Red Wings gear up for rare weekday noon game



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Ted kulfan

| Detroit News

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Detroit – You do not see very often, and especially during the week.

But the Red Wings will play the rare midday puck when they face Columbus on Monday at Little Caesars Arena.

It’s a holiday so there is that, but it’s always so unusual to play so early.

Athletes are creatures of habit, and trying their best, this game might throw some guys off balance.

More: Report: goalie Jimmy Howard to retire after 14-year career with Red Wings

“It’s really different,” said forward Robby Fabbri. “It takes me back to the junior (hockey) days where you play in the afternoon. It’s like any other game, you get used to it and adjust to the time.

“You’re doing the same routine – just earlier in the day.”

A big consideration for an abnormal start-to-game change, like Monday’s game, is the pre-game meal – and what and when to eat.

More: Helm resumes training with the Red Wings, but still has some way to go

Hockey players will typically have a meal that is high in carbohydrates and protein about 2-3 hours before a game.

But pasta and salmon may not come down easily at 8 or 9 a.m.

“There are obviously different things when it comes to playing, (but) I would say that in terms of the body clock, this (noon) is when we train every day, and they have been doing it for years. months, so I don’t. thinks it’s a huge adjustment, ”said coach Jeff Blashill. “The two teams are in the same boat. They (Blue Jackets) have a few more trips involved (coming from Nashville).

“Basically, what meal you eat and when you choose are a little different.”

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Wings coach Jeff Blashill talks about ‘competing like crazy’

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill talks about “competing like crazy” and getting ready for Monday’s noon game against Columbus.

Detroit News

Angry opponent

The regular season isn’t even a week old and the Blue Jackets are already in must-have mode, according to rabid fans on social media.

More: Bobby Ryan of the wings: “Excitement at an all time high”

Two straight losses to Nashville, plus commercial demand from star forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and a suspicious offensive attack have Jackets fans fear the worst.

But Blashilll sees it from a different perspective.

“We know how good Columbus is,” Blashill said. “They have one of the best defensive bodies in the league, two of the top 10 defensemen in the league (Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, from Grosse Pointe), they are extremely well trained and they play hard. It will be difficult to get (score) opportunities against them.

“We have to compete like crazy to win. We played well the first night (a loss to Carolina), but the second night we competed like crazy (a win) and that’s how we have to play to win.

Big night

Forward Filip Zadina got two assists on Saturday, setting up teammates Fabbri and Bobby Ryan each for goals, but it was also Zadina’s defensive work that was nice to see.

Zadina was impressive in training camp chasing and stripping opponents’ pucks, and after a poor first game of the season, Zadina was much more effective on both ends of the ice on Saturday.

“He strips the pucks, moves his feet, those (assists) were two huge games for us, balanced games,” forward Dylan Larkin said. “Hope this helps his confidence. This line with him, Fabs and Bobby has been great for us and we’re going to need it to be great all season.

Calm veteran

A notable difference on Saturday, because when Carolina drew at the start of the third period, there was no panic from the Wings.

Over the last few seasons, and especially last season, the Wings would likely have collapsed and lost control of the game.

But on Saturday, the Wings remained tied and eventually regained the lead and claimed the win.

Larkin credited the Wings’ array of new veteran faces, which certainly bolstered the roster – forwards Ryan and Vladislav Namestnikov, defenders Marc Staal, Troy Stecher and Jon Merrill and goalkeeper Thomas Greiss.

“I just felt a calm from a lot of new guys that we’re just going to keep going, we’re not going to be frustrated,” Larkin said. “We saw him a lot last year. We would start the third period and they would get a (goal) early and like they (the Hurricanes) did and that was it. We were in our own heads.

“I haven’t seen that from any of these guys. We just kept going.

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Twitter: @tkulfan

Blue Jackets at Red Wings

Faceoff: Noon., Monday, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

TV / radio: FSD / 97.1

Perspective: The Blue Jackets (0-2-0) opened the season with two losses in Nashville … The Blue Jackets are without former Red Wing LW Gustav Nyquist (shoulder surgery), who could miss the majority of the season … Both teams return to it on Tuesday in the fast and furious NHL schedule.

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