming out of Wings’ training camp, with Johansson securing the bottom-pair/extra defensemen role, not being waiver exempt anymore. Lagesson understood the odds were stacked against him making the opening-night roster.
“There’s always tough competition, but I was hoping to start up here,” Lagesson said. “But I’m here now, and that’s great, and I’m going to advantage of the opportunity. (It was) just a numbers game, and they had some other guys who were going to get an opportunity. Those are the decisions for management, and I’m just trying to do my job and battle hard every day.”
Kulfan also notes the following…
Lalonde isn’t surprised forward Joe Veleno is on a three-game goal-scoring streak.
“We talk about getting out-competed a little bit in Montreal, those guys did not,” said Lalonde, noting the Veleno, Marco Kasper and Jonatan Berggren line. “That was an excellent line, with underlying numbers and scoring, they worked. Joe has done that the last couple of games and he’s been rewarded with it, with some offense.”
And DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted a game preview as well:
Detroit is looking to bounce back after getting swept in a back-to-back home-and-home set against the Montreal Canadiens this past weekend, dropping a 4-3 decision at Little Caesars Arena the night before suffering a 5-1 setback at Bell Centre on Saturday.
“We got to play stronger,” Holl said. “We got to play more competitive all over the ice, execute on our breakouts and forecheck, and spend more time in the O-zone. We know we have a good team, and we just have to put it all together.”
The Red Wings’ blue-line depth is set to be tested again on Monday, as Simon Edvinsson and Ben Chiarot will both be out against the Blues with upper-body injuries. Edvinsson missed both games of Detroit’s back-to-back home-and-home set while Chiarot did not return for the third period on Saturday.
“Opportunity for some of our D in an increased role,” Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said. “Obviously, we haven’t handled Simon being out very well…Probably on me and our staff to be creative tonight, get that home matchup and our D to step up.”
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The Blues, who are in sixth place in the Western Conference’s Central Division, have points in seven of their last nine road games. They’re coming off a 2-1 overtime road loss to the defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers on Friday.
Jordan Kyrou (14-14—28), Robert Thomas (6-18—24) and Pavel Buchnevich (9-13—22) have all topped the 20-point mark for St. Louis this season. Splitting starting duties with fellow netminder Joel Hofer, Jordan Binnington has an 8-13-3 record with a 3.00 goals-against average, .896 save percentage and one shutout in 25 games.
“It’s interesting,” Lalonde said about the Blues’ style of play since Jim Montgomery was hired and replaced Drew Bannister as head coach on Nov. 24. “He did not bring his Boston Bruins D-zone with him, which is a unique D-zone in itself. I just think more of a pressure identity, taking time and space away.”
