Around the Rink – March 10 Edition

Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The Detroit Red Wings were unable to hang on to their 2-1 lead early in the third period and eventually fell 4-2 to the Calgary Flames (the fourth goal was an empty-netter). The Flames scored three goals in the final stanza, including two in a span of 91 seconds. The loss combined with Nashville’s win over Atlanta bumped the Wings down to the No. 9 slot in the Western Conference standings.

The loss to a key opponent in the race for a playoff spot left some bloggers not feeling so great: Bingo Bango, DetroitHockey.net, Eight Legged Freaks, Fight Night at the Joe, Nightmare on Helm Street, Red Wings Blog, Snipe Snipe, Dangle Dangle, Unconnected Red Wings Blog, Winging It In Motown, Wings Win, Eh?, and Word on a Wing. Wings Win, Eh? explains why last night’s game was so important for Detroit.

In Other News

  • Bob Wojnowski, a columnist for The Detroit News, writes that the Wings need to put in an all-out effort in the remaining regular-season games, while Bob Duff of The Windsor Star thinks the Wings are starting to look tired.
  • DRW.com talks about the importance of last night’s game and the Wings position in the standings.
  • The Detroit News believes goaltender Jimmy Howard has made a case to be a finalist for the Calder Trophy, which is given to the rookie of the year. GM Ken Holland told NHL.com that he believes Howard may have been the team’s MVP this season. Hockeytown USA believes that, for better of for worse, the Wings’ playoff hopes hinge on Howard’s play.
  • MLive.com discusses the advice captain Nick Lidstrom shared with fellow defenseman Jonathan Ericsson before his first game back in the lineup against Calgary after being a healthy scratch for the previous two games.
  • Sunday’s win showed how potent the Wings can be offensively when they are healthy according to the Detroit Free Press. Andrew Ladd, the Blackhawk who recorded a hat trick in Sunday’s contest, told MLive.com that the Wings are still the team to beat in the West despite their position in the standings.
  • Red Wings’ bloggers had plenty to say after Sunday’s win over the Blackhawks in Chicago: Abel to Yzerman, Babcock’s Death Stare, Hockeytown USA, Motown Wings, Nightmare on Helm Street, Octopus Thrower, On the Wings, Red Wings Blog, Red, White & Black-n-Blue, Snipe Snipe, Dangle Dangle, The Production Line, and Winging It In Motown.
  • Babcock’s Death Stare talks about Evan McGrath getting re-assigned to Syracuse and what circumstances led up to that move.
  • The Grand Rapids Griffins, who are Detroit’s AHL affiliate, have struggled this season and as such are 13 points out of a playoff spot. The Grand Rapids Press notes the importance for the team to still play at the highest level possible to secure a bright future for the team.
  • Red Wings Central notes that defenseman Jakub Kindl is preparing for NHL duty.
  • Snapshots points out that head coach Mike Babcock will be featured on Outdoor Channel’s Nosler’s Magnum TV. The piece was shot during the off-season when Babcock was participating in an African safari and did some hunting.
  • Red Wings TV provides a solution for the Ugly Sweater Syndrome (link via Snapshots).
  • The Wings’ next home game is this Thursday against Minnesota and the first 10,000 fans will receive a Wings military dog tag in honor of their Military Appreciation Night. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.

March 10, 2010
Categories: Around the Rink, Detroit Red Wings . Tags: , , , , . Author: Christy Hammond . Comments: 1 Comment

Around the Rink – March 8 Edition

Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The Detroit Red Wings took on the Chicago Blackhawks in the Windy City for a matinee game on Sunday. The Wings rallied from a 2-0 deficit with five unanswered goals in the second period and then hung on to steal a 5-4 win on the road in front of a national audience on NBC. Before Sunday’s afternoon game, head coach Mike Babcock described the Blackhawks as the “best team in the NHL right now” in part because of their depth up front so it was a great road win for Detroit.

After allowing two goals by Chicago in the first period, the Wings responded in the middle frame with a five-goal surge. Defenseman Brian Rafalski carried his Olympic-scoring success into yesterday’s game, teeing off a blast from the left point to bring Detroit within one goal (2-1) less than five minutes into the second period. The power-play goal came during the Wings’ 4-on-3 man-advantage. Just 28 seconds later, the Wings evened it up at 2-2 when Valtteri Filppula sent the puck from the left corner to captain Nick Lidstrom at the mid-point. With Todd Bertuzzi screening Chicago netminder Cristobal Huet down low, Lidstrom’s shot beat Huet during 4-on-4 play.

