Notes: Puempel to make Wings debut as Rasmussen is out with injury

LAS VEGAS -- Another day, another injury for the Detroit Red Wings.
But at least this time it's not on the blueline.

On Friday, the Wings called up forward Matt Puempel from the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins. On Saturday they explained why.
"Michael Rasmussen will be out tonight. Upper body," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I don't know his status for Monday yet. We'll know more tomorrow. So Matt will play."
Blashill said Rasmussen suffered the injury in Thursday's game in St. Louis.
It was a quick trip from Texas, where the Griffins were playing, to Las Vegas.
"I found out last night about 4:30 Austin time," Puempel said after the team's optional morning skate. "I was excited when I got the call from Ben Simon, our coach down in Grand Rapids. Got on a flight last night to Vegas and am excited to be here."

Puempel, 26, has 24 goals and 26 assists in 59 games with the Griffins.
"He's had a real good couple of years in GR," Blashill said. "I think part of who we decide to call up is a little bit of a reward for the work he's put in. Give him an opportunity to get a look. He got some, a little bit of a look in preseason but I think he would've liked more. So this gives him more. He was a first-round pick originally, has talent, a lot of ability I'd say, and then gives us a chance to see him here against a real good team."
Puempel has played in 79 NHL games, 52 with the Ottawa Senators, the team that drafted him, and 27 with the New York Rangers.

While it won't be his NHL debut, Puempel said his Detroit debut will be special because he grew up in Essex, Ontario, not far from Windsor, and was a Wings fan.
"Obviously a lot of success in the late '90s," Puempel said. "Going to parades and the silver peak hat, the Stanley Cup championship hat, I have that in the basement. And some Wings jerseys as a kid, so it's real nice to be part of this organization and to play my first game as a Detroit Red Wing tonight, a lot of my buddies and family are excited. It's nice."
Puempel said he was playing with Christoffer Ehn and Ryan Kuffner.
LARKIN READJUSTING: Until this season, Larkin had played in at least 80 games per season, including all 82 last season.
After Larkin missed five games recently due to a neck strain and then another game earlier in the season, it meant that he would not reach that mark.
Against the Golden Knights, Larkin will be playing in his fourth game since returning from the neck strain. Larkin has not recorded a point the last three games and in the one prior to the injury.
Before that, he had not gone more than two games in a row without a point.
"I think the last game for sure was his best," Blashill said after Friday's practice. "I thought he was on the puck way more. He wasn't as good defensively, but I think they're all curable things that he can get way better at in a hurry, because he's been that way through most of the season.
"He's just got to make sure he's taking care of the D-side of the puck, and if he does that, he's going to have the puck on his stick and play in the offensive zone way more. It's not just on him, I didn't think the line was all that good together. But I see steps in the right direction for Larks."
Because it's the longest stretch of time he has missed in his young career, It has taken Larkin a bit of time to get back to where he was.
"It was a little tough, I guess, coming back," Larkin said. "I feel better every game, every shift. I'm getting more comfortable, feeling the puck again, just trying to get everything back to how it was before the injury."
PLAYING WITH PUPS: When the Wings were in St. Louis, Larkin had a chance to catch up with Blues forward Pat Maroon, whom he had gotten to know at the world championships a couple of years ago.
What Larkin didn't know was a little game of mini-sticks with Maroon, Maroon's son and his dogs would go viral.

"We became really close at the world championships in Russia, my second year going up, after my rookie season," Larkin said. "He was on the team. One of the greatest guys I've met in this game. He's like a brother to me, an older brother, and someone I talk to all the time. His girlfriend, Francesca, we've developed a good relationship as well, and they have two French bulldogs. We were playing mini-sticks with his little son, Anthony. Me and the dogs. I didn't know she was taking a video when I was telling the dogs to play better D. We ended up winning the game."
LAST TIME IN VEGAS: It might be hard for fans to remember the last (and first) time the Wings played in Las Vegas, which was a 6-3 Detroit win on Oct. 13, 2017.
That was the Golden Knights' first loss after a record 3-0 start. Blashill remembers the game vividly.
"We have lots of good highlights, doing things the right way and tracking like crazy and being physical on the forecheck and doing the things you have to do against this team," Blashill said. "You have to eliminate their north game. One of the best ways to eliminate their north game is to put hem under pressure, to make sure they're going back for pucks every time, make sure they're feeling our forecheck pressure, make sure that we're tracking like crazy and gapping and not letting them get four in the rush, like they love to do. So I do remember it. It was a great atmosphere.
"Didn't know what to expect coming in, didn't know how good a team they were. Obviously, we know how good a team they are now. We need to make sure we're playing great hockey in order to put ourselves in a position to win."

Larkin also remembers that first time in Las Vegas.
"It was a great game. I remember the energy in the building," Larkin said. "From what we've heard, it's still the same energy as when we were here early in their first season. That energy in the building, how loud it was, how excited the fans were when they would touch the puck in their own zone. It's going to be fun, it's a great atmosphere to play a hockey game."
The Golden Knights were already a very good team but became even better with the addition of forward Mark Stone in a deal with the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline.
"He's an elite player," Blashill said. "They gave him lots of money for a reason. He's one of those guys that probably his game is even better than his production. He's been a good producer his whole career, this year especially, really, really producing at a high level, but he's a winning-type hockey player, wins stick battles, plays from the right side. Very good defensively. When you get two-way guys like that, that can produce and do all those other things, you win lots. So he's been a real addition for their team."
Stone has 32 goals and 38 assists in 70 games this season. With the Golden Knights, he has four goals and four assists in 11 games.