By DANA WAKIJI
FOX Sorts Detroit
DETROIT -- The NHL All-Star break can't get here fast enough for the Red Wings.
You can call up Cory Emmerton and have him score in his first NHL game, but when you're missing the likes of Pavel Datsyuk (broken hand), Dan Cleary (broken ankle), Tomas Holmstrom (broken hand), Mike Modano (lacerated wrist), Brad Stuart (broken jaw), Chris Osgood (hernia surgery) and Valtteri Filppula (flu), it's not a shock to lose 4-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks as the Wings did Saturday.
Really, the fact that the Wings are second in the Western Conference with 64 points in 48 games is miraculous.
"I think we've been on a real good run," coach Mike Babcock said. "I think we've competed hard. I don't like the goals-against, I don't like sometimes the score. Lots of times I've liked the result. That's what we're doing, we're just trying to find a way to survive and stay in it. I'm not pleased with (Saturday)'s game by any means. I would have liked to find a way to win this game."
The Wings have one more game before they get a few days for the All-Star break next weekend. They play Wednesday at home against New Jersey.
On Saturday, the Blackhawks did a lot of damage with their league-leading power play. They scored on the first shot of each of their first two power plays and never looked back.
"I don't think we had any sustained pressure in their zone where we had some good scoring chances," Nick Lidstrom said. "I thought we were one chance and done and didn't get that pressure. Their power play was working well for them. They were 2-for-2 on the first two power plays they had. They had the upper hand on the specialty teams."
When you don't have Datsyuk, Cleary, Holmstrom and Filppula, that will put a dent in your power play and penalty kill. Henrik Zetterberg led everyone with eight shots on goal (including one that went in but the whistle had blown), but he can only do so much.
Babcock had high praise for both Emmerton and Jan Mursak, but you can't expect them to be like Datsyuk or the others. It's not fair.
Goaltender Jimmy Howard clearly expect more of himself, especially with the injuries.
"There's no excuses," Howard said. "Every single time we put that jersey on, we're expected to win. No matter who's in or out of the lineup, we're expected to perform."
Of course, Howard is recovering from his own injury, a bruised knee that forced him to miss two-plus games.
Howard doesn't like the fact that the Wings have allowed three or more goals in 17 of their last 20 games.
"It's a major concern, it's frustrating," Howard said. "I don't like that at all. That's the frustrating part. As goalies, we don't want to do that. We're out there and we want to give the guys a chance to win the best we can every single night. When we're giving up three, four goals a night, that doesn't cut it."
Although the Wings won't be getting any help from goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, claimed off waivers by the New York Islanders (although he has reportedly said he will not join them), the Wings are hopeful they will have Datsyuk, Cleary and perhaps Holmstrom back when they visit Ottawa Feb. 2 in the first game after the break.
"We want to play well heading into the break," Lidstrom said. "We've got one more game left before the All-Star break and we want to finish strong. But I think the break is needed for our team, too. Get away for a few days and get some bodies back, get healthy coming back after the break."
Note: The Wings sent forward Tomas Tatar and goaltender Jordan Pearce back to Grand Rapids following the game. Goaltender Joey MacDonald was to return from Grand Rapids and Emmerton was remaining with the Wings for the time being, according to Babcock.
Jan. 22, 2011