Blackhawks’ head coach Joel Quenneville had to pull Huet after he allowed four goals on eight shots in the second period. The Red Wings grabbed their first lead of the afternoon when Henrik Zetterberg slid a perfect pass to Jason Williams, who was rushing up the slot drawing two Blackhawks defenders, for the quick goal. In a two-on-one rush, Bertuzzi made a nice heads-up play, getting the puck to Filppula who found himself all alone and made a nice deke to best Huet for a 4-2 Detroit advantage. With 2.7 seconds left in the middle frame, Datsyuk created a turnover along the Wings’ blue line and then rushed up the ice. He broke in alone on goalkeeper Antti Niemi, moving the puck from his forehand to backhand before sliding the puck through Niemi’s five-hole to put an exclamation point on Detroit’s five-goal second-period comeback.

Unfortunately, some bad news did come out of the second period for the Red Wings. MLive.com reported that Bertuzzi left the game “late in the second period with an apparent knee injury after a collision along the boards with Ben Eager and Jordan Hendry.” About five minutes into the third period, NBC announced that Bertuzzi would not return to the game due to a lower-body injury.

Early into the third stanza, Chicago got on the scoreboard once again when Andrew Ladd netted his second goal of the afternoon to make it a 5-3 game. Hats rained down on the United Center ice when Ladd recorded his first career hat trick at the 12:06 mark of the third period, but Detroit managed to hang on for the 5-4 win and grabbed two key points in the Western Conference standings. Wings’ netminder Jimmy Howard made 28 saves in the win.

Wings top Predators on Friday

In Other News

  • The gold-medal win by Team Canada has the media talking plenty about Wings’ management who played a role in the Canadian win, including Steve Yzerman and Ken Holland. The Detroit Free Press reports that the McGill University tie that coach Mike Babcock wore during the Olympics has boosted sales of the tie over the last week.
  • George Malik at Snapshots rounds up some scuttlebutt on Sunday, including some news about the Wings’ NCAA prospects Brendan Smith (Wisconsin) and Gustav Nyquist (Maine). The blog also links to three different articles about some of the Grand Rapids Griffins’ players in their Griffiti publication.
  • The Grand Rapids Press talked to the two new Griffins players after they were acquired by the Wings before the trade deadline.
  • Chris McCosky of The Detroit News writes that he believes the biggest worry facing Babcock will be goaltending in the coming weeks.
  • McCosky also notes that Brett Lebda will return to the third defensive pairing alongside Andreas Lilja. MLive.com reminds readers that Lilja was Lebda’s former defensive partner before Lilja had to sit out a year due to injury.
  • The Red Wings hosted the Plymouth Whalers (OHL) at Thursday’s practice as Snapshots points out.
  • The Ogemaw County Herald references an article you will be able to find in Red Wings Today, the Wings’ official gameday program, starting on March 13. For the Winter Olympics, Operation Homefront paired a wounded soldier with each of the 23 U.S. players. Wings’ defenseman Brian Rafalski was adopted by West Branch, Mich., native Sgt. Damon Suiter.

March 8, 2010
Categories: Around the Rink, Detroit Red Wings, Winter Olympics . Tags: , , , , , , , , . Author: Christy Hammond . Comments: 1 Comment

Around the Rink – March 5 Edition

Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images

The Detroit Red Wings look to rebound tonight against the Nashville Predators and pick up some points in what is a very important game with regards to the standings. Their Central Division foes currently sit three points above the Wings as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference standings. Netminder Jimmy Howard will get the start in goal. The only change in the lineup tonight will be swapping defenseman Brett Lebda in for Jonathan Ericsson.

Trade Deadline Update

  • On Wednesday, the Wings made two minor moves before the 3 p.m. EST trade deadline.
  • First, the Wings swapped forward Kris Newbury for Jordan Owens of the N.Y. Rangers.
  • Later in the day, Detroit traded Griffins’ defenseman Andy Delmore to Calgary for right wing Riley Armstrong.
  • Both trades were with AHL players and done with the hopes of sparking the Griffins, according to The Grand Rapids Press.
  • Babcock’s Death Stare reacted to the Wings’ trade.

In Other Red Wings News

March 5, 2010
Categories: Around the Rink, Detroit Red Wings, Winter Olympics . Tags: , , , , , , . Author: Christy Hammond . Comments: 1 Comment

Around the Rink – March 3 Edition

Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images

The Detroit Red Wings returned from the Olympic Break with a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Monday night. The Wings fielded a full, healthy roster for the first time in months in the triumph. Tomas Holmstrom and Johan Franzen both scored to give Detroit a 2-0 lead in the first period, but the Avs rallied to even it up at 2-2 by the second period. A power-play goal from captain Nick Lidstrom at the 10:57 mark of the final frame moved Detroit into the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference standings. Netminder Jimmy Howard made 22 saves in the win.

