[SBN Red Wings blog - Winging it in Motown]

Record: 26-19-9

Scorers: Pavel Datsyuk (14g, 29a), Henrik Zetterberg (13g, 28a), Nick Lidstrom (6g, 26a)

I figured with such an early start to the game tomorrow on NBC, I'd toss up the preview tonight so we could get a little talk going.

This game will likely be full of people (and by people I mean NBC) saying it's a Stanley Cup rematch.  Like I said last season when the Pens and Wings met again during the regular season, it's nowhere near a SC rematch.  No matter who wins by whatever the score may be there is no shiny, silver cup waiting to appear at center ice.  So they can say all they want about this being a chance for Detroit to get their revenge, but we know and I think most Red Wings fans know that this is nowhere near the hype that will surround the game.

With that said, I want to take this opportunity to let everyone know that our friends over at Winging it in Motown will be using the open thread for this game as a chance to raise some money for the victims in Haiti.  I suggest you all stop by and join them over there to support what is obviously a good cause.  I won't be offended if we have only a few comments in the game day thread here.  I'd rather see your "Zetterberg sucks" comments go towards a good cause over at Motown.  Of course there's no sense in trolling, but at least maybe the Wings fans will let a few slide.  For the charity and all.

On to the Wings...

Detroit would be considered a team on the bubble right now.  Injuries have run rampant through the roster and they are just barely putting together a month of .500 hockey.  As we've seen in the past with injuries to the Pens and all, .500 hockey is just about all you can hope for when faced with a bunch of injuries.  Tomas Holmstrom and Johan Franzen, both significant contributors over the past two seasons of playoff runs, remain out of the lineup.

But in light of that, a few guys are starting to make their way back.  Niklas Kronwall is back after missing a little over two months and Jason Williams played the other night against Nashville, his first in almost three months. 

Goaltender Jimmy Howard is getting the bulk of the work between the pipes for Detroit, and rightfully so.  Friday night against Nashville, Howard backstopped the 4-2 win, posting up a 46-save performance that was nothing short of impressive.  I think it's safe to say we'll see him in net against the Pens, yet another reason why this isn't technically a Stanley Cup finals rematch.

The thread will drop around noon or so.  I'll toss up a reminder to join everyone over at Motown for the Haiti thread.