California Trip Success

Three games against three tough teams all vying for contention in their conference. Getting 5 of 6 points from San Jose, Anaheim and L.A. is no mean feat.

It was unfortunate it had to end with a loss, but there are really very few negatives I can derive from the defeat.

Goaltending -- success! In my opinion, Ozzy had a very solid return after a month off. Los Angeles, while a little banged up right now, are a very talented team and Osgood stood up to the challenge well. Both regulation goals scored by the Kings took fortunate deflections a goalie can do very little about. Howard? Well, as usual Jimmeeehhh was the man.

Work ethic -- present! The Wings had an excuse to take a night off last night, but I was pleasantly surprised to see hard work from all four lines and the defense for most of the game. The top lines did some good things, the third and fourth lines were physical, and the powerplay was pretty unlucky. The team didn't click 100% but I didn't expect it to in the second half of back-to-backs, on the other side of the continent against a Kings team battling to get back into form.

The top forwards -- not too shabby. The top two lines were pretty solid throughout the road-trip, with 3 points each for Filppula, Franzen and Cleary, with Zetterberg and Datsyuk picking up 5 points each over the 3-game span.

The Wings now head back home for a short home-stand to face San Jose, Nashville and Montreal before heading to New Jersey for a quick 4 games in 6 days.

With the exception of the Mike Modano, the Wings are a very healthy bunch after Osgood and Draper's return. One thing I have to say though; is Patrick Eaves sat out last night for Drapes, and I couldn't help but wish he hadn't. Draper didn't do too much, not that you'd expect much, but Draper won't earn a permanent spot on this roster unless he shakes off the rust. He'll get his chance, and so he should -- he's earned the opportunity, but he'll need to make the most of it. As Kirk Maltby will attest to, there are some young, fast, hungry guys down there that want to wear the Winged Wheel every night. And God I love it!!

Red Wings Look for Sweep in L.A.; Game Preview

It's no mean feat to sweep the California road-trip, but the Wings have a chance to do just that tonight. The unfortunate part however, is they have to go through the Kings of Los Angeles to do it.

Admittedly, the Kings have been struggling of late, winning only two of their last 9 games, while the Red Wings have been the opposite, losing only two of their last 11. It's never a simple task to win in Los Angeles though (0-2 in 2009/10), particularly when it's the second of back-to-back games.

Babcock makes a few small changes to the line-up that blanked the Ducks 4-0 last night, with the return of a few injured vets from their ailments. Kris Draper will in his first game of the season after his groin injury suffered in training camp became a sports hernia and ended up setting him back another month or so. Osgood missed all of November with his strained groin but will make his first start since October 30.

It'll be a challenge for Ozzy. There's no doubt he's a champion player and a great servant to the Red Wings organization. He's had some tougher times of late and seems to be finding it difficult to settle into the role of back-up for Jimmy Howard. I hope Ozzy can find a way to get back to form and help Jimmy out with the workload a bit. It's a very serious concern for me how much Howard is being played and I just hope Osgood can make himself a reliable alternative when needed.

It's going to be a tough test, there's no doubt about it. Most of the signs point to a Detroit loss to be honest. Back-to-back games after a rough opponent, [possibly] rusty Chris Osgood in net and just the fact that the Wings have a tendency to lose after some solid wins makes me a little iffy about this one. I guess we'll see just how good the Winged Wheelers are.

The West Coast Trip Begins; Red Wings vs. Sharks

After successfully defending the #1 spot in the Western Conference with a sweep of the home-and-home with Columbus, Detroit heads west for a short tour of California starting with the team that eliminated the Wings from the 2010 playoffs, the San Jose Sharks.

The HP Pavilion was a happy hunting ground for the Red Wings this past regular season but in May, when it really mattered, it was a source of frustration and heartache. I told myself not to comment on the officiating that occurred during that series, but I just wanted to acknowledge it. Yep, I remember. The Wings lost 3 tight games, they could've won which ultimately lead to the series defeat 4 games to 1.

