Red Wings News

[WTFchris]

Babcock switches back to regular lines

by Ansar Khan Wednesday December 10, 2008, 11:21 AM


Update from Wednesday's morning skate: Coach Mike Babcock switched back to his usual forward line combinations, which he said he always intended to do. He said he switched things up for a couple of days just to see how players would react to playing with different linemates.
"I had a good opportunity to see how they might be if I decide that's (how he wants them),'' Babcock said. "You learn who wants to play with who by their body English and there's lots you can learn. Some guys play better with certain guys. Let's try to have them with those guys as much as we can. Sometimes during the year it gets like Ground Hog Day, you got to change things up.''
He added: "To me, it's having a net presence on every line and having a shooter on every line and someone who can make plays.''
So here's the lines for tonight's game against Calgary:

Holmstrom-Datsyuk-Hossa
Franzen-Zetterberg-Samuelsson
Hudler-Filppula-Cleary
Kopecky-Draper-Maltby

On defense:
Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Lebda-Lilja

Scratches:
Meech
Chelios
McCarty (IR)

"The bottom line is none of it matters, it's about how we play tonight,'' Babcock said. "We're playing a team that played last night (lost 4-1 in Montreal) and got in late. The formula is very simple, it's called energy early, get after them on the forecheck and let's play.''

[DE]

You know...when he said that about the defensive pairings I should have known it was coming. I just would like to see if Hossa playing with Z would get Zetterberg back to his dominating form.

I'm going to miss Meech the winger. I really liked his forechecking.