Detroit Red Wings

Many Red Wings have grown this season, including the entire third line of Gustav Nyquist, Joakim Andersson and Damien Brunner, as well as defensemen Brendan Smith and Jakub Kindl.

The Wings won a big game in Chicago on Saturday afternoon to tie the series at 1-1. The next two games are in Detroit and if the Wings fans can get under Chicago's skin, they have a chance at the upset. You know what we say around here when it comes to hockey, "Its not the regular season, but rather the playoffs that count." And its not unusual for a #8 seed in hockey to make it to the Cup Finals. How many times in the past twenty years have the Wings finished with the best record and #1 seed only to be knocked out in the first round? Well turnabout is fair play I say. Do you guys agree that a new generation of Red Wings legends are being born in these playoffs? The Wings won a big game in Chicago on Saturday afternoon to tie the series at 1-1. The next two games are in Detroit and if the Wings fans can get under Chicago's skin, they have a chance at the upset. You know what we say around here when it comes to hockey, "Its not the regular season, but rather the playoffs that count." And its not unusual for a #8 seed in hockey to make it to the Cup Finals. How many times in the past twenty years have the Wings finished with the best record and #1 seed only to be knocked out in the first round? Well turnabout is fair play I say. Do you guys agree that a new generation of Red Wings legends are being born in these playoffs?

Detroit's captain seldom is talked about for Selke Trophy consideration as the league's top defensive forward, but there is no one the Red Wings would rather have matched up against the opposition's best player, like the Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews.

DETROIT – Everywhere Chicago’s Jonathan Toews went on the ice, Henrik Zetterberg was right there alongside of him. Detroit’s captain pestered, harassed and hounded Toews all through Game 2 and it helped the Wings even their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series with the Blackhawks on Saturday. And you could sense Toews’ frustrations after the game. “They were tougher on the puck and there was a lot of hooking and holding you couldn’t really go out there and skate with the puck,” Toews said after the game. “We’ve just got to be scrappier. We’ve got to find a way to get through that stuff and find our way to the net. We weren’t really battling for position out there.” Zetterberg did not read or hear of Toews’ comments after the game. “It’s real tight games,” Zetterberg said. “(There are) a lot to battles out there. He’s one of the best players in the league. He has a really good work ethic, a lot of skill. We’ve got to be ready for him (Monday).” Chicago did out hit Detroit, 36-26, in Game 2. “I think they’re a confident team whether they win that game or not,” Chicago forward Patrick Sharp said. “They know what they’re capable of doing and we know what they’re capable of doing. I think it works both ways. As far as pushing anybody around, I feel like we can be just as physical and it’s going to be a good series the rest of the way.” The Wings had a 43-24 advantage in hits in Game 1. Seeing Zetterberg have a little extra in his game come playoff time isn’t anything new for the Wings. “This time of year, he comes and he competes,” goalie Jimmy Howard said Sunday afternoon at Joe Louis Arena. “Most nights, he’s the best player on the ice. No different from (Saturday), the way he was all over Toews the whole game, shutting him down.” “He won the Conn Smythe, he knew how to play then,” Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “He’s a fierce competitor. His stats show he’s scores better at playoff time. He’s normally a slow-starter in the league, this is the first time he hadn’t been a slow-starter.” Toews was held off the scoresheet in Game 2, while Zetterberg assisted on two of the Wings’ four goals. “Jonathan Toews is a real good player,” Babcock said. “I’ve coached him. He’s immensely tough, he works hard and he knows how to play. He’s an Olympic champion, a Stanley Cup champion, a world junior champion. I would expect that he’s going to play hard in the series, I didn’t think he didn’t play hard (in Game 2) though.” Babcock made a concertize effort to have Zetterberg on the ice every time Toews stepped out. During one shift in the third, Zetterberg looked around while on the ice and couldn’t spot Toews and went immediately for a line change. “No matter who we’re playing against, their top guys, I thought it was easier on their top guys than it was on our top guys and I think that’s something we’ve got to look at,” Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. Although Zetterberg wasn’t credited with a hit in Game 2, he did his best to try and get a body on Toews as much as possible. “I’m sure it’s going to be just as physical as it’s been the last two games,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “Toews is one of the best players in the league and he comes and he brings it every night. That’s going to be a tough battle.” Zetterberg leads the team with 10 points this postseason. “I don’t think it was really physical the last game,” Zetterberg said. “I’m pretty sure both clubs have played more physical games than we did in Game 2. “You can’t just focus on Toews,” Zetterberg continued. “That line with (Brandon) Saad and (Marian) Hossa is a good line. You’ve got to play them as a five-man unit, got to be aware where everyone is. Their D jumps up in the play, so it’s not just one player, you have to focus on everyone.” The Wings expect the Blackhawks to push back in Game 3 Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena. “He’s stepped up so big for us,”

DETROIT – One mustn’t be a Blackhawks’ fan to appreciate the hair-raising excitement of being inside Chicago’s United Center during the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner” before a Stanley Cup playoff game. There’s a reason that the 19-year-o...

