The simple path back on track, tinkering to lines and power plays, and everything else you need to know before Detroit plays Columbus this afternoon

In their final game on American soil before traveling to Sweden later this evening, the Detroit Red Wings host the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 1PM matinee at Little Caesars Arena this afternoon.

The Blue Jackets will be looking to snap a three-game losing skid, while Detroit is looking to bounce back from losses this week to the Rangers and Canadiens.  Here's everything you need to know before the puck drops.

The Simple Path Back

Throughout the week, Derek Lalonde has emphasized playing a simple game as central to getting Detroit back on track—whether that's in reference to playing better from the start of games, controlling games at five-on-five, or re-gaining rhythm on the power play.

After yesterday's practice, he continued to tout the work of the team's fourth line in offering a model for what that looks like—"Simple, north, work off the forecheck if the entry isn't there, get to the hard area."

"Some of the words we've been talking about: A little harder, a little cleaner, a little more crisp," Lalonde added. "We're in a five-game segment right now [where] we're 2-2-1—some highs, some lows, not awful, just not good enough for our talent level. We have to be a little more crisper [sic], a little cleaner, and a little harder."

When asked what goes into playing simple hockey, Andrew Copp explained yesterday, "It's really just not forcing plays—making the obvious play, but making it fast and having it be predictable, so everyone knows where the puck's going on the ice.  Hopefully, it allows us to play faster.  Not overcomplicating it in terms of going D to D back to D, trying to wind it up and create chances off the rush.  [Instead,] getting guys moving through the neutral zone, chipping pucks in, and getting on the forecheck is kinda the trademark for [playing simply]."

After Tuesday's tilt in New York, Copp pointed out that the Rangers built momentum by throwing every possible puck on net.  When asked whether that might be a tactic for Detroit to employ to find a way to better starts, he explained that there are some lessons to be gleaned from that approach, but that shot volume alone isn't the answer for the Red Wings.

"First things first, we gotta get the puck in the offensive zone, get possession, and get pucks back to the point and bodies to the front of the net," Copp told The Hockey News.  "[The Rangers] did a good job on their forecheck and from that, they were able to continue momentum by throwing pucks at the net.  I don't know if we're ever gonna be a team that just flings the puck at the net, but I think it's definitely gonna be increased zone time.  But if we get a shot to the net, we gotta have guys in the right spots to get the rebound and get those loose pucks right after.  Sometimes you just sling one to the net, and a lot of times that can end up on the other team's stick, and that can just be a breakout pass.  Gotta be smart about it."

As for points of emphasis heading into today's game with the Blue Jackets, Copp offered an objective that is certainly simple: "The only thing that comes to mind would be scoring the first goal."  Detroit hasn't struck first since the Seattle Kraken game on October 24th, conceding first in each of its last seven. 

Line-Up Tinkering

At Friday afternoon's practice heading into today's game, the Red Wings showed some tinkering with the line-up relative to Thursday's loss to Montreal.  Austin Czarnik—who was injured in the third period in play that incensed Derek Lalonde—is unavailable, while Robby Fabbri folds back in for what will be his third game of the season.

If yesterday's lines hold, we'll see a slightly different flavor to the bottom six in particular.  The key change there is Daniel Sprong and Christian Fischer switching spots in the third and fourth right wing positions.  

With Fabbri-Veleno-Fischer and Kostin-Rasmussen-Sprong as the third and fourth lines, there is a bit more balance in composition than with Fabbri and Sprong both on the third line (as they were Tuesday night in New York).  Instead of a third line with two attacking-oriented wingers and a traditional grinding fourth line, Lalonde has split Fabbri and Sprong as well as Kostin and Fischer.

"It looked like it was a lot for him that game, but that's understandable," Lalonde said of Fabbri's return from injury against the Rangers.  "Not only has he not played a lot of hockey of late, rehab and training are a lot different [than playing games].  So he looked a little bit like a step behind, but he was able to get three days of work in, and I think he'll take a step."

Meanwhile, Lalonde and his staff also offered a shake-up to the team's power play units.  

Perhaps the most notable move was the introduction of Jeff Petry to the point position on the top unit; Petry has experience in that role, and he played there some during training camp and the preseason, but he has not seen much power play ice time so far in the regular campaign.

Lalonde re-emphasized his priority of simplicity in explaining the decision to add Petry to the top unit, offering "simple, just pucks to the net, just simple decisions" when asked what Petry can provide.

"The power play is struggling, and it's like your five-on-five, just simplify it," Lalonde continued.  "Get downhill, get pucks to the net, try to get the goalie's eyes, which obviously we didn't do last night [against the Canadiens].  We had possession, we had some looks, just had that missed opportunity when we probably could have got the goalie's eyes.  It's tough to watch back.  We generated more offense than their power play, we had more zone time than their power play, we had more chances than their power play, but they had a screen goal on a simple shot, obviously a world class shot.  They get two, and that's the difference in the game."

Ville Husso will start between the pipes for the Red Wings.

When Last We Saw Columbus

Detroit and the Jackets tangled at Nationwide Arena in Columbus back on the 16th of October.  The Red Wings shutout their hosts 4-0, earning their first road win of the season on that occasion, scoring a pair of power play goals and defending with aplomb.  In the aftermath of that affair, the Blue Jackets won back-to-back games, before stumbling on harder times.  Since those consecutive victories (over Minnesota and Calgary), Columbus has dropped seven of its last eight games, including three straight (to the Capitals, Panthers, and Stars).

Where to Watch

Today's game will be broadcast by Bally Sports Detroit and also carried by the NHL Network.  Because it is on the NHL Network, it will not be available via ESPN+/Hulu for out-of-market fans.

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