Detroit Red Wings Clips December 11, 2015

Detroit Red Wings PAGE 2 Buoyed by first goal, Jurco aims to grab opportunities PAGE 3 Sharp: Mrasek steps up big as Red Wings keep rolling PAGE 5 Hockeytown? Detroit only No. 3 on deserving list PAGE 6 Detroit 3, Montreal 2: Helm lifts Wings past Canadiens PAGE 8 Stars help Mitch Albom's annual radiothon raise over $1M PAGE 9 Niyo: Mrazek, Howard are Wings’ ace in the goal PAGE 11 Abdelkader, Helm goals give Wings comeback victory PAGE 13 Red Wings believe Jurco has celebrations in future PAGE 15 Sheahan, Tatar, Nyquist: Unsung Wings shining like stars PAGE 16 Red Wings postgame: Struggling power play delivers in clutch as points

streak up to 12 games PAGE 17 Red Wings rally in third as Darren Helm's second goal sinks Canadiens PAGE 19 Second-period analysis: Red Wings 1, Canadiens 1 PAGE 20 First-period analysis: Red Wings 0, Canadiens 0 PAGE 21 Detroit Red Wings notes: Jeff Blashill preaches patience with Tomas

Jurco PAGE 23 Red Wings Gameday: Dylan Larkin trying to become first rookie to lead

NHL in plus-minus PAGE 25 Red Wings lineup vs. Canadiens: Petr Mrazek opposes Dustin Tokarski as

Detroit looks to extend points streak PAGE 27 Red Wings Q&A: Mike Green on meeting the Obamas, 'Gang Green,'

dinner with Snoop Dogg PAGE 29 Helm's two goals lift Red Wings over Canadiens PAGE 31 Bob Duff: Habs hit the skids without all-star goalie Carey Price

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Buoyed by first goal, Jurco aims to grab opportunities Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 1:47 a.m. EST December 11, 2015 Tomas Jurco has stitches near his mouth and a goal to his credit. In other words, he is looking like a hockey player. Jurco played in his third straight game for the first time this season Thursday at Joe Louis Arena, drawing a penalty in the eight minutes he played as the Detroit Red Wings topped the Montreal Canadiens, 3-2. Jurco entered the game buoyed by his first goal and with a cut above his lip. Both dated to Tuesday at Washington, when Jurco scored in the second period by going to the front of the net and absorbed a high stick in the third period. "I felt good on the ice, especially after I score," Jurco said. "It helps you a lot. I just want to make the most of my ice time. I am trying to do that, and we will see. I just want to work hard and keep playing good." Jurco is in a bit of a reset phase. He had a commendable initial NHL stint in spring 2014, but last season he failed to progress if not regress. Considering Jurco turns 23 on Dec. 28, patience is key as the Wings figure out his value, either to them or in a trade. "We are very aware of that," coach Jeff Blashill said. "We want to have patience with him. We think there is a lot to his package. With that said, he also has to, every time he gets a chance, grab the spot and grab the opportunities. "Him and I have talked lots about the mental toughness that is needed to overcome adversity and the adversity of not playing, not getting the opportunities he wants." Blashill knows how good Jurco can be at the AHL level from coaching him in Grand Rapids. What Jurco needs to do is what Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist recently have done: translate their AHL success to the NHL. "When Jurcs is at his best, he is using his speed," Blashill said. "He can skate really well for a guy who is 6-foot-2. When he is tenacious on the puck, both from a forecheck standpoint and from tracking standpoint, that is when I think he is at his best. He has got real good hands, has got an ability to score goals." Tonight: Devils Matchup: Red Wings (15-8-5 entering Thursday) at New Jersey (14-10-4). Face-off: 7, Prudential Center, Newark, N.J. TV/radio: FSD, WXYT-FM (97.1). Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Sharp: Mrasek steps up big as Red Wings keep rolling Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press Columnist 11:58 p.m. EST December 10, 2015 The Wings' consecutive game point streak moves to 12 straight as they topple conference-leading Montreal, 3-2 The expectations build with an 11-game point streak. Each point earns this Detroit Red Wings team a little more confidence that it might end a six-year absence from the conference championship series. New coach. Younger team. But same impatience. "Down seasons" for the Wings aren't the same as for other NHL organizations. There might have been a public willingness to forgive and forget the early struggles of a more inexperienced Wings' team than usual and a first-time NHL head coach learning on the fly. But a generation-long playoff streak and a sense that serious Stanley Cup contention is a Detroit birthright places even more pressure on this team the further it climbs the Eastern Conference playoff ladder as the season progresses. There didn't appear that much difference Thursday night between the leader in the Eastern Conference standings (Montreal) and its closest pursuer in the Atlantic Division. And the Wings applied a little more heat to the Canadiens. Two third-period goals within seconds of each other gave the Wings a 3-2 victory, extending their point streak to 12 games. The Wings now trail Montreal by only four points in the Atlantic Division. "It doesn't really matter right now," said Henrik Zetterberg afterwards. "There's still a long way to go. We know we're playing well. If we're playing like this, we're going to get our points." The Wings' captain tried keeping this surge low-key. This was a good win that justifies the Wings' strategy in this transitional season. They've preached patience, adopting the philosophy of relying on younger prospects. An attitude more consistent with the NHL's salary cap-induced parity. But that practice is now especially true with the goaltending situation. Petr Mrazek is not only the future, but he's the present as well. He provides an athleticism and puck-handling prowess that solid veteran Jimmy Howard doesn't have. He single-handedly kept this game close entering the third period, twice denying Montreal's Tomas Plekanec on odd-man rushes off Detroit neutral zone turnovers. But the Wings insist there hasn't been much separation between Mrazek and Howard. More important, they think there's no rush in clearly distinguishing a No. 1 and a No. 2. The regular season's only one-third over. There's no need in wearing out a No. 1 man. But it isn't a coincidence that only Mrazek has garnered back-to-back game starts while neither he nor Howard has started games on consecutive nights.

