Of prospect-related note in North America on Thursday night:
In the QMJHL, the Jan Bednar-less Acadie-Bathurst Titan lost 3-2 to Halifax. Bednar is with the Czech World Junior team;
And in the OHL, Pasquale Zito did not play in the Windsor Spitfires’ 4-3 overtime victory over the Soo Greyhounds. I don’t know why Zito was absent for Windsor.
The Detroit Red Wings attempted to snap Fredrik Andersen’s 10-0-and-1 streak against them as they faced the shorthanded Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday evening.
Stupid Carolina won 5-3 thanks to a combination of grit and determination by a 16-skater-strong Canes lineup, a pair of goals by Nino Niederreiter, a tremendous defensive effort in holding Detroit to 4 third period shots on Fredrik Andersen, who was superb…
And the Red Wings made a flurry of defensive mistakes, Nedeljkovic gave up a couple of stinkers, the Wings could not win any faceoffs, and Detroit just didn’t have the energy or grit with which to keep up with the Carolina Hurricanes’ home-ice advantage, literally and in terms of officiating, which was spurious.
Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes quick take: Sloppy Wings struggle vs. undermanned CanesOkay, at least one more time:
I know that it’s a rough time of year to be fundraising. Christmas pressures, familial obligations, inflation, it all sucks right now.
But I’m trying with some honest desperation to help AA pay off the property taxes and to replace my broken, 6-year-old cell phone with something more useful (and not breaking into two pieces with the screen peeling off the phone).
I’m also trying really hard to keep my shit together as we round the corner toward a holiday season where I’m not going to be able to see my family again because Delta is surging so dramatically in Michigan, and I care for an immune-compromised aunt.
That’s where we’re at. So here are the “deets”:
If you’re willing to lend a hand, you can use PayPal at https://paypal.me/TheMalikReport, Venmo at https://venmo.com/george-malik-2, Giftly by using my email, rtxg@yahoo.com, at https://www.giftly.com. And you can contact me via email if you want to send me a paper check.
The Carolina Hurricanes took to the ice in Raleigh around 10:30 this morning, and while they’re decimated by COVID protocols and will dress 10 forwards and 6 defensemen, they’re starting Fredrik Andersen, who is 10-0-and-1 vs. Detroit, opposite the Red Wings this evening (7 PM EDT start on Bally Sports Detroit/Bally Sports South/97.1 FM).
We didn’t receive much in the way of roster news from the Wings’ morning skate (not even a mention as to where/whether Kyle Criscuolo, Taro Hirose or Joe Veleno will play tonight with Michael Rasmussen and Robby Fabbri in COVID protocols)…
So Blashill’s pre-game presser would reveal a little more about the Wings’ situation.
In the interim, the Canes posted their projected lineup…
Gonna need everybody #LetsGoCanes
Projected Lines » https://t.co/mEaik8EtNA pic.twitter.com/o1n9WQ6sT8— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 16, 2021
And the Wings just posted Blashill via video:
Blashill says he will determine who’s in the lineup after the Wings’ determine who’s cleared to go testing-wise.
Okay, so the 14-12-and-2 Red Wings face the 19-7-and-1 Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/Bally Sports South/97.1 FM), and while Carolina is severely shorthanded due to COVID protocols, they’re starting Fredrik Andersen tonight, who is unbeaten in 11 games vs. Detroit (10-0-and-1).
Carolina will go with 10 forwards and 6 defensemen due to salary cap constraints, and Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Ian Cole, Steven Lorentz, Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov are all in protocols, but Brett Pesce and Tony DeAngelo are returning to the Canes’ lineup tonight.
After a blessedly uneventful Carolina Hurricanes morning skate, coach Rod Brind’Amour addressed the media…
Brind’Amour says it’s a great challenge tonight but also a great opportunity. “A great opportunity to show your stuff.”— Chip Alexander (@ice_chip) December 16, 2021
Asked Brind’Amour if it’s odd that league “punishes” teams for a game by making them play short only to let them call up two more players for next game. He sheepishly just said he agreed — not going to poke the fine bear.— Cory Lavalette (@corylav) December 16, 2021
And Carolina’s won 4 of their past 5 games, so the Red Wings are in for a challenge tonight, shorthanded Canes or no shorthanded Canes. Brind’Amour’s team is strong.
ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun also confirmed that the Canes will go with their present lineup (as illustrated in the morning skate post) tonight:
This morning’s tests came back clean for the Hurricanes, no new positive tests for a second day in a row. https://t.co/EV6jkGWtLQ— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 16, 2021
Aaaannndd…
Confirming that the morning batch of COVID-19 testing for the #Canes has come back all negative.
The team will be tested again this afternoon.— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 16, 2021
Meanwhile, the Red Wings hit the ice for their morning skate just after 11:30:
Bert and Leddy stroll onto the ice in NC this morning ?#LGRW | @DetroitRedWings pic.twitter.com/IAURSodZK4— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) December 16, 2021
Morning prep in Carolina.
