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Don't Look Now . . . Or Ever |
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Don’t look now.
Don’t look ever.
Entering Saturday’s game at Little Caesars Arena against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Detroit Red Wings, with 43 points, sit 12 points out of the third and final Atlantic Division playoff spot and 10 points in arrears of the second of two available Eastern Conference wildcard positions. The Hurricanes, with 48 points, are one of five teams between the Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who hold down the final postseason spot.
If you look at that list of teams, it seems insurmountable. If you do the math, it’s hard to make it add up to a positive outcome.
Which is exactly why the Wings feel it is wise to do neither.
“I figured it out a few years ago,” left-winger Tomas Tatar explained to Detroitredwings.com. “We won I think four in a row and we didn’t move anywhere, so that’s when it gets to you that it’s almost pointless to look at it.
“You have to pick up your points and make sure you know what points will get you in the playoffs.”
That being said, the Wings understand that wins over the teams ahead of them, such as the Hurricanes, are vital.
“I’ve said this lots, at some point very, very quickly here, we need to go on a run,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “But that only starts game by game and our focus is really to just win a hockey game here tonight.”
Glendening Update
Very soon, Luke Glendening will face up to the next challenge in his bid to regain his health and return to action. Glendening has missed 10 games since injuring his wrist while blocking a shot in a game at Philadelphia, and plans to begin taking faceoffs next week to see how his ailing wrist is healing.
“In the next couple of days here I’ll start to try them and see how it goes,” Glendening said. “It’s that tough line to walk of trying stuff too early and making sure you’re ready to play.
“The next couple of days here we’ll see where I’m at and make some calls from there.”
The news on the status of forwards Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm, both out with lower body injuries, wasn’t promising.
“I’d say Abby’s a little bit closer than Helmer,” Blashill said. “I think there’s some hope on Abby before the All-Star break. I don’t think with Helmer it’ll be ’til after the All-Star break.”
Lineup Change
The Wings will give defenseman Nick Jensen the night off as a healthy scratch and insert Xavier Ouellet in his place along the blue line.
“I think both guys are good hockey players and Jense has got the nod much more than X has,” Blashill said. “But I don’t think there’s huge separation between those hockey players. I think they’re both good players, So we’re giving X the nod tonight.
“When X plays his best, he manages his game really well and he can be a real good outlet passer. He can also play his off side so I think that’s important.”
Number One
The Wings now lead the NHL in one category. Jim Conacher, 96, a center with the team from 1945-48, is the oldest living former NHLer.
Conacher ascended to the throne Thursday when former New York Ranger Chick Webster died at the age of 97.
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Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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