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It's the most important juggling act facing head coach Jeff Blashill — keeping Howard fully engaged while giving Mrazek enough opportunities to cement the No. 1 designation come playoff time. "Got to say that (Mrazek) was pretty good," Zetterberg added. "He kept us in the game and made some big saves." Nights like these were why everyone was pleased when the Wings returned to the Eastern Conference two seasons ago. A Montreal visit means a lot more now with divisional positioning at stake rather than a token inter-conference appearance. There was more than the customary electricity at Joe Louis Arena. Not only an appreciation that the Habs are the team the Wings are chasing, but also a tease of what might await next spring should these two storied Original Six franchises meet in the playoffs for the first time since 1978. Montreal's struggling. It started fast with a nine-game winning streak. But now the Canadiens have lost four straight games. It also snapped a seven-game regulation/shootout winning streak over the Wings. Even without star goalie Carey Price for at least another six weeks with an unspecified lower body injury, the Canadiens remain the best team in the Eastern Conference. Even shorthanded, they provided a decent measure of where the Wings stand. The Wings are playing much better than just a couple weeks ago. They're getting more quality shots. They're doing a much better job of moving the puck. They're balancing the necessity of giving this new look the proper time with the expectations that this franchise must always strive for more than simply being good enough. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Hockeytown? Detroit only No. 3 on deserving list Steve Schrader, Detroit Free Press 2:03 p.m. EST December 10, 2015 This again? The Detroit Red Wings staked out the name "Hockeytown" many years ago. "It's been part of our DNA for an awfully long time," Red Wings president and CEO Tom Wilson told espn.com's Craig Custance. "It's something we guard pretty religiously. It's something our fans really take to heart." But Custance apparently wasn't persuaded, because he has ranked U.S. cities that should be called Hockeytown, and Detroit comes in only third, behind Boston and Chicago. Not bad, but not No. 1. Custance used six criteria for his rankings: percentage of population attending games on average, actual hockey participation, local TV ratings, Stanley Cup viewership, Stanley Cups and franchise value. What about points for having a cafe named Hockeytown? Anyway, the criteria are NHL-centric, which leaves out towns such as Warroad, Minn., which has called itself "Hockeytown USA" for decades. The Wings rank pretty high in most categories — they're No. 1 with 11 Stanley Cups, for example — but not in things such as TV ratings, ranking seventh locally and nationally. "Hockeytown is more than just a self-described marketing campaign," Custance writes. "Detroit is a great hockey market, with the state of Michigan No. 2 overall in registered players. The Red Wings have built a good young team, and are doing it with Michigan-raised players like Justin Abdelkader, Dylan Larkin and Luke Glendening. "Detroit, surprisingly, typically doesn't register among the top cities in the Stanley Cup ratings when the Red Wings aren't playing for a Cup, which hurt Detroit in these rankings." Rounding out the top 10 are Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Denver, Philadelphia and St. Louis. And honorable mentions include Tampa Bay, which tells you how accurate these ratings are. (No offense, Stevie.) Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Detroit 3, Montreal 2: Helm lifts Wings past Canadiens Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 12:41 a.m. EST December 11, 2015 Make that a dozen for the Detroit Red Wings. A two-goal night from Darren Helm boosted the Wings past the Eastern Conference-leading Montreal Canadiens, 3-2, Thursday at Joe Louis Arena to give the Wings points in 12 straight games (8-0-4). "As a group right now, we are playing confident," Justin Abdelkader said. "We are scoring timely goals. Every game we are in, it's not like we are down 4-1 or down by two or three goals. Every game, we are staying close." They are also getting scoring from varied sources. This night it was Helm who starred, driving the puck to the net and making swift plays. "I thought Darren was the best player on the ice," coach Jeff Blashill said. "I thought he was great from the drop of the puck. He's got such get-up-and-go and he was impactful the whole night." It wasn't the prettiest game, especially during a turnover-plagued second period, but a fifth power play in the third period sparked the Wings. Abdelkader scored on that, and Helm followed up with his third goal of the season a minute later. "It was tough to get any momentum going, both ways, until the third," Henrik Zetterberg said. "Woke up a little bit there and got a goal. Those two goals gave us energy. "It's nice to see we find a way to get points, and tonight we got two in a division game." Petr Mrazek made 23 saves, a handful on breakaways. Blashill didn't commit post-game to starting Jimmy Howard Friday at New Jersey, saying it would be decided on the plane. "I thought Petr played very well," Blashill said. "We didn't give up much in the first but we gave up two big-time chances. We didn't give up a ton of chances, but we gave up some real quality chances. We are going to have to tighten up defensively to have long-term success. But I thought Petr did a great job." Thursday's was arguably a game the Wings should have won, given the state of their opponent. The Habs were without top goaltender Carey Price and forward Brendan Gallagher, leaving the Wings to face recent call-up Dustin Tokarski in net. The Habs also came into the night on a three-game losing streak, and having played the night before. That didn't translate into an easy start for the Wings. Petr Mrazek had to make two early saves, and Tokarski denied the Wings through a power play. A Montreal power play saw both Mrazek and Tokarski coming up with big saves, with Mrazek getting help from a goal post. The Wings outshot the Canadiens by a respectable 10-7 in the first period, but gave up two breakaways, too.