Head coach Mike Babcock gave defenseman Brian Rafalski a chance to go home and rest after playing in Sunday’s gold-medal game. Rafalski said thanks, but no thanks and made it into the lineup on Monday night. The game marked defenseman Andreas Lilja’s return to the NHL after missing a year of play due to persistent headaches, resulting from a fight on Feb. 28, 2009. The Swedish blueliner told MLive.com that head injury he had would not affect the physical style of hockey he plays with.

The DRW bloggers reacted to the win in the team’s first game back: DetroitHockey.net, Eight Legged Freaks, Motown Wings, On the Wings, Red Wings Blog, Snipe Snipe, Dangle Dangle, The Production Line, Unconnected Red Wings Blog, and Winging It In Motown.

In Other News

  • The trade deadline is later this afternoon at 3 p.m. EST. The Detroit Free Press reports that GM Ken Holland sat down with his management staff and scouts. Holland doesn’t anticipate doing much, but will keep his eye out for a depth forward with Kirk Maltby out for the rest of the season due to shoulder surgery. One player who has been rumored to be of interest to the Wings is Slava Kozlov, which Eight Legged Freaks addresses.
  • Maltby had successful surgery yesterday, but his shoulder ended up being in worse condition than expected. The Detroit Free Press reports that Maltby cannot lift weights for 12 weeks so a return this season is unlikely.
  • Chris McCosky of The Detroit News asks if it is time to bench defenseman Jonathan Ericsson, who has been struggling in his first full season in the NHL. Nightmare on Helm Street argues that he may be on the Jiri Fischer learning curve.
  • Former Wings’ defenseman Chris Chelios has been playing for the Chicago Wolves this season in the AHL. Chelios was just signed by the Atlanta Thrashers on a two-way contract, but that doesn’t mean he will be playing in the NHL right away. The Wolves are Atlanta’s AHL affiliate team so Chelios is expected to continue playing in Chicago, but he could now be called up to the NHL if an injury warrants it.
  • An article by Dan Rosen at DRW.com points out how relieved Steve Yzerman felt after Canada won gold in overtime on Sunday evening.
  • Goaltender Chris Osgood hosted six kids to play on his backyard rink after they won the opportunity to do so at December’s Toast of Hockeytown. DRW.com describes the special afternoon for those kids.
  • Forward Valtteri Filppula told the Detroit Free Press that he was pleased to leave Vancouver with a bronze medal.
  • In preparation for Monday’s game against Colorado, DRW.com took a look back at some great moments in the rivalry’s history.
  • The Grand Rapids Press reports that enforcer Brad May seemed to have fun and fit right in at his first practice with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
  • Red Wings Central reports that Wings’ goaltender prospect Tomas McCollum has experienced some growing pains this season.
  • Kyle at Babcock’s Death Stare recaps everything you may have missed over the Olympic Break, including how Detroit’s Olympians performed and other Red Wings’ news.

March 3, 2010
Categories: Around the Rink, Detroit Red Wings, Winter Olympics . Tags: , , , , , , . Author: Christy Hammond . Comments: Leave a Comment

Around the Rink – March 1 Edition

Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

USA vs. Canada

  • After defeating Finland 6-1 on Friday afternoon, USA Hockey faced off against Team Canada in hostile territory at Canada Hockey Place on Sunday afternoon. The U.S. twice overcame one-goal deficits and forced overtime when Zach Parise scoring with 24.4 seconds left in regulation, but NHL superstar Sidney Crosby scored at the 7:40 mark in OT to give Team Canada a 3-2 overtime win and the gold medal. Netminder Ryan Miller, who is the brother of the Wings’ Drew Miller, was named the Olympic MVP for his spectacular play in goal for USA Hockey. Brian Rafalski was tabbed best defenseman for his play over the last two weeks, registering eight points including four goals in the tournament.
  • The Wings did not have a player on the Canadian squad, but their head coach (Mike Babcock), vice president (Steve Yzerman), and GM (Ken Holland) played a critical role in helping Team Canada overcome the pressure placed on them to win gold.
  • DRW.com posted an article by Dan Rosen about how Wings’ coach Mike Babcock meshed perfectly with Team Canada. Babcock told the Canadian Press that the Olympics are more intense than the NHL playoffs.
  • We know what the outcome of the game is now, but here is what various outlets and bloggers predicted before the big game: Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond, various Red Wings players, Brendan Shanahan, NHL.com, Babcock’s Death Stare, Eight Legged Freaks, Abel to Yzerman, The Production Line, and Winging It In Motown.
  • Sunday’s game could be seen as a rematch of last week’s game in preliminary play or the 2002 gold medal game between these two squads. NHL.com’s John Dellapina examines the history of this rivalry between the USA and Canada.
  • The Red Wings players took this gold-medal game as an opportunity to demonstrate their patriotism writes the Detroit Free Press. Kris Draper and Brett Lebda will make a wager on the outcome of the game notes MLive.com.
  • Bob Duff of The Windsor Star reminds readers of the 1960 U.S. gold-medal win, which has been tabbed the “Forgotten Miracle.”

