Penguins vs. Red Wings Game Preview
Monday, 01.17.2011 / 6:00 PM
/ Features
By Michelle Crechiolo
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 Pittsburgh Penguins
Overall: 28-14-4-60 Home: 14-9-1-29 Road: 14-5-3-31 |
 WHEN: Jan. 18, 2011 - 7:00 pm | WHERE: CONSOL Energy Center WATCH: FSN | LISTEN: Pens HD Radio, 105.9 FM |
 Detroit Red WingsOverall: 28-11-6-62 Home: 14-5-4-32 Road: 14-6-2-30 |
 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings  |
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| It’s an all-too-familiar situation for the Detroit Red Wings, who visit CONSOL Energy Center on Tuesday to take on the Penguins. Much like last season, Detroit’s lineup has been greatly depleted due to an influx of injuries to key players. But also like last year, when they went on a 13-3-2 run after the Olympic break to force their way into the playoffs, they’re continuing to find ways to win. Detroit ranks third overall in the league with 62 points, going 6-2-2 in their last 10 games. Despite the losses of Pavel Datsyuk (broken hand), Dan Cleary (broken ankle), Mike Modano (lacerated wrist) and Tomas Holmstrom (broken hand) up top, Detroit’s 3.44 goals-per game average ranks first in the league. A large part of that can be attributed to Henrik Zetterberg, who has shouldered much of the offensive load. Zetterberg has been the epitome of consistency, quietly being one of the league’s point leaders all season with his 50 points ranking seventh and his 34 assists tied for second. Fellow Swede Johan Franzen is not only scoring goals for Detroit (he has 19 already on the season) but the player they call “Mule” has been throwing his 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame around a lot more than usual with 79 hits. Several young role players have also stepped up offensively. Patrick Eaves, usually counted on for energetic play in a fourth-line role, has chipped in 12 goals. The speedy Darren Helm is also typically used in the same type of role, but he has 10 points (2G-8A) in his last nine games. Their defense suffered a huge blow with the loss of Brad Stuart to a broken jaw on Jan. 7. Stuart has quietly been the Wings’ most dependable blueliner, being just one of three players to skate in all 82 games last season. Stuart, a former No. 3 overall draft pick by San Jose in 1996, is one of Detroit’s best penalty killers, leading the team with 3:26 shorthanded time on ice while his 80 blocked shots are still tops on the team and his 95 hits rank second. But the ageless Nicklas Lidstrom is still the heart and soul of Detroit’s blue line. The 40-year-old, in his 19th NHL season, is on pace to post the best offensive numbers of his career. He leads all NHL defensemen with 42 points (11G-31A) while averaging 23:50 of ice time per game, 4:17 of that on the man-advantage and 3:15 of that shorthanded. His rocket of a shot is a crucial part of Detroit’s power play, which ranks fourth in the league. Starting goaltender Jimmy Howard suffered a bruised knee on Jan. 14 versus Columbus when a puck snuck underneath his pad and will not play Tuesday. With Chris Osgood sidelined for the next 6-8 weeks after sports hernia surgery, Detroit has called up Joey MacDonald and Thomas McCollum from the American Hockey League. MacDonald, 30, went 14-26-6 with the New York Islanders in 2008-09, but has played in just 10 NHL games since. McCollum has yet to see action in an NHL game. |
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| Capitalize on the Power Play: The Wings lost their best penalty killer when defenseman Brad Stuart suffered a broken jaw on Jan. 7 that will keep him sidelined for the next 6-8 weeks. In addition, Detroit’s strongest penalty killers up top – primarily Patrick Eaves, Darren Helm and Drew Miller – have been logging a lot more even-strength ice time than usual with the loss of several key forwards. The Penguins need to capitalize on the Wings’ shorthanded weaknesses. Keep Them Contained: The Wings have prided themselves on their recent ability to keep their opponents hemmed in their own zones. The Penguins, led by players like Chris Conner, have been doing this to their opponents all season, and they’ll need to give the Wings a taste of their own medicine on Tuesday. Players like Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski have been forced to log more minutes than they would prefer with the injury to Brad Stuart, and despite calling up Tomas Tatar and Jan Mursak, their forwards have been eating up more minutes as well. |
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Author: Michelle Crechiolo
