Team Zetterberg beats Team Kronwall in scrimmage

TRAVERSE CITY, MI.- Since the beginning of development camp, Red Wings officials have stressed the off-ice sessions as much as the on-ice skill drills and practices.
Sunday morning at Centre Ice Arena, everyone's attention was focused on the ice as the Wings' prospects were divided into Team Zetterberg and Team Kronwall and played a tightly controlled scrimmage.

Instead of three periods, the teams played two 25-minute halves with a running clock. They also played 4-on-4 and in between the first half and the second half there was an impromptu shootout. The scrimmage also concluded with a shootout.
Unlike past camps, where the prospects scrimmaged twice, this was the only scrimmage scheduled and you could sense the players were amped up to hit the ice and compete against one another.
Many of the prospects had not played a game for months and early on it showed as the pace was ragged as players tried to regain their legs.
Eventually the game picked up as each team started to develop a little chemistry, making the contest competitive and entertaining.
Team Zetterberg defeated Team Kronwall, 3-1, notching two first-half goals scored by David Pope and Dominik Shine. Jack Adams and Alex Peters drew assists on the Pope tally and Pope received the lone helper on the Shine goal.
In the second half, both teams played solid hockey with Team Kronwall cutting Team Zetterberg's lead in half on a goal by Tomas Dvorak, with Sean Josling drawing the only assist.
With Team Kronwall pressing in the final minutes and with their goalie pulled, overtime seemed to be a possibility until Oliver Castleman found the back of the empty net to give Team Zetterberg the two-goal victory. Adams assisted on the Castleman goal, his second of the game.
"I thought the pace picked up and I thought the physicality was there," said Wings coach Jeff Blashill, who arrived in Traverse City on Friday. "(Filip) Hronek was involved in three different scrums, Givani Smith had a real big hit there. So, I thought for a game in the summer it was physical and it was competitive so it was good.
"The number one thing is going to be what type of inner drive most of these guys have. That, to me, is what separates the guys who end up making it and which guys don't.
"Even yesterday, getting a chance to watch them through a real, real hard day, which guys kept working to get better and which guys worked to get through it is an important part of it."
Blashill has made his career by connecting with younger players. He understands how to approach a young player about his shortcomings.
On Sunday morning, he addressed the full squad of prospects before they scrimmaged. When asked what he said to the assembled group, Blashill replied:
"Two different things. One is about their personal development, what I think separates people in terms of success. I think the two most important things that separate people in terms of success is inner drive and perseverance.
"These guys are going to get knocked down. The ones that get back up are the ones that are going to end up playing for us in the NHL. You got to continue to get back up.
"And the second part would be things that are important to be a Red Wing. We have a saying, 'Earn this.' Just make sure you're earning the winged wheel.
"Lots of organizations in the NHL have a history and the history of success that our organization has, it means a lot to be at the Detroit Red Wings camp."
Detroit's coach wasn't too eager to comment on which players stood out during the scrimmage, calling it summer hockey, "not real hockey," but when pressed he did mention a couple of players.
"I'd temper any excitement with the fact that it's 4-on-4 summer hockey. It's not the type of hockey you play most of the time in the NHL but I would say both (Vili) Saarijarvi and (Filip) Hronek," Blashill offered. "I know our scouts are excited about the years they've had in major junior hockey and I thought both of those guys played very well today and showed, I think, transferrable type skill sets that can lead to success. I hope they have real good years in Grand Rapids."
PETRUZZELLI STANDS TALL: All six goalies saw action in Sunday's scrimmage, with each netminder having his moments making some impressive saves.
Perhaps the most memorable goaltending sequence was when Keith Petruzzelli flashed a quick glove hand, making two consecutive point-blank stops. He also used his big frame -- he stands 6-foot-5 -- to cover up most of the net, exhibiting agility and quickness.
"I felt pretty good out there, the boys did a great job, blocking shots and isolating the puck on one half of the ice," Petruzzelli said. "Made my job a lot easier for me, they had great sticks tonight so a lot of credit to the boys and just one of those nights, I guess."
Drafted in the third round, 88th overall, in last month's draft, Petruzzelli was the one Detroit pick that the pundits all agreed has the mental makeup and natural ability to play and contribute at the NHL level.
He's aware of the hype surrounding his pick, but he will not allow himself to jump too far ahead, though he also realizes the Wings could need a number one goalie soon.
"Obviously, I'm happy with where I'm at but definitely not content," Petruzzelli said. "I have a lot of work to do, a lot of growing to do and I just got to keep working, keep my nose to the grindstone and see where things fall."
While Petruzzelli is trying to be low key about his game, Blashill, a former goalie, was pleased with the young goaltender's play on Sunday.
"I heard good things from John Vanbiesbrouck and Rand Pecknold, who was with him at the world championships and is going to be his college (Quinnipiac) coach. He has a real chance to be special," Blashill said. "I hear his mental makeup is real good, which ultimately is going to be the biggest probably divider whether guys make it for goaltending.
"I thought he looked real good today. He's big, made lots of saves, he seems to cover the net well, he plays efficient and he has the athleticism to make big saves when he has to and he showed that in the shootout as well. I thought he played real good."
FOUR SIT OUT SCRIMMAGE:As expected, first-round pick Michael Rasmussen did not participate in the scrimmage. He was joined on the sidelines by three other forwards: Lane Zablocki, Luke Esposito and Chase Pearson. Rasmussen is fully recovered from a fractured wrist but he still needs to build up its strength before he will be cleared to play.
It appears that whatever kept Zablocki and Esposito out of the scrimmage isn't too serious as they were seen riding the stationary bike along with Rasmussen during the first half of Sunday's scrimmage.
The reason for Pearson's absence is unknown.