Red Wings News

  • Wings’ forward Valtteri Filppula scored an empty-net goal to secure a bronze medal for his Finland squad in a 5-3 win over Slovakia on Saturday night.
  • Red Wings TV mic’d up defenseman Andreas Lilja as he participated in the Detroit Red Wings Charity Poker Tournament on Feb. 25.
  • The Wings will play 15 games in 30 days upon their return from the Olympic Break, starting tonight as the only game on the NHL schedule for March 1. Ansar Khan of MLive.com argues why he thinks the Wings will return to the playoffs for a 19th straight season.
  • Goaltender Chris Osgood hosted six kids on his homemade backyard rink on Saturday afternoon as part of an experiential package won in an auction at the 10th annual Toast of Hockeytown in December. The Detroit Free Press and In Play! Magazine covered the fun.
  • Forward Dan Cleary took a shot off of his right foot during Sunday’s practice and will have precautionary x-rays reports MLive.com. The article also notes that three players who represented Sweden in the Olympics returned to the Joe on Sunday morning. However, “the other Olympians whose teams were eliminated before Sunday, Henrik Zetterberg (Sweden), Pavel Datsyuk (Russia) and Valtteri Filppula (Finland), will meet the team in Denver.”
  • Veteran forward Tomas Holmstrom had to withdraw from representing Sweden in the Olympics due to knee pain. However, the Olympic Break allowed his body to heal up and he told Detroit Free Press that he will be ready to go later tonight when the Wings take on the Avs in Colorado.
  • Defenseman Brad Stuart took a much-needed rest during the Olympic Break to heal up from a “deep gash” on his right shin according to the Detroit Free Press.
  • Hockey’s Future released its Spring 2010 list of the Red Wings’ top 20 prospects list.
  • Eight Legged Freaks is doing a feature called “Red Wings We Barely Knew But Loved As Our Own” and they took a look at Jason Woolley over the weekend.
  • Motown Wings discusses the Bertuzzi conundrum in its latest blog post.

March 1, 2010
Categories: Around the Rink, Detroit Red Wings, Winter Olympics . Tags: , , , , , , , . Author: Christy Hammond . Comments: 1 Comment

Around the Rink – February 26 Edition

Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images

Winter Olympics Update

  • USA will face off against Finland later this afternoon at 3 p.m. EST on NBC. Wings’ defenseman Brian Rafalski and the rest of the American squad are only focused on the Finns, which include Wings’ forward Valtteri Filppula.
  • Fans attending the MSU hockey game Friday evening at Munn Ice Arena are encouraged to arrive three hours earlier and watch the USA-Finland game. Visit The Detroit News for more information.
  • NHL.com notes the key to Finland’s success is that of its goaltender, Calgary’s Miikka Kiprusoff.
  • Canada takes on Slovakia on Friday evening at 9:30 p.m. EST on CNBC. Despite beating Russia 7-3 on Wednesday, Canada knows it cannot overlook Slovakia according to NHL.com. Steve Yzerman allowed himself to enjoy the win Wednesday night, but set his sights on Slovakia when he woke up on Thursday.
  • Slovakia upset Sweden in a 4-3 win on Wednesday evening, sending the 2006 gold medalists packing. Former Wing Tomas Kopecky scored the game-winning goal for Slovakia. The loss marked Wings’ captain Nick Lidstrom’s last game in the Olympics as he told reporters afterward that he would not participate in the Olympics again in his career.
  • Julie Holland, the daughter of Wings’ GM Ken Holland, continues to blog about her experiences in Vancouver.
  • The Detroit Free Press cites the Michigan connection on this year’s Team USA squad.
  • Wings’ forward Drew Miller has cheered on his brother Ryan, USA’s goaltender, from afar and admits to MLive.com that it is nerve-wracking.
  • To help you visualize, here is a bracket breakdown of this year’s Olympic tournament at NHL.com.

In Red Wings News

  • Defenseman Andreas Lilja will enter the Wings’ lineup for the first time in just over a year on Monday according to DRW.com. Veteran forward Kirk Maltby will have season-ending shoulder surgery next week and has been placed on the long-term injured reserved list, allowing room for Lilja under the salary cap.
  • On Wednesday, Maltby and goaltending coach Jim Bedard “volunteered on a truck on the city’s west side, passing out hot meals and drinks. They also distributed new hats, gloves and socks to those who needed them” per DRW.com.
  • DRW.com notes the push the Wings will need to make upon returning from the Olympic break to make the playoffs this year.
  • Enforcer Brad May accepted his assignment to the Grand Rapids Griffins and will likely get his first GR practice in next Tuesday writes MLive.com.
  • With the Frozen Four taking place at Ford Field in Detroit this spring, former Spartan and Griffins’ forward Justin Abdelkader fondly remembers his NCAA championship experience.
  • The latest episode of The Obstructed View — a podcast by DRW bloggers — is ready for download.

