Detroit Red Wings Clips November 26-27, 2015

Transcription

1 Detroit Red Wings Clips November 26-27, 2015 Detroit Red Wings PAGE 2 Red Wings-Oilers game day: Time, TV, radio info PAGE 3 Datsyuk giving Red Wings a much needed boost PAGE 4 Datsyuk getting stronger, scores goal No. 300 PAGE 6 Pavel Datsyuk's return enabling Red Wings to control play more often with better zone time PAGE 7 Red Wings' best game of season blemished by another blown lead in the third period PAGE 9 Red Wings look to keep rolling vs. Bruins tonight PAGE 10 Red Wings' foreign players like Thanksgiving holiday PAGE 12 Ferraro's return to Detroit with Bruins 'a little weird' PAGE 14 Krupa: Youth, injuries lead to inconsistency from Wings PAGE 17 Red Wings falter late, lose to Bruins in overtime PAGE 19 Red Wings start six-game homestand against Bruins, who've won five in a row against them PAGE 21 Red Wings lineup vs. Bruins: Jeff Blashill hopes to have found stability with line combinations PAGE 23 Red Wings Gameday: Dylan Larkin riding four-game goal-scoring streak PAGE 24 First-period analysis: Bruins 1, Red Wings 0 PAGE 25 Second-period analysis: Red Wings 2, Bruins 1 PAGE 26 Red Wings lose lead late in regulation, fall to Bruins in overtime PAGE 28 Red Wings postgame: Pavel Datsyuk's 300th goal overshadowed by Frank Vatrano, Jonas Gustavsson PAGE 29 Datsyuk scores 300th goal, but Wings fall to Bruins in OT

2 Red Wings-Oilers game day: Time, TV, radio info Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press 12:07 a.m. EST November 27, 2015 Tonight's game information Detroit Red Wings (11-8-3, 25 points) vs. Edmonton Oilers (7-14-1, 15 points) When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit. TV: Fox Sports Detroit Plus. Radio: 97.1 FM (List of Red Wings' radio affiliates) Game notes: This is the second game of a 6-game homestand for the Wings. They lost 3-2 in overtime to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.... The Oilers have lost 7 of their past 9 games and, at 15 points, have the worst record in the NHL entering Friday night's games.... The Red Wings have won 10 consecutive home games against Edmonton, but the Oilers beat the Wings 3-2 on Oct. 21 in Edmonton.... The Oilers won't have star rookie Connor McDavid, who's out with a broken collarbone, nor will they have Nail Yakupov (ankle).... Henrik Zetterberg leads the Wings with 18 points this season, while rookie Dylan Larkin has a team-leading 8 goals. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

3 Datsyuk giving Red Wings a much needed boost Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 12:15 p.m. EST November 26, 2015 As Henrik Zetterberg put it, "he's Pavel Datsyuk." The Detroit Red Wings have their biggest dazzler back and he has made their lineup befittingly better. Though an overtime goal by the Boston Bruins left the Wings on the short end of a 3-2 decision Wednesday, the Wings played so well, coach Jeff Blashill considers it a recipe worth sticking to. "We talked in the room, if we play 10 games like that, we will win eight of them," Blashill said. "So let's keep playing that way." The Wings took Thanksgiving Day off, and resume work Friday, when they host the Edmonton Oilers, who have the worst record in the NHL at The Wings have points in five straight games (3-0-2), a streak that overlaps with Datsyuk returning from injury seven games ago. He collected career goal No. 300 Wednesday, and has three points the last four games. As is the case with every player, it takes a few games to get the timing back. Datsyuk hadn't played in half a year, but now, he said, "every game much better and more confidence. I have more fun now." The last three games have seen Datsyuk play with Brad Richards and Teemu Pulkkinen, and the three have quickly built good chemistry. "Richards is good player, he can handle pass and puck and he can shoot and make plays," Datsyuk said. "Same Pulkkinen, he more slow down and make plays, and when you use him like shooter, he can make it happen." Datsyuk's return has enabled Blashill to finally form four capable lines. It's no longer on Zetterberg's line to carry the team, as was the case in October. The Wings directed 34 shots on the Boston's net, and while only two went in, the Wings were active in the offensive zone, created confusion, had net presence and limited the Bruins to 22 shots. "The one thing I think we have advantage over a lot of teams is, we can play four lines," Blashill said. "I am not afraid to play them against anybody. So when they go out there, you can really build off that energy, and I thought we did a good job of that. The challenge for us now is, let's play the same way Friday." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

4 Datsyuk getting stronger, scores goal No. 300 Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 8:32 p.m. EST November 26, 2015 Detroit In a career of milestones, Pavel Datsyuk notched another one Wednesday against the Boston Bruins. Datsyuk s second-period goal in Boston s 3-2 overtime victory was career goal No Datsyuk joined Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio, Sergei Fedorov and Henrik Zetterberg as the only Red Wings with at least 300 goals, 500 assists and 800 points. Big milestone for me, Datsyuk said. I m happy to help my team with so many good teammates. It s fun. Wednesday s goal was Datsyuk s second since he returned to the lineup after offseason ankle surgery. Datsyuk appears to be developing chemistry with his new linemates, Brad Richards and Teemu Pulkkinen, and getting stronger on the ice. I always have my legs with me, Datsyuk said. Every game is a little better and more confidence. Everything is slowing down and it s more fun now. As for his linemates, Datsyuk enjoys the varied skills each has. Richards is a good player, he can pass, handle the puck, shoot and make plays, Datsyuk said. Pulkkinen can make plays and he s a shooter. He can make things happen. Datsyuk s progress over the seven games he s been in the lineup is apparent to coach Jeff Blashill. His game has grown every game he s played, Blashill said. That goal (Wednesday) was a big time goal. He s been really good. He ll continue to build. And again, it gives us four lines that are going to be real successful. There s guys on our team that do some special things. He s (Datsyuk) certainly right there. Z (Henrik Zetterberg) does some special things. I admire the way they come to work every day, to be honest with you. People only see the finished product, but the work they put in every single day is amazing. That s why they ve been two of the best winners in the world for a long time. Lines stabilizing Blashill shuffled his lines often the opening weeks of the season in an attempt to find chemistry and an offensive spark. It s only been in the last five games or so that Blashill has found some consistency and production with four stable lines. 4

