DETROIT - The last two seasons have been full of drama for the Detroit Red Wings a€” just not in the way the franchise is accustomed to.
[b]Custom Carolina Panthers Jerseys[/b] .Coach Mike Babcocks team has had to scramble to extend its streak to 23 consecutive post-season appearances, and although thats certainly a remarkable accomplishment, the Red Wings were hardly considered major contenders for the Stanley Cup. They havent reached the conference finals since 2009, a year after the team won its most recent championship.Detroit lost a franchise-record 421 games to injury last season, so in a sense it was encouraging that the Red Wings were still able to make playoffs. Younger players like Gustav Nyquist showed promise a€” but a five-game loss to Boston in the first round of the post-season suggested there was a wide gap between Detroit and the elite teams.We have a good team and we proved we can do good things last year. We werent 100 per cent healthy, centre Darren Helm said. This year, were hoping to stay healthy and weve got guys that can hopefully gel together.The Red Wings were unable to add any bona fide stars to their roster this off-season, so theyll hope the experience the younger players gained last season will pay dividends. Theyre also counting on better health, especially for some of their aging standouts. Henrik Zetterberg missed two months recovering from back surgery in 2013-14, and Pavel Datsyuk was bothered by an ailing left knee.Daniel Alfredsson, who tied for the team lead with 49 points last season, was nursing a sore back all off-season, and the 41-year-old wingers future remains in doubt.Detroit hopes the team-wide health problems last season at least left the Red Wings with more experienced depth.If you just look at the kids that came up last year and what they did, Zetterberg said. They basically carried us in the playoffs. Now when everyone is healthy here and we have those guys, it is exciting to see what we will do. Well be a fast team this year with a really good mix of old guys and young kids.Here are some things to watch in Detroit this season:BABCOCKS FUTURE: General manager Ken Holland signed a new deal in the off-season through the 2017-18 season. Now the focus turns to Babcock, who has one year remaining on his contract.Theres no doubting Babcocks status among the games top coaches, and keeping him could be crucial for what has been one of the leagues most stable franchises.UP AND COMING: Nyquist led the Red Wings with 28 goals despite playing only 57 games last season, and 23-year-old Tomas Tatar was second with 19.Youngsters Danny DeKeyser, Brendan Smith and Brian Lashoff became a big part of Detroits rotation of defencemen.Our younger guys took huge steps last year, said defenceman Niklas Kronwall, who matched Alfredsson with 49 points. DK, Smitty, Lash a€” these guys played in some big games and got a taste of the playoffs.FRANZENS PRODUCTION: Johan Franzen scored 29 goals in 2011-12 a€” but he has only 30 over the last two seasons combined and has had to deal with concussion problems.I want to be a factor up front, Franzen said. We want to spread it out, but still Im one of the guys that should be scoring.IN GOAL: Goalie Jimmy Howard posted a 2.66 goals-against average last season, the second-worst of his career over a full season. His save percentage also dipped from .923 in 2012-13 to .910.UPGRADES?: Despite the franchises rich history and commitment to winning, Detroit has had a hard time luring top free agents over the last few offseasons. One player the Red Wings did sign in 2013, Stephen Weiss, is hoping to rebound after having sports hernia surgery last season and playing only 26 games.Its great to see the guys healthy, Zetterberg said. Just be out here and really have an honest chance to show what he can do. Hes a great player. We all know that. He went through a tough year last year, but he looks good out there and hes going to be good for us this year.
[b]Ian Thomas Jersey[/b] . This time, it was Eric Chavezs turn. Stuck in a rut since coming off the disabled list, Chavez hit the first pitch he saw in the ninth inning for a run-scoring single, sending the Diamondbacks to another walk-off victory, 4-3 over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.
[b]Dontari Poe Panthers Jersey[/b] . Raymond, 31, started 15 regular-season games for the Stamps in 2013, racking up 51 tackles. He also returned two kickoffs for 79 yards including a 61-yarder.CHICAGO -- The Pittsburgh Penguins were wrapping up practice Friday when Tanner Glass grabbed an iPad mini and skated around the temporary rink in the middle of Soldier Field. The 30-year-old Canadian forward smiled as he captured the chilly scene, which took him all the way back to when he first learned to skate at his grandparents farm. "As I grew up, there was an outdoor rink right beside by the main rink," said Glass, a native of Regina, Saskatchewan. "So even tournaments, wed have our real game inside and then wed all just take half our gear off and run across to the outdoor rink and play all day. It reminds me of that and kind of the good old days." Yup, these outdoor games still have an allure for NHL players, especially when they involve two of the best teams in the league. The league gets a marquee prime-time finish for its successful Stadium Series when Sidney Crosby and the Penguins take on Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night at the home of the NFLs Chicago Bears. "Youve got two pretty fast, skilled hockey teams and if the ice can kind of agree with everyone I think that would make for a pretty good product out there," Crosby said. The forecast calls for light snow and temperatures in the teens, but each team has some experience with the pratfalls of playing outside. Chicago lost 6-4 to rival Detroit in the 2009 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. Crosby had the winning shootout goal when visiting Pittsburgh beat Buffalo 2-1 in the first Winter Classic in 2008, but the Penguins lost 3-1 to Washington when they hosted the 2011 game at Heinz Field. Now the Blackhawks and Penguins return to the great outdoors for their first meeting since Pittsburghs 3-2 victory on Dec. 20, 20011.
[b]D.J. Moore Jersey[/b]. Its their first game in Chicago since Patrick Kane had the only shootout goal in the Blackhawks 3-2 win on Feb. 20 of that year. While scheduling and the leagues most recent labour dispute have kept the teams apart, the players are plenty familiar with one another. Team captains Crosby and Toews face off for the first time in an NHL regular-season game after leading Canada to the gold medal in the Sochi Olympics last weekend. Crosby, Toews and Penguins forward Chris Kunitz scored in their countrys 3-0 victory in the final against Sweden, which included Marcus Kruger, Johnny Oduya and Niklas Hjalmarsson of the Blackhawks. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma got a chance to see Kane up close when he was behind the bench for Team USA in Russia. "Ive learned quite a bit about his competitiveness," Bylsma said. "You kind of see the smile. Its certainly a ton of skill how he plays the game, but I was impressed by it and learned just the competitiveness that he has and brings to the game. Skill-wise you see it live." The first NHL game at Soldier Field also features two teams in need of a win. The Penguins are coming off a 6-5 shootout loss to Montreal, while the Blackhawks lost 2-1 at the New York Rangers on Thursday night. Chicago, which almost tied the game against the Rangers in the final seconds, is playing its first game in the Windy City since Jan. 26. "Everybody is excited for Saturday," centre Peter Regin, who scored the only goal against New York, said Thursday night. "Obviously we were hoping to get a different outcome tonight, but we play in two days. That is the good thing about the NHL, you play every second night, so its not so long before you can redeem yourself."
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