An early Red Wings-Lightning preview

The Red Wings head to the West Side of Florida to battle the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night (7 PM on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel Sports Sun/97.1 FM), and the AP has already posted a game preview:

BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Detroit Red Wings after the Lightning beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 in a shootout.

Tampa Bay has gone 24-16-3 overall with a 2-6-0 record in Atlantic Division games. The Lightning have conceded 121 goals while scoring 156 for a +35 scoring differential.

Detroit is 5-7-1 against the Atlantic Division and 21-19-4 overall. The Red Wings have a 3-6-2 record in games they have more penalties than their opponent.

The matchup Saturday is the first meeting this season between the two clubs.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nikita Kucherov has 20 goals and 44 assists for the Lightning. Anthony Cirelli has four goals and one assist over the past 10 games.

Dylan Larkin has 20 goals and 21 assists for the Red Wings. Lucas Raymond has five goals and 11 assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 4-5-1, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.2 assists, 3.2 penalties and 8.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

Red Wings: 8-2-0, averaging 4.1 goals, 7.6 assists, 2.3 penalties and 4.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

Morning news: A pair of recaps, Justin Holl rebounds and praise for Moritz Seider

Updated at 8:58 AM: Of Red Wings-related note the morning after Detroit’s 4-2 victory over the Florida Panthers:

  1. The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted her customary morning recap:

“We needed a response after the last game,” [Cam] Talbot said after making 40 saves. “We knew we didn’t play up to our standard that we’ve been setting, and we came out and established our game again.”

That was aided a great deal by a power play that’s scorching: Three goals — from Jonatan Berggren, Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane — on four opportunities in South Florida; 17-for-34 since Christmas.

“That definitely helps when they bury three before the midway point (of) the game,” Talbot said. “That’s pretty unheard of. You have to give them a ton of credit. It’s been so hot lately; they’ve been carrying our team. I thought the PK also stepped up really big.”

Penalty killing, power play and goaltending: It’s the recipe for winning hockey. So was making adjustments after the Panthers forced the Wings to defend most of the first period.

“The win was terrific for our group after what we had against San Jose,” coach Todd McLellan said. “The task was very difficult — I think it was evident that they are the champs for a reason. We needed outstanding goaltending, we needed special teams to get hot. We found a way to scrap our way to a win. It wasn’t pretty, we needed some board work, we needed to block shots, we needed whistles, but it’s a good learning experience for our group and sometimes it’s easier to learn when you win than when you lose.”

St. James spoke with Dylan Larkin as to whether the Wings are glancing at the standings as the Red Wings find themselves in an Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division logjam…

Continue reading Morning news: A pair of recaps, Justin Holl rebounds and praise for Moritz Seider

Red Wings-Panthers wrap-up: special effort, special teams carry Talbot’s Wings to needed win

The Detroit Red Wings earned a 5-2 victory over the Florida Panthers by busting their rear ends on individual and collective bases Thursday evening, out-working and out-smarting the star-studded Panthers team.

The out-smarting came largely in the form of 3 power play goals on 4 opportunities, as well as a 3-for-3 penalty-kill, and the busting of rear ends came from Cam Talbot, who stopped 41 shots (including 23 3rd-period shots), the Wings’ defense, who blocked 21 more attempts, and a significant “buy-in” to playing a bit of a rope-a-dope game as necessary from all 18 skaters on the ice…

As well as some opportunistic scoring, given that the Wings established 1-0 and 2-1 leads before breaking free thanks to a power play goal from Patrick Kane and an even-strength marker from Marco Kasper 1:57 later.

As Florida Hockey Now noted, the Red Wings knocked out quite the streak of bad luck against the Panthers in Sunrise…

Continue reading Red Wings-Panthers wrap-up: special effort, special teams carry Talbot’s Wings to needed win

Red Wings-Panthers quick take: Special teams help Wings grind out a 5-2 win over the defending champs

The Detroit Red Wings attempted to rebound from their loss to Seattle by taking on the powerhouse Florida Panthers on Thursday night in Sunrise, Florida. The Wings-Panthers tilt kicked off a stretch of 4 games to be played over the course of only 6 nights…

And on Thursday evening, the Red Wings were out-shot, arguably out-played at even strength, and Cam Talbot had to make 41 saves…

But Detroit scored 3 power play goals, and the Wings took 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 leads–all on power play goals by Jonatan Berggren, Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane, respectively–before Marco Kasper and Dylan Larkin (ENG) scored to put the game away.

