Detroit Red Wings Clips February 18, 2015

Transcription

1 Detroit Red Wings Clips February 18, 2015 Detroit Red Wings PAGE 2 Writer: Shanahan should copy Red Wings' plan with Leafs PAGE 3 Red Wings call up Pulkkinen to give offense a boost PAGE 5 Miracle for Mr. Hockey? Family calls rebound 'unbelievable' PAGE 10 Wings games are hitting playoff intensity PAGE 11 Veteran Jakub Kindl seeks playing time, so he asks to join Grand Rapids Griffins PAGE 13 Machine-like scorer Teemu Pulkkinen needs to take somebody's job for permanent spot with Red Wings PAGE 15 Red Wings recall Teemu Pulkkinen from Grand Rapids, where he's leading AHL in goals, points PAGE 16 Red Wings get better defense and goaltending but Canadiens are just a bit better in both areas PAGE 18 Red Wings need to 'elevate' during tough and potentially revealing sixgame road stretch PAGE 20 Pulkkinen gets another shot to stick with Wings PAGE 22 Red Wings reassign Mrazek to Grand Rapids, recall Pulkkinen PAGE 23 Duff: Pulkkinen gets another shot

2 Writer: Shanahan should copy Red Wings' plan with Leafs Steve Schrader, Detroit Free Press 2:51 p.m. EST February 17, 2015 Here's a Toronto columnist's advice to team president Brendan Shanahan: Follow the Detroit Red Wings plan to rebuild the Maple Leafs. And it doesn't involve poaching Mike Babcock. But why not? Nothing else has worked for the Leafs. Jonas Siegel of TSN.ca writes: "The Red Wings remain the picture of sustainability in the NHL, always just a step (and sometimes two) ahead of the curve. If there's a model for Shanahan to follow in rebuilding the Leafs it's that of his former team, the most successful and professional organization in hockey one that prides itself on draft and development. No team plays the system in that regard quite like the Red Wings." Then again, if it was easy, everybody would be doing it. And requires a lot of patience, which the Leafs haven't had. The Red Wings' way is to find talent in the draft without the luxury of high picks like the Leafs have and then let that talent develop down on the farm or in Europe rather than rush it to the NHL. Sometimes they even try fans' patience, waiting to see that talent. Siegel writes: "Detroit believes in over-cooking its prospects. They would rather wait too long than move too quickly. Toronto hasn't shown near that kind of patience amid a revolving door of managers and strategies." He quotes former Dallas Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas: "You see Tatar, Nyquist, they spend lot of time in the minors, they went in the minors, they paid their dues and they wait and they wait and now, boom, they're ready to come in." It also makes fiscal sense, Siegel writes: "(Wings) prospects don't get to the NHL until they're overly ready, by which point they're making next to nothing essential in the cap era. Nyquist, who had 28 goals last season and 20 more already this season, is currently carrying a measly cap hit of $950,000." There's another to the Wings way, Robidas said:"it's all the same kind of players. It's skill...if you play for Detroit you have to be able to move your feet and move the puck. That's the way they play." So there you go, it's a simple formula. Like I said, it's easier said than done. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

3 Red Wings call up Pulkkinen to give offense a boost By George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 6:07 p.m. EST February 17, 2015 Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said forward TeemuPulkkinen was called up from Grand Rapids to give the team a boost offensively. Wings coach Mike Babcock is looking for Pulkkinen to take someone's job. "He's gotta take someone's job, just like everyone else," Babcock said after practice today at Joe Louis Arena. "We've had lots of guys come up. Some stay and some don't." Babcock said Grifffins coach Jeff Blashill and the pro scouts think Pulkkinen is a good player. "Let's give him every opportunity to be a good player," Babcock said. Pulkkinen, 23, scored his American Hockey League-leading 30th goal in a 5-1 win over the Chicago Wolves on Sunday. Pulkkinen is the first player in Griffins history to score 30 goals in back-to-back seasons. He also leads the AHL in scoring with 57 points in 44 games. Pulkkinen, a right-handed shot drafted in the fourth round by the Wings in 2010 out of Finland, had one goal in six games for the Wings this season. "I kind of saw that I can play in this league," Pulkkinen said of that six-game tryout with the Wings earlier this season. "Now I just want to improve my game.... I'm excited to get the second chance." What did Babcock see from Pulkkinen in those games? "I see a kid a little bit nervous, that's why we sent him back down," Babcock said. "He's got an absolute bomb of a shot. He's tenacious. He's on the puck. He's strong. "The NHL today, there's no room. So, you gotta find ways to generate offense in no space. You gotta create your own space, so being strong, on your feet, being able to leverage your body is so important. He does those things." Pulkkinen has scored 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in 11 games with the Griffins since being assigned by Detroit on Jan. 20. "He just keeps going," Babcock said. "A machine-like scorer. That's going to translate at some point. Is it this time? I don't know." Holland said he and pro scout Mark Howe watched the Griffins play Friday night and "thought he was the best player on the ice." "We're looking for a little bit of a boost," Holland said. "We scored one goal against Pittsburgh. We scored no goals last night.... It's February, it's a long season. Sometimes you just need a little bit of a boost somewhere along the line. We're looking for him to be a little piece. Hopefully we can be a little deeper with our offense." 3