5 You don t usually change lines when it s going good. Sometimes you change when you re not going good so it s kind of a chicken or the egg thing, Blashill said. The biggest thing is we ve got four lines playing good hockey. From a usage standpoint we ve probably used them in a certain way that s allowed us to have a chance to be more offensive, but we have four lines that are playing good hockey. I felt at the beginning of the year that could be the strength of this hockey team, our depth throughout our lineup. The last three games, that s the way it s played out. Ice chips Players say it will be good to go through a busy schedule. It s good when you play, goalie Petr Mrazek said. Every two days, it s good to play and stay in the game. Blashill felt Wednesday s game, despite the loss, may have been the best the Red Wings have played this season. In the offensive zone we did some really good stuff, we were active, created lots of confusion, we had net presence, Blashill said. We did the things it takes to be successful. If we play 10 games like that, we ll win eight of them. Detroit News LOADED:

6 Pavel Datsyuk's return enabling Red Wings to control play more often with better zone time Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on November 26, 2015 at 4:01 PM, updated November 26, 2015 at 4:04 PM DETROIT The Detroit Red Wings' puck possession and offensive-zone time have improved noticeably since Pavel Datsyuk returned. "Yeah, anyone surprised?" Henrik Zetterberg said. "He's been out for a long time. I think he just gets better and better. He's Pavel Datsyuk." In seven games with Datsyuk, the Red Wings have outshot opponents by an average of In the 15 games they played without Datsyuk, the Red Wings were outshot by an average of "No doubt that Pav is a special player, holds onto the puck, plays endless minutes in the other team's zone, strengthens our whole forward unit and gives us opportunities to roll four lines and keep guys a little more fresh than usual," Red Wings forward Darren Helm said. "So he's a big part of the team that way. When he's back the team is a little more confident as well." The process coach Jeff Blashill often references is getting better, despite just a record with Datsyuk. Blashill called Friday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins at Joe Louis Arena his team's best game this season. It was the start of a six-game homestand that continues Friday against the Edmonton Oilers (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit Plus). Datsyuk, who had surgery on June 26 for a ruptured tendon in his ankle, seems to be improving each game. He has a goal in each of the past two games, including his 300th on Friday. "I have my legs," Datsyuk said. "Kind of every game is much better, the confidence and everything. Everything now slows down and I think it's more fun now." Said Blashill: "I think his game has grown every game that he's played. That goal (Friday) was a big-time goal. He's been really, really good. I think he'll continue to build. It gives us four lines that I think are going to be real successful." Datsyuk has played the past three games with Brad Richards, who missed the previous 13 games with a back issue, and Teemu Pulkkinen. "Richards is a good player, he can just handle a pass, the puck, and he can shoot and make plays," Richards said. "Same with Pulkkinen now. He just slows down and makes plays, and of course when you use him as a shooter it kind of makes it happen." Michigan Live LOADED:

7 Red Wings' best game of season blemished by another blown lead in the third period Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on November 26, 2015 at 6:05 AM, updated November 26, 2015 at 6:11 AM DETROIT The Detroit Red Wings' best performance this season was marred by another blown lead in the third period. After his team's 3-2 overtime loss Wednesday to the Boston Bruins at Joe Louis Arena, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said he told his players they'll win eight out of 10 times with this kind of effort. The problem was, despite their significant territorial and shots advantage (34-22), they couldn't sneak a third goal past former teammate Jonas Gustavsson. Then disaster struck, as Colin Miller hopped off the bench and blasted in a one-timer to tie the game with 1:44 to play in regulation. Three-on-three OT is a crapshoot, and Boston prevailed when rookie Frank Vatrano scored his second goal of the game at 3:22, redirecting a shot from Miller past Petr Mrazek. "It's disappointing," Mrazek said. "I think we played really well. We had lots of chances. We didn't give them many opportunities to score." The loss is tougher to accept against an Atlantic Division rival the Red Wings (11-8-3) figure to be battling for a playoff spot. The Bruins (12-8-1) have won four in a row. "We did some good things, but you want two points," Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "You have to get two points. You can't just get one or no points. You have to start winning games. "It's a division game, so it's a big game. Both teams wanted that extra point." The Red Wings took a 2-1 lead into the third period after Pavel Datsyuk scored his 300th career goal (2:26) and Tomas Tatar notched his seventh of the season (14:53) in the second period. Jeff Blashill breaks down Red Wings' 3-2 overtime loss to Bruins Jeff Blashill breaks down Red Wings' 3-2 overtime loss to Bruins It's not like the Red Wings took their foot off the gas in the third. They had ample opportunity to take a two-goal lead, but Boston hung around thanks to Gustavsson. The Red Wings have blown third-period leads in five games. They bounced back to win three of them in OT. "Before when we had leads, we kind of been on our heels a little bit," Zetterberg said. "But this time I thought we kept playing and kept having pressure on their D, but unfortunately that one was a tough goal." Said Darren Helm: "It's tough losing games that you got to hold onto and find ways to win. I thought we played great, so that's something to build off of. Obviously, we got to 7