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The second period was more back-and-forth, though the Wings did do a terrific job breaking up Montreal's second power play. Helm -- who'd been robbed on a breakaway earlier -- provided a lead midway through the second period, catching a deflected pass from Luke Glendening, quickly dumping the puck on the ice and sending a wrist shot into Montreal's net. Helm had reason to celebrate. "I think that was the first goal I scored against a goalie in the net this year," he said. "I was pretty happy about it. To get that one, I felt a little bit more relief than the first one I had." It took a rookie making his NHL debut 2 minutes to tie the game. Charlie Hudon sent a puck on net that Mrazek got a piece of only to have the puck slide into the pain. Hudon swiped at the rebound but Sven Andrighetto got the goal and a 1-1 tie. Mrazek stopped Tomas Plekanec on a rush during 4-on-4 play, as the Habs used their speed to keep making things difficult on the Wings. "They had some chances, some breakaways," Mrazek said. "You try to be big, do things right." Five minutes into the third period, the Habs grabbed the lead when Tomas Fleischmann beat Mrazek stick-side from the right circle. Tatar almost scored within minutes, but Tokaraski managed to stop the rebound attempt with his left arm. A fourth power play came Detroit's way midway through the period, but the first minute was spent simply trying to get possession and the second minute didn't see Pavel Datsyuk's unit fare much better. "I thought we played good early," Blashill said. "I didn't think we played very good from the middle of the second to the middle of the third, but then once we scored, we played good. "Our power play answered at a critical moment in the game." It took a fifth power play to make a dent. Henrik Zetterberg fired a shot from the left circle that went in off Abdelkader's right skate, with a quick review ruling there was no kicking motion. "I tried to turn my skate," Abdelkader said. "I wasn't trying to kick it forward, so I thought it was a good goal." A minute and 11 seconds later, the Wings had a 3-2 lead, with Helm and Datsyuk feasting on Greg Pateryn's turnover. "Pav was able to kick it up to me and I saw it was just me and the goalie," Helm said. "Tried to make a play, out-wait him, and find the net." P.K. Subban went to the box with 1:44 to go in regulation, aiding the Wings' effort to finish in regulation for a rare night. They play at New Jersey Friday. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Stars help Mitch Albom's annual radiothon raise over $1M Detroit Free Press Staff 10:05 p.m. EST December 10, 2015 Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and his wife, Kelly, were part of a long line of celebrities — sports and otherwise — who made an appearance Thursday on Free Press columnist Mitch Albom's fourth-annual S.A.Y. Detroit Radiothon on WJR-AM (760). Albom praised the couple not only for pledging $1 million to build the Stafford Football Field and help renovate Detroit's Lipke Recreation Center, but for frequently showing up there to hang with the kids. • Radiothon's website "We have a blast," Stafford said. "We try to go at least once a week, sometimes more. We just enjoy those kids." Said Kelly: "I always tell him, they give us so much more than we're giving them." Just after 9 p.m. tonight, Albom tweeted that the radiothon raised a record $1,001,143.00. Albom said Stafford asked him what he could do to help Detroit, more than just writing a check. "I've covered sports for over 30 years, and the number of times an athlete has asked me that equals one," Albom said. "And you're it." Thursday, Stafford donated autographed footballs and jerseys to the radiothon, and agreed to participate in three videotaped "Be A Star" packages in which he throws passes to the highest bidders. Albom also asked if the Staffords ever toss the ball around. "We do, and I think I'm better," Kelly said. Other guests included Michigan State football/Detroit Pistons broadcaster George Blaha, Michigan football great Desmond Howard, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh, Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill, Detroit Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy, former Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins, Starbucks CEO and chairman Howard Schultz, Dr. Phil, actors Jeff Daniels, Billy Bob Thornton, Tim Allen and JK Simmons, musicians KEM, Ted Nugent, Michael Bolton, Alice Cooper and Paul Stanley, and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. Donations also can be made at saydetroit.org. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Niyo: Mrazek, Howard are Wings’ ace in the goal John Niyo, The Detroit News 12:40 a.m. EST December 11, 2015 Detroit — Jimmy Howard’s the one wearing the ugly Christmas sweater on his head. Petr Mrazek’s the guy sporting a fierce-looking Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. But their holiday-themed masks aside — the new helmet designs will be auctioned off for charity eventually — the Red Wings’ goaltenders haven’t been in a particularly giving mood this season. Yet on nights like this, when their teammates look at times like they’ve had too much egg nog, that’s exactly what they’ve done. They’ve given the Red Wings a chance. Mrazek wasn’t happy with the first goal he allowed to Montreal on Thursday. He couldn’t see the second — Rudolph’s nose notwithstanding — thanks to his defenseman’s screen. But with a handful of big saves in between strange lulls, he gave his streaking team another opportunity to celebrate, rallying with two third-period goals to beat division-leading Montreal, 3-2, at Joe Louis Arena. “That’s how hockey is: Sometimes you’re down and sometimes you’re up,” said the 23-year-old Mrazek, who rarely, if ever, seems down, even when his team is. “When you don’t have lots of shots sometimes, and then they have a chance and it’s on a breakaway, it’s always hard. But you just try and stay in the game and do the things right.” The Red Wings did plenty of things wrong Thursday. And this wasn’t a fair fight, necessarily, with the Canadiens skating on tired legs a night after a loss at home to Boston. But with the Red Wings’ power play on its way to getting blanked for the sixth time in eight games — and with the Canadiens playing like a Cup-contending team determined to end a three-game skid — Mrazek probably could see this one ending badly. The Red Wings appeared to carry the 5-on-5 play in the first period Thursday. But after that, the Canadiens were at their tight-checking best, and the Wings’ early lead — courtesy of a Darren Helm breakaway goal — disappeared. Tighten up Mrazek, who’d made a pair of huge stops early, was put on the spot again after another poor shift from the Brendan Smith-Alexey Marchenko defense pairing. But this time a shot from Charlie Hudon, who was making his NHL debut, rattled free from Mrazek’s glove and dropped to the ice behind him, where Sven Andregetto swept it into the net for the 1-1 tie at 13:21 of the second period. Yet that’s when Mrazek made a difference, as both he and Howard have done regularly this fall. Mrazek followed up that gaffe by denying a charging Daniel Carr, who eventually picked up a penalty for cross-checking the Wings’ goalie. Montreal actually ended up with the

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best chance on the ensuing power play, though, and Mrazek had to make another big save on Tomas Plekanec’s shorthanded breakaway with 3:55 left. “I don’t know, in the end, if we gave up a ton of chances,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “But we gave up some real, real quality chances — too many for me. We’re gonna have to tighten up defensively. … I thought Petr did a great job.” He and Howard have done that all season, turning their would-be goaltending controversy into a must-have strength for the Wings, who’ve now snagged at least a point in 12 consecutive games (8-0-4) — their longest streak since 2010. Piling up the points What’s more, though, 11 of those 12 games have been decided by one goal. And that says as much about the goaltending as it does anything else. Their commonly-cited statistics are similar, with Howard owning the better goals-against average (2.25 to 2.41) and Mrazek the better saves percentage (.924 to .921) entering Thursday’s game. But Mrazek ranks fourth-best among NHL regulars with an even-strength save percentage of .946 — Howard is at .926 — and he’s ahead in other advanced metrics (including Goals Saved Above Average). If they’re Nos. 1 and 1A right now, Mrazek has to be the one. (Blashill wouldn’t commit to Howard starting Friday in New Jersey, offering up a smile.) That’s really not the point at the moment, though. Instead, it’s all these points the Red Wings are picking up, pulling to within four of the Eastern Conference-leading Canadiens, who are still without Hart Trophy-winning goalie Carey Price, as well as talented winger Brendan Gallagher, due to injuries. And after those third-period goals 71 seconds apart by Justin Abdelkader (off his skate) and Helm (again) put Detroit ahead to stay — “I thought Darren was the best player on the ice tonight,” Blashill said — things were understandably festive in the Red Wings’ dressing room. Even as Mrazek loaded up his gear, like a peddler just closing his pack. ’Tis the season, after all. And the Red Wings are winning. Detroit News LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Abdelkader, Helm goals give Wings comeback victory Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 11:49 p.m. EST December 10, 2015 Detroit — The Red Wings didn’t need overtime Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. Thanks to goals from Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm 1 minute, 11 seconds apart midway in the third period — for Helm it was his second of the game — the Red Wings rallied for a 3-2 victory. The Red Wings stretched their points-streak to 12 games (8-0-4). That matches a 10-0-2 run they had from March 11-April 3, 2010. The Red Wings (16-8-5) have also somewhat silently crawled to within four points of division-leading Montreal (19-8-3), which has lost four straight. “As a group we’re playing with confidence,” said Abdelkader, who tied the score on the power play. “We’re scoring timely goals and every game, it’s not like we’re down two or three goals. We’re staying close. “As a team our confidence is growing and we know we can play against anyone in the league.” Petr Mrazek stopped 23 shots and kept the Red Wings in the game with several crucial second-period breakaway saves. Those saves were crucial as the Red Wings didn’t play their best game in this 12-game streak, by any estimation. “Petr played real well,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “We gave up some quality chances, too many for me, and we’ll have to tighten up to have long-term success. But Petr did a great job.” Blashill sees a Red Wings team playing with confidence as the points-streak continues. “We can be better than we played and we’re going to have to be,” Blashill said. “But it’s big to get two points and against a team we’re chasing. “Confidence comes from winning for sure, and winning breeds confidence.” Abdelkader tied the game with his 10th goal at 12:48 of the third period. Henrik Zetterberg centered a pass to Abdelkader in the slot, and the puck bounced off Abdelkader’s skate and past goalie Dustin Tokarski. “I tried to turn my skate, I wasn’t trying to kick it forward,” Abdelkader said. “I didn’t feel like I kicked it in. (Zetterberg) kind of threw it in front and I tried to get a skate on it and fortunately it went in.” Helm then broke the tie at 13:59 with his third goal and second of the game (all three goals in the last four games).