?: https://t.co/a1ZFiGyALB pic.twitter.com/TLH9gdOZDY— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 16, 2021
So, we waited for news from the morning skate, given that not all the Wings’ beat writers traveled with the team to Raleigh for a one-game trip (just a reminder: no Robby Fabbri or Michael Rasmussen due to COVID protocols tonight; Kyle Criscuolo, Joe Veleno and/or Taro Hirose might play instead)…
Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen posted a “holiday wish list” for each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams over the course of a set of power rankings this morning, and even I think that his holiday wish for the Wings is a little premature:
20. Detroit Red Wings (14-12-3)
It has been a wonderful start to the season for Wings fans — their team is still alive at the Christmas break! Lucas Raymond is a Calder favourite, Moritz Seider is under the radar but there with him, and still-rookie Alex Nedeljkovic is proving a great, cheap pick up. The wish here is that all of the good from the first two months doesn’t evaporate and that the movement we’re seeing is perhaps indicative of the rebuild being over.
Continued; I’ll take “the rebuild making progress” at this point.
The Detroit Red Wings stand at 14-12-and-3 as they face the 19-7-and-1 Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/Bally Sports South/97.1 FM).
The Hurricanes made a set of emergency recalls before today’s morning skate…
Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has recalled forwards Jack Drury, Stefan Noesen and Andrew Poturalski from the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) on an emergency basis.
And CarolinaHurricanes.com’s Walt Ruff framed tonight’s game thusly:
Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes morning skate Tweets and articles: Canes appear to be ready to go with 10+6 skaters vs. Detroit, who must break Andersen’s hexFrom TSN comes this news regarding the Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit’s opponent this evening in Raleigh (7 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/Bally Sports South/97.1 FM):
The Hurricanes will await word on this morning's player tests, but at the moment the plan appears to be going with 10 forwards and 6 D skater-wise tonight, as I said yesterday, two short of a full lineup.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 16, 2021
Ian Cole, Steven Lorentz, Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov entered the protocol Tuesday, with the Hurricanes stating that the four will remain Minnesota for the time being. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis are currently in Vancouver after entering the protocol there on Monday.
The Hurricanes became the fourth team to have at least one game postponed this season, one day after the Calgary Flames joined the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders, who had games postponed last month.
The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted a subscriber-only column this morning which discusses the Red Wings and other NHL teams‘ statuses as heading back into “lockdown mode” as the Wings prepare to face a Carolina Hurricanes team that’s dealing with a COVID outbreak:
“I know our guys will be safe and smart about it,” Wings captain Dylan Larkin said. “We got vaccinated for a reason and we’re hoping we don’t have to live in a modified bubble like last year, because it was really difficult. With how it’s going right now we’re going to have to be smart and it’s probably going to be like that for a little bit, but I just really hope it doesn’t stay like that for the rest of the season.”
The game was in question when the Canes had four players enter protocol Tuesday, but when there were no further positives the next day, it was game on. Playing a team that is dealing with an outbreak is a regular occurrence, but that hasn’t abated worry.
“Do I have trepidation? Yeah I have trepidation,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “I certainly don’t want to see my team exposed to any more cases than we have to.
“It’s the balance we’ve all faced: You can shut down and not do anything, or you can try to work within the parameters. I think that’s what we’re trying to, we’re trying to get the games in, and that’s important, too. I want to coach and our players want to play, so I’m not torn that way, but torn in the sense that I don’t want to expose the guys.”
Continued (paywall)
It’s assumed that Alex Nedeljkovic will start opposite the Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/Bally Sports South/97.1 FM). MLive’s Ansar Khan focuses on Nedeljkovic’s probable reunion with his former team in an article posted this morning:
“Anytime you play a former team, a former teammate, there’s some motivation,” Nedeljkovic said following Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders. “It’s exciting. It’s a fun place to play, too. That’s a great crowd. It’ll be really cool to see what it’s like as a visitor. Hopefully we stay on schedule, and we can play Thursday. If not, it’s all right. We’ll meet them down the road.”
The Hurricanes placed six players in COVID protocol Tuesday, including stars Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, and had their game in Minnesota postponed. But since there were no further positive tests on Wednesday, the game against the Red Wings is on (7 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit), even though Carolina will be at least two players short of a full roster due to salary-cap constraints (players in protocol still count against the cap).
“Right now, we’re going to prepare as if we’re going to go and play on Thursday,” Nedeljkovic said. “That’s all anybody can do right now. As far as those guys, obviously I played with them for a while there to start my career, so hopefully they’re all doing well. Obviously, they’re sick but they’re doing OK, they’re battling and nobody’s too ill.”
Nedeljkovic has started eight of the past 10 games, separated himself in the competition with Greiss after the two rotated the first month of the season.
Nedeljkovic is 9-6-2, with a 2.47 goals-against average and .924 save percentage in 19 appearances following a rough Red Wings debut in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the season-opener.
