Coach Blashill anticipates Bobby Ryan to be in the lineup tonight. #RedWings
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 20, 2021
Jeff Blashill said no further update on Red Wings G Jonathan Bernier (soft tissue lower-body injury), still day-to-day.
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) March 20, 2021
Blashill says he anticipates Cholowski playing Saturday against the Stars
— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) March 19, 2021
[Ed Note: Nobody shared lines in the skate this morning, but based on the 11/7 setup they’ve been using and the fact that both Ryan and Cholowski practiced on the PP yesterday instead of Svechnikov and Djoos, the lineup below reflects a best-guess]
Anton Khudobin in net for Stars tonight vs. Detroit.
Lots of game-time decisions concerning lineup.
— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) March 20, 2021
For more context on the game-time decisions:
He’s actually pretty good about it. Roope Hintz has a nagging lower body injury and doesn’t know if he is going to play until he gets to the rink for the game, so having him in and out is a huge factor in making the lineup. Cogliano and Pysyk are possible maybes tonight. https://t.co/TLwcX1eGYf
— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) March 20, 2021
Fabbri – Larkin – Mantha
Zadina – Namestnikov – Gagner
Helm – Glendening – Erne
Rasmussen – Ryan
DeKeyser – Hronek
Staal – Stetcher
Nemeth – Merrill
Cholowski
Greiss
Pickard
Benn – Pavelski – Radulov
Robertson – Dickinson – Gurianov
Cogliano – Faksa – Comeau
Caamano – Gardner – Kiviranta
Lindell – Klingberg
Oleksiak – Heiskanen
Hanley – Sekera
Khudobin
Oettinger
Take the lead early. The Red Wings don’t play well with Greiss in net when they get behind. There are a bunch of possible reasons for that, but an early lead takes pressure off a netminder that has bore the brunt of the loses this season and can help him build up some confidence.
Weather the storm. The Stars are all but guaranteed to come out fast in this one. Their season is beginning to enter into “we should definitely be worried” territory, and nobody in Dallas wants to see the team anywhere near these waters after coming two wins from winning the Stanley Cup in 2020. If they need to play some low event hockey to ride a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, so be it.
Play like you’re in the basement. The season is basically all over for Detroit. Barring a miracle run, they’re not going to make the playoffs (thus ruining one of my bold predictions!) Meanwhile, Dallas is feeling the heat. If Detroit can be the more relaxed and confident team (because what do they have to lose at this point?) and catch Dallas squeezing their sticks then Detroit can have a good chance to put together a winning streak for the first time this season.