Update (3:07 PM): Bruce MacLeod reports that Jiri Hudler (left shoulder) will sit out the game today. Hudler was hurt during the first period the Kings game, but played through it through the end, though he was limited to just 14 shifts and 9:13 in TOI.
Aaron Downey will dress instead and I assume that means Dallas Drake will also play. - Matt
The Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs meet this afternoon for the only time this season. The Wings won the last meeting, 5-1 on December 9th, 2006 in Detroit. It is their first trip to Toronto since December 6th, 2003, when they lost 5-2. Detroit leads the all-time series 274-272-93-0.
Dan Marouelli and Dean Warren will officiate the game. David Brisebois and Greg Devorski will man the lines.
The Maple Leafs are 7-9-1 thus far in 2008, with five of those losses coming together from January 3rd to January 12th. They won their three games from January 15th to January 19th, but are 2-3-1 since. They lost to Washington, St. Louis, and Carolina (OT) before pulling out a win over the Senators on February 2nd. Three nights later, they lost 8-0 to Florida, but they rebounded from that embarrassment with a 4-2 win over Montreal on the 7th.
The Leafs are last in the Northeast Division with 53 points and are 14th in the East. They are four points from last place in the League.
Toronto will be without Alexei Ponikarovsky (shoulder), Mark Bell (orbital bone), Chad Kilger (personal) and Daryle Boyce (shoulder).
The Globe and Mail reports that Alex Steen (shoulder) will return this afternoon. Bryan McCabe (broken hand) returned to the lineup Thursday. Nik Antropov will be free to return from a three-game suspension.
Mats Sundin leads the team in goals (22), assists (35) and points (57). Antropov (18), Ponikarovsky (13), Matt Stajan (12), Jason Blake (11), and Steen (10) are the other Leafs with double-digit goals. Former Red Wing Boyd Devereaux has seven goals and nine assists. McCable has just four goals and eight assists. Niklas Kronwall’s brother, Staffan, has zero points over ten games and hasn’t played since December 4th.
It looks like Vesa Toskala will get the nod for the Leafs today.
For the Leafs’ perspective, see No Stanley Cups Allowed, Battle of Ontario, Bay Street Bullies, Bitter Leafs Fan Page, Bring Back Potvin (preview here), Buds Banter, and Pension Plan Puppets (preview here).
The Wings are 12-3-1 in 2008 thus far. Three of their losses came in a clump in middle of January and snapped a four-game win streak that started the year. After a loss to Atlanta on the 15th, they rattled off eight straight wins, but that stretch ended Thursday night with their 5-3 loss to the Kings.
Detroit is first in the League with 86 points, 15 ahead of the #2 team, Dallas.
Henrik Zetterberg scored his team-leading 32nd and 33rd goals Thursday night. Pavel Datsyuk leads the team with 47 assists and his 65 points are second-best to Zetterberg’s 68. Dan Cleary (20), Tomas Holmstrom (20), Datsyuk (18), Valtteri Filppula (15), Jiri Hudler (11), Brian Rafalski (10), and Johan Franzen (10) are the other Wings with 10 or more goals.
Niklas Kronwall (clavicle) is the only injured Red Wing at the moment. Derek Meech will fill in for the fourth straight game.
Matt Ellis was in the lineup Thursday night at Dallas Drake’s expense. I suspect there’s a chance Babcock will go with Aaron Downey today, which would mean Drake would sit another game.
Projected lines:
Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom
Samuelsson-Filppula-Cleary
Franzen-Draper-Maltby
Kopecky-Hudler-Downey
Projected pairings
Lidstrom-Rafalski
Lebda-Lilja
Meech-Chelios
Dominik Hasek will be in net for the Wings.
For more of the Wings’ perspective, see Snapshots, Abel to Yzerman, HockeyTownTodd, Behind the Jersey, No Pun Intended, Red Wings Nation, yzerman is god, Detroit Hockey, LetsGoWings, and Winging It In Motown.
Todd has his numbers posted here. OklahomaWingNut’s GDT is here.
This is obviously a big prestige game for both teams. Although the Leafs have struggled greatly this season, a win in the media storm in Toronto on Hockey Day in Canada would be definite boost to the Wings as they head into another big prestige game tomorrow. For the Leafs, a win over the top team in the League would be huge for team morale.
The Wings were embarrassed Thursday night and that should not bode well for Toronto as Detroit will be looking to rebound in a big way.
This is definitely one of those days where I wish I was at home in the Detroit area rather than here in West Michigan where CBC is not offered.
I’m glad I have Center Ice for days like this, but WHY do they have to mute out the HNIC theme song? It happens every week. They don’t mute out the “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” theme, which I always enjoy, but it still gets annoying. CBC must have exclusive rights to the HNIC theme or something and not allow Center Ice to use it.
Poor Cleary…
It’s been a strange game so far. Not many stoppages early on and a lot of blocked shots. And then the Leafs goal off Lidstrom’s skate from a bad angle.
Poor Cleary indeed. That had to hurt. I haven’t heard any further details about how serious it is, though.
I hope this game opens up a little more. That first period was pretty low-key. The Wings don’t look like themselves and the Leafs seem content with a one-goal lead.
The Red Wings have not been to Toronto in over FOUR years? That is a crime, Gary.
Sloppy pass by Zetterberg led to turnover and OT goal for the Leafs. It wasn’t the most exciting game, but I was glad to see the Leafs win considering it’s Hockey Day in Canada and their fans have dealt with enough garbage this season. Hopefully they smarten up and keep Sundin around.