Notes: Nyquist clicking with Larkin, producing points

BURNABY, B.C. -- There were many instances during the 2017-18 season when Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist did the right things and did not get appropriately rewarded.
This season Nyquist has a similar approach but is getting better luck.

After collecting two assists in the 6-4 loss in Calgary Friday, Nyquist has 11 goals and a team-high 31 assists, giving him two more points in 49 games than he had in 82 games last season.
"I thought Nyquie was really good lots of last year but I did think he was very snakebitten," Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "A lot of times, if you had the same year, if you replicated the same year, he would've had more goals. Do I see it? I think it's similar. I think generally his approach is real good. I think he works extremely hard every day, competes really hard. I think he's done a good job skating. He seems obviously the confidence is growing. Confidence becomes a huge factor and I think it's really helped him."
Nyquist has a three-game point streak in which he has one goal and four assists.
"I feel good out there," Nyquist said after practice at Canlan Ice Sports Burnaby 8 Rinks Saturday afternoon. "I feel confident out there. I feel like I'm making plays. I feel like I've built some chemistry here with Larks (Dylan Larkin), so hopefully we can keep producing."

Last season, Nyquist primarily played with center Henrik Zetterberg.
Since Blashill put Nyquist and Larkin together, they have quickly established a connection. Currently Tyler Bertuzzi is on Larkin's other wing.
"I think from every game you kind of learn each other's tendencies - where you're gonna be on the ice," Nyquist said. "It helps when you're kept together for a longer stretch of games. We've been together here for awhile now, so I think it comes with time and hopefully we can keep going."
Earlier in the season, Larkin skated with Anthony Mantha and Darren Helm until those two went down with injuries.
Nyquist had the primary assist on Larkin's second goal against Calgary.
"Playing with Gus, you just got to move the puck with him, he's such a good passer, such a smart player," Larkin said. "I really enjoy playing with him. We've been moving it together and when we have nights where we're playing well, we're finding each other and finding open ice. That's really the key. He makes players around him better players."
Larkin is also in the midst of a three-game point streak, with two goals and four assists in that span.
LIKELY TO SEE PETTERSSON: When the Wings arrived at Canlan Ice Sports Burnaby 8 Rinks Saturday, the Vancouver Canucks were in the middle of their practice.
Among the Canucks skating was forward Elias Pettersson, the star rookie who has missed the last five games with a knee injury.
Pettersson indicated to reporters that there was a strong likelihood that he would play against the Wings Sunday afternoon.

"He's impressed me for sure," Nyquist said. "A really smart player. I think that's kind of what's impressed me the most, how smart he is out there. He creates space for himself in a really smart way. For being maybe not the biggest guy, maybe not the strongest guy, he still holds onto the puck and kind of seems like he's got some extra time out there. Be tight on him, finish your checks and stay on the right side."
Despite missing 11 games with various injuries, Pettersson leads the Canucks in goals with 22 and in points with 42.
Pettersson scored Vancouver's first goal in Detroit on Nov. 6, a game the Wings eventually won in a shootout, 3-2.
"You got to stay above him and make it hard for him," Larkin said. "He's a player that is very aware of everyone on the ice and he doesn't like the physical play, so when we get a chance we got to finish our checks on him and make it a tough night for him."
Pettersson, 20, is 6-foot-2 but just 176 pounds.

RASMUSSEN SKATES: Forward Michael Rasmussen, who has missed the last six games with a hamstring injury, practiced fully with the team Saturday.
"He would be medically cleared," Blashill said. "He won't play tomorrow. He hasn't had enough practice time."
POSSIBLE LINEUP CHANGES: Blashill said before the trip started that rookie defenseman Filip Hronek was likely to play at some point in western Canada.
Hronek worked on the power play with Andreas Athanasiou, Nyquist, Bertuzzi and Mike Green, indicating he could draw in against Vancouver.
But that means a healthy defenseman will have to sit but Blashill was not tipping his hand.
"I'll make that decision tomorrow," he said.

AFTERNOON AFFAIR: Normally the Wings play games at night, 7 or 7:30 p.m., occasionally a little earlier on a Sunday.
Against Vancouver, game time is 1 p.m. (4 p.m. ET)
"It is what it is. I like it when it's earlier," Larkin said. "The earlier the better, rather than waiting around. You just wake up and eat and go to the rink and play. I don't like when they're 3:30 or 5 o'clock games are a little bit weird. You get a little bit of a routine at 1 o'clock. You got to get the first couple shifts pretty hard to get into the game."
Nyquist is fine with it, too.
"I don't mind it actually," Nyquist said. "It's kind of nice to have it every once in a while. The set-up's a little bit different from what you're used to. You've done it enough times to where you know how to get prepared. It's the same for both teams. I kind of like playing the early game."