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Montreal defenseman Greg Pateryn (Sterling Heights/Brother Rice) was stripped of the puck by Pavel Datsyuk, who made a short pass to Helm coming out of the corner. Helm wheeled across the slot and beat a sliding Tokarski, giving the Red Wings a 3-2 lead. “Pucks were bouncing my way and I was able to utilize my speed and create some chances and score a couple of goals,” Helm said .”It was nice. It was a huge win, to come back and find a way.” Blashill felt Helm was a key factor. “Darren was the best player on the ice, he was great from the drop of the puck,” Blashill said. “He has such get up and go and he was impactful the entire night.” Sven Andrighetto and Tomas Fleischmann scored Montreal goals. Fleischmann broke a 1-1 tie at 4:30 of the third period. Fleischmann got the puck near the dot, and using Jonathan Ericsson as a 6-foot-4 screen, lined a shot that beat goalie Petr Mrazek blocker side, Fleischmann’s eighth goal. “That’s hockey, sometimes you’re down and sometimes you’re up,” Mrazek said. “We had 15 minutes left in the game and we played real hard the last 15 minutes.” After a scoreless first period, the teams traded second-period goals with Helm and Andrighetto scoring. A significant reason the game stayed 1-1 late in the second period was the work of Mrazek. Twice Mrazek robbed forward Tomas Plekanec on breakaways, denying one of the Canadiens' leading offensive players. “Mrazek made some big saves and kept us in the game,” Zetterberg said. Detroit News LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Red Wings believe Jurco has celebrations in future Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 9:20 p.m. EST December 10, 2015 Detroit — Having just scored his first goal of the season, Tomas Jurco would have liked to savor the moment just a bit more. But after taking Joakim Andersson’s pass, and making a nifty move in front of Capitals goalie Braden Holtby and scoring in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss, Jurco fell to the ice as bodies began to topple near the crease. “I kind of wanted to celebrate a little more,” said Jurco, who hasn’t had much opportunity to do so this season. “But I landed there (on the ice).” Jurco — and the Red Wings — are hoping there will be more goal-scoring celebrations in the weeks and months (and years) ahead. There weren’t many last season either (three goals in 63 games), but the Red Wings are stressing patience with the 22-year-old, second-round draft pick from 2011. “Patience for everyone involved, for him and for us,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “He and I have talked lots about the mental toughness that’s needed to overcome adversity, of not playing and not getting opportunities. “Jurco is still young. He was real young when he came to play for me (in Grand Rapids, 2013). A lot of his peers played that year in juniors but because of his age he had to leave juniors. We’re very aware of that and we want to have patience with him.” Blashill mentions Jurco’s size (6-foot-1, 203 pounds), skating and stickhandling, and views Jurco as a potentially important player for the Red Wings. “There’s a lot to his package,” Blashill said. “But when he gets a chance, he has to grab the opportunity and he did that the other night by scoring.” On the goal against the Capitals, Jurco went to the net and was obviously rewarded with the scoring chances. It’s something Red Wings coaches have been drilling into him. “That’s what they want from me,” said Jurco, of going to the net and using his size. “I’m trying to do a little bit more than I used to. It worked last game. Just get to the net, skate hard and play hard.” No wall Dylan Larkin continues to accumulate points, has an astounding league-leading plus-20 rating, and is playing beyond his age (19) and experience. But will Larkin hit the proverbial “wall,” when the mental and physical strain of playing all these games eventually takes a certain toll? Mike Green doesn’t expect it.

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“The youth definitely helps,” said Green, now a grizzled 30-year-old defenseman who broke into the NHL at about the same age Larkin has. “I remember those dyas, you just keep going. As you get older it’s a lot (different), and it gets a little more difficult (the toll of playing so many games), but as a young player you just play and don’t think about it. “The hardest part for any young player is staying consistent. (But) he creates a lot of energy and has all the tools in his trunk. He’s a passionate player.” Ice chips Blashill went back to goaltender Petr Mrazek as his starter against Montreal. …With the Eastern Conference-leading Canadiens in town the media throng was huge after the morning skate, as it would be for any Original Six team compared to any other team. “Just look around here,” said Blashill, scanning the crowded locker room. “It also helps they’ve probably been the best team in the league, in the Eastern Conference, the first half of the year thus far. That also adds to excitement. “But we want to measure ourselves against the best teams.” … Green was glad to get the return Tuesday back to Washington, where he played for 10 seasons, over and done with. “Definitely a strange, emotional day,” Green said. “But it was good. Wish we could have gotten the extra point (the Wings lost in overtime), but it was an exciting day for sure.” Red Wings at Devils Faceoff: 7 p.m. Friday, Prudential Center, Newark, N.J. TV/radio: FSD/97.1, 1270 Outlook: The Devils (14-10-4, 32 points) have been a surprising team, on pace for a playoff spot. ... The special teams are both effective (power play ranked 8th, penalty kill 9th). ... LW Mike Cammalleri (Michigan) has been the offensive star (11 goals, 19 assists). Detroit News LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Sheahan, Tatar, Nyquist: Unsung Wings shining like stars Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 11:26 a.m. EST December 10, 2015 Detroit – During the summer, and again early this season, coach Jeff Blashill issued a challenge. Blashill talked to Tomas Tatar, 25, Riley Sheahan, 24, and Gustav Nyquist, 26, and told them what he felt they were capable of, and how important they were to the Red Wings' success. Fans knew about Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, and what they had accomplished. But the trio of young players, said Blashill, could be vital pieces of the Red Wings' season. "I challenged them to take it upon themselves to be a top-tier line, and they are becoming that," said Blashill, who put the three young players together in late October – separated them briefly when injuries forced Blashill to shuffle lines – and reunited them several weeks ago. And the Sheahan line has been arguably the Red Wings' most consistent and effective, and not just offensively, but on both sides of the rink, and against any opponent. "I don't have to match lines too hard because they can play against anybody," Blashill said. "That makes us a dangerous team. "But they need to continue to grow." Tatar and Nyquist each have 10 goals, trailing only Dylan Larkin's team-leading 11. Tatar's 21 points and Nyquist's 19 points trail only Zetterberg's and Larkin's team-leading 22. Sheahan has started slowly offensively – three goals, six points – but has been a defensive standout on the line. "We know each other," said Tatar about the line, which has played together since 2012 in Grand Rapids. "We talk a lot on and off the ice. We're really good friends. Right now, the chemistry is clicking and we're having fun." Blashill likes the blend of offensive talents the three players have and their potential. "You've got three guys that can make little plays in the offensive zone," Blashill said. "They can shoot the puck real well, but they're different in how they can score. "But all three have the ability to score." Which, in turn, helps the Red Wings overall as it gives opponents difficult matchup problems when the Sheahan line plays at a level that equals or surpasses what Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Larkin are doing on other lines. "It's a matchup problem when that line is playing well and the other two lines are playing as well as they've played, because it's hard to have three lines that can match against those guys," Blashill said.

