Detroit Red Wings Clips February 27-29, 2016

Detroit Red Wings PAGE 3 Red Wings vs. Stars game day: Time, TV, radio, etc. PAGE 4 Wings GM 'going with youth’ as trade deadline is here PAGE 5 Red Wings, Holland not tipping hand at deadline PAGE 7 Red Wings talking as trade deadline approaches, but options appear to be

limited PAGE 9 Red Wings brave the elements (wind, lighting, altitude) for big win in

outdoor game PAGE 11 Wings could be in for a quiet trade deadline PAGE 13 Wings' Mrazek gains confidence as starts build PAGE 14 Red Wings alumni relish reunion at Coors Field PAGE 17 Doc Emrick: Michigan Stadium my favorite outdoor game PAGE 19 Red Wings vs. Avalanche game day: Time, TV, radio, etc. PAGE 20 St. James: Wings cap special, breezy night with win at Coors PAGE 22 Wings vs. Avs alumni: ‘Hatred is there .. respect is also’ PAGE 24 Wings fans sneak behind enemy lines for Coors Field game PAGE 26 NHL: Red Wings 'helpful to' league, outdoors games PAGE 27 Red Wings trade Kindl to Panthers for draft pick PAGE 28 Wings send Kindl to Panthers for 2017 sixth-rounder PAGE 29 Fake snow gets real interesting at Wings game PAGE 31 Red Wings victory is as big as all outdoors PAGE 33 Daly on possible Wings-Leafs outdoor game: No comment PAGE 34 Red Wings trade Jakub Kindl to Florida for sixth-round pick, clear some

cap space PAGE 35 Red Wings Gameday: Detroit has been outscored 22-10 during six-game

road skid PAGE 37 NHL trade rumors: Could the Red Wings be on the verge of trading Jakub

Kindl? PAGE 38 Red Wings' Brad Richards playing in fifth outdoor game with 'two fastest

guys I've ever seen' PAGE 40 Jakub Kindl happy to stay or go with Griffins - 'I just want to play' PAGE 42 Red Wings-Avalanche alumni game competitive but clean as players

showed mutual respect PAGE 44 Red Wings revel in dramatic ending to a special outdoor game experience PAGE 46 Red Wings postgame: 50,095 see Detroit snap six-game road skid in

outdoor game PAGE 47 Brad Richards' late goal lifts Red Wings over Avalanche in Stadium Series

game PAGE 49 Check out photos from the Red Wings-Avalanche outdoor game PAGE 50 Live scoring, stats: Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche (stats) PAGE 51 Red Wings' Ken Holland clears cap space for offseason, not trading top

prospect or high pick

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PAGE 52 Richards helps Red Wings defeat Avs in outdoor game PAGE 54 Adam Foote still wants to punch Kris Draper in the face PAGE 56 Avs' Roy: Red Wings alumni 'look in great shape' PAGE 57 Mellowed Patrick Roy has Avalanche in contention PAGE 59 Where are they now? Catching up with ol' Wings, Avs PAGE 61 Jamie: First Cup run, rivalry endear us to 90s Red Wings PAGE 63 Wings vs. Avs: Current rivalry nor Coors Field surface icy PAGE 65 Colo. 5, Det. 2: Yzerman, Shanahan score; Wings alumni fall PAGE 67 Wings look to make 'simple' decisions outside vs. Avs PAGE 68 Respect is final takeaway from Wings-Avalanche rivalry PAGE 70 Avs top Red Wings in thrilling alumni game PAGE 72 Warm weather cuts short Wings outdoor practice PAGE 74 Avs' Patrick Roy returns to crease for alumni fest PAGE 76 Foote on Draper: He turns my stomach PAGE 77 Former Avalanche Adam Foote wants to punch ex-Red Wing Kris Draper

in the face PAGE 78 By the numbers: NHL Stadium Series game between Red Wings and

Avalanche PAGE 80 Advanced stats 101: Looking at hockey analytics and the Red Wings PAGE 84 Kris Draper discusses hit from Claude Lemieux that ignited Red Wings-

Avalanche rivalry PAGE 86 Fans show appreciation for Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry during Coors

