DETROIT -- The Red Wings would like an early Christmas present of a few more goals in the two games before the holiday.
In their last five games, in which they have gone 0-2-3, the Wings have scored just five goals.
So in Saturday's practice, Wings coach Mike Babcock changed things up a bit.
He reunited the Euro Twins, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, putting them on a line with Justin Abdelkader.
Riley Sheahan was back with Tomas Tatar and Tomas Jurco, Darren Helm was centering Gustav Nyquist and Johan Franzen.
The fourth line had Luke Glendening and Drew Miller as usual, with Daniel Cleary. Joakim Andersson was rotating in.
"We're not winning," Babcock said. "We're not finding a way to win so let's try something else. We've tried lots of things and we'll see what happens."
Zetterberg and Datsyuk have often ended up together when the Wings need offense.
"I like to play with him," Datsyuk said. "It's like of my wishes for Christmas. When they put us together it's a good thing."
The Wings always expect good things when those two are on the ice together.
"It's a stacked line for sure," Tatar said. "I would not like to play against them, that's for sure. They're two really good players. We'll see. I guess we're trying to make some lines that can score goals and try to get everybody going."
In his last five games, Datsyuk has one assist. When the Wings were scoring, so was he.
In the five games before the drought, the Wings had 19 goals. Datsyuk had five goals and four assists in those five.
"We need more shooting and more scores," Datsyuk said. "Last few games we not score much. It's hard to win when you score one like (Friday) night. It's a little bit of tough time, frustrated, but we need to stick together and keep playing.
"We start being a little more casual maybe. We need more shoot, follow rebounds."
Nyquist, who leads the team with 15 goals, said the Wings need to keep it simple.
"Obviously, we're not doing as good a job to get guys in front of the net," Nyquist said. "I think we're being too cute sometimes."
Babcock said Friday night's shot total of 18 was not indicative of the Wings' effort.
"Last night we directed 44 shots at the net and I think we only hit the net 18 times according to our people," Babcock said. "I don't know if that's right or wrong. I just went through the scoring chances. We had a lot of grade A scoring chances where we never hit. Hitting the net would be a good idea. Spending more time in the O-zone, be harder physically when we're in the offensive zone when we have the puck and getting to the net."
HOWARD OUT INDEFINITELY: Goaltender Jimmy Howard, who left Friday night's game after one period due to a lower-body injury, was undergoing further evaluation Saturday and was not at practice.
Howard is considered day-to-day and the Wings said they would likely have more information on Howard Sunday.
The Wings had called up goaltender Thomas McCollum from the Grand Rapids (AHL) Griffins to back up Petr Mrazek and sent down defenseman Xavier Ouellet to make room.
Although Mrazek has taken losses in his last two outings (at Toronto and Friday night against the New York Islanders), the Wings have confidence in him.
"Every team in the league is hoping your backup's going to win you games," Babcock said. "Pete's done a good job for us. I think he made unbelievable save on the penalty kill when we lost one stick and one guy shooting the wrong way. I thought he made an unbelievable to get us a chance, but in the end all those chances we created down the stretch we didn't finish, but I thought Pete did all that he could."
WEISS NOT READY: Stephen Weiss, who left the Dec. 12 game against Florida after injuring his shoulder, was eligible to come off injured reserve Saturday.
"I don't think he's ready," Babcock said. "I'm not certain, but that's what I've been told."
Weiss has practiced with the team the last few days but isn't even sure he's cleared for full contact.
"I haven't really talked about it with them," Weiss said. "Getting a little bit. It feels pretty good. I'm trying to shoot for Tuesday, I think."
Weiss said the shoulder is not likely to be pain-free anytime soon but he'll be able to play with it.
"It feels OK," Weiss said. "Not like it did before, but when you get these type of shoulder things, they'll linger for a long time. Abby's (Abdelkader's) been in the last two games, talking to him, it's probably still a little bit sore for sure. It's something that'll be nagging for a while but once you can take a hit, you're good to go."
AVALANCHE COMING TO TOWN: It doesn't have quite the same buzz as it did in the late 1990s, but the Wings will play the Colorado Avalanche Sunday night at Joe Louis Arena.
Colorado is currently 12th in the Western Conference with 28 points in 31 games.
"Good speed, good skilled forwards for sure," Babcock said. "Always been a handful for us. It's always a good game between us. They play tonight so we get to see them one more time."
The Avalanche play at Buffalo Saturday night.
