Month: December 2024

Tweet of note: ‘The Forecheck’ previews tonight’s Wings-Flyers game

From DetroitRedWings.com’s Daniella Bruce:

Red Wings look to Kasper to spark power play

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed an afternoon notebook article which discusses the Red Wings’ currently-sputtering power play:

What for many years was a unit that broke Wings’ fans hearts with their inability to score goals, has been productive this season. Going into Wednesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Wings ranked eighth (out of 32 teams) at 24.4%.

Still, the power play has gone “stale,” in the estimation of coach Derek Lalonde. And it’s an accurate description. It had basically lost its confidence and wasn’t producing a big goal when it would have been handy.

Going into Wednesday, the Wings hadn’t scored in four games, covering eight power-play opportunities. It only had one goal in the last six games.

“The positive is we had some good looks (Saturday’s 4-2 win over Toronto), that’s the positive,” Lalonde said. “We went through a stretch for three or four games, when I made the comment of stale, we weren’t getting looks, we weren’t getting entries (into the zone). The other night (Saturday), we lost the special-teams battle 1-0, but we literally had the looks and we out-chanced them 6-1 and it (the puck) just didn’t go in. If we can continue to get those looks it’ll come around.”

One key change on the units was the insertion of rookie Marco Kasper onto the group with Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, J.T. Compher and Moritz Seider. Kasper and Raymond are on the flanks, Larkin in the bumper, Compher net-front, and Seider at the point.

Lalonde feels Kasper is made for his position.

Continued (paywall)

HSJ on Copp and Lalonde

The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted an article which discusses the recent reunion of Andrew Copp and Patrick Kane:

Thirty games, it’s been Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat who have done the bulk it. In an effort to get more out of the second line, and especially Patrick Kane, the coaching staff has of late looked to Andrew Copp to center the second line, between Kane and DeBrincat.

It’s Copp’s hockey IQ that got him the promotion.

“Andrew is consistently making a lot of plays for us,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “He’s given us really good play this year. He’s been a fairly consistent player in my three years here. Very valuable player.

“I think there’s something with him and Patrick and even Cat with some IQ – you can see they make plays. There’s some really high IQ there.”

Entering Wednesday’s game, Copp had seven goals among 13 points, and Kane had three goals among 11 points (he missed five games because of injury). DeBrincat, Larkin and Raymond each had 12 goals. Being on the second line means more playing time – Copp topped 17 vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs last weekend – than the circa 14 minutes Copp usually averages.

It also places Copp with highly skilled wingers.

“You have to be ready for the puck at all times,” Copp said. “(Kane) is going to find a lot of lanes and a lot of holes. So you have to be ready for the puck and go to places you he’s going to look.”

St. James also posted a video of Copp and Lalonde’s remarks:

Red Wings-Flyers game-day updates

Of Red Wings-Flyers-related note ahead of tonight’s game between the two teams (7 PM EST start on TNT/97.1 FM):

  1. DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted an article previewing tonight’s game:

“A unique situation in that we just played them,” Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said. “A really good team. I like the depth of their lines…They have an ideal fourth line, so this will be a challenge for us.”

Detroit will try to meet that challenge head-on as it continues its three-game homestand, which began with a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

Activated from injured reserve after Wednesday’s morning skate, goalie Alex Lyon will start against the Flyers. Lyon hasn’t played since Nov. 25 because of a lower-body injury.

“It always stinks [missing time],” Lyon said. “Obviously, being healthy is tied to your livelihood so it’s an important factor. It’s important staying healthy, but at the same time, things happen. Really happy to be going now. Obviously, I’ve been out on the ice here the last few days and feeling pretty good.”

In nine games this season, Lyon has posted a 4-4-0 record, 2.74 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and one shutout.

“When you have an injury and a setback later, there’s nothing worse,” Lyon said. “You just want to nip it in the bud, make sure everything is good. Obviously, mentally, you don’t want to just feel it out. I want to try to come in, hit the ground running and pick up where I left off. That’s where my focus is right now, just being the best goalie version of myself that I can be for this team.”

2. The Hockey News’s Sam Stockton spoke with Alex DeBrincat regarding tonight’s game:

Continue reading Red Wings-Flyers game-day updates

Red Wings-Flyers preview and morning skate Tweets: Lyon starts, Kasper returns, Berggren sits

The 12-14-and-4 Red Wings host the 14-13-and-4 Philadelphia Flyers tonight (7 PM EST on TNT/97.1 FM) at Little Caesars Arena, with the Wings hoping to “gain some traction” after winning Saturday night against the Maple Leafs.

The Flyers have lost 5 of their last 7 games, last week’s 4-1 victory over Detroit excluded, and they lost their last game 4-1 to Minnesota on Saturday night.

Both the Flyers and Red Wings are preparing to embark upon 4-games-in-6-nights stretches (Detroit plays Philadelphia tonight, Montreal on Friday and Saturday, and St. Louis on Monday), and MLive’s Ansar Khan posted a quick preview of tonight’s game…

Continue reading Red Wings-Flyers preview and morning skate Tweets: Lyon starts, Kasper returns, Berggren sits

Red Wings’ players take part in a ‘Hometown Holiday Assist’

The Red Wings’ players took part in a “Hometown Holiday Assist” last night, going Christmas shopping with local Detroit kids as part of a partnership with the Detroit Police Athletic League.

DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted a write-up of the event:

Red Wings assistant coach Jay Varady and 13 players — captain Dylan Larkin, Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, Patrick Kane, Jeff Petry, Joe Veleno, Tyler Motte, Christian Fischer, Albert Johansson, Simon Edvinsson, Justin Holl, Jonatan Berggren and goalie Alex Lyon — attended this year’s event. Tigers alumni Lance Parish and Dan Petry, as well as Red Wings/Tigers Broadcast Reporter Daniella Bruce, were also on hand to help spread holiday cheer.

“We care so much for this community, and we want to give back in every way we can,” said Ryan Gustafson, President and Chief Operating Officer of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment (IS+E). “Around the holidays in particular, it’s really special for us to have an opportunity to bring kids out, show them a great time and just bring joy and smiles to their faces.”

Thanks to the Red Wings, Tigers and Meijer, each child received $250 to use at the store, enjoyed a Little Caesars pizza party and took home a holiday T-shirt.

Larkin, a Waterford, Mich., native, was proud to participate in the 11th annual Hometown Holiday Assist alongside several of his Red Wings teammates.

“Christmas can be a great time with family, but it can also be a little bit difficult,” Larkin said. “So just to see the [kids’] smiles, then flying up and down the aisles, picking out Legos or whatever they wanted, made their day and mine.”

Continued; WDIV posted a video from the event as well: