Could the Detroit Red Wings make some changes again today? Taro Hirose is sitting again and could be an option to bring an offensive spark. Detroit takes Nashville on tonight and though they’re starving for goals, head coach Jeff Blashill spoke more about how defense was key to staying in games, and how the Wings have been better than their record indicates.
Nashville comes in at 5-8 and while they can hang with the Tampa Bays of the division, they’re not the same team we saw dominating the NHL just a few years ago. They’re currently riding a three game losing streak, victims to the same Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning that gave the Wings problems.
The Red Wings have to get a power play goal
Just for sanity’s sake, even. The numbers keep sinking and it’s a similar formula where the Red
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Wings sustain about 30 seconds of pressure and then end up chasing the puck down the ice for the other 90 seconds. The entries have been poor, and an insistence on dumping the puck in on the power play has led to much of the puck chasing during those 90 seconds. Hirose looked good on the power play when he was up so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to, oh I don’t know, sit Frans Nielsen and bring him as another option for the man advantage.
The Red Wings need a full game of hockey
Against Florida Tuesday night, Detroit looked great during stretches of the first period and then looked flat after that. It was a defensive battle, and when given the advantage, Florida immediately took advantage of it. In their 4-1 victory Sunday afternoon, the Red Wings looked quicker to the puck, and actually had defenseman jumping into the play instead of waiting to make a play.
There needs to be a team showing that effort tonight since Nashville tends to jump on their opponents pretty quickly–as they did the other night against Tampa Bay. Though they lost that game, the Red Wings can’t afford to fall into any early holes.
Detroit and Nashville face off at 8pm.