8 find ways to hold onto that lead and find ways to win in overtime, but I think we keep moving, build off the positives that we did today and come back for next game." It was the start of the six-game homestand. The Red Wings host the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. "I thought we did lots of great stuff," Blashill said. "In a lot of ways, it was our best game of the year. We've got to find a way to score the third goal there.... We talked in the room, if we play 10 games like that we'll win eight of them so let's keep playing that way. "I thought in the O-zone we did some really good stuff; we were active, we created lots of confusion, we had net presence." But they left a point on the table due to their inability to seal the win in the third. Michigan Live LOADED:

9 Red Wings look to keep rolling vs. Bruins tonight Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 2:21 p.m. EST November 25, 2015 Detroit Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser and coach Jeff Blashill talk in advance of a game against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, Nov. 25, Video by Helene St. James / DFP Petr Mrazek, Reilly Smith Danny DeKeyser has 10 stitches on his right cheekbone and another five to the left of his mouth. "Rough week," he said this morning. "Pucks have just been finding a way to get up in my face." Better for the Detroit Red Wings, pucks have been finding a way into the opponent's net, which is why they take a two-game winning streak into their Thanksgiving Eve game against the Boston Bruins (7:30 p.m., FSD). The only change to the lineup that won the last game is in goal, where it's Petr Mrazek's turn to start. "We have been playing well," DeKeyser said. "All the lines have been starting to contribute a little bit more offensively, and we have been playing pretty good team defense, as well." Up front, the lines shape up as Henrik Zetterberg with Dylan Larkin and Justin Abdelkader, Pavel Datsyuk with Brad Richards and Teemu Pulkkinen, Riley Sheahan with Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar, and Darren Helm with Drew Miller and Luke Glendening. The defense pairs are Niklas Kronwall with Mike Green, DeKeyser with Jonathan Ericsson and Brendan Smith and Alexey Marchenko. The Wings have won their last two games on the strength of balanced scoring, with contributions from every line spanning the 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings and 4-3 overtime victory at St. Louis. It's only two games, but should good health continue, coach Jeff Blashill is confident in his lines. "It makes a huge difference, especially over the course of a season," Blashill said. "It's like having a power play with two units that can be real dangerous. You can't count on one line. "It's still real hard to generate, real hard to score, but we hope that that can continue. The way the lines are set up right now, I think it plays to each individual line's strength, and I also think it gives you a chance to have a little more balanced scoring. Obviously, when you win, you like it, and when you lose, you look to see if there are changes that make more sense." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

10 Red Wings' foreign players like Thanksgiving holiday Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 3:32 p.m. EST November 25, 2015 Niklas Kronwall remembers his first Thanksgiving. He was freshly arrived from Sweden and didn t know much about the holiday. It didn t take long to appreciate the annual feast. My first Thanksgiving was my first year over here, in Grand Rapids, Kronwall told the Free Press this week. (Teammate) Paul Ballantyne and his wife had myself and Derek Meech over to their house. It was a nice day, with the turkey and the gravy and the corn. I got a first taste of what it was like. It is definitely a nice time of the year. The Detroit Red Wings will have all day to celebrate, as coach Jeff Blashill ended up canceling a scheduled practice, partly because of the difficulty of getting to Joe Louis Arena due to the parade and Detroit Lions game. As it turns out, Blashill might have spent less time celebrating the holiday than some of his foreign-born players. Thanksgiving honestly hasn t been a huge holiday for us, because I have been gone tons through my years when I was a college recruiter, Blashill said. When I was an assistant coach, I remember having turkey sandwiches from a gas station one day on the road. That Iowa gas station in his past, Blashill is spending this Thanksgiving with his in-laws in the metro area. I love being with my family, Blashill said. Both my own personal my wife and kids but my sisters and brothers and parents. Any time I can get to be around family, it is my favorite thing to do. I am very blessed that I have a family that gets along great. Many players are celebrating. Swede Jonathan Ericsson said: We are going to a small gathering. It is nice to have a day to celebrate with family and friends. Alexey Marchenko, a native of Russia, said he knows the holiday began with Pilgrims giving thanks for their food. He got his own taste of the holiday food last year. My wife s Pilates coach invited us to come over and celebrate with family, Marchenko said. It was very cool to be a part of all the traditions. Food was very good. Teemu Pulkkinen, from Finland, also was initiated while with the Griffins. In Grand Rapids, we usually have team party, he said. Everyone who has family there is together. It was nice. Justin Abdelkader has celebrated the holiday his whole life but seeing it embraced by teammates never gets old. It s hard not to like a holiday centered around family, food and football, he said. It s a celebration to be thankful for everything that we are given, Abdelkader said. Guys enjoy watching football. The Lions always play, which is neat, because most of 10

11 the guys are Lions fans in here. It s a gathering with family or friends, for the guys that are not from the U.S. but enjoy eating food and hanging out and relaxing. Kronwall is a confirmed celebrant. This year he and his family are going to a neighbor s, where there will be no holding back. I try to eat everything, he said. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