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Red Wings postgame: Struggling power play delivers in clutch as points streak up to 12 games Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 10, 2015 at 11:15 PM, updated December 10, 2015 at 11:37 PM If you missed the Detroit Red Wings' 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, you should read the game story, that's what it's there for. In any event, he's a quick snapshot: THREE STARS 1. Darren Helm -- It was by far his best game of the season, as he scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner with 6:01 remaining in regulation. Helm, who's been playing much better the past several games after a slow start, created many chances with his speed and had five shots on goal. 2. Tomas Fleischmann – The former Red Wings draft pick scored to give the Canadiens a short-lived lead in the third period and was denied during a breakaway in the second. 3. Petr Mrazek – His 23 saves included all four breakaways he faced, two each in the first and second periods. BY THE NUMBERS 2 -- Goals by Darren Helm, who doubled his season total during his first 24 games. 2 -- Assists in two games from Joakim Andersson, his first two points of the season. 4 – Breakaways stopped by Petr Mrazek, two each in the first and second periods. 4 -- The Red Wings are four points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Canadiens and have one game in hand. 4 -- Power plays the Red Wings failed to convert on before Justin Abdelkader tied the game during a man-advantage at 12:48 of the third. 7 -- Games in a row the Red Wings had lost to Montreal (two in overtime) before tonight. 10 -- Goals by Justin Abdelkader, giving the team four players with double-digit goal total (Dylan Larkin has 11 while Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar have 10 each). 12 -- Consecutive games in which the Red Wings have earned at least one point (8-0-4), their longest such streak since 2010. 15 – Faceoffs won by Pavel Datsyuk, who lost seven. The Red Wings went 36-34. 23 -- Points this season by Henrik Zetterberg, who leads the team. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Red Wings rally in third as Darren Helm's second goal sinks Canadiens Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 10, 2015 at 10:12 PM, updated December 11, 2015 at 12:00 AM DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings' power play was generating little as the team appeared destined for its eighth consecutive loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the latter stages of the third period Thursday. But then the Red Wings struck quickly, getting goals from Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm in a span of 1:11 to take the lead. They held on for a 3-2 victory at Joe Louis Arena, extending their points streak to 12 games (8-0-4), their longest since a 12-game run in 2010. "I thought we played well early," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I didn't think we played well from about the middle of the second to the middle of the third, but once we scored we played well. "We can be better than we played. We're going to have to be, but it's a big two points against a team we're chasing." The Red Wings (16-8-5) climbed to within four points of the Atlantic Division-leading Canadiens (19-8-3), and Detroit has one game in hand. The Red Wings managed only four shots on their first four power plays combined. Then Alexei Emelin was called for high-sticking Helm with 7:30 remaining. Abdelkader tied it with his 10th goal of the season at 12:48. Henrik Zetterberg's centering pass went in off Abdelkader's skate. There was no kicking motion. "I turned my skate. I wasn't trying to kick it," Abdelkader said. "I didn't see any replays on it but I didn't feel that I kicked it in. "(Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban) kind of took my stick away. Z threw it in front and I just kind of tried to get a skate on it and fortunately it went in." Said Blashill: "Our power play answered at a very critical point in the game. It was good early, was not good in the middle, and it obviously answered at that point, so that's a great thing. Helm scored his second goal of the game at 13:59 to give the Red Wings a 3-2 lead, capitalizing on a turnover by Greg Pateryn in his own zone. "I think it was (Brad Richards) had a really good forecheck, kept the puck in play," Helm said. "They took another whack at it. Pavel (Datsyuk) was able to kick it up to me and, I don't know, I saw it was just me and the goalie. Tried to make a play, out-wait him and find the net." The Canadiens pulled goaltender Dustin Tokarski with 1:30 remaining while Subban was in the penalty box for delay of game but couldn't get the equalizer.

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"Those two goals really gives us energy," Zetterberg said. "Got to say Mrazek was pretty good tonight, kept us in and made some big, big saves." Petr Mrazek made 21 saves. After a scoreless first, the clubs exchanged goals in the second period. Helm opened the scoring at 11:18. Luke Glendening made a good play to chip the puck ahead to Helm, who used his speed to get past the defense, break in alone on Tokarski and score. Helm had a breakaway in the first period in which he failed to get a shot off. He doubled his season's goal total in one night. "I thought pucks were bouncing my way," Helm said. "I was able to utilize my speed and create some chances and get a couple of goals." The Canadiens tied it at 13:21. Charles Hudon's shot went off Mrazek's glove and sat in the crease before Sven Andrighetto swooped in and banged it home. Mrazek kept it that way by stopping Tomas Plekanec on a pair of breakaways in the final few minutes of the period. Montreal was 0 for 4 on breakaways. Andrei Markov broke in alone and hit the goal post during his team's lone power play of the period. Minutes later, Mrazek made a pad save when Tomas Fleischmann broke in alone. "When you don't have lots of shots sometimes and they have some chances, had some breakaways, it's always hard, but you try to stay in the game and do the things right," Mrazek said. Blashill said his team allowed too many prime scoring chances. "I don't know in the end if we gave up a ton of chances but there was some real quality chances, too many for me," Blashill said. "We're going to have to tighten up defensively to have long-term success." Michigan Live LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Second-period analysis: Red Wings 1, Canadiens 1 Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 10, 2015 at 9:14 PM, updated December 10, 2015 at 9:16 PM DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens exchanged goals in the second period and are tied 1-1 after 40 minutes at Joe Louis Arena. Darren Helm opened the scoring at 11:18. Luke Glendening made a good play to chip the puck ahead to Helm, who used his speed to get past the defense, break in alone on Dustin Tokarski and score his second goal of the season. Helm had a breakaway in the first period in which he failed to get a shot off. The Canadiens tied it at 13:21. Charles Hudon's shot went off Petr Mrazek's glove and sat in the crease before Sven Andrighetto swooped in and banged it home. Mrazek kept it that way by stopping Tomas Plekanec on a pair of breakaways in the final few minutes of the period. Montreal is 0 for 4 on breakaways tonight. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.11.2015

