Notes: Red Wings amp up the physical play

DETROIT -It was a disaster of a game against the Islanders Tuesday night on Long Island, but the 8-2 drubbing the Red Wings incurred could have a positive, long-lasting effect on the Detroiters.
The Wings were embarrassed with their effort against the Isles and since that time, they've played with a physical edge they need in order to be competitive.

"We weren't happy with how the score ended up in the Islanders game," Wings alternate captain Justin Abdelkader said after Sunday's practice at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena. "You can say there's bad bounces, bad breaks, those type of things happen. But we try to learn from each and every game. We try to go out and continue to do better on a daily basis and, hopefully that will start carrying over into some games.
"We want to make sure that we're competing on a nightly basis, that's the most important thing. It's been a tough stretch, but we got to make sure we're going out and working hard, (being physical) and playing for each other."
In their last two games, a 2-1 overtime loss to Pittsburgh on Friday in which they doled out a season high 33 hits, and in Saturday's 4-1 defeat to Florida, in which they amassed their season high in penalty minutes with 27, the Wings were disappointed with the outcomes, but they were encouraged with the brand of hockey they played.
"I think we're trying to put a little more emphasis on finishing checks and playing a little bit harder," Darren Helm said. "I don't think we're going out there and trying to run guys left and right but getting in front of bodies, finishing your checks is a big part of the game that gets kind of overlooked sometimes.
"(Saturday) did get a little chippier but it's kind of the way we … I think it would be nice if we could play like that a little bit more, a little bit more physical and aggressive. If we continue to do that and be a harder team to play against, we'll set ourselves up to get a few more wins."
Wings coach Jeff Blashill noticed the Wings have picked up their physical play since they returned from their holiday break.
"We've made a point to try to make sure we're a more physical hockey team. We're not necessarily built to be killers out there but we want to make sure we're drawing ourselves into the fight and making the other team pay a price. And honestly, it's just good hockey," Blashill said on Sunday. "Getting in people's way and bumping them is good hockey and sometimes those bumps become hits and then that's great but at least we have to bump. We have to make sure we're in people's way all night long and part of being in people's way is when you get a chance to bring a big hit, bring a big hit.
"If you're the defenseman and you got to go back and constantly get hit, you get sick of doing it. So it's something we've emphasized since the Christmas break, brought more into focus. I would say we've done a pretty good job of it. So we definitely have been more physical since the break. That's without a doubt. So I certainly like that."
Blashill did caution when the game does become chippy and physical, his team must remain focused on the game and not get lost in trying to exact a pound of flesh.

"Sometimes you can get distracted. A couple of our younger players need to make sure they ride that line of playing physical and letting the temperature rise without getting distracted and keeping the focus on winning the hockey game. It (physical play) raises the temperature in the building and of everybody, and I think it makes for good hockey. But we must make sure we stay focused in those times."
Dylan Larkin is also encouraged with the Wings' effort since the Islanders game and credits Detroit's goaltending as the catalyst to the team's improved play.
"We played solid two games. We've got great goaltending, it starts with that," Larkin said. "We could still be a little bit better on the penalty kill, be better on the power play for sure. But it starts with goaltending. We still need to score more and generate more offense, more O-zone grind time. Our goaltending the past two games has been everything for us and we're going to need that to continue."
One aspect which has fallen off this season is scoring, which is highlighted by the fact their goal differential of minus-85 is last in the NHL by a wide margin.
So, even if they become more of a physical, grinding team this season, they still need to solve their lack of consistent scoring to combat their shocking goal differential number.
"Maybe just find ways to hit the net a little bit harder." Helm said. "I think we haven't been going into dirty areas enough. It's a place we can get a little bit better at for sure, just finding the dirty goals, over-shooting the puck at times.
"Those things usually help out when guys aren't scoring goals. As a team we're not scoring a lot, so those are a couple areas we can get a little better at."
Larkin who netted 32 goals last season, notched his 12th goal of the year Saturday versus the Panthers. It was also his 100th career goal. The Michigan native realizes the Wings need to bring down their goal differential significantly to become a legitimate contending team.
"It's tough. It's there, it's a stat," Larkin said. "To be a playoff team, you're going to need that in the green. It's far from that. We're going to have to focus game by game. We want to score more as a group of forwards, as a team we want to score more. Until we do that, it'll be tough to eat away at that (goal differential) and build it back.
"We want to win games so that'll help. That'll keep it at least lower. We're not focusing completely on that. We want to win games more than we want our goal differential to go up or down. But we're just focused game by game to play the right way and get two points for our hockey team."
When asked about his dropoff in goal production, Larkin believes the scoring opportunities are there, it's just converting them instead of overthinking on the ice.
"I'm getting chances. You start to worry when you don't get chances," Larkin said. "I think this month we've only scored three goals as a group once. We need to score more, we know that. We have do it in different ways. We're just focusing on the team and what we can all do to generate team offense. Not worried about individual stats this year.
"Last year was a good year, I guess, but we still weren't in the playoffs. That's all I have to say about that. We have to score more as a team. Everyone wants to score more in this league but we have to play better team offense."

