Copyright M Live Michigan
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings have decent size with six skaters 6-3 or taller. They can better utilize it to help with their scoring drought. “We’re not a small team. It’s just sometimes we don’t play big,” coach Todd McLellan said. “But we have some length. We have guys that are long and tall. We have some girth. Those players have to give us more of that. “The smaller players can also do that. They can roll around and sometimes they’re the toughest to handle in and around the blue paint because they have a low center of gravity. They’re quick, they’ve got to dart in and out. And we’re just not seeing enough of that.” The Red Wings have lost three in a row and four of their past five mainly due to a lack of scoring (two goals in three games; six goals in five games). McLellan moved Alex DeBrincat to the top line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond during the third period of Sunday’s 5-1 loss to Chicago and that unit remained intact Tuesday at practice. “We need to be more physical and a harder team to play against,” DeBrincat said. “We’re giving up too much too easily. We got to win our 50-50s in the O-zone and D-zone and really all over the ice. I think just getting back to that work ethic and playing simple is going to be what’s best for us.” It was an intense practice that included one-on-one puck-protection drills and a physicality that McLellan hopes will carry over into Thursday’s home game against Anaheim (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network). “We don’t get a lot of time during the season to practice the way we did today because you have so many games in such a short time frame,” McLellan said. “They expended a lot of energy today. It was physical, there was a lot of battling. It gave us a chance, one, to have a practice like that, but two, to also remind them that that’s an important part of the game. “After reviewing the last two games, we had some chances to score off the rush, two-on-ones. That part of our game’s OK. It’s what happens now when we settle in in the offensive zone. The feeder shots are going to the net and are we near the net? Are we through the goalie’s eyes? Are we around rebounds? And conversely, at the other end, are we doing a good job? That type of practice was designed because of time and because of a need for the group.” DeBrincat said the focus Tuesday was getting to the net, being stronger around the blue paint and getting in the goalie’s eyes. “We’re getting a lot of shots, but a lot of them are from the point and no one’s in front. No one’s going through the goalie’s eyes,” DeBrincat said. “It’s pretty hard to score in this league if we don’t do that.”