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First-period analysis: Red Wings 0, Canadiens 0 Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 10, 2015 at 8:17 PM, updated December 10, 2015 at 9:19 PM DETROIT – The first period Thursday between the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens at Joe Louis Arena featured three power plays and three breakaways but no goals. Montreal's Andrei Markov hit the goal post during his team's lone breakaway. Minutes later, Petr Mrazek made a pad save when Tomas Fleischmann broke in alone. Prior to that, Detroit's Darren Helm failed to get a shot off during a breakaway. The Red Wings have a 10-7 edge in shots. Montreal's Dustin Tokarski is making his first start this season after being recalled from the AHL. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Detroit Red Wings notes: Jeff Blashill preaches patience with Tomas Jurco Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 10, 2015 at 4:27 PM, updated December 10, 2015 at 4:50 PM DETROIT – Not everyone can be like Dylan Larkin and flourish in the NHL at age 19. Precious few can, actually. Tomas Tatar needed four years with the Grand Rapids Griffins and didn't establish himself as a scoring threat in the NHL until he was 23. Gustav Nyquist spent more than two years in the AHL before experiencing his breakthrough NHL season at age 24. That's not to say Tomas Jurco will be as good a scorer as those players. But while he struggles to find his way in this league and into the Detroit Red Wings lineup on a regular basis, coach Jeff Blashill stressed patience with the skilled forward who's still 18 days away from his 23rd birthday. "Patience for us, patience for him," Blashill said. "He and I talk lots about the mental toughness that is needed to overcome adversity and the adversity of not playing and getting the opportunities he wants. So Jurco is still young. "He was really young (19) when he came to play for me (in Grand Rapids in 2012-13). A lot of his peers had played that year of junior but because of his age he had to leave junior, so we're very aware of that. We want to have patience with him. We think there's a lot to his package. He also has to, every time he gets a chance, grab the spot and grab those opportunities and he did that the other night by scoring." Jurco displayed some of his stick skills with a nice forehand-to-backhand move in front of the net to score his first goal in seven games this season during the second period of Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss at Washington. "I think it's a good thing for me, obviously, and it was an important goal, it gave us a lead, 2-1, so it was a good feeling," Jurco said. "Like I've said many times, I just want to work hard and keep playing (well). "I felt good in the ice the last game and I want to keep going. Just go to the net, skate hard, play hard." He missed the last half of the third period and the overtime after receiving a cut over his lip from a high stick, which required five stitches. Ultimately, Jurco would like to crack one of the top three lines and play a more offensive role. For now, he's on the fourth line with Luke Glendening and Joakim Andersson and must skate, check, play physical and go to the net. "When Jurcs is the most effective is when he's using his speed; he can skate really well for a guy that's 6-foot-2," Blashill said. "When he's tenacious on the puck both from a forecheck standpoint and a tracking standpoint, that's when I think he's at his best.

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"He's got real good hands, he's got ability to score goals. When he gets pucks in the O-zone he can make real good passes and he can score. But in order to get those pucks, he's got to make sure his skating on the puck is really good." RED WINGS NOTES No false bravado for Larkin: After Dylan Larkin won a roster spot following the preseason, the Red Wings couldn't have expected he would be this good so soon. "Having had Dylan last year in the playoffs in the American League, I knew that he had some special qualities about him," Blashill said. "He's somebody who is a confident young guy and I think in order to be young and successful in this league, you have to have an inner confidence, a real, true confidence, not a fake bravado, and he's got that. To what level he was going to produce, I don't know that you could predict that." Larkin's preseason test: Blashill got a good indication of how Larkin would react in the NHL in the preseason. "I played him against a lot of the other best players in the league," Blashill said. "He played against (Pittsburgh's Evgeni) Malkin, he played against (Boston's Patrice) Bergeron, he played against (Chicago's Jonathan) Toews and he seemed to pass the test. He's one of those guys that's passed it at every level, at every different situation." Michigan Live LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Red Wings Gameday: Dylan Larkin trying to become first rookie to lead NHL in plus-minus Print Email Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com By Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com on December 10, 2015 at 3:03 PM, updated December 10, 2015 at 3:04 PM GAME INFORMATION • Who: Detroit Red Wings (15-8-5) vs. Montreal Canadiens (19-7-3) • Where: Joe Louis Arena • When: 7:30 p.m. • TV: Fox Sports Detroit • Radio: 97.1 WXYT-FM and Red Wings radio network • Social media: Follow MLive sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. • Twitter: Follow Ansar Khan and Brendan Savage • Live coverage: Join our open thread at 6:30 p.m. GAME NOTES • No rookie in history has led the NHL in plus-minus ranting and Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin has a long way to go if he wants to be the first. But Larkin is certainly off to a good start with a league-leading plus-20 rating after 28 games. The Kings' Jeff Carter is second at plus-16. Among Red Wings, Jonathan Ericsson is a distant second at plus-7. Larkin is on pace to finish plus-58 for 82 games. Although no rookies have led the league in plus-minus, a couple of second-year players have done it recently. Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov shared the plus-minus lead last year in his second NHL season. He and Montreal's Max Paciorety were both plus-38. Buffalo's Tomas Vanek also did it in his second year with a plus-47 rating in 2006-07. • For anyone unfamiliar with the plus-minus rating, here's how it works: Players get a plus when they're on the ice for an even-strength goal or short-handed goal scored by their own team. Power-play goals scored by their team and those that come via penalty shots do not count. Whether or not the net is empty does not matter providing both teams are at full strength. Players receive a minus if they're on the ice for an even strength goal or short-handed goal scored against their team. • Pavel Datsyuk was the last Detroit player to lead the NHL in plus-minus, putting up a plus-41 rating in 2007-08. Three other Red Wings have led the NHL in plus-minus since it became an official NHL statistic in 1967-68. Chris Chelios did it with a plus-40 rating in 2001-02, Vladimir Konstantinov was plus-60 in 1995-96 and Paul Ysebaert was plus-44 in 1991-92. • The top two plus-minus ratings in history belong to Hall of Fame defensemen Bobby Orr and Larry Robinson. Orr, who led the league a record six times, was plus-124 for

