Penguins’ only march to LCA will be true test of playoff contention
The Detroit Red Wings’ next game is an opportunity to measure themselves against a team that, even with an aging core, presents a challenge.
The Pittsburgh Penguins make their only visit of the season to Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., TNT). A decade and a half has passed since the Wings and Penguins matched up in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals; the Wings don’t have any players still active from those teams — third-year forward Lucas Raymond was just 7 when the Pens topped the Wings in 2009’s Game 7 — but the Penguins still have Sidney Crosby, now 36; Evgeny Malkin, 37, and Kris Letang, 36. Six points from Malkin, four from Crosby and three from Letang have helped the Penguins start the season 2-1-0, the same record as the Wings.
“Those guys, you can see the urgency in their level and their emotion,” Wings forward and ex-Penguin David Perron said Tuesday. “You got one of the best players to ever play the game fighting in preseason, understanding what the situation is for their team. That’s incredible impressive. Nothing else to say about Sid other than he knows what it takes — he wants everyone to know they’re a team that will contend.”
On top of that core, the Penguins added 33-year-old defenseman Erik Karlsson, who is coming off a 101-point season (in San Jose) and his third Norris Trophy. Derek Lalonde said Karlsson makes the Penguins “more dynamic,” at even strength and on the power play.
On the subject of power plays, the Wings know it is vital to be disciplined against an opponent with high-end skill. Part of what hurt opening night in New Jersey was being in the box six times.
“We want to, of course, but in game one, the sort of penalties that happened, and then game two, at home — it seemed like it was two different eras,” Perron said. “I was guilty of two penalties in the first game. I wasn’t happy. But I think those slashes, those things happen 50 times per game. As players, we enjoy playing those games like the second one more than the first one.”
Lalonde said the Wings will use the same forward group that won, 4-0, Monday at Columbus, as Robby Fabbri (undisclosed injury) isn’t expected back before the weekend at the earliest. Goaltender Ville Husso is slated to get his third start. Lalonde indicated he would like to reinsert Jeff Petry, but wasn’t certain who instead would be taken out of the defense corps.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. 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.