If the Red Wings thought they were going to be home, watching Netflix or playing video games today they were sorely mistaken.
A none too pleased Mike Babcock called a practice Wednesday, which was suppose to be a day off, after his teams’ latest 4-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday night.
After starting out the season 5-0, the Wings have lost two straight, Saturday night to the Washington Capitals and Tuesday night to the Columbus Blue Jackets which ended up being Columbus’ first win of the season. Needless to say Detroit has lost these games by a combined score of 11-2.
”If you don’t do it in games, you can do it in practice, right?” Babcock quipped about today’s physical practice.
Babcock, who was left very bitter after his teams performance attributed the poor play to lack of preparation.
”I did the sleep test: I went to sleep, I was bitter, and I woke up and was still bitter,” Babcock said. “Normally, the sun gets up, and I’m having a good day. I bounce back real quick. Took me a little longer today.”
Just how long?
”Probably practice and the run,” he said, referring to his daily post-practice run. “When you wake up at 4 a.m., and you went to bed at 1 a.m., you’re probably not that happy. So then you get in here, you watch the game again, and you’re still not happy — you probably shouldn’t be.”
But “I’ve moved on,” Babcock said. “I get past things quick. I’m not a grudge holder.”
Fortunately enough for the teams life outside of hockey, the coaches bitterness had subsided.
Line Combinations
According to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press, the Wings’ top line in Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Dan Cleary remained intact during practice today. However this doesn’t mean that Babcock will tinker with the line combinations to try and spark the offense. These changes could include moving around Zetterberg who has only one goal in seven games.
”I had six different line combinations when I looked at my sheet after (Tuesday’s) game,” he said. “That means nothing’s going right.”
”I had six different line combinations when I looked at my sheet after (Tuesday’s) game,” he said. “That means nothing’s going right.”
Babcock also mixed up the defensive pairs having Nicklas Lidstrom and Jakub Kindl, Jonathan Ericsson and Niklas Kronwall and Ian White and Brad Stuart skating together. The usual pairings of Lidstrom-White, Kronwall-Stuart and Ericsson-Kindl also got some time together.
Musak getting better
Red Wings forward Jan Mursak was in the locker room Wednesday walking around without a boot after suffering a broken left ankle during a preseason game on September 29th.
”It feels good,” Mursak said. “At least I can walk normally right now, without the crutches. But I have to take it easy and walk kind of slowly. I’m still really careful; I don’t want to do something that will make it worse.”
MacDonald sent back to Grand Rapids
Goaltender Jimmy Howard was back with the team today after spending some time with his wife and new baby. With Howard’s return, the Wings reassigned goaltender Joey MacDonald back to Grand Rapids.
”Everything’s good,” Howard said of young James. “It was sort of a whirlwind, but it’s been a great couple of days for my family.”
Ref: Detroit Free Press