4 The Wings are coming off a 2-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday and begin a six-game stretch on the road when they visit Chicago on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., NBCSN). They visit Dallas on Saturday and then head to the California. "More of our work today, to be honest with you, was on video than it was on the ice," Babcock said. "Let's straighten out the things we can straighten out." Babcock said he thinks it's a good time to go out on the road and play a bunch of good teams. "You gotta find a way to win games," he said. "It's just that simple. You gotta check for your chances. "You gotta be real diligent about your process and guys gotta get better. And the other thing guys gotta understand is if you can't do it without the puck you're not getting to play. Period. So you gotta be good to play here. That's what we expect our guys to do and we're always looking for who wants a bigger chunk of cheese." Briefly: Darren Helm and Jonathan Ericsson didn't practice today, but Babcock said it was just a maintenance day for them. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

5 Miracle for Mr. Hockey? Family calls rebound 'unbelievable' By Robin Erb, Detroit Free Press 12:22 a.m. EST February 18, 2015 Look, he gets it the skepticism over what seems to be his father's medical miracle, says Gordie Howe's youngest son. But Dr. Murray Howe, head of radiology at ProMedica Toledo Hospital, also says he knows what he saw: The once-powerful Mr. Hockey his father struck mute and unable to walk by a stroke Oct. 26. Who by Dec. 1 "was nearly catatonic." A family that had accepted his final days. That had made funeral plans. And a Tijuana medical clinic where, on Dec. 8, the elder Howe sat straight up in bed just hours after an injection of about 100 million stem cells and demanded with an astonishingly strong voice that he needed to use the restroom, Murray Howe said. "He says, 'I'll walk,' and I said, 'You can't walk,' " Murray Howe recalled. "He says, 'The hell I can't.' And he sits up and puts his feet over the side of the bed and stood up. "If I hadn't been there and seen that happen with my dad, I don't know if I'd believe it either." Marty Howe, an older brother, said he was there when it happened again the next day: "When he's stood up, we were like, 'This is unbelievable.' " Fans rejoiced over the Christmastime news of the elder Howe's recuperation following weeks of grim health reports. But doctors were immediately skeptical. Some called the procedure in Mexico a two-step injection of two types of stem cells questionable at best and a scam at worst. They criticized the providers of the procedure for giving the treatment for free to a Hall of Fame legend but charging others $20,000 or more all in the name of research. And they have accused Dr. Murray Howe in particular a doctor trained at one of the nation's most prestigious medical schools, the University of Michigan of raising false hopes. "There is no scientific evidence at present that the kind of procedures that he was reported to have received have efficacy in stroke. That is the bottom line," said Judy Illes, who coauthored a piece for the Vancouver Sun that is featured now on the home page of the International Society for Stem Cell Research. She's also director of the National Core for Neuroethics and a medical genetics professor at the University of British Columbia. In the opinion piece, Illes and her coauthor say that companies that offer stem cells to stroke victims "are preying on desperate and vulnerable people and exploiting their hope, much like snake oil salesmen have done throughout most of human history." Theirs are not the only critical voices. 5

6 Dr. David Gorski, a Wayne State University professor and a breast cancer doctor at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, was among the first to raise red flags, writing about it at the medical blog Science-based Medicine. The Howes' destination was Tijuana, a region notorious for its "alternative" treatment clinics that the American Cancer Society says have "secrecy requirements" and a track record for patients who die after being told they've been cured. That reputation is well deserved, said Gorski. "You don't know what you're getting, and they charge a lot of money." The clinic the Howes went to operated is by Tijuana-based Novastem and supplied with stem cells by San Diego-based Stemedica, which also supplies stem cells to four clinical trials within the U.S. Maynard Howe no relation to the hockey family but now the CEO of Stemedica argues that research and legitimate clinical trials are conducted all over the world, in countries that have scientifically sound protocols like those in the U.S. Maynard Howe said Stemedica must comply with rules set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration governing the production of stem cells and their shipment around the world. "We're pretty arrogant in the U.S.," he said of the criticism of the Howe procedure. "There are a lot of scientists that think unless the trials were done here (and) unless the FDA gave its blessing, they can't be any good." Much of the discussion is speculation from both sides, said Henry Ford Health System's Dr. Michael Chopp, whose work has focused on the potential of mesenchymal cells those often drawn from bone marrow to help the body repair itself after stroke. It's wise to be skeptical of "miracle cures," he said, but equally so to not "out-of-hand" dismiss them. Murray Howe acknowledges: A single anecdote falls far short of scientific proof of cure. He sat last week in the sunny atrium of Promedica Toledo Hospital as staff, patients and their loved ones passed by. "All I'm doing is sharing with the world my experience of what I saw with my father," he said. Just weeks to live In recent years, age had taken a merciless toll on the 86-year-old hockey great. Gordie Howe had begun suffering dementia remembering close friends and family but forgetting what he just had for dinner or which drawer contained the silverware. After wife Colleen's death in 2009, Howe left their Bloomfield Hills home and began to live with his grown children. His back ached. He lost height. He stopped making public speeches. On Oct. 26, his daughter, Cathy Purnell, in Lubbock, Texas, found her father on his carpeted bedroom floor, Murray Howe said. He'd had a stroke. 6

7 Howe was paralyzed on his right side. He could no longer talk or walk on his own. And although he had a temporary boost Murray said he was able to get his father to walk 10 steps with a walker one day the elder Howe continued to slip further and further away. His once-200 pound frame withered to 170 pounds or so as his ability to swallow deteriorated. His legs were skin on bone, Marty Howe said: "It was like he was turning invisible." On Dec. 1, Howe was hospitalized again this time for what most likely was dehydration. Family members flew in and out. Marty Howe, who lives in Connecticut, said he gave his father just weeks to live. In Toledo, Murray Howe wrote a eulogy. He said he's acutely aware of life-and-death struggles that sometimes do little more than prolong suffering. "Our family is about quality of life," he said. "Our father made it clear that he doesn't want to live forever. He just wants to enjoy himself while he's on this Earth." But at the same time, there was a lingering invitation. Astonishing turnaround Around Thanksgiving, Dr. Murray Howe had received a message from Stemedica's Maynard Howe. The CEO had reached out to the family at the suggestion of Stemedica's vice president of marketing, Dave McGuigan, who had once worked for the Red Wings' front office. He knew the Howe family and the elder Howe's condition. Both Marty and Murray Howe say they were skeptical, but Murray Howe said he was impressed by what he read and by the "confidence" at Stemedica. "They said, 'You'll see changes in 24 hours,' " he said. He noted that the company was putting its reputation on the line: If Mr. Hockey died on the table, the world would know about it. In Texas on Dec. 7, Marty Howe and Cathy Purnell laid their father in the back of a friend's SUV. Murray Howe met them fresh off a flight from Toledo. He was to provide medical oversight and round-the-clock support, while Marty, a former hockey player himself, was the "beef" to help move the dead weight of their father, Marty Howe said. Together, Murray Howe said, the brothers "stuffed" their father, nearly unresponsive, into an airplane seat. They spent the night in a San Diego hotel room provided by Stemedica, the next day loading into a car provided by Stemedica for the 15-minute drive to Tijuana just across the U.S. border. That afternoon, as the elder Howe bent forward on a procedure table to expose his lower back, clinicians inserted a 25-gauge tiny needle as thin as a hair into his spinal canal, delivering what Murray Howe said was 100 million neural stem cells that would migrate through the spine toward the brain to support the body's healing. 7

8 As the day worn on, Murray Howe kept checking his watch, intermittently climbing into his father's bed to comfort and calm him as he grew restless. Just before 9 p.m., the elder Howe demanded to use the bathroom, Murray Howe said. It happened again the next morning, when Marty Howe came by. When his sons tried to stop him, "he used his favorite two swear words.... He didn't care how it was getting out of bed, he wanted out of bed," Marty Howe recalled with a chuckle. The next day, Gordie Howe received another dose of stem cells. These were mesenchymal stem cells, delivered intravenously, to support for new tissue growth, Stemedica officials said. Murray Howe, who insists the family has not been paid to promote the treatment, said the family has been so astonished at their father's turnaround, family members have since invested in Stemedica. "I've been doing medicine for 28 years. I've never seen anything like that," he said. Other explanations? Skeptics of the treatment are quick to point out that they wish the elder Howe the best. But they also list a number of other possible reasons for the elder Howe's rally: Rehydration, the body's natural ability to repair itself after stroke, and a placebo effect that renews a will to live. It's impossible for other researchers to look at the data to tease out any benefits from stem cells or even to detect what risks there may be because the procedure doesn't fall under the type of transparency demanded by the FDA, said Jack Parent, a neurology professor at U-M. "Here, we're left with hearsay in terms of how much he recovered," he said. Gorski, who was at U-M about the same time Dr. Howe was training, is quick to note that he's a breast cancer doctor, not a stem cell expert. But he said he does the scientific and ethical rigor demanded of legitimate research. This procedure falls far short and could be downright dangerous, he said. "I'm not questioning (Murray Howe's) account that his father is doing much better.... I'm questioning the inference that (the cause) is stem cells." Stemedica's Maynard Howe says the company has sent s to critics, offering them details on the procedure and inviting them to the clinic. Not one has taken them up on the invitation, he said. To be clear, age continues to take its toll on the elder Howe. He still has dementia. He's slow. He sleeps most of the day, said Marty Howe, who traveled to Lubbock last week to be with his father and sister. On Monday, as he spoke to the Free Press by phone, Marty Howe said he could see his father and a caregiver walking the sidewalk outside his window. And the skepticism? He echoes his brother. He can only say what he saw and what he sees today. 8

