They might be struggling to maintain third-period leads, but the Detroit Red Wings are still making their points.
Entering Thursday’s game at Joe Louis Arena against the Arizona Coyotes, the Wings have collected points in eight consecutive games (5-0-3). It’s their longest stretch since a 12-game points streak (10-0-2) from March 11 to April 3, 2010, during their late-season playoff push that year.
“We want points,… Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “You’ve got to grab as many points as you can when you can grab them.…
Emphasizing how tight it is, all eight of those Detroit games have ended as one-goal decisions.
“We’re not really running away with it, even if we’re grabbing points most of the nights,… forward Gustav Nyquist said. “But it’s good.
“It’s like this every season, you go through it and look at the standings, it’s crazy how tight it is. Every single game is important to get those two points.…
The Wings, who’ve won an NHL-leading five overtime games, have gone to overtime in each of their last five games. The Red Wings have never played in six straight OT games but have played in five straight two other times prior to this season, from Nov. 7-16, 2013 and March 26-April 3, 1997.
The Wings are on pace to play 32 overtime games this season, which would be the most they’ve played in a season since the NHL reintroduced OT in 1983-84. The current mark is 27 overtime games in 1996-97, the season that Detroit ended its 42-year Stanley Cup drought.
As much as they are happy about their streak of point producing, the Wings don’t want to de-emphasize their recent inability to protect leads.
“Getting points is huge for us but we’ve got to find a way to hold on to leads and increase our leads if we can,… forward Luke Glendening said. “We still haven’t scored a ton of goals but I think we’re playing better and it’s always positive to get points.…
Line Juggling You know things aren’t going well for Brad Richards when he’s put on a forward unit with Luke Glendening and Drew Miller and he’s the one among the trio with the fewest goals this season.
Still on the lookout for more balanced scoring from all his forward lines, Blashill will slot Richards on his fourth line with Miller and Glendening, while putting Teemu Pulkkinen back up with Pavel Datsyuk and Darren Helm.
“As you go through the season you go through different parts and you want to find ways to be as productive as possible with each line,… Blashill said. “We think this gives us a chance to be as productive as possible with each line.…
An off-season free-agent addition, Richards, who won a Stanley Cup in Chicago last spring, is still in search of his first goal of the season. He did score the shootout winner Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres, but in regulation and overtime play has one fewer goal than each of his new linemates, with four assists in 12 games.
“The biggest thing I’ve seen is he’s had an unbelievable, really good approach,… Blashill said of Richards. “His approach has been great. He wants to win badly. He does everything it takes to win.…
The only lineup change from Tuesday's game will see Jimmy Howard get the start in goal.
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