Player News - Red Wings

Date: Team: Pos:

Jakub Kindl is finally getting a chance to be a regular defenseman and has three assists and a plus-3 rating in 10 postseason games.

Kindl settled into his role midway through the regular season after spending the past two years as an extra defenseman. With Brad Stuart and Nicklas Lidstrom no longer in Detroit, the Red Wings needed the former first-round pick to step up. Kindl has been huge for us," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "He's found confidence." Kindl credits the new confidence to the lockout, when he played major minutes for a team in the Czech Republic. "Once the season started, I came here and was I ready," Kindl say.
May 21 - 9:44 AM

The Detroit Red Wings had a familiar refrain after Monday's Game 3 win, telling reporters "we haven't done anything yet."

It's the sound of a team with veteran leadership and a weathered coach who's seen far too much to think anything is assured beyond Detroit's 2-1 series lead. Still, it's impressive that a Red Wings team that had to win out the last week of the season just to make the playoffs has put the rival Blackhawks on their heels for probably the first time all year. "Let's be honest, we haven't done anything yet," coach Mike Babcock said. "As the year has gone one we've gotten better. You have to play good enough and long enough to get some confidence."
May 21 - 9:33 AM

Drew Miller's goal 8:20 into the second period turned out to be the game winner in Monday's 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Miller's goal wasn't nearly as pretty as some of the others scored Monday night, but that doesn't make it any less important. The gritty winger charged the net and swatted home the rebound of a Patrick Eaves shot only 30 seconds after Gustav Nyquist made it 1-0 for Detroit. Miller also logged a shift of 3:15 early in the second period, most of which was spent in the defensive zone and started with the tail end of a Blackhawks power play.
May 20 - 10:53 PM

Pavel Datsyuk threaded a goal just under the crossbar at 6:46 of the third period in Monday's 3-1 Game 3 win.

Datsyuk's goal came just over 2 minutes after the Blackhawks had cut Detroit's lead to 2-1 and not long after the referees negated Chicago's game-tying goal with an interference call. The goal itself was vintage Datsyuk and eerily similar to one he scored against Anaheim in the first round, with Datsyuk streaking into the zone and roofing the puck shortside just over Corey Crawford's shoulder. Datsyuk shot the puck so perfectly it rang in and out of the net fast enough for the TV announcers to think he hit the crossbar.
May 20 - 10:40 PM

Jimmy Howard stopped 39 of 40 shots in Monday's 3-1 win to help the Detroit Red Wings take a 2-1 series lead over the Chicago Blackhawks.

After facing just 20 shots in Game 2, Howard was under constant threat Monday night. He also got the benefit of the crossbar stopping Viktor Stalberg and an interference call negating what would've been the game-tying goal in the third period. Still, it's hard to deny that Howard was one of the better Red Wings on the ice and one of the main reasons Detroit has a real change to upend the favored Blackhawks.
May 20 - 10:33 PM

The Red Wings aren't expected to make any changes to their lineup entering Game 3 Monday night.

That means that Todd Bertuzzi and Mikael Samuelsson will probably remain as healthy scratches. The two teams have each won one game with the semifinal series shifting to Detroit. "Now it's a best-of-five," coach Mike Babcock said. "Not much to pick between the two teams the first two games. They were better than us in Game 1. We were better than them in Game 2. Series starts all over here today, and I imagine you'll have to up the ante to win here today. We're excited to play at home, as usual. We have good fan support."
May 20 - 2:45 PM

Mikael Samuelsson is still day-to-day with a sore pectoral muscle.

Samuelsson originally sustained the injury on March 31 and returned to play in the first round against the Ducks, playing in the final five games of the series. He had a goal and an assist against Anaheim but has yet to play in round 2. Consider him questionable for Monday's contest.
Source: NHL.com
May 20 - 8:07 AM

Mike Babcock is having a great time coaching the Detroit Red Wings in the 2013 playoffs.

"It’s fun, it's the most fun I've had coaching in a couple of years, by far," Babcock said. "Just because we've got an enthusiastic group. Not that we didn't before, but we've got a really enthusiastic group. We've got good leadership. At the start of the year, we weren't a good team, but we understand that. We buckled down and we got better. The coaching staff is fun, the players are fun, it's been a fun year for us." The Red Wings hope the fun continues tonight as they meet the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Western Conference semi-finals.
May 20 - 7:56 AM

Mike Babcock is a lot happier these days as he has three good offensive lines.

The third line of Joakim Andersson, Damien Brunner and Gustav Nyquist has been outstanding for the Detroit coach as he put the trio together late in the regular season when the Red Wings promoted Nyquist and Andersson from the minors and dropped Brunner from the top line. "The Andersson line has been a key for us because we got worked in the three line the first two or three months (of the regular season)," Babcock said. "We couldn't handle it."
May 20 - 7:47 AM

Damien Brunner is excelling on the third line with fellow rookies Joakim Andersson and Gustav Nyquist.

Brunner has four goals and seven points in nine playoff games to lead all first year players. Brunner is not actually considered a rookie because of his age but it is his first season in the NHL after a very good career in Europe. He played a lot of the regular season with Henrik Zetterberg but his play in the playoffs has been excellent as a third line player. "I really don't think (Brunner) has a clue what's going on," Jimmy Howard said with a chuckle. "I don't think he understands the realm of things and what can possibly happen as the playoffs unfold. He's in a good mood every single game. We got a lot of guys with a lot of energy, and you can just see the excitement on their faces."
May 20 - 7:36 AM

Niklas Kronwall picked up his second point of the playoffs Saturday.

After a 29 point performance in 48 regular season games, Kronwall has struggled in the playoffs offensively as he has only two assists in nine games. He assisted on Johan Franzen's third period goal, along with Jonathan Ericsson. Kronwall needs to pick it up offensively for the Red Wings if Detroit has any hope in moving on to the Western Conference final.
May 19 - 7:26 AM

Daniel Cleary had one assist on Saturday.

Cleary is having a good offensive playoff with two goals and four assists in nine games. Kudos if you picked him late in your playoff pool.
May 19 - 7:21 AM

Coach Mike Babcock was very pleased to have Drew Miller back in the lineup.

Miller was out of the Detroit lineup since April 20 with a hand injury before returning Saturday. "I've got three penalty killers now on the fourth line," Babcock said. "Millsie knows how to play in all positions and he can really skate and get on the forecheck. He's not a big man but he's got a great stick and knows how to play, and so he makes us a much better team." Miller's return to the lineup bumped Todd Bertuzzi to the press box.
May 19 - 7:17 AM

Henrik Zetterberg had two assists in the Red Wings 4-1 win Saturday.

The captain of the Red Wings moved into a tie for fourth place in NHL scoring as he now has 10 points in the playoffs, including three goals. He played 19:38 minutes Saturday and was the second star of the game.
May 19 - 7:06 AM

Johan Franzen scored his fourth goal of the playoffs Saturday.

Franzen broke out of scoring slump with his third period goal as he had gone the previous six games without a goal and the last three games without a point. The Red Wings are looking for the talented Franzen to be a difference maker in their series against the Blackhawks and Saturday's game could be the starting point.
May 19 - 7:02 AM


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