BACK AFTER THE BREAK
There aren’t any easy games left and the Wings will start their last push to secure themselves a position in the playoffs for the 23rd straight season against the Habs in Montreal tonight. The Atlantic Division rivals have split the season series so far, and on both occasions the home team took the contest.
Under a best-case-scenario type situation, Johan Franzen and Pavel Datsyuk will both be in the lineup tonight. Both will make the decision to play or not following the morning skate.
Should Datsyuk sit tonight out, it will be a tough pill to swallow after he played for Russia at the Olympics. His lower body injury has apparently not improved since before the Sochi Games, so should the magic man err on the side of caution and sit the game out, or return to the lineup to help the Wings when their playoffs hopes are resting on shaky ground?
Stephen Weiss was hoping to return to the lineup tonight but will miss tonight’s game in Montreal and tomorrow’s game in Ottawa. Weiss has had a disastrous year so far but all could be forgotten should he make a productive return to the lineup in the busiest month of the Wings’ season. Weiss is expected to return to action some time next week.
Jimmy Howard should get the start tonight while Peter Budaj will man the crease for the Canadiens.
Needless to say, these first two games against division rivals are huge in terms of the Wings playoff hopes. The Habs have a six point lead over the Red Wings and the Senators, who the Wings take on tomorrow night, are only one point behind. Should the Wings fail to earn at least a few points over the next two games, the Atlantic Division standings could look drastically different Friday morning.
PROJECTED LINES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
RED WINGS
Nyquist - Datsyuk - Alfredsson Abdelkader - Helm - Franzen Tatar - Sheahan - Jurco Andersson - Glendening - Miller
Kronwall - Ericsson Quincey - DeKeyser Lashoff - Smith
Jimmy Howard Jonas Gustavsson
Injuries: Weiss, Kindl, Zetterberg
CANADIENS
Pacioretty – Desharnais – Gallagher Briere – Plekanec – Gionta Galchenyuk – Eller – Bourque Moen – White – Weise
Gorges – Subban Markov – Emelin Beaulieu – Murray
Peter Budaj Carey Price
Injuries: Drewiskie, Bournival