Red Wings not concerned with recent struggles

[Mike 0]

The regular season could not end soon enough for the Detroit Red Wings, whose main goal in a weekend home-and-home series against the Chicago Blackhawks was to avoid injuries.

They accomplished that goal Sunday, but will stumble into the playoffs with a 3-6-1 record in their past 10 games after falling to the Blackhawks 3-0 at the United Center.

Detroit coach Mike Babcock was relieved to finish the season so his club can move on to face the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

"Basically, ever since we lost to the Islanders (2-0 on March 27) and it didn't look like we had a chance to win the Presidents' Trophy, it's been a long stretch for us," Babcock said.

"It's good that we got this over with and we got no one hurt in these two games. Now let's get going."

Babcock said he "would be shocked" if forwards Marian Hossa (pulled groin) and Kris Draper (upper-body injury) did not practice Tuesday and play in Game 1. The club did not bring captain Nicklas Lidstrom on the trip, opting instead to rest him.

Babcock said defenseman Andreas Lilja (concussion-like symptoms) is the only player who will not be available for the start of the playoffs.

The Red Wings are not too concerned about their recent struggles.

"You always would like to go in the playoffs rolling. We're not going in the playoffs rolling," Babcock said. "We'll get prepared.

"It's not like we haven't been through it before. We understand what it takes and how hard it's going to be."

How a team finishes the season does not necessarily carry into the playoffs.

"Every end of the season, we have small down (time)," Pavel Datsyuk said. "After we're down, we just keep going -- build, build, build. I think we're ready to go."

Goaltender Chris Osgood said Detroit has played better than its recent record indicates.

"I thought we played pretty good down the stretch, (but) got into a little bit of a lull," Osgood said. "I thought both (weekend) games we turned the puck over a lot less than we have in the past. If we take care of that and do the little things the Red Wings do, our talent will take over and that's how we'll win games."

Not a farewell

Babcock started and finished the game with Chris Chelios on the ice. Since Chelios is not expected to play in the postseason unless there is another injury, it might have been his final game as a Red Wing.

Chelios, however, said it was not his last NHL game because he intends to play somewhere next season.

Rookie Jonathan Ericsson's performance the past six weeks has earned him a spot in the playoff lineup.

"I've been told I'm here now if someone gets injured," Chelios said. "They're going to go with Jonathan it looks like. That was the whole idea, getting him the minutes he's been getting, and he's been playing real well."

Chelios is ready to step in if called upon.

"I've always said I'm a great insurance policy with the experience and leadership I've brought here the last 10 years," he said.

Babcock called Ericsson "our best player" on Sunday. He also was happy to give Chelios a chance to play in his hometown against his former team.

"He's been excellent for us this year in the fact that he hasn't played all the time, hasn't played a lot of minutes, and yet has been a real good teammate, real positive," Babcock said.

"That's not easy (for) a first-ballot Hall of Famer. The way he's handled himself has been fantastic and that deserves a little payback."

Odds & ends

• Datsyuk was held scoreless the past three games and fell three points short of becoming the first Red Wing in 13 years to record 100 points.

• Despite going 0-for-5 on power plays Sunday, the Red Wings finished the season with the best power-play percentage in club history (25.5 percent). Their previous best was in 1992-93, when they converted 24.2 percent of their chances.

• Jiri Hudler is the only Red Wing who played all 82 regular-season games this year.

MLive

[LidsFan 68]

Since the Red Wings are not worried about their recent play, I will have to worry for them.

Edited April 13, 2009 by LidsFan

[miller76 463]

Somebody should be concerned in this organization! If they are able to flip this infamous switch, and be this team to reckon with, I will shut up once and for all about the lack of drive and wilingness night in night out this team has posessed since opening night.

[dat's sick 1,002]

The games against and Minnesota and Buffalo gives me some faith.. they were kinda the games where they proved "okay, we can play good if we want to" and then they just coasted through the last 3 games.

And Ozzie has looked good lately.

Just a few days left now and we'll see if they should be concerned or not.

[Joe S 11]

Its nice to know the Red Wings arent worried. My daughter bought two tickets to Sunday's game in Chicago for me and my wife, paid over $100 each for them. We drove three hours to Chicago, sat surrounded by 22,000 Blackhawks fans( who were well behaved), had wonderfull seats, only problem was the Red Wings didnt show. The longest three hours of my life, besides the three hour ride home. The Wings should not forget that the fans ultimately pay their salaries, we did NOT get our money's worth this weekend. Joe S

The games against and Minnesota and Buffalo gives me some faith.. they were kinda the games where they proved "okay, we can play good if we want to" and then they just coasted through the last 3 games.

And Ozzie has looked good lately.

Just a few days left now and we'll see if they should be concerned or not.

[VM1138 1,921]

Apparently some magazines aren't worried either. I saw the other day that one of the big mags, I think it was Sporting News, picked the Lakers and Wings to win their respective playoffs. Kind of weird to see the Wings mentioned on the cover of a non-hockey mag.

[Chase 0]

Well good to hear. These guys know what it takes to win, and they say they are ready. Babcock included. I'm tired of speculating, c'mon Thursday get here already and lets get this thing rollin!

[Chunkylover 26]

It's easy to question whether this team can "flip the switch" in the playoffs, especially since the playoffs haven't started yet, but in order to inspire some confidence I would urge all doubters to look back at the '06-'07 and '07-'08 playoff runs as evidence of this team's ability to step up their game.

They know how important the games will be, they know they've lately been sloppy and uninspired, they know how good Columbus is.

Believe what you will, I trust them.

[Ms_Hockey 0]

It's easy to question whether this team can "flip the switch" in the playoffs, especially since the playoffs haven't started yet, but in order to inspire some confidence I would urge all doubters to look back at the '06-'07 and '07-'08 playoff runs as evidence of this team's ability to step up their game.

They know how important the games will be, they know they've lately been sloppy and uninspired, they know how good Columbus is.

Believe what you will, I trust them.

I'm with you on this. We have one of the most playoff-experienced teams in the league. If anybody knows that playoff hockey requires a completely boosted game, it's the Wings. We usually do pretty poorly toward the end of the regular season because our main focus at that point is not getting injured. I don't think we should be making any negative judgments until the first round actually starts. Just my two cents.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Ms_Hockey