9 "I truly believe if he didn't get that stem cell treatment, he would not be with us.... He looks great. He's not going to win any races, but he's steady and on his feet." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

10 Wings games are hitting playoff intensity Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 7:30 p.m. EST February 17, 2015 Detroit With one-third of the season remaining, the playoff races are in full swing. And they have the intensity of the playoffs. "From here on out, it's the playoffs," Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard said. "No matter who we play, everyone is tracking for position and trying to get in (the playoffs). "It'll be like playoff games from here on out, and it's a good time for young players to get a taste of this." Which makes the upcoming six-game trip that begins tonight in Chicago and runs through Dallas, Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose and Nashville, crucial. The only team not in the Western Conference playoff picture among that group is Dallas, which is six points out of a spot. "We need to elevate now, the league's picked up the pace and we have to have our players pick up as well," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "You have to find a way to win games, it's just that simple." Monday's 2-0 loss to Montreal was a prime example of a regular-season game that looked and felt like a playoff matchup. Babcock called it a "check-fest" a defensive struggle with neither team allowing room to roam on the ice. "You have to check for your chances and be diligent about the process," Babcock said. "Guys have to get better, and you have to understand if you can't do it without the puck, you're not getting to play." Mrazek sent down Petr Mrazek is headed back to Grand Rapids, while Teemu Pulkkinen is returning to the Red Wings. Mrazek, who was superb filling in for Howard in January, was sent to Grand Rapids with Howard (groin) and Jonas Gustavsson (shoulder) healthy and playing. Mrazek is with a 2.55 goals-against average and.909 save percentage with the Red Wings. He was after Howard's slight groin tear Jan. 10. "(Mrazek) deserved all the credit he got," Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. "He played great for us." Pulkkinen has a American League-leading 57 points (30 goals) in 44 games with Grand Rapids. Detroit News LOADED:

11 Veteran Jakub Kindl seeks playing time, so he asks to join Grand Rapids Griffins Peter J. Wallner By Peter J. Wallner on February 17, 2015 at 4:00 PM, updated February 17, 2015 at 4:03 PM GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Defenseman Jakub Kindl wasn't playing in Detroit, so he asked if he could join the Grand Rapids Griffins for some long-missed game experience. The fifth-year NHL veteran had not been in a game since Dec. 27, a day before he suffered a sprained elbow in practice. He said the elbow is fine - and he was cleared to play two weeks ago- but he has remained inactive with the Red Wings. So, he asked. "I actually went to talk to the coaches and asked what they recommend or suggest," Kindl said. "And when this came up, I said, 'Yeah, I'll come down for that.'" Kindl played with the Griffins on Sunday in Chicago and is scheduled to remain for the next three games, all at home - Wednesday (Milwaukee), Friday and Saturday (both against Hamilton). "Obviously, the team (Red Wings) is playing well and there haven't been a lot of changes, so this came up and I said I'm going to go," Kindl said. He remains on the Red Wings' 23-man roster while on loan. Coach Jeff Blashill paired him with Brendan Evans at Chicago, and that's not expected to change. "I know Jakub from my time in Detroit and he's a real good puck mover who uses his smarts defensively," Blashill said. "And I thought that's what we saw in that first game, and what we expect we'll continue to see." Kindl, 28, has played in 28 games with the Red Wings this season with nine points (2-7- 9) and a minus-one. The former first-round pick in 2005 has appeared in 241 games overall in Detroit since his final call-up from Grand Rapids in He felt his quickness was lacking against Chicago, which he expects will improve with ice time. He participated in his first full practice with the Griffins on Tuesday. "I know that will come," he said. "I've been practicing a lot, but that can't compare to game situation. So I've been trying to do as much as I can." Kindl said he doesn't think about where he might fit in with the Red Wings, who have been giving Alexey Marchenko an extended look on the blue line - and that after they had up another promising prospect in Xavier Ouellet. "Some things you can't control and you can't spend a lot of time on that," he said. "Right now I'm in Grand Rapids and here to help as much as I can. And what happens next, I'll just let it be." 11

