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Datsyuk back as Wings ready to face Flyers |
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Last game it was Stephen Weiss. This game, it’s Pavel Datsyuk.
The Detroit Red Wings continue to get healthy and will welcome back center Pavel Datsyuk for Wednesday’s game at Joe Louis Arena against the Philadelphia Flyers following a four-game absence due to a lingering groin ailment.
He returns to action following a two-goal performance by Weiss Monday against Ottawa in his latest attempt at a return from sports hernia surgery, and Detroit coach Mike Babcock has opted to put them on the same line along with Darren Helm, all three of them centers.
“We might be the only line in the NHL with three natural centres, so we should have success on the dot, hopefully, and some pretty good skill with Pav and Weisser,” said Helm, a point Weiss also stressed.
“If we get kicked out of the faceoffs we should be OK in that department,” Weiss said. “We’ll just have to talk a lot and make sure that we’re communicating and talking before the game, because Helmer and I are playing different positions.
“I think Pavel will be alright.”
Signed last season as an unrestricted free agent after 11 seasons as a Florida Panther, Weiss never expected that when he joined Detroit he’d be lining up alongside three-time Selke Trophy winner Datsyuk.
“It’s special,” Weiss said. “He’s a guy I grew up watching, really and now to have a chance to play with him, it’s pretty cool.
“When I saw the sheet this morning I had a little grin on my face. He makes the game a lot easier for the guys that play around him, so I’m looking forward to that.”
They could also call this all-center group the M*A*S*H* unit. Between Weiss (140), Datsyuk (83) and Helm (83), the trio has missed a combined total of 306 regular-season games over the past three seasons due to a variety of injuries.
Tomas Jurco will drop to the fourth line and skate with Luke Glendening and Drew Miller. Henrik Zetterberg continues to work between Justin Abdelkader and Gustav Nyquist, while Riley Sheahan centers Tomas Tatar and Johan Franzen.
Forwards Daniel Cleary and Joakim Andersson are healthy scratches, as is defenceman Brian Lashoff. Defenceman Brendan Smith (infected hand) and goaltender Jonas Gustavsson (separated shoulder) remain on the injured list. Jimmy Howard gets the start in goal.
Stepping Up
Both Sheahan and Jurco struggled to find the net early in the season. Jurco went goalless through his first 14 games, while Sheahan tallied once in his first 16 games, but the sophomore forwards have kicked it up a notch since then.
Sheahan has goals in three of his last five games, while Jurco has a goal and three assists over his last four games.
“I think the biggest thing is I’m just trying to get the puck to the net a little more,” Sheahan said. “I’ve got a little more confidence when the puck’s on my stick.
“I think that’s the biggest thing and playing with some good players, we’ve had kind of a streak going here.”
Some will label it the sophomore jinx, but Babcock isn’t buying into that logic.
“I don’t know the answer to that,” Babcock said. “Tats struggled at the start. Sheahan struggled at the start. I don’t know the reason for it.
“The schedule is 82 games long and it’s a grind and they’ve been able to find their way out of it. They’re good young players, they really can skate, they’ve got good offensive skill, so over time you’d like to think they can score.”
In Sheahan’s case, the offensive outburst has led to a surge in confidence.
“I think earlier in the year I was playing fine, but I wasn’t really taking chances when I had the puck,” Sheahan said. “I was just a little conservative.
“Now I have a little more confidence when the puck is on my stick. I’m just going to just keep trying to throw it to the net and hopefully good things happen.”
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