February 26, 2010
Categories: Around the Rink, Detroit Red Wings, Winter Olympics . Tags: , , , , , , . Author: Christy Hammond . Comments: Leave a Comment

Around the Rink – February 24 Edition

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Winter Olympics Update

  • Team Canada squared off against Germany yesterday to fight for the right to play Russia in the quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday. They weren’t disappointed, routing Germany 8-2 to set up the showdown between two NHL superstars — Sidney Crosby (Russia) and Alexander Ovechkin (Russia).
  • Wings’ GM Ken Holland commented on Sunday’s loss and not overlooking Germany in his piece for the Detroit Free Press on Tuesday. Ken’s daughter Julie continues to blog about her experiences in Vancouver for DRW.com.
  • USA, Sweden, Russia, and Finland did not play on Tuesday after they earned automatic byes into the quarterfinals, which begin later today.
  • USA will take on Switzerland, who beat Belarus in a shootout, 3-2, to advance to the quarterfinals, later today at 3 p.m. EST on NBC. The U.S. beat Switzerland during preliminary play, 3-1, but the Swiss did force their game against Canada to a shootout but lost 3-2. For a complete list of the TV schedule, visit NHL.com.
  • The Detroit Free Press makes an interesting observation about Wings’ defenseman Brian Rafalski: “Nobody could have predicted that Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski would have twice as many goals as Sidney Crosby after three Olympic games.”
  • Kevin Allen of USA Today profiles Rafalski and his unassuming role for USA Hockey.
  • DRW.com posted an article about Rafalski’s veteran leadership and the influence he has on this year’s USA squad.
  • Michael Rosenberg, a columnist for the Detroit Free Press, writes that it’s insulting to compare USA’s win over Canada on Sunday to the 1980 Miracle on Ice.
  • DRW.com posted a video spotlight on the Wings’ and Team Sweden’s captain Nick Lidstrom.
  • Former Red Wings’ coach Dave Lewis coached in the Olympics, but not for his native country (Canada) rather as an assistant coach for Belarus according to the Detroit Free Press.
  • After Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Sweden, Finland looks to rebound on Wednesday against either the Czech Republic or Slovakia in quarterfinal play at 10 p.m. EST.
  • Sweden doesn’t mind being overlooked in this tournament according to NHL.com. The Swedes will play the winner of the Slovakia-Norway later tonight at 12 a.m. EST.
  • Two former Wings, Igor Larionov and Slava Fetisov, hope to see the gold medal awarded to Russia as noted by NHL.com.
  • Snapshots blogs that the entire Wings’ team (those playing in the Olympics and others on vacation) will benefit from the Olympic break.
  • The DRW bloggers are still talking about USA’s upset win over Canada on Sunday night and Rafalski’s role in it: Babcock’s Death Stare, Motown Wings, Nightmare on Helm Street, On the Wings, Snipe Snipe, Dangle Dangle, The Production Line, and Winging It In Motown.

In Red Wings News

  • Ilitch Holdings announced the hire of Tom Wilson, who was the former CEO and President of Palace Sports & Entertainment until last week. Wilson’s biggest responsibility will be getting a new arena built for the Red Wings in downtown Detroit. His official title is also that of president and CEO “of a newly created enterprise, which has yet to be named, and will report directly to Ilitch.” He will oversee business operations for both the Tigers and Wings. However, Holland and the Tigers’ GM Dave Dombroski will still report directly to owner Mike Ilitch. Motown Wings comments on the new hire.
  • You can view video of the press conference announcing the hire at DRW.com as well as a one-on-one interview with Wilson.
  • Snapshots notes that the IIHF honored 22 hockey players who are part of the “Triple Gold Club,” which means the player has won a Stanley Cup, gold medal, and a world championship. Three current Red Wings were honored, including Nick Lidstrom, Niklas Kronwall, and Henrik Zetterberg. Former Wings who are part of this club include Brendan Shanahan, Igor Larionov, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Jiri Slegr, and Mikael Samuelsson.
  • Red Wings Central reports that Wings’ prospect Landon Ferraro appears to have rebounded from his knee injury earlier in the season. Ferraro had been drafted in the second round (No. 32 overall) by the Red Wings in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
  • Winging It In Motown takes a look at some interesting statistics, including Olympic-related numbers.