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Boston in 1970-71 and Robinson was plus-120 for Montreal in 1976-77. Orr was on the ice for 258 Boston goals – 79 on the power play – and 86 goals against the Bruins that included 30 while short-handed. That translates to 179 even-strength goals for Boston and 55 against. Orr and Robinson are the only players to record a plus-minus rating that reached triple digits. Four-time leader Wayne Gretzky was plus-98 for Edmonton in 1984-85. The worst single-season rating was Bill Mikkelsson's minus-82 for Washington in 1974-75. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Red Wings lineup vs. Canadiens: Petr Mrazek opposes Dustin Tokarski as Detroit looks to extend points streak Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 10, 2015 at 12:37 PM, updated December 10, 2015 at 12:48 PM DETROIT – The Montreal Canadiens got off to a blazing start, with nine victories in a row. And while the Detroit Red Wings aren't focused on catching the Canadiens for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, they have slowly chipped away at the deficit. The Red Wings have an opportunity to get to within four points of Montreal tonight when the teams meet at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit). Petr Mrazek will oppose Dustin Tokarski, who will be making his first start of the season for Montreal after being recalled from St. John's (AHL) following Carey Price's injury. Mike Condon, who has started every game in Price's absence, will back-up tonight after playing in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins. Tokarski made 28 saves in a 4-1 win at Detroit last season. The Red Wings have gained at least one point in 11 consecutive games (7-0-4) but have struggled against the Canadiens, who have defeated them seven times in a row, including twice in overtime. Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill sees similarities in team speed. "I think when we're playing at our best, we're a pretty quick, fast team and we transition pretty fast," Blashill said. "I think when they're playing their best, they're a quick, fast team. Their D are very involved, their D are a little more active from a shooting sense. Our D have been a little more active from a motion sense. Both D corps can provide offense. "I also think structurally they're really good. They make it hard to get to the net, they don't give up lots. They've had obviously real good goaltending, but I think part of that is the structure with which they play." It's usually a festive atmosphere at the Joe when the Canadiens are in town, with many Montreal fans in the building. "It's always a good game," Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar said. "They've been good I think for lots of years now. The game is obviously special. Fans are (appreciative), the arena is really loud. I'm really looking forward to tonight's game." Said Blashill: "The Original Six matchups are special. They've been the best team in the Eastern Conference for the first half of the year so far. I think that helps as well, adds to the excitement. We want to measure ourselves against the best teams in the league and we got a good chance to do it tonight." Here are the Red Wings' lines tonight:

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Dylan Larkin-Henrik Zetterberg-Justin Abdelkader Darren Helm-Pavel Datsyuk-Brad Richards Gustav Nyquist-Riley Sheahan-Tomas Tatar Tomas Jurco-Luke Glendening-Joakim Andersson On defense: Niklas Kronwall-Mike Green Danny DeKeyser-Jonathan Ericsson Brendan Smith-Alexey Marchenko Jakub Kindl (healthy scratch) In goal: Petr Mrazek (starting) Jimmy Howard Michigan Live LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Red Wings Q&A: Mike Green on meeting the Obamas, 'Gang Green,' dinner with Snoop Dogg Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com Print Email Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com By Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com on December 10, 2015 at 6:06 AM DETROIT – Before signing a three-year, $18-million free-agent contract with the Detroit Red wings last summer, Mike Green had established himself as one of the NHL's top offensive defensemen during 10 seasons with the Washington Capitals. He was signed to help give the Red Wings offense a boost and quarterback the power play after averaging 11 goals and almost 25 assists per seasons in Washington, where he scored a career-high 31 goals in 2008-09 and was a two-time runner-up for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman. In a Q&A with MLive, Green talked about his days in Washington, the history surrounding the Red Wings, meeting President Obama and the First Lady and why he'd like to have dinner with one of the world's most famous rappers. MLive: Ten years in Washington. What was the coolest part about playing in a city like that? Green: For me it was seeing hockey become a big part of the community. When I first got there no one really knew what the Capitals were and we got maybe 5,000, 6,000 fans for the games. As time went on, we were selling out each night and fans were pretty excited about hockey. MLive: What's it been like coming to an Original Six city? Green: It's been pretty incredible actually. You sit in the dressing seeing the photos and what not. A lot of history here, a lot memories for a lot guys. You can sense that presence in this dressing room. MLive: In Washington, did you cross paths with any famous politicians, visit the White House or visit any of the landmarks? Green: I did see the landmarks. I was lucky enough to go the White House and I did meet Obama and Michelle. MLive: What do you say when you meet the President and First Lady? Green: It was funny because I was there with my charity. My kids got invited there and I went along with them. We were playing street hockey on the south lawn and Michele Obama was dropping the puck and she had asked me, 'So, what do I do?' And I said (laughs), 'Just drop it. There's nothing much more to it.' That was the extent of our conversation. MLive: Was the President part of the street hockey?

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Green: He wasn't playing but he was there. I shook his hand. I didn't get a chance to talk to him. MLive: You scored 31 goals one year. What do you remember about that season? Was it one of those years when everything just seemed to go right for you individually? Green: Yeah. You know when you're feeling it and things are going well, you tend to shoot the puck a lot more and you tend to find areas. For whatever reason, that year we were clicking as a group and I'd have to give credit to my teammates. They did a good job of finding me open and a lot of times I just had to shoot at an open net. MLive: I read where they had a "Gang Green" fan club in Washington. What did you think when you hear a name like that? Green: It was a little strange at first but I ended up meeting the people that started it and they were all really nice so we sort of rolled with it. MLive: Are you superstitious? Green: No. MLive: Who's the most superstitious guy you ever played with? Green: Probably John Erskine. He's not playing anymore but he was a D-man in Washington for a long time. If a water bottle was flipped over on the bench he'd put it up. He had to have everything a certain way. If you got in the middle of his routine there was trouble. MLive: If you could have dinner with anyone in history dead or alive who would it be? Green: I'd have dinner with Snoop Dogg. MLive: Why's that? Green: I just think he's a character. MLive: What's your favorite rink to play in other than Joe Louis Arena? Green: Probably the Bell Centre (in Montreal). Just the atmosphere. MLive: Favorite city to visit on the road? Green: Probably Nashville. The music and it's got good food there. It's just a good atmosphere, again, within the city again. MLive: What do you see yourself doing in 20 years? Green: Probably retired hopefully and spending time with the kids. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.11.2015

