DETROIT, MICHIGAN – MARCH 11: Troy Stecher #70 of the Detroit Red Wings skates against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena on March 11, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Red Wings are set for a rematch against the Panthers after a disappointing 4-1 loss last Tuesday night. The matchup will be the first on the newly minted “Bally Sports Detroit”.
The Young Guys Get Their Shot
Although Tuesday’s game was rough, Red Wings fans got a chance to see some young players on the starting lineup. Evgeny Svechnikov played his third straight, and Givani Smith filled in for the injured Bobby Ryan. Neither player scored on Tuesday, but with the injuries still persisting on the team (Sam Gagner and Ryan), both will get another shot to show they belong with the team.
Where Is Troy Stecher?
One of the most confusing moves by Blashill this week has been the choice to keep Troy Stecher out of the lineup. It would be a different story if Stecher was injured, but according to Blashill, that’s not the case. Stecher was a healthy scratch. To anyone that has watched the Wings this year, it’s obvious that he’s been one of the best defenseman for the team. So why the healthy scratch?? Is Steve Yzerman protecting an asset because of trade inquiries? Is Stecher a little banged up, and just looking to recover?
The Panthers are a talented team – it’s going to take a good performance in net from either Thomas Greiss or Calvin Pickard to keep the team in the game. Detroit cannot win if they have the first period performance they had on Tuesday.
Red Wings Players to Watch
- Svechnikov and Smith: Pretty simple – let’s see if the young guys can prove their worth to Blashill.
- Filip Zadina: He was the lone scorer in Tuesday’s loss. The last time Zadina secured a goal, he seemed to get quite the morale boost in the following games. Don’t be shocked if Zadina scores back to back.