February 24, 2010
Categories: Around the Rink, Detroit Red Wings, Winter Olympics . Tags: , , , , , . Author: Christy Hammond . Comments: Leave a Comment

Around the Rink – February 22 Edition

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

USA Hockey vs. Team Canada

  • The two unbeaten teams in Group A faced off Sunday evening in preliminary play in what would be an exciting showdown televised on MSNBC to determine which team would get an automatic bye into Wednesday’s quarterfinals. It was USA hockey who pulled the upset to remain undefeated in preliminary play (3-0-0), topping Team Canada 5-3 in a very exciting hockey game on Sunday night.
  • With Sweden’s 3-0 win over Finland last night/early this morning to also finish 3-0-0 in preliminary play, USA Hockey took the top overall seed in the tournament thanks to its higher goal differential. The U.S. will play the winner of the Switzerland-Belarus game. Canada will have to take on Germany, which is coached by former Wing Uwe Krupp, on Tuesday and win in order to advance to the quarterfinals where they would face Russia.
  • Red Wings’ defenseman Brian Rafalski scored two first-period goals (giving him four straight goals for USA in three games), including his team’s go-ahead goal of the night 22 seconds after Canada had tied it up at one-all. He was on the ice for four of USA’s five goals and it was his blast from the point that just went off of Jamie Langenbrunner’s skate for the fourth marker of the night for the U.S. and ultimately the game-winning tally. USA’s Ryan Kesler clinched the game, scoring an empty-netter to hand the U.S. a 5-3 advantage with 44.3 seconds remaining in the game. Excellent goaltending from Michigan State alum and brother of the Wings’ Drew Miller, Ryan Miller, maintained USA’s lead late in the third period despite a ton of pressure from Team Canada, facing 45 shots in all and 14 in the final frame.
  • “I think so,” Rafalski told NBC after being asked if the first period’s intensity was as he expected. “It was fast paced. It was good to get those two goals…I was just given the opportunities…They’re going in for me right now.”
  • Rafalski spoke to NHL.com right after USA’s win, stating that his family had just arrived Saturday night and now he can spend some time with his family on the team’s day off today. DRW.com posted a video spotlight on Rafalski on Monday morning.
  • The upset win resulted in a ton of media coverage with game recaps or commentary, including ESPN.com, Newsweek, The New York Times, Toronto Star, National Post, and Vancouver Sun.
  • Former Wing Brendan Shanahan commented on what the USA braintrust was likely thinking after the win over Norway and heading into the big game on Sunday.
  • Starting goaltender for Team Canada, Martin Brodeur, talked to NHL.com about the US-Canada rivalry on Friday.
  • GM Ken Holland spoke with NHL.com’s Heidi Adrol about his role with Team Canada. He continues to contribute material to the Detroit Free Press here, here, here and here.
  • Ken Holland’s daughter Julie has done some writing of her own, blogging about her experiences for DetroitRedWings.com, commenting on everything from the weather to the hockey action.
  • Team Canada’s Executive Director and the Wings’ vice president Steve Yzerman told NHL.com on Friday that he was pleased with his roster so far.

Winter Olympics Update

  • Team Sweden defeated Belarus, 4-2, on Friday night with Wings’ forward Johan Franzen scoring the game-winning goal. Captain Nick Lidstrom and Niklas Kronwall each posted a plus-one rating in Group C preliminary play. Per the Grand Rapids Press, “Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Sergei Kolosov saw 11:38 of ice time and finished with a minus-1 rating for Belarus.”
  • Sweden and its four Wings players took on Finland and the Wings’ Valtteri Filppula late Sunday night/early Monday morning with the game starting at 11:55 p.m. EST. The Swedes ended up blanking the Finns, 3-0. Wings’ forward Henrik Zetterberg led Sweden’s penalty kill, which “had to kill off five penalties in the second period, including a pair of 5-on-3s totaling 1:39.” By winning Group C, Sweden will face the winner of the Slovakia-Norway in the play-in round according to the LA Times.
  • Despite the loss, the Finns still earned a bye into the quarterfinals as the fourth seed thanks to owning the highest goal differential outside of the Group A-C winners. Finland “will play either Latvia or the Czech Republic on Wednesday.”
  • DRW.com puts the spotlight on defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who is representing Sweden for the second time in the Winter Olympics. The Detroit Free Press notes that Kronwall “said he likes playing this Olympic tournament on the smaller rink because it promotes a more physical game.”
  • Pavel Datsyuk, Sergei Fedorov, and the rest of Russia’s squad played rival Czech Republic Sunday afternoon. Thanks to two goals from Evgeni Malkin, Russia grabbed a 4-2 win to give them the Group B title and an automatic bye into the quarterfinals. Datsyuk scored an empty-net insurance goal with 13 seconds left in the game. He also assisted on Malkin’s first tally, which was the opening marker of the contest.
  • Eight Legged Freaks reminds us which Red Wings players are representing their respective countries and how they are expected to contribute.
  • George Malik of Snapshots makes his Red Wings-related Olympic observations.
  • Abel to Yzerman blogged about the wake-up calls that have already happened in this tournament.
  • For a complete schedule of all of the hockey games in Vancouver, visit DRW.com.

Red Wings News

  • NBC picked up the Wings-Blackhawks game on March 7 as its “Game of the Week” per the Detroit Free Press. The game is slated to start at 12:30 p.m. EST.
  • Snapshots provides an update on Jiri Hudler, including a note about him not playing for the Czech Republic in the Olympics and if he could return to the Wings after the conclusion of the KHL’s 2009-10 season.
  • Looking for some Red Wings’ hockey action to get you through Olympic Break? Well, DRW.com posted 60 minutes of highlights from the Wings’ 1986-87 season to help you do just that.
  • The Chicago Wolves re-signed former Wings’ defenseman Chris Chelios “to a third 25-game contract on Friday” per ESPN.com.
  • There is a new Red Wings’ blog on the block that I wanted to point out to our readers. Please welcome Wings Win, Eh? to the Red Wings’ blogosphere!
  • Kyle of Winging It In Motown attended Friday’s Griffins game and took a chance to scout the Wings’ prospects.

February 22, 2010
Categories: Around the Rink, Detroit Red Wings, Winter Olympics . Tags: , , , , , . Author: Christy Hammond . Comments: Leave a Comment

Around the Rink – February 19 Edition

Photo by Noah Graham/NHLI via Getty Images

USA vs. Norway

  • The United States took a 3-0 lead by the second period and ended the contest up 6-1, outshooting Norway 39-11 in preliminary play. The Red Wings’ lone player representing the USA, defenseman Brian Rafalski, scored the last two U.S. goals including one with the man-advantage. Norway’s Ole Kristian Tollefsen, who the Wings recently traded for and then sent to Grand Rapids, logged 26:10 of ice time and finished minus-one after missing Norway’s first game due to a family situation.
  • Rafalski commented on his team’s first game of the Olympics — a 3-1 victory over Switzerland — on Tuesday to the Detroit Free Press.
  • Nightmare on Helm Street points out the other Michiganders, including Rafalski, playing for USA Hockey in Vancouver.

Team Canada vs. Switzerland

  • Team Canada narrowly edged out Switzerland in a 3-2 shootout win in preliminary play on a goal from Sidney Crosby. After three scoreless rounds in the shootout, head coach Mike Babcock opted to send Crosby back out in the shootout to clinch the victory.
  • Wings’ GM Ken Holland continues writing updates for the Detroit Free Press about his time in Vancouver. You can read two of his latest entries here and here.
  • Former Red Wings’ forward Brendan Shanahan writes about his past Olympic experiences.
  • Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo started in net for Team Canada in their opening game against Norway on Tuesday and Martin Brodeur earned the nod for Thursday’s contest against Switzerland. But who will be tabbed as the No. 1 goalie for the rest of the tournament?

Winter Olympics Update

  • Wings’ forward Valtteri Filppula scored a goal and fired three shots on goal in Finland’s first game of the 2010 Winter Olympics. The Finns topped Belarus in a 5-1 victory on Wednesday. Filppula plays next Friday night when Finland takes on Germany at 11:55 p.m. EST on MSNBC.
  • Team Sweden will also play later today, facing off against Belarus at 3 p.m. EST on MSNBC in the U.S. The Swedes beat Germany 2-0 on Wednesday evening, but none of the four Red Wings players recorded a point in the game.
  • DRW.com posted a video spotlight on forward Henrik Zetterberg before he left for Vancouver.
  • Pavel Datsyuk, Sergei Fedorov, and the rest of the Russian squad played against Slovakia early Friday morning. NHL.com posted a preview of the game here.
  • Chris at Motown Wings provides his Olympic updates from Day One and Two of the hockey tournament. Winging It In Motown and Below the Crossbar also chimed in on the first few days of Olympic play.
  • For a complete schedule of the hockey games at the Olympics, visit NHL.com.

Red Wings News

  • Wings’ captain Nick Lidstrom was not ready to talk about retirement during tournament play in Vancouver. The Production Line comments on his belief that Lidstrom will likely re-sign for another year.
  • The Detroit News offers up its MVP at the break and also selects the disappointments and surprises of the 2009-10 NHL regular season.
  • The Grand Rapids Griffins should know at some point today whether enforcer Brad May will retire or if he will join the Wings’ AHL affiliate. The Wings had placed him on waivers, which he cleared, and then gave him 10 days to make a decision.
  • The Production Line previews what the 2010-11 Red Wings’ squad could look like given the salary cap restrictions.