This was a story of resilience, strong defense, and “selling out” physically and in terms of grinding play in order to out-play the mighty Panthers.

Continue reading Red Wings-Panthers quick take: Special teams help Wings grind out a 5-2 win over the defending champs

Coach McLellan believes in blunt honesty while interacting with his players, media

The Free Press’s Helene St. James asked Red Wings coach Todd McLellan about his plain-spoken, blunt and honest approach in coaching his players–and the media, as evidenced by his criticism of Justin Holl’s play on Tuesday-and here’s what McLellan had to say:

“As a young coach, you might not be as aggressive, but I just believe in being honest,” McLellan said. “(The media) asked me a question [about Justin Holl], I have to answer it. I sat with Justin the next day and told him the exact same thing. In fact, he told me basically what I was going to tell him prior to even meeting with him. I think that’s how relationships are created.”

The key is focusing on the positive, too — Holl didn’t play after turning the puck over on the fifth goal the San Jose Sharks scored Tuesday, but his name was right there on the roster sheet drawn up for Thursday’s game against the Florida Panthers.

“He’s a veteran player,” McLellan said. “He holds himself accountable. I know we’re singling out one individual, but there were many others that didn’t play very well. Everyone had some sort of conversation, whether it was just a casual skate-by or whether it was a sit-down.

“Relationships aren’t only when it’s all grand and everything is good — you’re on a family vacation. Sometimes the best relationships are at home when things aren’t going real well — kids are acting up and you and your wife have to discipline or provide some guidance for them. It’s no different than being around a team.”

Continued; here’s a video of McLellan speaking with St. James:

Christian Fischer ready to return to Wings’ lineup

Red Wings forward Christian Fischer hasn’t played in 8 games, but he’s returning to the lineup for tonight’s game between the Red Wings and Florida Panthers (7 PM EST start on ESPN/97.1 FM). The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan spoke with Fischer about his return to the lineup:

“It feels good to get back in there,” said Fischer, who had been a mainstay on the Wings’ fourth-line with his checking and high energy level. “I’m just going to play the same way I’ve always had. It’s never fun sitting out.”

With the Wings going on a seven-game win streak after that loss to Toronto, and Fischer out of the lineup, McLellan didn’t make any changes to a lineup that was winning. But it was difficult for a player like Fischer, who has rarely been a healthy scratch in his career.

“You’re still part of the team and there’s two or three guys on every team who aren’t playing every night,” Fischer said. “You don’t want to be in that position but you sit there for those games, and we go on a great win streak and there’s a bigger picture here as a team, than individually. You look at that and be a good teammate and that’s all you have to do.”

When McLellan came aboard he talked about a “clean slate” for every player, and Fischer understands that also, with an opportunity to show the new coaching staff what he, or any player, can offer the lineup.

“You get a new coach midseason and it’s kind of everyone is in the same boat,” Fischer said “Todd doesn’t really know too much about you and you can show what you have. My game hasn’t changed for a long time and I know what I can do and I’m just going to keep doing that.”

Continued

Compher weighs in on the Stadium Series jerseys

The NHL unveiled the Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Stadium Series jerseys today, and the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan asked University of Michigan alumnus J.T. Compher about them:

“Sharp,” said forward J.T. Compher, who is also a former Michigan player. “I like the script on the jersey. It’s going to look real nice. (The helmet) has a little Michigan flair to it. I’m excited to see it all together.”

The game is still about six weeks away, but with the increased amount of advertising on it and the date simply rapidly approaching, players are beginning to get enthused.

“It’ll be super fun once we get there,” Compher said. “I know that weekend can be real fun for the families and the team and a good bonding experience. I’m sure the fans will be very excited. It still feels a ways away with everything we have in front of us right now, but I’m sure once we get there it’ll be exciting.”

Compher went to games at Michigan Stadium, but with hockey season intertwined with football, never had an opportunity to see a game at Ohio Stadium.

“I know what it’s like to be in the big stadiums going to Michigan, so it’ll be a very cool atmosphere,” Compher said.

Even in hockey, facing Ohio State was a huge rivalry game. The NHL is building slightly into the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, obviously, in leading up to the Wings and Jackets game.

“My first year was the first year of the Big Ten and every weekend was a rivalry with Michigan State and Ohio State and even Minnesota,” Compher said. “It was always a fun weekend. Sometimes the games would be matched up with the football game, the same weekend, and that added a little extra incentive.”

Continued