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Helm's two goals lift Red Wings over Canadiens By Larry Lage, The Associated Press POSTED: 12/10/15, 11:18 PM EST | UPDATED: 11 SECS AGO 0 COMMENTS DETROIT >> The Detroit Red Wings extended their best stretch of success in five years, and kept the Montreal Canadiens stuck in their worst slump of the season. Darren Helm’s second goal with 6:01 left in the third period broke a tie and lifted Detroit to a 3-2 comeback win over Montreal on Thursday night, extending its point streak to 12 games. “We’re playing better,” Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said. “Still, it’s not perfect.” Helm scored 1:12 after Justin Abdelkader pulled Detroit into a 2-all tie, scoring off his right skate on a goal that stood after video review. Petr Mrazek made 21 saves for the Red Wings, whose point streak matches their longest since 2010. “Mrazek was pretty good,” Zetterberg said. “Kept us in and made some big, big saves.” Detroit has pulled within four points of Montreal in the Atlantic Division. “It doesn’t really matter right now,” Zetterberg said. “It’s a long way to go. We know we’re playing well. If we’re playing like this we’re going to get our points and then we’ll be there in the end.” The Eastern Conference -leading Canadiens have lost four straight, their worst skid in a season that started with a 9-0 record and 18 wins in their first 24 games. “We’re facing adversity and that’s going to make us stronger,” Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. Montreal’s Tomas Fleischmann scored a go-ahead goal 4:30 into the third period, but goaltender Dustin Tokarski couldn’t make it stand up. Tokarski stopped 26 shots in his first start of the season while replacing rookie Mike Condon, who has been filling in for the injured Carey Price. “For his first game, I was really impressed,” Therrien said. Tokarski, who was 6-6 last season for Montreal, shrugged off his relatively solid showing. “I felt good, but came up short,” he said. “I’ve played here before and have won here.” The Canadiens are also without winger Brendan Gallagher, one of their leading scorers, and broken fingers are expected to keep him out for about another month. Price remains sidelined with a lower-body injury that has kept the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner out since late October. “We’re missing a lot of players,” Therrien said.

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Helm broke a scoreless tie midway through the second period and Montreal’s Sven Andrighetto tied it a couple minutes later. Fleischmann’s slap shot from the inside of the right circle beat Mrazek’s blocker. The winger went to the penalty box midway through the third, but Detroit didn’t take advantage. The Red Wings had another power play with 7:30 left and made the most of the opportunity off a faceoff won by Pavel Datsyuk. Henrik Zetterberg later had the puck and made a centering pass that Abdelkader redirected into the net with the outside of his right skate. Montreal defenseman Greg Pateryn had a chance to clear the puck before the game-winning goal, but it went off Datsyuk and stayed in the zone. Abdelkader got to the puck, skated across the crease and lifted the puck past the sprawled-out Tokarski. The Canadiens hurt their chances to extending the game beyond regulation because P.K. Subban was called for delay of game, putting him to the penalty box with 1:44 left. Montreal pulled Tokarski soon thereafter to have the same number of skaters on the ice, but couldn’t score to tie the game. “We put ourselves in a tough position to have to kill off three penalties in the third period,” Montreal center Lars Eller said.

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Bob Duff: Habs hit the skids without all-star goalie Carey Price

By Bob Duff / Windsor Star

A power-play goal and a turnover led to two quick Detroit Red Wings goals and once again spelled doom for the bleu, blanc et rouge.

Losers of four straight, the Canadiens have hit the skids for the first time this season.

They really miss that guy.

Carey Price?

Well, yeah. Him too.

Certainly, the Canadiens, defeated 3-2 Thursday by the Wings at Joe Louis Arena, would prefer that the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner – currently out for the second time this season with what’s being termed a lower-body injury – be the one guarding their net.

But the guy who drives the bus in Montreal in terms of offence is right-winger Brendan Gallagher, who hasn’t played since breaking two fingers in his left hand after blocking a shot Nov. 22 against the New York Islanders.

He’s their net-front presence, the one who gets the engine revving and ensures that it keeps purring.

When Price was out earlier this season for a nine-game stretch, the Habs were an impressive 5-2-1.

They are 2-4-1 minus him this time around, but to label this entirely a Price-less crisis would be incorrect.

Rookie Mike Condon, in place of Price, is 9-5-3 with a 2.28 goals-against average and .911 save percentage.

Dustin Tokarski, making his first start of the season Thursday, blocked 26 shots, including a pair of breakaway saves.

Speaking of being in all alone, lately, the Canadiens are to breakaways what the Detroit Lions are to Hail Mary defences.

They haven’t got a clue.

Montreal missed on four clear-cut breakaways Thursday, Andrei Markov and Tomas Fleischmann failing in the first frame and Tomas Plekanec going 0-for-two in the second period.

The Canadiens have potted 11 goals in their last six games, an average of 1.8 game.

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That won’t win in anyone’s hockey league, let alone the NHL.

Beyond Gallagher’s nine goals, the Canadiens are also without Torrey Mitchell (five goals) and Devante Smith-Pelly (three).

The Wings didn’t put much thought into Montreal’s woes. We may be on the brink of the holiday season, but there’s no sympathy between the boards.

“I guess I’d let them talk about that,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “For us, we just focus on ourselves.”

On paper, it’s easy to draw parallels between the Habs and Wings, the top two teams in the Atlantic Division.

“I think when we’re playing at our best, we’re a pretty quick, fast team and we transition pretty fast,” Blashill said. “I think when they’re playing their best, they’re a quick, fast team.

“Their D are very involved. Their D are a little more active from a shooting sense. Our D have been a little more active from a motion sense. Both D corps can provide offence.

“They make it hard to get to the net, they don’t give up lots, they’ve had obviously real good goaltending, but I think part of that is the structure with which they play.”

The biggest difference between the two teams is that the Habs don’t suit up a dazzler like Pavel Datsyuk, or finishers of the calibre of Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist.

They get their goals the old-fashioned way – by grinding it out, working harder than the opposition and displaying a willingness to compete for every inch of the ice.

“They have great structure and everybody seems to be dialled in every night for them,” Detroit’s Joakim Andersson said.

It’s getting to the point where the Canadiens may be required to dial 911.

Their Price might not be right, but at the moment for the Habs, every goal is worth its weight in gold.