FILPPULA QUESTIONABLE, ATHANASIOU PROGRESSING: Blashill gave a quick update on the litany of players in Detroit's sick bay, including Valtteri Filppula, who left Saturday's game after being hit by Florida's Vincent Trocheck at the 13:47 mark of the first period.
"Nothing further than what I said last night (on Filppula)," Blashill said. "Obviously tomorrow (Monday at Colorado) he's questionable, I guess, you know, maybe. So we'll see. Doubles (Andreas Athanasiou) won't be back before the All-Star break here. That I would say takes him out of the first Ranger game probably for sure, and we'll see how he is. We'll see how he progresses over the next week. He's taking baby steps yesterday on the ice a little bit, so we'll see. And then (Anthony) Mantha I've got no further timeline."
According to Blashill, Mantha is still not skating since he was flung to the ice by Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin on Dec. 21 in Toronto. Mantha sustained some sort of rib cage injury from Muzzin's borderline move.
Frans Nielsen and Trevor Daley did not practice on Sunday, but they will be available for Monday afternoon's game in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche. Blashill told reporters the veteran Red Wings were taking a maintenance day.
DETROIT-COLORADO STILL A RIVALRY?: At one time the Red Wings versus the Avalanche was must-see viewing by every sports fan in the United States and Canada, but with the Wings now in the Eastern Conference and going through a rebuild, is the rivalry still a rivalry?
It depends on who you ask.
"It's definitely still there. It's with the fans. You saw the games we had with them last season, they were pretty physical," Larkin said. "I remember Mo (Mantha) fighting Patrik Nemeth after, I think he hit me. It's still there. The fans obviously get into that and rightfully so with the history."
Blashill wasn't as enthusiastic about the rivalry as Larkin.
"I don't want to burst your bubble but no. It's different. It's a long time ago," Blashill said. "Certainly I remember the rivalry. We get a chance to see it almost every game on the big screen (at Little Caesars Arena) it seemed like for four years straight, so we're aware of it.
"We certainly respect it. It was two great teams that had battles in the playoffs. That's how you develop rivalries. But that hasn't been the case here for a large number of years. We're just going there tomorrow to try and win a hockey game and then to get better. That's all we're thinking about, not really anything bigger than that."
REMEMBERING MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: Monday's face-off is at 3 p.m. against the Avalanche in a special matinee game in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Blashill reflected on the significance of the Wings playing on a day which honors this civil rights pioneer.
"I don't necessarily remember as a youth but I certainly have studied history and I like history. Two things that stand out to me with Martin Luther King," Blashill said. "One would be unbelievable courage, two would be such an elegant speaker and able to galvanize so many people into a cause that was extremely just. We're certainly a better country because of the impact that Martin Luther King Jr. made and we're better people because of it. To honor him is 100 percent the right thing to do. The fact we're playing, and it becomes a hockey game for us when we forget about the reason we're playing in the afternoon sometimes, I think it's important to remember it."