12 Ferraro's return to Detroit with Bruins 'a little weird' Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 12:56 p.m. EST November 25, 2015 Detroit It was strange indeed for Landon Ferraro, as he was warming up with his Boston Bruins teammates, getting ready for Wednesday night's game at Joe Louis Arena. Not even an entire week ago, Ferraro was dressing in the Red Wings locker room just steps down the hall. On Wednesday, Ferraro was warming up with the Bruins, the team that claimed him off waivers Sunday. "A little weird for sure," said Ferraro, who earned an assist in eight minutes of ice time Monday in his Boston debut. "Going out to play soccer (in the hallway) and seeing people walking by, saying hi and well wishes, it's weird, but it's exciting (the opportunity with Boston)." The Red Wings exposed Ferraro on waivers last weekend knowing he was ready to return from a knee injury, but they had too many players for too few roster spots. Ferraro, 24, a 2009 second-round draft pick of the Red Wings, played in 10 games with the Red Wings but didn't have a point and was struggling to gain a permanent spot in the lineup. Going to the Bruins had he not been claimed, Ferraro was headed back to the minor leagues in Grand Rapids Ferraro sees an opportunity for himself to show he can play in the NHL on a regular basis. "I'm on a team I have a bit more of a chance, and I can play a bit more and try and contribute," Ferraro said. Ferraro had nothing but good things to say about coach Jeff Blashill; Ferraro credits the Wings coach for his development as a player. "Blash has been a big part of where I am today," Ferraro said. "When he got to Grand Rapids, I was trying to figure out how to get to the next level and what kind of player I needed to be on the ice. "Blash was a big help in that and I appreciate everything he's done." No damage to DeKeyser's game Danny DeKeyser was back at practice Wednesday morning after needing 10 stitches after taking a puck to the face the day before. DeKeyser also was hit in the face on a deflected puck Friday against the Los Angeles Kings. "It's been a rough week, the puck has been finding a way to get to my face," DeKeyser said. 12

13 Regardless, Blashill feels DeKeyser played one of his best games Saturday in St. Louis. "He did an exceptional job of breaking the puck out of our zone," Blashill said. "There were three or four times where he wheeled the net with the puck, shook off a forechecker, and made the pass. "When he does that, he's an elite defensemen in this league." Ice chips Wednesday's game will be the 200th consecutive sellout for the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena.... Another Bruins player who thinks highly of Blashill is defenseman Torey Krug (Livonia / Michigan State), who played for Blashill in junior hockey in Indianapolis. The undersized Krug (5-foot-9, 186 pounds) didn't attract many recruiters, but Blashill liked Krug's offensive skills and determination. "I owe a lot to Blash, he's the one who opened the door for me and gave me a chance," Krug said. "He's well prepared, loves to talk to hockey and he's always adapting to the game." Detroit News LOADED:

14 Krupa: Youth, injuries lead to inconsistency from Wings Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 6:48 p.m. EST November 25, 2015 At Thanksgiving, the Red Wings season is an uneven, injury-riddled performance with obvious bright spots and some good trends. They remained on the bubble for the playoffs throughout much of the first two months, despite difficulties, including sputtering offense and a sick bay too-often occupied by some of the key Red Wings contributors. Early in the fourth season of a self-described rebuild on the fly, the franchise and its followers pine for a deeper run in the playoffs. The prospects remain somewhat difficult to discern. And so, developments are significant. News: The Red Wings dispatched young, swift players such Tomas Jurco, Andreas Athanasiou and Landon Ferraro to Grand Rapids with waivers, while others who appear to hold less promise, especially considering their lagging offense, remain regulars in the lineup. Views: It takes all kinds, in life and the NHL. The fact of the matter is the roles of penalty killing, defense and what the denizen of Hockeytown like to call grinding are important facets of play, especially in the playoffs. If Jurco and Athanasiou could reliably kill penalties and constantly forecheck hard at critical junctures of games, like Drew Miller and Luke Glendening, they might well be in Detroit. If Ferraro were as big as Joakim Andersson, he might not play for the Bruins now. General manager Ken Holland is wise to consider size an important component of his team, in a league that is bigger and swifter all the time. The Wings properly seek the best mix of offense and defense, size and speed, skill and toughness, experience and youth. It remains entirely possible, meanwhile, the time for Jurco and Athanasiou approaches. News: With a growing stock of similar players at defense and the forward positions, as well as two correspondingly competent goalies playing about 50 percent of the time, the Red Wings have ample resources for a trade. Views: Yes, but this is not our father s NHL. Personnel rules, always a compromise between the owners and the players union, discourage anything approaching the multiplayer, blockbuster deals of yesteryear. That was increasingly true even before the salary cap made it mathematically challenging, if not impossible, to acquire a key player with a fistful of prospects. 14

