Jeff Riger: Wings Ready To Crown The Kings
The theme at Red Wings practice on Tuesday morning seemed to be that of a refreshed feeling, as Detroit has had a couple of days off and now get ready to take on the LA Kings at the Joe on Wednesday night. The Wings have lost a couple of heartbreakers in a row and with just 16 games left to go in the regular season and the Western conference being so close, the team is preaching quality, consistent play on both ends of the ice. If the playoffs were to start today, Detroit would be a 2 seed which is not bad at all, however the 8th seed in the conference is the Kings who are just 9 points behind the Wings which means in the next month anything is capable of happening.
Mike Babcock saying to the media after practice that "anybody that has been around this team for a while knows what winning is like. They know what it tastes like, what it feels like, knows what it smells like so we want to get that feel, that smell, that tastes back, so we have an opportunity to do it, let's do something with it." Babcock also referenced Detroit's last game, a contest against the Coyotes where the Wings led 4-1 to start the third period and ended up losing 5-4 in a shootout. "I can talk until I'm blue in the face, it doesn't really much matter, but when you are up 4-1 in a game and you continually turn the puck over to get the other team back in the game, and I think there has to be a message sent there somewhere."
Nick Lidstrom also talking at practice and this seems to be the time of year when the media starts to inquire on if the Captain will be back next season. "No I haven't made a decision, one way or the other" said Lidstrom. I'm going to play the year out and then I have to figure things out after the season just like I did last year. I'm not really considering it now." With Lidstrom's future uncertain, he did let on that he is very happy that he came back this season as he is yet again a candidate for the Norris Trophy that goes to the best Defenseman in the game.
Other notes from practice had Henrik Zetterberg saying that he would love to Pavel Datsyuk all the time, but will do and play wherever Babcock wants him to. Also Chris Osgood is practicing once again and sharing a net with Joey MacDonald. Babcock hopes to get Ozzie in net in the 2nd game of a back to back coming up sometime this month. Todd Bertuzzi also talking after the skate and claims that he feels Red Wing fans have fully embraced him.
Wings play the Kings at the Joe on March 9th at 7:10pm on "The Ticket" Also watch the videos below for the full interviews from players and Babcock.
