The Detroit Red Wings received some good news this morning, as defenseman Brian Rafalski will be returning tonight against Phoenix.
Rafalski has been out since the third game of the season because of knee surgery. Rafalski -- one of the team?s two right-handed shots -- should be helpful all around, as the forwards will benefit on breakouts from his crisp passes, and the power play will benefit from his shot from the point.
?It?s good for us, good for our power play,? coach Mike Babcock said. ?Good just in general. He?s a real good player. I don?t know how much he can play tonight, but he can definitely play on the power play, for sure. We?ll see what he does.?
Forward Drew Miller is drawing the short straw tonight up front, as Jiri Hudler remains in for a third straight game.
?No reason for him to be out -- he?s played good,? Babcock said of Miller. ?Bottom line, we?re trying to get it all figured out, and we wanted to have a center today. I said it before: I don?t like what I?ve done to my fourth line at all, and our penalty killing hasn?t been as good without those guys. And yet, I?ve still chosen to go that way. I like to reward guys that have played the best.
?I thought Millsie was fine the other day. I don?t think there?s any reason for him to be out except it?s my decision, and I?m trying to get some of the guys who -- ideally, their calling card is to be good offensively, to create offensively, so they?re getting the extra opportunity.?
Hudler has been on the fourth line since he was a healthy scratch for two games, but he always has gotten regular power-play time -- and done nothing with it so far.
?I?m looking for him to steal a top-nine job and get playing like he can,? Babcock said. ?The ball is in his court.?
Jimmy Howard is starting in goal. Backup Chris Osgood (groin) skated for about 20 minutes but didn?t practice with the team.
The lines for tonight are:
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom
Franzen-Filppula-Bertuzzi
Abdelkader-Modano-Cleary
Hudler-Helm-Eaves
On defense, it?s Rafalski-Ericsson, Lidstrom-Stuart, Kronwall-Salei (Kindl is scratched).
Rafalski has been out since the third game of the season because of knee surgery. Rafalski -- one of the team?s two right-handed shots -- should be helpful all around, as the forwards will benefit on breakouts from his crisp passes, and the power play will benefit from his shot from the point.
?It?s good for us, good for our power play,? coach Mike Babcock said. ?Good just in general. He?s a real good player. I don?t know how much he can play tonight, but he can definitely play on the power play, for sure. We?ll see what he does.?
Forward Drew Miller is drawing the short straw tonight up front, as Jiri Hudler remains in for a third straight game.
?No reason for him to be out -- he?s played good,? Babcock said of Miller. ?Bottom line, we?re trying to get it all figured out, and we wanted to have a center today. I said it before: I don?t like what I?ve done to my fourth line at all, and our penalty killing hasn?t been as good without those guys. And yet, I?ve still chosen to go that way. I like to reward guys that have played the best.
?I thought Millsie was fine the other day. I don?t think there?s any reason for him to be out except it?s my decision, and I?m trying to get some of the guys who -- ideally, their calling card is to be good offensively, to create offensively, so they?re getting the extra opportunity.?
Hudler has been on the fourth line since he was a healthy scratch for two games, but he always has gotten regular power-play time -- and done nothing with it so far.
?I?m looking for him to steal a top-nine job and get playing like he can,? Babcock said. ?The ball is in his court.?
Jimmy Howard is starting in goal. Backup Chris Osgood (groin) skated for about 20 minutes but didn?t practice with the team.
The lines for tonight are:
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom
Franzen-Filppula-Bertuzzi
Abdelkader-Modano-Cleary
Hudler-Helm-Eaves
On defense, it?s Rafalski-Ericsson, Lidstrom-Stuart, Kronwall-Salei (Kindl is scratched).