February 19, 2010
Categories: Around the Rink, Detroit Red Wings . . Author: Christy Hammond . Comments: Leave a Comment

Around the Rink – February 17 Edition

Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images

Winter Olympics Update

  • USA Hockey had its first game of group play, defeating Switzerland 3-1 on Tuesday afternoon in Vancouver. Former Spartan Ryan Miller thwarted 14 shots by the Swiss for the win. By comparison, USA unleashed 21 shots on Jonas Hiller, the Anaheim Ducks’ goalie who was tending net for Switzerland. ESPN.com’s Scott Burnside comments on Team USA’s win over the eighth-ranked Swiss hockey program.
  • Defenseman Brian Rafalski is the only Red Wing representing the U.S. and he’s also one of the few players quite a bit older than the 26 year-old team average. He did not record a point against Switzerland, but did finish the game with a plus-one rating.
  • The Detroit Free Press comments on how Rafalski wants to focus on winning and not on how he’s the old guy in the group.
  • Team Canada, which has no Wings players but is coached by Mike Babcock and assembled by Steve Yzerman and Ken Holland, also had its first game of preliminary play against Norway and left the rink with an 8-0 victory Tuesday night.
  • Detroit Free Press columnist Michael Rosenberg writes about Wings’ head coach Mike Babcock and how he is ready to handle the pressure that comes from coaching Team Canada in the host country of these Winter Games.
  • DRW.com spoke with the Red Wings playing in the Olympics about the other sporting events they would like to catch while in Vancouver.
  • As we mentioned on Monday, forward Johan Franzen replaced fellow Red Wing Tomas Holmstrom in the Team Sweden lineup. Wings’ captain Nick Lidstrom looks to lead Sweden to a repeat gold medal in his fourth Olympic appearance writes the Windsor Star. Sweden will take on Germany first in its pool play on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EST on CNBC, which ESPN.com previews.
  • Wednesday will also feature a game between Finland, which Red Wings’ forward Valtteri Filppula will play for, and Belarus at 3 p.m. EST. Check out NHL.com for a game preview.
  • Pavel Datsyuk is the lone Red Wing to represent Russia, but a familiar face to Detroit fans — Sergei Fedorov — will also take the ice. Fedorov set up Russia’s first two tallies as they raced to an 8-2 win over Latvia late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning. Datsyuk earned an assist on Alexander Ovechkin’s second goal in the game.
  • When the Wings sent Ville Leino to Philadelphia, they received Ole Kristian Tollefsen and a fifth round draft pick in exchange. Tollefsen made Norway’s squad, but missed the team’s opening game due to a delay as a result of a family illness. He is expected to play in Norway’s next game on Thursday and will be the only NHLer on Norway’s roster.
  • For a complete listing of the schedule for the Olympic hockey games, check out NHL.com. Red Wings Hardware points out all the games that Wings’ fans will want to watch if they hope to catch some of the Red Wings in action over the Olympic break.

In Other News

  • George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press writes that GM Ken Holland believes veteran forward Kirk Maltby is leaning toward having shoulder surgery.
  • DRW.com has a great feature up by Randy Rice about goaltender prospect Daniel Larsson and how his season has gone this year.
  • The Detroit News takes a look back and a look ahead at the Wings’ 2009-10 season.
  • For some, the Olympics will provide a chance to rest up and heal those bumps and bruises while for others it’s a chance to get those competitive juices going after missing most of the season to injury writes MLive.com.
  • Neil Rubin, who is a columnist for The Detroit News, talks about the Red Wings’ poker playing as the Detroit Red Wings Foundation gears up for its charity poker tournament next week at MotorCity Casino.
  • Red Wings Central notes that the Wings will be well represented by their prospects in the race for the Memorial Trophy when the playoffs kick off for the Canadian Hockey League next month.
  • Kyle, the blogger behind Babcock’s Death Stare, lists his wishes for the 2010 Winter Olympics (hint: no Red Wings’ injuries).
  • The latest edition of The Obstructed View went live with a trio of DRW bloggers commenting on the Olympics and its implications for the Wings.
  • Speaking of DRW bloggers, there is a new one on the block called Eight Legged Freaks.
  • The Production Line takes a look at Patrick Eaves and wonders why the gritty forward hasn’t been re-signed yet.

Did we miss an article or blog post? Please share the link along with your comments on the Wings, the Olympics, etc. in the comment section!

February 17, 2010
Categories: Around the Rink, Detroit Red Wings . Tags: , , , , , , . Author: Christy Hammond . Comments: 2 Comments

Previous page Next Page »