15 That said, a significant acquisition before the deadline this season seems more likely than at any time since a more developmental phase for the roster began with the retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom. It requires shrewdness and ample fortunate circumstances to pull it off. News: The two-goalie system is working. Views: Sure is. Do not change it, even to the point of considering it a possibility for the playoffs. The tag-team approach to goaltending is a sparkling success, especially given the equanimity and leadership of the former regular starter, indeed all-star, Jimmy Howard, as the Wings properly perceived the need to play Petr Mrazek. And kudos to young Mrazek, too, for making it work, in the dressing room and, by all public appearances, with Howard. Shunning ego is harder than forgetting about the last goal. Beyond playing well, so far, Howard and Mrazek are proving admirable teammates and men. News: After some injuries, Mike Green, the key free-agent signing for the Wings through the last four offseasons, could be a significant force. Views: His impact is a key to the Wings season. Because of the Wings situation on defense, Green is more valuable in Detroit than he was in Washington, to the point some occasional defensive lapses are tolerable if his offense is productive. With Green, it is apparent the more up-ice rushes and pinches and shots from the point, the better. The loss of Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski, two splendid offensive defensemen, still affects the team. The Red Wings have some trouble exiting the zone and jump-starting their transition, although the trends are toward improvement. They also need reliable quarterbacking of the power play. Green s early years were like those of a future member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Injuries took a toll. So did some of the Capitals roster and coaching changes. But his situation in Detroit is nearly perfect: The Red Wings need what Green does. News: Jeff Blashill is through nearly two months of his rookie season as a head coach in the NHL, for one of the storied franchises. Views: It certainly could have gone easier. Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen, Green, Brad Richards and Brendan Smith all have missed significant playing time. The offensive failings perturbed some of the fan base, who, as evidenced by social media, laid a good chunk of the blame on Blashill. Unfair, even scapegoating. 15

16 What we know about Blashill, through 22 games, is he is smart and competent. Time will tell how well he draws it up and bolsters the troops in the playoffs, if the health of his squad affords that opportunity. Media and fan scrutiny is certainly greater in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, and even arguably New York and Boston, than it is in Detroit, especially early in the season. Regardless, the growing sense is Blashill is unflappable. News: Dylan Larkin is no flash in the pan. Views: For Red Wings fans, another item on the list for Thanksgiving Day! Detroit News LOADED:

17 Red Wings falter late, lose to Bruins in overtime Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 11:24 p.m. EST November 25, 2015 Detroit The turkey probably isn t going to taste as good for the Red Wings on Thanksgiving. They let an apparent victory slip away Wednesday, as Boston rallied for a 3-2 overtime victory. Frank Vatrano scored his second goal of the game, a redirected goal at 3:32 of overtime, giving the Bruins the victory. Boston s Colin Miller tied it at 2 at 18:16 of the third period, with a slap shot from the top of the circle that beat goalie Petr Mrazek. I didn t see the puck very well, didn t see the guy coming, Mrazek said. It was a nice shot by him. The Red Wings held Boston s top-ranked power play unit without a goal on three opportunities. The Red Wings outshot Boston 34-22, There were a lot of positives for the Red Wings, despite the final score. We did a lot of great stuff, coach Jeff Blashill said. In a lot of ways, it was our best game of the year. You have to find a way to score that third goal. When they hang around there, that can happen. Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Tatar scored second-period goals to reverse a 1-0 Boston lead, and Mrazek stopped 19 shots as the Red Wings (11-8-3) saw their three-game winning streak end. Boston (12-8-1) extended its winning streak to four. Tough loss, said Datsyuk, whose goal was No. 300 in his career. It looked like we played better. Sometimes it happens. You have to learn. Datsyuk joined Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio, Sergei Fedorov and Henrik Zetterberg as the only Red Wings with at least 300 goals, 500 assists and 800 points. Big milestone for me, Datsyuk said. I m happy. This was only Datsyuk s seventh game since he returned from offseason ankle surgery, and he appears to be gaining strength and confidence with each game. His game is growing is every game, Blashill said. He s been real good and he ll continue to build on it. Datsyuk tied it at 1 when he wristed a shot just under the crossbar past goalie Jonas Gustavsson at 2:26. 17

18 Datsyuk s goal began what was a dominant 20 minutes for the Red Wings. They outshot the Bruins 11-4 in the second period and only some good work from Gustavsson saved the Bruins. Tatar finally broke the tie with his seventh goal, at 14:53. Tatar came off the bench, took a pass from Riley Sheahan and beat Gustavsson from between the hashmarks. Very disappointing, Mrazek said of the Red Wings settling for one point. We played real well, had a lot of chances, and didn t give them many opportunities. If we play like that every night, we re going to win a lot of hockey games. Boston opened the scoring on Vatrano s second goal of the season. Bruins forward Joonas Kemppainen found Vatrano open in the high slot, and Vatrano beat Mrazek at 7:11 of the first period. The Red Wings matched Boston in going 0-for-3 on the power play, including two chances in the third period on which the Red Wings could have taken command of the game. You want to convert for sure, Blashill said. Lots of times they re pushing for (a shorthanded chance) and you get a little tentative because they re kind of taking a few more chances. But you have to have a killer instinct and score that third goal, whether it s 5-on-5 or on the power play. Detroit News LOADED:

19 Red Wings start six-game homestand against Bruins, who've won five in a row against them By Ansar Khan November 25, 2015 DETROIT The smaller Detroit Red Wings fared well against a pair of bigger, more physical teams, beating the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues on back-to-back nights. Now they face the Boston Bruins, another big club, one that has presented big problems for them recently, Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit). The Bruins have won five in a row from the Red Wings, dating back to Detroit's 2-1 victory in the season opener. Including the playoffs, Boston has won nine of the past 10 meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals. "They're big and strong and like to play the game on the wall and be on the cycle," Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader said. "Get the tempo as high as we can and play a fast game. I thought we did a really good job (against) two playoff teams that have Stanley Cup aspirations. Hopefully we can carry that over against a good Boston team that's also playing well." The Bruins (11-8-1) have won three in a row. The Red Wings (11-8-2) are in their past four and begin a six-game homestand. "A couple of good wins on the weekend and as I said to the guys today though, this is a relentless business and we better be good again tomorrow," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "But I like the fact that we've improved as a hockey team." The Red Wings' offense has perked up, with 12 goals in four games. The return of Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Richards provides more scoring options, enabling Blashill to dress three scoring lines. "That was something I felt could be a strength going into the year and it didn't play out that way the first 18 games," Blashill said. "But I still think it can be a strength that we can have depth of scoring throughout the lineup. However you want to list the lines one through four, any line has the ability to score." The Bruins can score, too. They're third in the NHL in goals per game (3.25) and first on the power play (32.3 percent). Many expected this non-playoff team from last season to regress further after unloading key players Dougie Hamilton and Milan Lucic in the offseason. "I think it comes down to good leadership and the structure they have," Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. "Their coach (Claude Julien) wants them to play a certain way and they know if they do that they're going to be successful regardless of who's on the ice. On top of that they have guys like (Patrice) Bergeron and (David) Krejci and (Brad) Marchand and big (Zdeno) Chara and (Tuukka) Rask in net, so it's not like they lost all their pieces." 19

20 Said Detroit defenseman Jonathan Ericsson: "They got some really good talent up front and they're hard-working guys at the same time. Feels like they give 100 percent every night. It's tough to play against a hard-working team like that. They're a big-bodied team; we just have to play a really fast game to beat those guys." Petr Mrazek will start in goal for the Red Wings. Julien did not reveal whether he'll start Rask or former Red Wing Jonas Gustavsson. Forward Landon Ferraro, claimed off waivers Sunday from the Red Wings, likely will play his second game for the Bruins. Michigan Live LOADED:

21 Red Wings lineup vs. Bruins: Jeff Blashill hopes to have found stability with line combinations Ansar Khan November 25, 2015 DETROIT Line combinations are bound to change, due to an injury or just a coach's desire to shake things up in search for a spark. But, perhaps for the first time this season, the Detroit Red Wings appear settled on line combination they hope will remain intact for a while. It helps when you're in the past four games and averaging three goals per game during that stretch. The Red Wings will go with the same lines tonight against the Boston Bruins at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit). "Part of it's lines and part of it's usage," Blashill said. "We've changed our thought process a little bit on that. The way the lines are set up right now I think it plays to each individual line's strength and I also think it gives you a chance to have a little more balanced scoring. "So far we like it. Obviously when you win you like it and when you lose you look to see if there's changes that make more sense. It doesn't mean you have to change. That's one thing we'll continue to evaluate as we move along." The return of Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Richards helps. "Pavel now is playing much closer to where Pavel is used to playing," Blashill said. "I think he thinks he's still got lots more in him, but from what I watched he's been real good. It gives you an elite player back in your lineup. There's only so many of those in the league. It allows you to move different guys around and also get different matchups and I think that can help lead to scoring." The Red Wings feel they have three scoring lines. "It makes a huge difference, especially over the course of a season," Blashill said. "It's like having a power play with two units that can be real dangerous. "Even the best players in the world I think are a little over a point a game. You need other people to score. You can't count on one line. I think the one thing we thought coming into the season was that we'd have balanced scoring. That didn't work out through the first games. It looks like it's moving a little more towards that way. It's still hard to generate and real hard to score but we hope that will continue." Here are the Red Wings' lines tonight: Justin Abdelkader-Henrik Zetterberg-Dylan Larkin Brad Richards-Pavel Datsyuk-Teemu Pulkkinen Tomas Tatar-Riley Sheahan-Gustav Nyquist Drew Miller-Luke Glendening-Darren Helm 21

22 Joakim Andersson (healthy scratch). On defense: Niklas Kronwall-Mike Green Danny DeKeyser-Jonathan Ericsson Brendan Smith-Alexey Marchenko Jakub Kindl (healthy scratch) In goal: Petr Mrazek (starting) Jimmy Howard The power-play units: Tatar-Zetterberg-Nyquist, Abdelkader (net front), Kronwall Pulkkinen-Datsyuk-Larkin (net front), Richards-Green Michigan Live LOADED:

23 Red Wings Gameday: Dylan Larkin riding four-game goal-scoring streak Ansar Khan November 25, 2015 GAME INFORMATION Who: Detroit Red Wings (11-8-2) vs. Boston Bruins (11-8-1) Where: Joe Louis Arena When: 7:30 tonight TV: Fox Sports Detroit Radio: 97.1 The Ticket and Red Wings radio network Social media: Follow MLive sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Twitter: Follow Ansar Khan and Brendan Savage Live coverage: Join our open thread at 6:30 p.m. GAME NOTES Dylan Larkin has scored a goal in four consecutive games, becoming the first Red Wings teenager to accomplish the feat since Steve Yzerman had two four-game goal streaks in Gustav Nyquist is the last Red Wing to score a goal in more than four consecutive games, fashioning a six-game streak from March 15-25, 2014 (nine goals). Larkin leads the club with eight goals. Pavel Datsyuk needs one goal to become the ninth Red Wing to score 300 for his career. He will become the sixth Red Wing to have 300 goals, 500 assists and 800 points, joining Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio, Sergei Fedorov and Henrik Zetterberg. Petr Mrazek is seeking his first career win vs. the Bruins. He is 0-2 lifetime vs. Boston, including a 3-1 loss at TD Garden on Nov. 14, with a 3.10 goals-against average and.893 save percentage. Former Red Wing Jonas Gustavsson is expected to start tonight. He is 4-1, with a 2.20 GAA and.914 save percentage, after joining the Bruins on a training camp tryout. Gustavsson is 2-0 lifetime vs. Detroit, with a 2.00 GAA and.947 save percentage. He faced the Red Wings twice while playing for Toronto. Landon Ferraro, claimed off waivers Sunday from the Red Wings, is expected to be in the lineup for the Bruins, playing on the fourth line with Max Talbot and Zac Rinaldo. Ferraro earned his first career assist in 18 games Monday in his Bruins debut vs. Toronto. The Bruins have won four in a row against the Red Wings, dating back to Detroit's 2-1 victory at JLA in the season opener. Including the playoffs, Boston has won nine of its past 10 vs. Detroit. Michigan Live LOADED:

24 First-period analysis: Bruins 1, Red Wings 0 Ansar Khan November 25, 2015 DETROIT A pair of former Detroit Red Wings helped stake the Boston Bruins to a 1-0 lead at Joe Louis Arena on Wednesday. Landon Ferraro assisted on a goal credited to Frank Vatrano at 7:11. It appeared, however, that Ferraro tipped in Vatrano's shot that beat Petr Mrazek. If not, it will be Ferraro's second assist in as many games with the Bruins, who claimed him off waivers Sunday from the Red Wings. Jonas Gustavsson, the backup goalie in Detroit the past three seasons, made 13 saves in his sixth start of the season. The Red Wings had a good first period. They were fast and generated second chances their forechecking, which resulted in good offensive-zone time. Michigan Live LOADED:

25 Second-period analysis: Red Wings 2, Bruins 1 By Ansar Khan November 25, 2015 DETROIT Pavel Datsyuk scored his 300th goal and Tomas Tatar scored the goahead goal as the Detroit Red Wings took a 2-1 lead over the Boston Bruins after two periods Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena. Datsyuk tied the game with his second goal of the season at 2:26, beating former teammate Jonas Gustavsson with a shot from right in front of the net. Datsyuk joins Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio, Sergei Fedorov and Henrik Zetterberg as the only Red Wings with at least 300 goals, 500 assists and 800 points. Tatar notched his second seventh goal at 14:53 on a shot from the slot. The faster Red Wings have outskated and outplayed the Bruins through two periods and hold a edge in shots. Michigan Live LOADED:

26 Red Wings lose lead late in regulation, fall to Bruins in overtime By Ansar Khan November 25, 2015 DETROIT The Detroit Red Wings turned in what coach Jeff Blashill called their best performance of the season Wednesday, only to have it spoiled near the end. They still skated away with one point, but felt they deserved two on this night. Frank Vatrano scored his second goal of the game at 3:32 of overtime to lift the Boston Bruins to a 3-2 victory at Joe Louis Arena. The faster Red Wings outskated and outplayed the Bruins much of the night, finishing with a edge in shots. Jonas Gustavsson, who joined the Bruins on a training camp tryout after three injury-plagued seasons in Detroit, kept his team in the game with some big stops. "I thought we did lots of great stuff," Blashill said. "In a lot of ways, it was our best game of the year. We've got to find a way to score the third goal there. Obviously they hang around and it's 2-1; that can happen. "I think when you go into overtime, you leave a bit up to chance," Blashill said. "We talked in the room, if we play 10 games like that, we'll win eight of them, so let's keep playing that way." Colin Miller tied it at 2-2 with 1:44 to play in the third period by blasting a shot past Petr Mrazek. "I didn't see the puck very well," Mrazek said. "I didn't see the guy coming for the onetimer, then I saw him on the last second and I just tried to be big in the net and get out of the blue paint. But it was a nice shot by him." Said Miller: "Loui (Eriksson) did a nice job of leaving it for me so I could walk into it and I just tried to go back left with (the shot)." Vatrano, appearing in just his seventh NHL game, then tipped in a shot by Miller in the OT. "Just put my stick down on the ice and it went it. That's it," Vatrano said. "Goal-scoring is funny. A lot of times you'll have five, six games where you get five shots a game and the puck doesn't go in. Then you have those games where you get a couple of shots and they both go in." The Red Wings (11-8-3) are 4-3 in overtime this season. They are in their past six games against the Bruins (12-8-1), who have won four in a row. "It's always hard when you don't get the points that you think you deserve," Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "I thought overall it was a good game. But it's a tight game. They played well, too, so obviously their second goal there when they tied it up, that was a tough one. I thought we played pretty good all the way in." Pavel Datsyuk scored his 300th goal and Tomas Tatar added a goal for Detroit. 26

27 Datsyuk tied the game 1-1 at 2:26 of the second period. He beat Gustavsson with a shot from right in front of the net. It was his second goal in seven games this season. Datsyuk joins Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio, Sergei Fedorov and Henrik Zetterberg as the only Red Wings with at least 300 goals, 500 assists and 800 points. "It's a big milestone for me and I'm happy to help my team with lots of good teammates," Datsyuk said. But, he added, "Tough loss and another lesson for us. Kind of looked like we played much better. Sometimes in the hockey it happens when you learn." Tatar notched his second seventh goal of the season at 14:53 of the second period on a shot from the slot. Riley Sheahan forced a turnover with a check on Dennis Seidenberg along the boards as the Red Wings applied pressure with a strong forecheck. It was the start of a six-game homestand for the Red Wings, who are at the Joe. Landon Ferraro assisted on a goal credited to Vatrano at 7:11 of the first period. It appeared, however, that Ferraro tipped in Vatrano's shot that beat Mrazek. It was Ferraro's second assist in as many games with the Bruins, who claimed him off waivers Sunday from the Red Wings. "Maybe not how we wanted to get a win but a win is a win," Gustavsson said. Michigan Live LOADED:

28 Red Wings postgame: Pavel Datsyuk's 300th goal overshadowed by Frank Vatrano, Jonas Gustavsson By Ansar Khan DETROIT -- If you missed the Detroit Red Wings' 3-2 overtime loss against the Boston Bruins at Joe Louis Arena, you should read the game story here. In any event, we've got you covered. Here's a quick snapshot: THREE STARS 1. Frank Vatrano: Frank who? On a team with stars like Patrice Bergon, David Krejci and Zdeno Chara, little-know fourth-line forward Vatrano did the most damage on this night. He tipped in Colin Miller's shot for the winning goal at 3:32 of overtime. He also opened the scoring at 7:11 of the first period. A healthy scratch the past two games, this was just the seventh career game for Vatrano. 2. Jonas Gustavsson: The former Red Wing raised his career record vs. Detroit to 3-0 with a 32-save performance. He made many key stops to keep his team in the game when the Red Wings were controlling the play. Gustavsson, who spent three injuryplagued seasons in Detroit, joined the Bruins on a training camp tryout. 3. Pavel Datsyuk: He tied it at 1-1 at 2:26 of the second period with his second goal in seven games this season, the 300th of his career. He joined Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio, Sergei Fedorov and Henrik Zetterberg as the only Red Wings to collect at least 300 goals, 500 assists and 800 points. BY THE NUMBERS 0: Combined shots on goal for Gustav Nyquist and Teemu Pulkkinen. 1: Alexey Marchenko assisted on Pavel Datsyuk's goal for his first point this season. 2: Goals in his past two games by Pavel Datsyuk. 6: Red Wings who have at least 300 goals, 500 assists and 800 points (Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio, Sergei Fedorov, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk). 6: Consecutive victories for the Bruins over the Red Wings since Detroit won the season opener between the teams. 7: Goals by Tomas Tatar, one less than team leader Dylan Larkin. 9: Faceoffs won by Riley Sheahan, who lost six. Bruins had edge. 23: Hits by the Bruins, compared to 14 for the Red Wings. 27: Minutes played by Niklas Kronwall (26:48 to be exact), a game-high. 34: Shots on goal for Detroit, its second-highest total this season. 300: Career goals by Pavel Datsyuk. Michigan Live LOADED:

29 Datsyuk scores 300th goal, but Wings fall to Bruins in OT By The Associated Press DETROIT >> The Boston Bruins are steadily gaining ground in their division. Frank Vatrano scored his second goal of the game at 3:32 of overtime, giving the Bruins a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night. Vatrano deflected Colin Miller s shot past Petr Mrazek for his third NHL goal. Just put my stick down on the ice and it went in, Vatrano said. It feels great. Really a big win for us. Miller scored the tying goal with 1:44 left in the third period, and Boston won its sixth straight against the Red Wings. Loui (Eriksson) did a nice job of leaving it for me so I could walk into it and I just tried to go back left with it, Miller said. Mrazek made 19 saves in the loss. I didn t see the puck very well, he said of the tying goal. I didn t see the guy coming for the one-timer, then I saw him on the last second and I just tried to be big in the net and get out of the blue paint. But it was a nice shot by him. Boston has won four straight games and moved past Detroit in the Atlantic Division with 25 points in 21 games. Detroit also has 25 points but has played one more game. Vatrano opened the scoring at 7:11 of the first period when his shot from the left point beat Mrazek. At 2:26 of the second, Pavel Datsyuk eluded Boston defenseman Torey Krug and shot the puck into the top left corner of the net. It was Datsyuk s 300th career goal. It s a big milestone for me and I m happy to help my team with lots of good teammates, Datsyuk said. He became the sixth player in Detroit history with at least 300 goals, 500 assists and 800 points. The others are Henrik Zetterberg, Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio and Gordie Howe. Tomas Tatar gave Detroit a 2-1 lead at 14:53 of the second when he drove to the net and beat former teammate Jonas Gustavsson stick side. The Red Wings carried much of the play in the second period, outshooting the Bruins In a lot of ways, it was our best game of the year, Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. We ve got to find a way to score the third goal there. 29

30 It was Tatar s seventh goal of the season, tying him for second on the team with Gustav Nyquist. Red Wings rookie Dylan Larkin leads the club with eight. Larkin had scored a goal in four straight games, but his streak came to an end. Gustavsson, who spent the last three seasons with the Red Wings, made 32 saves to improve to They came out and had a lot of pressure at the net, Gustavsson said. But what s important is we found a way to come back. Despite the positive outcome, Bruins coach Claude Julien wasn t too thrilled. The first two periods it was really frustrating watching our team play, Julien said. Our young guys came through tonight and we found a way to win, but we ve got to be better. NOTES: Landon Ferraro, claimed by the Bruins on waivers Sunday, played against his former team for the first time. Ferraro was drafted by the Red Wings in the second round in 2009, 32nd overall. Ferraro assisted on Boston s goal in the first period, his second straight game with an assist.... Boston s Chris Kelly missed his 10th straight game with a broken left leg and David Pastrnak missed his 11th game with an injured foot.... The Bruins have scored a goal in the first period in 14 of their last 16 games. Macomb Daily LOADED: