The Detroit Red Wings travel to Minnesota for the first ever NBC televised home game for the Minnesota Wild today at 12:30 p.m.
Red Wings Vs. Wild: Minnesota Battles For Playoff Positioning Against Healthy Detroit
Detroit's Todd Bertuzzi will be skating in his 1,000th career game and is the fourth current Red Wing and 263rd NHLer to accomplish that feat. Bertuzzi's family will be on hand to witness the game and Bertuzzi had this to say about playing in his 1,000th game:
“I think that’s pretty special, having them there,” Bertuzzi said. “I’m pretty fortunate to be playing that many games. I’ve played on some good teams and with some good players, but I’m pretty proud and excited to be playing in a Detroit uniform.”
Bertuzzi has had six goals in the last four games and has 14 goals and 38 points total on the season which is good for fifth in goals and sixth in points on the team. Jimmy Howard should be the starting goaltender for the Red Wings and is 1-0 on the season against the Wild.
For the Minnesota Wild, Martin Havlat is one point away from achieving 500 career points, the 62nd player in this history of the NHL to accomplish that feat. Havlat has 17 career points in 21 career games against the Red Wings including an assist this year.
The bigger news for the Wild is the loss of Mikko Koivu. Koivu left Friday night's game against the Anaheim Ducks with a hand injury and while it isn't known how long Koivu will be out of the lineup, any length of time for the Wild is bad. Koivu is tied for the team lead in points and has 15 goals on the season, good for second on the team. Wild center Matt Cullen knows that the team has to find a way to win without Koivu in the lineup:
“First of all, our thoughts are with Mikko, and we hope he’ll be back soon,” said Cullen, whose shorthanded goal Friday gave the Wild the lead for good. “But, as a team, we’re at such a critical spot right now, and all these games are so big, we just have to find a way.”
Cody Almond has been called up from the AHL Houston Aeros in relief and has no points in five games with the Wild this season. Game time is 12:30 pm and can be found on NBC in the midwest as part of their Hockey Day in America coverage.
For more information on this game, please visit our Red Wings site, Winging It In Motown, and our Wild site, Hockey Wilderness.
See More:
