Tuesday could be the start of a long week for the Detroit Red Wings. Well, to be honest, another long week in what’s turning into an accumulation of long weeks for a team that has gone 1-7-3 in their last 12 games.
But this could be a instance of going from bad to worst-case scenario.
Tuesday’s opponent the Montreal Canadiens have beaten the Wings in eight straight games and scored 45 goals in the process. Thursday, the Tampa Bay Lightning, fresh off a 6-2 smacking of the Toronto Maple Leafs, will arrive at Little Caesars Arena looking to extend their 14-game winning streak over the Wings.
Saturday afternoon, the Wings play host to the New York Islanders. The Islanders have won three straight at Detroit and eight of their last 11 overall against the Red Wings.
Should be a fun week.
“What I’m worried about is the game tonight against Montreal and trying to do everything we can to win a hockey game,” Wings coach Jeff Blashill told Detroitredwings.com. “We’ve said it from the beginning of the year. We’re gonna learn from the day before and then we’re gonna move on. And that’s what we’re gonna continue to do, learning.
“We’re trying to get better as a group and better individually, and then move it forward to this game tonight. We need everybody playing as close to their A game as possible. We can’t afford to have guys playing their B or C game.”
Larkin Update
Dylan Larkin (neck) will miss his third successive game Tuesday and while there’s definite timeline for his return, the Wings did report that they’ve learned his injury isn’t of a serious nature.
“Right now it looks like just a soft tissue issue,” Blashill said. “From a long-term prognosis, that’s great. I don’t think there’s another major wrong structurally.
“Until he’s pain free and had full range of motion, he will not play. I can’t tell you when that’s gonna be, but it’s not tonight.”
Zadina Unworried
Making his first visit to Montreal, right-winger Filip Zadina was unconcerned about whether he’ll face the wrath of Habs fans for insisting he was going to fill the Montreal net with goals after the Canadiens passed on him during the first round of the 2018 NHL entry draft.
“It’s not going to bother me,” Zadina said. “I’m just going to focus on my game and play hockey.”
He always wasn’t backing down from his words.
“I’m still standing behind what I said,” Zadina confirmed. “It’s going to be special if I will score.”
Blashill also didn’t seem too concerned over Zadina’s boastfulness.
“I’m actually hoping he fills the net,” Blashill said. “I think he was just stating in an 18-year-old, English-not-your-first-language way of saying, ‘I’m gonna be a really good player and I’m gonna do everything I can to make people who didn’t pick me pay.’ And I hope he does that.”
Kuffner Signs
The Wings agreed to terms on a two-year entry-level deal with free-agent forward Ryan Kuffner of the Princeton Tigers.
Kuffner, 22, led the NCAA this season with 1.419 points per game. The 6-1, 195-pound Kuffner also led the ECAC and was fourth in the NCAA with 22 goals.
Kuffner’s great uncle Ed Gorman played in the NHL and won a Stanley Cup with the Ottawa Senators in 1926-27, where he was a teammate of longtime Red Wings coach and GM Jack Adams.
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