The same Red Wings outfit that knocked off the Jackets 4-2 have made the trip to NorCal, along with a couple extras -- Kris Draper and Chris Osgood. No word has arisen yet on their availability for tonight's game, however it has been confirmed Draper will play in one of these games in CA, and Osgood is a good chance to do the same. Ozzy might even dress as Howard's back-up, however Mike Babcock has stated that Jimmy Howard will not start the game in LA, the second of back-to backs, if Osgood is good to go by then he'll make the start.

The mighty Sharks that ousted the Wings in 5 have had a tougher go if it so far in the 2010/11 season. The team underwent some changes in the off-season and so far the adjustment could've been better, going 11-7-4 and winning just two of their last 6 games.

The biggest change for the Sharks is in net, as Todd McClellan is now working with two new goalies Antero Niittymaki and Chicago's Cup-winning starter, Antti Niemi. Niittymaki's start to the season has been decidedly better than his coutryman's, seemingly winning the starting role for now. He's far from a star goalie however, and Detroit could really take advantage of this. Nitty's no Mason, and if the Wings play the Sharks as well as they did Columbus, they'll surely give Howard a fair bit to work with.

Special teams is a bit of a wash between these two teams. The Sharks wins have fallen, mainly it seems, due to their 5-on-5 play. Special teams are still very strong as one would expect with a roster such as theirs.

Other previews:
On the Wings
Wingin' It In Motown
Nightmare on Helm Street

So Mikey Mo's Out

After undergoing surgery early today for his severed flexor tendon in his wrist, Mike Modano will be out indefinitely. It was pretty much the only negative to come form last night's 2-1 win in Columbus, where his right wrist was lacerated by a skate in the second period. If one were to make a guess, we're looking at somewhere in the vicinity of 2 to 6 months. Pretty wide window, I know, but I'm sure a more specific timeframe will come as doctors follow his recuperation over the coming weeks.

Regardless, the Wings will lose their 3rd line centre for a significant period -- so the question becomes, how will he be replaced?

As with most injuries, Modano's lost ice-time should provide a great opportunity for someone. That someone could well be Justin Abdelkader. I think Abby would make a great 3rd line with Hudler and Cleary. It also presents a temporary reprieve from healthy scratching for Jiri Hudler, Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller. I very purposefully use the word "temporary" because Kris Draper is slated for a return in the next fortnight. At this point, I imagine Drapes would likely rotate with Eaves and Miller and see what happens from there.

Shifting gears, and back onto the main topic, some are suggesting this injury could end the illustrious career of Mike Modano, one of the most decorated Americans to hit an NHL rink. Unfortunately, such a sad thing could happen. If Mo ends up missing the better part of 6 months (or more), it would no doubt be extremely difficult for him to get back into a line-up that is either well into it's Cup-run or worse, eliminated from the competition.

Of course, this is most likely a worst-case scenario for the Michigan-native. I like to think he has a strong chance of being healthy well before the regular season is finished.

Good luck, Mo!

Abdelkader and Draper Out for Weekend; Is Maltby Done?

Just in case someone thought there might be a chance the Red Wings would have an idyllic beginning to the 2010/11 season, grab a brush and wash away those crazy thoughts. Mike Babcock ruled out Justin Abdelkader and Kris Draper's availability to play this weekend.

Abdelkader, who is suffering from a cartilage problem with his ribs was ruled out for the two opening games of the 2010/11 season against Anaheim on Friday night and the Wings' visit to Chicago on Saturday night.

Likewise for Kris Draper, who has been having groin problems since a training camp scrimmage on September 18.

Todd Bertuzzi skated on Thursday and says if he feels the same on Friday, he will be ready for the Ducks. Bertuzzi has seen the return of his back problems of late and was unable to practise for about a week.

While it seems slightly more likely that Bertuzzi will be good to go against the Ducks, his absence coupled with that of Abdelkader and Draper creates an opening in the roster that will require the calling-up of a Griffin. Given the loss of Ritola via waivers to Yzerman's Lightning, Kirk Maltby would be the leading candidate for recall.

Kirk Maltby recently cleared waivers to be sent down to the Grand Rapids Griffins. The veteran is now considering his future; whether to report to the Griffins or to retire. After Friday morning's skate Maltby will know if Bertuzzi will play in the season opener and if he's required to fill in.

Red Wings vs. Oilers; Preview for Friday Night