12 After Saturday's game in Grand Rapids, Kindl is scheduled to rejoin the Red Wings on Sunday on the west coast. The Red Wings have back-to-back games Feb. 23 (Anaheim) and Feb. 24 (Los Angeles). Michigan Live LOADED:

13 Machine-like scorer Teemu Pulkkinen needs to take somebody's job for permanent spot with Red Wings Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on February 17, 2015 at 2:42 PM, updated February 17, 2015 at 4:33 PM DETROIT - Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock described Teemu Pulkkinen as a "machine-like scorer" whose ability to put the puck in the net will translate to the NHL at some point. Is Pulkkinen's time now? The Red Wings today recalled the right-handed shooting sniper from the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he continues to light it up in the AHL. Pulkkinen will be in the lineup Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center (7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network exclusive). Pulkkinen appeared in six games for the Red Wings from Jan and scored his first NHL goal in that final game prior to the All-Star break. But he wasn't ready for full-time big-league duty, in the club's estimation, so he was sent down. "I saw a kid that was a little bit nervous. That's why we sent him back down," Babcock said. "He's got an absolute bomb of a shot. He's tenacious. He's on the puck. He's strong. "In the NHL today there's no room. We have to find ways to generate offense in no space. You have to create your own space. Being strong on your feet, being able to leverage your body is so important and he does those things." Pulkkinen continued to dominate the AHL, picking up 10 goals and 18 points in 11 games since being reassigned. He leads the league with 30 goals and 57 points, becoming the first Griffin to notch consecutive 30-goal seasons. His biggest challenge is finding open ice in a league where checking is so much tighter. "Last time I was here I got some good chances. I just have to improve all the time and find the open spot," Pulkkinen said. "I hope I'm going to find the spots and maybe score some goals, too." Said Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk: "It's not easy. It's tight. You need to work hard and win battles." Pulkkinen practiced on a line with Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader on Tuesday, but it's not certain if that's who he'll play with on Wednesday. It appears he will be on the second power-play unit, with Datsyuk, Tomas Tatar, Riley Sheahan and Danny DeKeyser. "He played a few games and got confidence," Datsyuk said. "After he scored his first goal he (went) to Grand Rapids and now he comes back with lots of energy. He's a guy you can feed him and he can shoot really good. He can score. We need that." 13

14 Pulkkinen said his first stint in Detroit this season gave him confidence that he can play in this league. Now he hopes to nail down a permanent roster spot. "I was playing hard," Pulkkinen said. "Now I just want to improve my game and play better every game so I'm excited to get the second chance and just kind of enjoy the game and try to help the team as much as I can." The Red Wings, winless in three (0-2-1) and coming off a 2-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, are always looking for goals, Babcock said. But, he added that Pulkkinen "has to take someone's job, just like everyone else." He might replace Tomas Jurco in the lineup on Wednesday. While Jurco provides size and has played physical, he's gone 25 games without a goal. "We have lots of guys coming up, some stay and some don't," Babcock said. "We think Pulkky is a real good player. Blash (Griffins coach Jeff Blashill) thinks he's a real good player. Our pro scouts think he's a real good player. Let's give him an opportunity to be a real good player." Michigan Live LOADED:

15 Red Wings recall Teemu Pulkkinen from Grand Rapids, where he's leading AHL in goals, points Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on February 17, 2015 at 10:26 AM, updated February 17, 2015 at 10:38 AM DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled forward Teemu Pulkkinen from the Grand Rapids Griffins. He's expected to be in the lineup Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. Pulkkinen appeared in six games for the Red Wings from Jan , scoring his first career goal in his final game against Minnesota. The 23-year-old sniper with the booming right-handed shot leads the AHL with 30 goals and 57 points. He had 31 goals and 59 points in 71 games last season, his first full year with the Griffins. Pulkkinen might replace Tomas Jurco in the lineup. Jurco, though providing a physical presence, has gone 25 games without a goal, since Nov. 26. A roster spot was cleared when the club reassigned goaltender Petr Mrazek to the Griffins following Monday's 2-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Michigan Live LOADED:

16 Red Wings get better defense and goaltending but Canadiens are just a bit better in both areas Brendan Savage bsavage@mlive.com By Brendan Savage bsavage@mlive.com on February 17, 2015 at 6:06 AM, updated February 17, 2015 at 9:13 AM DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings got the defensive performance they were hoping for Monday and goaltender Jimmy Howard was better after struggling during his first start in almost five weeks. There was only one problem. The Montreal Canadiens were a little bit better in both departments. The Canadiens own the NHL's stingiest defense, Carey Price might be the league's best goaltender and they were the difference in a 2-0 victory over the Red Wings during an Atlantic Division showdown at Joe Louis Arena. Price got the better of Howard, who kept the Canadiens off the scoreboard until the final three minutes after allowing four goals Saturday, when the Red Wings lost a shootout to Winnipeg in Howard's first start since tearing his groin Jan. 10. "It's a tough one but man, what a game," Howard said. "It was a great game to be a part of. The fans were awesome. It was just back and forth. Not much there. They caught a break and they capitalized. "I felt really good. Like I said the other night, halfway through the game I started feeling more and more at home out there and it transferred over to tonight and hopefully it transfers even more into Chicago." Howard turned aside 27 of 28 shots with Tomas Plekanec being the lone Canadien to beat him with 2:30 left in the third period. After the Red Wings pulled Howard for an extra attacker, Max Pacioretty scored into an empty net with 9.4 seconds left to seal Montreal's third victory in as many games with the Red Wings this season. "It's great to have him back and obviously he was really good tonight," forward Gustav Nyquist said about Howard. "I thought there was two good goaltenders going up against each other. Obviously, Price is the best goalie in the league the way he plays the puck and Howie did a great job today I thought. "At the end it was just that one goal. Obviously, that wasn't Howie's fault. It was a good game." The Red Wings wanted to tighten up defensively against Montreal after allowing eight goals in their previous two games - both losses. That said, coach Mike Babcock didn't think his club was all that bad on the defensive end of the ice going into the showdown against the Canadiens. They lost 4-1 Wednesday in Pittsburgh before dropping a 5-4 shootout Saturday against Winnipeg. 16

17 "I actually think we've been pretty good defensively," Babcock said. "We had better goaltending tonight so it looks like you're better defensively. But it was a way tighter game played by both teams. There was no room for either team. "I thought it was good for Howie. Had some rubber last game, more than I would like, and then he had some saves he would normally have today. I thought he played good today. "I just thought both teams were the same way. It was a check-fest, not much happened. They got two chances in the third and scored on one of them." Price made 25 saves in recording his fifth shutout of the season and the 30th of his career. He leads the NHL in goals-against average (1.93) and save percentage (.935) while ranking second in wins (32). Price has an 18-4 record since Dec. 9. "They both played really good," Tomas Tatar said of the goaltenders. "Carey Price played good. Jimmy made some huge saves for us to keep us in the game. I think the same for them. I think they only difference was they scored a goal and unfortunately we didn't. I didn't think we could say anything. "I think we played a pretty good game." The victory moved the first-place Canadiens ( ) six points ahead of the Red Wings ( ) in the Atlantic Division standings. Tampa Bay is in between them, two points back of Montreal. The game was a possible preview of the opening round of the playoffs and several Red Wings said the atmosphere - there were hundreds of Montreal fans in the crowd - made it feel like a postseason game. "Yeah, it definitely felt like a playoff," said Howard, who has a career record of vs. Montreal. "There was no room. It was tough to get to both nets, and when you got to the nets both guys were there to make the saves. So it was a lot of fun. "That's exactly what we expected. That's the way they play on the road. They play a very solid hockey game. They're patient and they wait for you to make a mistake and they jump on it. It's just unfortunate that they were able to (catch) one late in the game." The Red Wings kick off a six-game road stretch Wednesday in Chicago. Michigan Live LOADED:

18 Red Wings need to 'elevate' during tough and potentially revealing six-game road stretch Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on February 17, 2015 at 8:39 PM, updated February 17, 2015 at 8:50 PM DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings are prepared for their longest stretch of road games this season, and easily their toughest, from a travel and competitive standpoint. The Red Wings play six games in a span of 11 days against some of the best teams in the Western Conference, starting Wednesday vs. the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center (7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network exclusive). This stretch will go a long way toward determining if the Red Wings are serious challengers for the Atlantic Division title and top spot in the Eastern Conference. It also could influence their strategy for the March 2 trading deadline, as they decide whether to upgrade their defense or stand pat. With his team winless in three games (0-2-1), coach Mike Babcock said it's time to elevate their play. "The league's picked up pace and we got to have our players keep up as well, so we got to elevate here and this trip's a good opportunity for us," Babcock said. After returning home from Chicago, the Red Wings will visit Dallas on Saturday, Anaheim on Monday, Los Angeles on Tuesday, San Jose on Feb. 26 and Nashville on Feb. 28. "You always want to measure yourself against the best teams in the league, that's where you really get a feel for where you stand," defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. "And we're going to be playing some of the best teams coming up, so it should be a good road trip for us." The Red Wings are six points behind division-leading Montreal and trail Tampa Bay by four points, but have four games in hand on the Lightning. "From here on out, it's playoffs, no matter who we're playing," goaltender Jimmy Howard said. "You're jockeying for position, you're trying to get in, so it's going to be like playoff games. A good time for the young guys to get a taste of this." It's also a good time to escape the below zero temperatures, starting in Dallas. "I can't wait," Howard said. "Seventy-five and 80 degrees. I'm done with this cold. I'm ready to get out of here." He'll still be dealing with the cold in Chicago, as well as a talented team that hasn't changed much from recent years when it competed with the Red Wings in the Central Division. Patrick Kane leads the NHL with 63 points (including 27 goals). Jonathan Toews has 47 points and former Red Wing Marian Hossa (42 points), had four consecutive multi-point 18

