The Detroit Red Wings are now down four of their top nine forwards, and it could be five, as they try to snap a two-game losing streak.
Michael Rasmussen will miss Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild and Monday’s at the Buffalo Sabres after being handed a two-game suspension Friday afternoon by the NHL for high-sticking Bruins forward David Krejci. The Bruins forward left Thursday’s game in Boston in pain after the incident in the second period of what ended as a 5-1 loss for the Wings.
Rasmussen practiced Friday but wasn’t available to reporters. Coach Derek Lalonde sounded like he anticipated a suspension, and focused on who the Wings do have available.
“You trust your depth,” Lalonde said. “I believe we have a winnable lineup.”
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Lalonde indicated the Wings may either call up a forward, or go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
Dylan Larkin had a maintenance day because he was on the receiving end of a good deal of physicality in Boston, and still has lingering effects from being knocked over during the Oct. 21 game in Chicago. Lalonde said he expects Larkin to be available for games. Oskar Sundqvist (upper body) missed Thursday’s game and didn’t practice Friday.
That comes on top of having lost Tyler Bertuzzi (upper body) and Jakub Vrana (players assistance program) two games into the season. Robby Fabbri (knee) was ruled out until January before the season began. He, Bertuzzi and Vrana are top-six forwards, and Rasmussen and Sundqvist were two-thirds of the “Sky Line.”
“Bottom line, we can win this game,” Lalonde said. “That is a huge positive.”
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.