DETROIT – Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said he’s not going to change goalies after dropping Game 2. “We’re fine with Corey (Crawford) right now,” Quenneville said. “I like the way he’s played. He’s played very strong for us all year. (He had an) excellent first round and a real good start to this series.”

DETROIT – When Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock talks about Damien Brunner he always finds a way to fit in two words, “he scores.” Babcock is correct. Brunner netted his fourth goal of the postseason in Detroit’s 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 2 Saturday afternoon. “He wants the puck and he scores,” Babcock said. “Anybody who wants the puck and plays with the kind of speed he has is valuable. He’s going to get better just because he’s going to get bigger and stronger, he’s going to learn the league more. He’s better defensively already. We think we’ve got a good player.” The goal ties him for the team lead in the playoffs with Johan Franzen. He’s also second on the team, tied with Pavel Datsyuk in points, with seven. “He’s a sniper,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “That’s what he’s been doing all along for us, all season long. We’re happy to have him. He finds a way to get goals.” And Sunday’s goal was one where he just skated through the slot and redirected in soft, floating shot from the point by Jakub Kindl. “I really don’t think he has a clue what’s going on,” goalie Jimmy Howard said. “I don’t think he understands the realm of things, of what could possibly happen here as the playoffs unfold. He’s in a good mood every single day. He comes to the rink with a smile on his face and when he’s out there he’s doing the right things. He’s going to the net. When you’re out there and competing like he’s competing, pucks go in for you.” Brunner also netted the Wings’ lone goal in Game 1 and would have had a second one, but Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook was able to whack his shot out of midair to keep it from crossing the goal line. “He’s a smart player, he’s scored a lot of goals in his career, he keeps doing it,” forward Henrik Zetterberg said. Zetterberg has known Brunner the longest in the locker room after playing with him in the Swiss National A league during the lockout. “I saw that he was a good player,” Zetterberg said. “He’s really good offensively. He still has some to learn defensively. But when you start playing in the system, you start learning that and I think he’s been improving all year. “He’s strong on his stick, he’s strong when he battles for the puck,” Zetterberg added. “I think he improved a lot in protecting the puck. In (Switzerland) you don’t have to protect the puck that much in the offensive end, but I think he’s become a lot better since he came here.” Brunner’s first season in the NHL has had its share of highs and share of lows. In the third period of Game 3 in the Wings’ opening series with Anaheim, Brunner had the puck stripped away by the Ducks’ Ryan Getzlaf at the end of a long shift, just as a Wings power play was about to expire, and it led to Anaheim’s second goal in a 4-0 victory. In Game 4, Brunner followed up a rush by Gustav Nyquist and banged home the game winner in a Wings 3-2 win in overtime over the Ducks. “It’s a new experience, also the travel, going back and forth and playing every other day,” Brunner said. “We got used to that already during the season so that helped a little bit. But it’s fun. It’s intense and all the fans are into it so it’s a lot of fun out there.” Brunner also seemed to hit a wall during the regular season as well. After getting off to a torrid pace with 10 goals in his first 19 games to start the season, Brunner went 15 games without scoring a goal. He also found himself a healthy scratch one game during the slump. Since Babcock took Brunner off one of the top two lines, it has seemed to re-engage his forward and now that third line, which is rounded out by Nyquist and Joakim Andersson, is flying. “Obviously I’m happy that the puck’s bouncing for me right now,” Brunner said.

Veteran forward missed the final week of the regular season and first eight playoff games with a broken hand before getting cleared to play in Game 2 vs. the Blackhawks.

Brunner said he intends to profit handsomely after his Swiss beat the Swedes today for their first World Hockey Championship gold medal.

Mike Babcock does not believe home ice makes that big a difference in these playoffs. Jimmy Howard called Game 2 his team's best performance of the postseason.