Notes: Mantha leads team in goals, looking for more

BOSTON -- Anthony Mantha was one of the 12 Red Wings skaters to take the ice for an optional practice at Boston's TD Garden Monday afternoon.
The team arrived in town late after Sunday's game in Minnesota so many players opted for just off-ice work.

Mantha, 23, leads the team in goals with 21 and would like to have more, especially when the team is going through an offensive slump.
"Obviously, you want to score more," Mantha said. "You always want to help the team more. From that aspect it's been good. I think it could be even better. This season's not over for sure, but obviously you want to score more goals to help the team win."
The Wings have scored 170 goals. In the Eastern Conference, only the Montreal Canadiens (167) and Buffalo Sabres (154) have scored fewer.
In the Western Conference, only the Arizona Coyotes with 155 have scored fewer goals.
The Wings did make some line changes in Minnesota to try to provide a spark.
Mantha moved onto a line with Dylan Larkin and Justin Abdelkader; Tyler Bertuzzi moved back up to be with captain Henrik Zetterberg and Gustav Nyquist; Andreas Athanasiou is now with Frans Nielsen and Darren Helm.
"One thing on the road, you obviously don't get your matches as much so having Abby, Helm and Nielsen together got where we just couldn't get that match, so we spread out the net presence a little bit," Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "Larks has had a good year but I also wanted to see if we can get a little more out of that line in the last little bit. I think Zetterberg's been our best line over the last 10 games, so maybe by spreading it out can we get two lines really humming offensively and then give Nielsen Double-A, now can you get three lines humming offensively. We're just trying to look for different ways to get a little bit more offense."
Mantha did play with Larkin earlier this season.
"He's fun to play with," Mantha said. "He's quick, he makes great plays. Me and Abby, it's the first time ever we've played together. Yesterday was, decent, pretty good, started strong, so let's hope we can build off of that and be a better line tomorrow night."
Mantha is also adjusting to a different spot on the power play, on the half-wall as opposed to net-front.
"I think I've only got two power plays on the half-wall so far," Mantha said. "The first game was in St. Louis. I was playing that off wing on the half-wall. It's obviously different. You need to get used to it. You need to be patient when you get the puck and make the right plays. And then last game we got one power play and I was with Larkin and Double-A (Athanasiou) and Bert with Greener (Mike Green) up top. That's the one-t spot for me, so I just need to be in the right spot to fire that puck. I guess it's gonna come soon."
Blashill made the adjustment so that Mantha would have more of an opportunity to use his excellent shot.
"I had success net-front this year," Mantha said. "I think it's a great spot to be in. It's just a little change that the coach wants to bring. He told me he just wants me to be a shooter when I get the puck. It's going to take a couple of games to get used to it, a couple practices to work on a couple of things. I obviously don't mind the half-wall."
Blashill said he's been pleased with the progress Mantha has made through 63 games this season.
"I think he's had a good period of growth," Blashill said. "I think he's improved as a hockey player. I think he understands the area which I've talked lots about and that's bending his knees and skating and when he does that, he's a real good player. I think my job as a coach is to remind him when he's doing it right and remind him when he's not doing it right and get him on that course as much as possible. We had a good meeting before the New Jersey game when we were in New Jersey a month and some ago and I think he's done a pretty good job of being consistent with his approach.
"I just think the biggest thing for any player that wants to try to become an elite player in this league is consistency and being dominant very night. That's what the best players do and if you can't do that, then you're going to be a good player, not a great player. I think he's understanding that. But that doesn't happen overnight and it's been a process. Hopefully he can continue in that growth."
WITKOWSKI LOVES OTH: If you miss the days of Bob Probert and Joe Kocur, you should have seen the Wings play the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.
Luke Witkowski and Wild rookie Nick Seeler had an epic bout at 6:41 of the second period.

"Right away after the first couple he threw, I figure it was just going to be toe to toe," Witkowski said. "Ended up being a good one."
It was Seeler's first NHL fight and came in his 11th career game.
For Witkowski, it was his ninth regular-season fight and fifth of this season.
"Earlier in the year, I used the saying OTH - old-time hockey - that's how they used to fight back in the day," Witkowski said. "People that like fighting, like to see that come back every once in a while."
Visitors to hockeyfights.com ruled the battle, which resembled the old Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots game, a draw.
Witkowski finished with eight shifts for 5:25 and had three hits in addition to the fight.
"I thought yesterday for myself personally, it was one of my best games at forward," Witkowski said. "I'm just kind of in and out of the lineup, forward, D. I'm just trying to stay in the lineup. Whatever I can do to help this team, I'll do it."
Witkowski said playing as both a forward and a defenseman has been just fine with him.
"I just want to be in the lineup," Witkowski said. "If it's at D or forward, I don't really care. I did it last year. Some games I'd play both, and I've done that this year, so I'm pretty used to it by now."
Witkowski has one goal and is tied for the team lead with Larkin with 57 penalty minutes. However, Larkin has played 65 games to Witkowski's 24.