19 games (seven goals, one assist) before being held off the score sheet in Monday's 2-1 shootout win over Pittsburgh. "It's the same old guys still pulling their weight," Howard said. "They're dangerous. You look up and down their lineup and they've got good defensemen and (goalie Corey) Crawford is playing well." Howard said of Kane: "He's just got great offensive instincts. He knows when to split and head north up the ice. When he gets the puck on his stick he's dangerous. He makes players around him better." Babcock said, for his team, it's about "grinding and getting better." "I think we're a good team," Babcock said. "I think we played well (in Monday's 2-0 loss to Montreal), made a few mistakes; they scored on one of them. You have to find a way to win those games. We probably won a few of those games we didn't deserve and sometimes you lose a game you didn't deserve." Despite being shut out by Carey Price, Babcock is more concerned about goals against than scoring. "You've got to check for your chances and be real diligent about the process," Babcock said. "If you can't do it without the puck you're not going to get to play, period. That's what we expect our guys to do. "We're always looking for who wants a bigger chunk of cheese." Michigan Live LOADED:

20 Pulkkinen gets another shot to stick with Wings By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily Posted: 02/17/15, 4:56 PM EST DETROIT >> Teemu Pulkkinen is going to get a second chance at doing what he wasn t able to do the first time around take someone s job. And it looks like he s going to get thrown right onto one of Detroit s top two lines Wednesday to do so when the Wings play at Chicago. He s shown he s very, very good in the American Hockey League, Wings coach Mike Babcock said after practice Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena. You re always looking for goals. We re always looking to improve our roster. If he can help us, he s got to take someone s job, just like everyone else. We have lots of guys coming up, some stay and some don t. Pulkkinen practiced on a line with Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader. He was on the second power play unit with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Tatar. He ll (start) one day (here), Datsyuk said. He (tries) hard. He played a few games and got confidence. After he scored his first goal he (went) to Grand Rapids and know he comes back with lots of energy. He s a guy you can feed him and he can shoot really good. He can score. We need that. Pulkkinen, 23, is known for his booming right-handed shot. He s played six games already this season in Detroit, registering a goal on 10 shots. I saw a kid that was a little bit nervous, Babcock said. That s why we sent him back down. He s got an absolute bomb of a shot. He s tenacious. He s on the puck. He s strong. The NHL today there s no room. We have to find ways to generate offense in no space. You have to create your own space. Being strong on your feet, being able to leverage your body is so important and he does those things. Pulkkinen leads the AHL in scoring with 30 goals and 27 assists in 44 games. He s tied for second in shots (178) and game-winning goals (six). We think Pulkky is a real good player, Babcock said. (Griffins coach Jeff Blashill) thinks he s a real good player. Our pro scouts think he s a real good player. Let s give him an opportunity to be a real good player. Pulkkinen also became the first player in Griffins history to record back-to-back 30-goal seasons. He had 31 last year. And like the last time he was called up he came in on a streak. He leaves Grand Rapids on an eight-game point streak nine goals and four assists. It was good experience to play, Pulkkinen said of his first time up this season. I was playing hard. I kind of thought I can play in this league, so it was great for me. I just want to improve my game and play better every game so I m excited to get the second chance and just kind of enjoy the game and try to help the team as much as I can. 20

21 He had scored in eight consecutive games the last time he was called up. As a player, everybody wants to play in the NHL but it s hard, Pulkkinen said. There are good players so I just played my best and they put me (back in Grand Rapids). I was excited to play hockey. It s better to play hockey than to sit. It was good to go there and get some confidence again. I m happy to be back and I want to play as good as I can and try to hold a spot. Pulkkinen played three games last season with the Wings and didn t register a point while averaging less than eight minutes of ice time per game. He had just four shots on goal. I tried to do my best, Pulkkinen said. Last time I was here I got some good chances. I just have to improve all the time and find the open spot. We ll see when I play now. I hope I m going to find the spots and maybe score some goals, too. Pulkkinen, who was able to be recalled after the Wings reassigned Petr Mrazek to Grand Rapids Monday night, looks like he ll replace Tomas Jurco in the lineup. Jurco was a place holder for Darren Helm on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Tatar. Macomb Daily LOADED:

22 Red Wings reassign Mrazek to Grand Rapids, recall Pulkkinen KEITH GAVE FOX Sports Detroit FEB 17, :55p ET On the eve of their most challenging road trip of the season, the Red Wings assigned goaltender Petr Mrazek to their American Hockey League affiliate in Grand Rapids and recalled right wing Teemu Pulkkinen. Returning Mrazek to the Griffins was expected, since both Jimmy Howard and backup Jonas Gustavsson are healthy again after lengthy absences from injury. Pulkkinen's recall was inevitable; with teams tightening up their defenses and goals harder to come by as clubs jockey for playoff spots -- and Tomas Jurco struggling to produce points -- Pulkkinen will get every opportunity to prove he belongs. "He's an NHL player, no question," said General Manager Ken Holland. Pulkkinen, 23, has 30 goals among 57 points in 44 games for the Griffins, including 18 points ( ) in his last 11 games since he was reassigned from Detroit on Jan. 20. His 30 goals leads the AHL -- by seven more than the next goal-scorer. A native of Vantaa, Finland, Pulkkinen was Detroit's fourth selection (111th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. His calling card is a shot that will instill fear in the opposition. "He can score on any goalie in the world," Grand Rapids coach Jeff Blashill said. Pulkkinen had one goal in six games with Detroit in January. Mrazek, also 23, has appeared in 20 games for the Wings this season, posting a record with a 2.55 goals-against average and a.909 save percentage and one shutout. More importantly, he was 8-2 while both Howard (groin) and Gustavsson (dislocated shoulder) were on injured reserve. A native of Ostrava, Czech Republic, Mrazek was selected by Detroit in the fifth round, 141st overall, in the 2010 draft. Howard, meantime, feels like he's knocking the dust off his game after missing nearly five weeks. He was carted off the ice in Washington on Jan. 10, barely an hour after learning he was selected to play in the NHL All-Star game. By his own admission, he struggled in his return Saturday, a 5-4 shootout loss to Winnipeg. But he was outstanding Monday against Eastern Conference-leading Montreal, stopping 28 of 29 shots in a 2-0 loss. "It was a lot of fun, actually," Howard said. "I felt good. I'm feeling more and more at home out there...but it's still a work in progress." The Wings play at Chicago on Wednesday, starting a streak of six games in 10 nights -- all against Western Conference teams. foxsports.com LOADED:

23 Duff: Pulkkinen gets another shot By Bob Duff / Windsor Star Jody Gage. Dick Gamble. Dan Currie. Donald MacLean. Mal Davis. The American Hockey League record book is filled with players who filled nets with pucks at that level, but never could do likewise on a consistent basis when recalled to the National Hockey League. The Detroit Red Wings are convinced that Teemu Pulkkinen won t be added to this list. Currently leading the AHL with 30 goals and 57 points and the only player in Grand Rapids Griffins history to register consecutive 30-goal seasons, left -winger Pulkkinen was recalled to Detroit Tuesday in time for the Wings month-ending six-game road trip. They ll face the Blackhawks in Chicago Wednesday (7:30 p.m., NBCSN). He just keeps going, Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. He s a machine-like scorer. That s going to translate at some point. Is it this time? I don t know. It certainly wasn t during Pulkkinen s previous stint with Detroit, a six-game run in January that saw him score his first NHL goal, but that was his sum total in terms of production. As a player, everybody wants to play in the NHL but it s hard, Pulkkinen said. There s good players so I just played my best and they put me there. I was excited to play hockey. It s better to play hockey than to sit. It was good to go there and get some confidence again and I m happy to be back and I want to play as good as I can and try to hold a spot. Among the biggest concerns with Pulkkinen is that he takes such a long windup before releasing the puck and that s made it too easy to defend his potent shot at the NHL level. He s got an absolute bomb of a shot, Babcock said. He s tenacious. He s on the puck. He s strong. In the NHL today there s no room. We have to find ways to generate offence in no space. You have to create your own space. Being strong on your feet, being able to leverage your body is so important and he does those things. 23

24 Pulkkinen believes with each chance to find his way in the NHL he will figure our more that he must learn to succeed there, feeling that s what happened during his last stint in Detroit. It was good experience to play, Pulkkinen said. I was playing hard. I kind of thought I can play in this league, so it was great for me, and now I just want to improve my game and play better every game so I m excited to get the second chance and just kind of enjoy the game and try to help the team as much as I can. The Wings remain confident that Pulkkinen s day will come. He s shown he s very, very good in the American Hockey League, Babcock said. You re always looking for goals. We re always looking to improve our roster. If he can help us, he s got to take someone s job, just like everyone else. We have lots of guys coming up, some stay and some don t. We think Pulkky is a real good player. Blash (Grand Rapids coach Jeff Blashill) thinks he s a real good player. Our pro scouts think he s a real good player. Let s give him an opportunity to be a real good player. 24