Field alumni game PAGE 88 Avalanche defeat Red Wings in Stadium Series alumni game PAGE 89 Milan Hejduk's goal extends Avalanche lead over Red Wings in Stadium

Series alumni game PAGE 90 Captains Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic score during first period of Red

Wings-Avalanche alumni game PAGE 91 Red Wings not caught up in novelty of playing outdoors, they're focused

on two points PAGE 93 Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek anxious to start his first outdoor game PAGE 94 Wings prep for ‘business trip' PAGE 96 Andy Miele returns after bloodied to score OT winner for Griffins

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Red Wings vs. Stars game day: Time, TV, radio, etc. Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press 3:31 a.m. EST February 29, 2016 2016 Coors Light Stadium Series - Detroit Red Wings v Colorado Avalanche Detroit Red Wings (31-20-11, 73 points) vs. Dallas Stars (38-19-6, 82 points) When: 8:30 p.m. Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas. TV: Fox Sports Detroit. Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1; Click here for other radio affiliates). The skinny: This is the first game after today's trade deadline, but all signs point to the Wings not being much different after 3 p.m. As for the game, the Wings come from one challenge -- playing, and winning, the outdoor game in Denver -- to taking on the second-best team in the Western Conference. Dallas won the only other meeting this season, 4-1 on Nov. 8 at the Joe. Petr Mrazek is expected to get the start in goal for Detroit. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.29.2016

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Wings GM 'going with youth’ as trade deadline is here Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 12:40 a.m. EST February 29, 2016 DALLAS – As teams around them surrendered draft picks for immediate gratification, the Red Wings remained quiet. NHL teams have until 3 p.m. today to make deals before the trade deadline. A year ago, the Red Wings dealt picks and a prospect to add a forward and a defenseman, but general manager Ken Holland told the Free Press this weekend he is considering moves only for a player who would be a significant upgrade over someone already on the team. The Wings are not looking for depth. “We like the development of our young players,” Holland said. “We are going with our youth.” The Wings didn’t practice Sunday at American Airlines Center because of a Dallas Mavericks game. The Wings are trying to make the playoffs for a 25th consecutive season. At the same time, they seek competitiveness for the future and are unwilling to mortgage it by giving up the high-end picks to add marquee players. The Wings did that when they were premier contenders, going without a first-round pick from 2002 through 2006, and again in 2009, 2011 and 2012. Trading top picks makes sense when a team has stars in their 20s, as Chicago does with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. The Wings’ stars, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, are in their mid-30s, which is why the Wings now keep their picks. Their first-rounder from 2014, Dylan Larkin, leads the team with 19 goals and is a key reason they are in playoff position. While the Wings appear to be sticking with what they have, other teams in the Eastern Conference have made moves. Sunday saw the New York Rangers acquire forward Eric Staal from Carolina for two second-round picks and a prospect. The Florida Panthers, who like the Wings are in the Atlantic Division, opted for depth, acquiring defenseman Jakub Kindl from Detroit, and forward Jiri Hudler, a former Wing, from Calgary. The Pittsburgh Penguins took a gamble on young defenseman Justin Schultz, whose stock has fallen since he was a coveted free agent a few years back. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.29.2016

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Red Wings, Holland not tipping hand at deadline Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 4:45 a.m. EST February 29, 2016 Dallas — The Red Wings made one trade Saturday to create some salary cap space and prepare for the future. Are more moves on the way leading to Monday’s 3 p.m. (EST) trade deadline? Don’t count on it. The Red Wings traded defenseman Jakub Kindl to Florida Saturday in a move more about creating salary cap space for this summer when the Red Wings need to re-sign many key prospective free agents, and possibly mingle in the market beginning July 1. Now, Kindl’s trade also creates some wiggle room leading to the trade deadline but whether that’ll be enough to acquire an impact player for the stretch run of this season is debatable. Even general manager Ken Holland concedes it’s not entirely about salary cap limitations as much as it is keeping an eye on the future. “Trades over the last few days have shown if you want to make a trade, there are creative ways to make a trade,” said Holland, who doesn’t believe the salary cap limitations currently are a major hindrance. “You can get creative. But this is everything to do with the young players in our organization. “This is about where the Detroit Red Wings are at this point.” Holland points out the organization made major moves last season. Detroit acquired forward Erik Cole and defenseman Marek Zidlicky at the trade deadline to add to a veteran core around Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall. “I went for it last year, we rolled the dice,” Holland said. “Given the age of our team last year, where it was, we made the decision to go all in.” The Red Wings were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs and one of the prospects sent to Dallas for Cole — forward Mattias Janmark — has 13 goals for the Stars this season. Cole injured his neck and is out of the NHL. Zidlicky was not re-signed and is playing with the slanders. Holland might not be eager to go that route again. Holland is again saying the Red Wings are more likely to stand pat than not and there are reasons to believe him this time. The number of quality available players shrunk considerably over the weekend. With the trades of forward Andrew Ladd and Dale Weise to Chicago, Eric Staal to the Rangers, Jiri Hudler to Florida and asking prices rising for the likes of Mikkel Boedker

