Game #1

(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

THE GAME

Anaheim Ducks (0-0-0) @ Detroit Red Wings (0-0-0)

This is it.  This is the game we've been waiting for since May 8, 2010.  The regular season is finally here.  The offseason is over.  The preseason is finished.  The games matter now.   And, of course, who else do we get to open the season against than the much hated Mighty Ducks. 

THE LINE-UP

Pavel Datsyuk-Henrik Zetterberg-Tomas Holmstrom
Johan Franzen-Valterri Filppula-Todd Bertuzzi
Jiri Hudler-Mike Modano-Danny Cleary
Drew Miller-Darren Helm-Patrick Eaves

Nicklas Lidstrom-Jonathon Ericsson
Brad Stuart-Brian Rafalski
Niklas Kronwall-Ruslan Salei

Jimmy Howard
Chris Osgood

In the press box: Kris Draper (groin), Justin Abdelkader (ribs), and Jakub Kindl (healthy scratch)

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• First game of the year with a full line-up.  The Flying Circus line is back together.  How well can the Mule/Filp/Bert line click?  Modano plays his first real game in a Red Wings uniform.  Happy is back...and that makes me happy. 

• Jimmy Howard begins his sophomore campaign.  Will he put up numbers we saw last season?  Probably not.  But that doesn't necessarily mean it's a sophomore slump.  One game at a time Jimmah.  One game at a time.

• Will Big Rig continue to play horrible?  I'm curious how short of a leash he's on.  He's paired with Lidstrom tonight.  Let's see if he plays like he did in the '09 playoffs against the Ducks.  This move reeks of a last ditch effort by Babcock to get Ericsson back on track.  Kindl looked better in the preseason.  If he's ready to go and Ericsson continues to regress, it might be time to put Kindl in.

BRENDAN SMITH

The dream of Smith making the team this year did not come true.  It was a long shot and we all knew it.  A year in Grand Rapids will be good for the kid.  I want to see him make an big impact with the Griffins and in the AHL.  He's got a year to grow up and sharpen his skills.  It starts for him tonight.  The Griffins open their season tonight at 7pm against the Abbotsford Heat.

UNCLE LEON'S THOUGHTS

"Wings 4, Dwindling Ducks 2.  Z gets the game winner.  Pav has two assists."

STAT OF THE DAY

From Khan(!), the Red Wings are 35-34-14 all-time in season openers for a .506 winning percentage. The Ducks, at 4-12-0 (.250), have the worst winning percentage in season openers among the 30 NHL teams.

VIDEO YOU SHOULD WATCH



Lets Go Red Wings.