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(Arizona) and Loui Eriksson (Boston), it’s not likely the Red Wings will find anything that perfectly suits their needs. Holland isn’t interested in giving away prospects that appear to be set for major roles going into the future for a rental player that might stay in Detroit for a few months. Sending Kindl to Florida for a 2017 sixth-round draft pick (the Red Wings also retain 15 percent of his $2.4 million salary this season and next) clears approximately $2 million in salary cap space for this summer. With forwards Darren Helm, Drew Miller and defenseman Kyle Quincey all potential unrestricted free agents, and goalie Petr Mrazek, defensemen Danny DeKeyser and Marchenko, and forwards Riley Sheahan and Teemu Pulkkinen all potential restricted free agents, the Red Wings need to find all the financial room they can get. Detroit News LOADED: 02.29.2016

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Red Wings talking as trade deadline approaches, but options appear to be limited Ansar Khan | on February 28, 2016 at 4:04 PM, updated February 28, 2016 at 4:05 PM DALLAS – The Detroit Red Wings don't appear poised to make a move as Monday's 3 p.m. NHL trade deadline approaches. But, things can change in a hurry. General manager Ken Holland said he'll continue working the phones. "We'll see what the next (24) hours brings," Holland said. "You never know if you're going to make a deal or not make a deal. I've talked to a number of teams. "At the end of the day, we're not doing anything in goal. I'm happy with our depth on defense." If the Red Wings trade, it would be for a forward. They could use some more offense and some size and abrasiveness for their fourth line. But there are several obstacles to making a deal. To begin with, the pool of desirable players is shallow following several moves the past couple of weeks. The list of forwards rumored to be on the move – or at least available – includes Mikkel Boedker (Arizona), Jonathan Drouin (Tampa Bay), Loui Eriksson (Boston), Radim Vrbata (Vancouver), PA Parenteau (Toronto) and Scott Hartnell (Columbus). The Lightning aren't likely to deal Drouin to the Red Wings, who they are competing with for a playoff spot. The same goes for the Bruins with Eriksson, whom they are attempting to re-sign. Hartnell is the kind of agitating, physical player with offensive ability the Red Wings could use, but they're not apt to assume his contract (three more years at a $4.75 million cap hit), especially at age 33. Beyond those players, could the Red Wings acquire anyone who would be an upgrade over what they have? "With guys like (Anthony) Mantha and (Tomas) Nosek (in Grand Rapids) and (Teemu) Pulkkinen, (Tomas) Jurco ... for me to make a trade between now and Monday, it's got to be an upgrade on some of our younger players," Holland said. "Sometimes you're better off to sit and hold your cards. Just to bring in a body, if the player is similar to what we got, I don't know that you can justify trading the assets." Holland and most of the front office, including the pro scouts and coach Jeff Blashill, were meeting Sunday in Dallas to go over possibilities. They'll continue to make calls and field calls until the deadline. The Red Wings, coming off a huge 5-3 victory Saturday over the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL Stadium Series at Coors Field, visit the Stars on Monday (8:30, Fox Sports Detroit).

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The Red Wings could use some more offense. They rank 21st in the league in goals per game (2.52) and 24th on the power play (17.2). They believe the solution, to some extent, is in the room. Tomas Tatar (17 goals) and Gustav Nyquist (15 goals) haven't produced as expected. "We'd like to produce a little more offense but part of that is players producing like they have in the past," Holland said. Holland said he doesn't anticipate trading high draft picks or top prospects. The Red Wings cleared some cap space Saturday by trading Jakub Kindl to Florida. They're about $1.8 million under the cap. Holland said the cap would not be a hindrance to a deal for the right player because they would find a way to create space. "You're looking for a big upgrade," Holland said. "I don't see us acquiring any depth. I don't want to pay a price for someone that is older but other than experience isn't much better than our kids. "It's got to be a type of player who's really going to improve us or give us a different look. Our younger players are pretty good. This race to the playoffs is very important, but having an eye to the future is just as important. "Maybe a rebuild is inevitable. We're trying to figure out if we can avoid that." Michigan Live LOADED: 02.29.2016

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Red Wings brave the elements (wind, lighting, altitude) for big win in outdoor game By Ansar Khan | on February 28, 2016 at 9:02 AM, updated February 28, 2016 at 9:51 AM DENVER – Detroit Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek saw chunks of white cotton floating through the air during the third period Saturday and did a double-take. "I was like, 'How could it be snowing in the 50s?' " Mrazek said. It was fake snow, used as decoration around the rink at Coors Field. When the winds gusted during the third period, it made for a blizzard-like scene during an NHL Stadium Series game in which the temperature at puck drop was 65 degrees. "There were a few times during whistle timeouts they had guys come out and get the cotton," Detroit's Justin Abdelkader said. "I think there was one time where a good amount blew on the ice but for the most part they did a good job of cleaning up." Players said conditions had minimal effect on the game, a 5-3 victory for the Red Wings over the Colorado Avalanche. "I was not trying to think about it too much but obviously you felt it, especially with that foam flying around," Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar said. "So it was a little weird but we just tried to stick with it and we wanted to really win this game. The fans were great and we're realty happy they come support us all the way here. I think it was a good game to watch." Mrazek said he could feel the wind a little bit. "Those boards and the glass is there so I just could feel it sometimes when I was just standing and the wind just pushed me a little bit," Mrazek said. They changed ends midway through the third period to make it fair for both sides. The Red Wings scored three goals – including Brad Richards' winning tally with one minute remaining and Darren Helm's empty-netter, in the final 10 minutes. "The wind really picked up, which made it a little tough, but at the same time both teams had to go through it," Abdelkader said. "I thought the ice held up great. The guys did a great job for as warm as it was, as much as the sun was beating down." Richards said of the wind: "I didn't get to ask the faster skaters how they felt the wind affected them. I had the same speed all night." Mrazek said he had a little difficulty tracking the puck. "The lighting and then the darkness of the stadium, it's hard, but it's for both teams the same thing," Mrazek said. He said picking up the puck wasn't an issue on Nathan MacKinnon's goal that sailed over his shoulder in the first period. "I was a little upset at myself that I would let in that goal," Mrazek said.

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Abdelkader said the altitude had an effect, even though his team got stronger as the game progressed. "Guys were coughing a bit and grasping for air at times," Abdelkader said. But, it was fun. "At times, all the guys were trying to take in the moment, look around, enjoy the scenery," Abdelkader said. "These things don't happen a lot and they're special for us and for the fans, too." Mrazek said leading the team onto the ice for the pregame warm-ups and the game was "an incredible moment." "You don't see it every day, so it's a (lifetime) memory," he said. "It was a great experience, a huge for us on the road," Mrazek said. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.29.2016

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Wings could be in for a quiet trade deadline By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily POSTED: 02/28/16, 4:08 PM EST | UPDATED: 1 MIN AGO It could be a quiet Monday for the Detroit Red Wings when all the dust settles after the NHL trade deadline. The major reason … salary cap. The Wings are currently just $1.8 million under the salary cap they’re operating which is $67 million instead of $71.4 million the rest of the league is working with. The salary-cap discrepancy is due to after putting Pavel Datsyuk on long-term IR (LTI) at the start of the season they got as high on the salary cap as they could and then Johan Franzen went on LTI and is done for the season. Because of the way the rule reads the Wings are unable to get the full relief when players are placed on LTI. So if the Wings are going to make a major addition at the trade deadline, which ends at 3 p.m. Wednesday, they won’t be able to do so unless they’re able to trade salary off their roster. “For us to make a trade it’s got to be an upgrade to some of our younger players,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said. “It’s sometimes better to sit and hold your cards. If you’re going to bring in a player that’s similar to a player we’ve already got I don’t know that you can justify trading the assets.” The Wings feel they’re pretty set in goal, at forward and on defense. “We’d like to produce a little more offense, but part of that needs to be players producing like they have in the past,” Holland said. “We seem to defend reasonably well and we’re in most games. “If there’s a fit we’ll do something,” Holland added. “If we don’t have the assets or don’t want to part with the assets we won’t.” Last season the Wings acquired forward Erik Cole and defenseman Marek Zidlicky for prospects and draft choices. If those kinds of deals are available to be made this year it’s not the upgrade Holland is looking for. “You’re looking for a big upgrade,” Holland said. “I don’t see us making a deal to acquire depth. I don’t want to pay a price for someone that is older, that’s just more experienced, but isn’t much better than any of our kids. “It’s going to have to be a type of player that’s really going to improve us or give us a different look,” Holland continued. “Our younger players are pretty good. This race to the playoffs is very important, but also having an eye to the future is just as important.” Dealing Jakub Kindl and retaining 15 percent of his salary to the Florida Panthers for a six-round pick in 2017 did help.

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“If you want to make a deal, there’s always ways to make a deal,” Holland said. “My thinking as we head into Monday is cap space and nothing to do with whether we make a deal. It has to do with where the Detroit Red Wings are. “Given the age of some of the key players on our team we took a run at it last year,” Holland added. “Right now, do I anticipate us doing anything? I don’t know. I don’t anticipate trading any top prospects or high draft picks.” Kindl, who went unclaimed on waivers twice this season, has one year left on his contract at $2.4 million. “The biggest thing is it clears $2 million of cap space heading into the summer, when I’ve got a number of restricted free agents to sign,” Holland said. “We’ll see where the cap can be and how active we can be. I’m happy we were able to clear some cap space.” Macomb Daily LOADED: 02.29.2016

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Wings' Mrazek gains confidence as starts build Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 3:44 p.m. EST February 27, 2016 DENVER - Petr Mrazek is big on having fun and enjoying every experience. That has gotten easier in the second half of the season, as he has secured his standing as the No.1 goaltender for the Red Wings. Saturday’s outdoor game between the Wings and Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field will be be Mrazek’s 40th start of the season. Mrazek served as backup to Jimmy Howard the last time the Wings played outdoors, in the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. Since that time, Mrazek has taken over the team with determination. “It’s great to play outdoors,” Mrazek said. “But we have to find way to get points.” As the playoffs approach, Mrazek, 24, is in an easier frame of mind than he was during the second half of last season. Then-coach Mike Babcock didn’t decide on Mrazek as No. 1 until after last two games of the regular season, which saw Mrazek ace his audition with a shutout in the finale. While coach Jeff Blashill has not officially said Mrazek has the starter’s job, the evidence is in Mrazek getting the bulk of starts since December and in Howard appearing every handful of games. “When you are getting more starts, that makes you more confident, and you feel better in the net,” Mrazek said. “I feel like I am getting better performances from myself, because when you are in the game all the time, you just feel better. “You just want to keep going hard and work on things to eliminate bad mistakes.” Mrazek has shown his strengths over the past few weeks, when he played so well through January and into February he led the NHL in goals-against average and save percentage. Then came two games that saw him surrender 10 goals. He bounced back, just as he has done after past hiccups. “The season is so long, I don’t think there is a goaltender that doesn’t have those days, those bad games,” Mrazek said. “You just have to recover fast and get back on track and enjoy the next game and have a good performance. “Playing outdoors is great experience, and I am so excited for that. It’s a special event that can happen maybe a few times in your life.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings alumni relish reunion at Coors Field Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 2:10 p.m. EST February 27, 2016 DENVER -- Brendan Shanahan threw his arm around Martin Lapointe. Steve Yzerman smiled and laughed. Nearly every player had a beer in his hand. The Detroit Red Wings alumni regretted the loss but relished the reunion Friday at Coors Field, where they played with passion and pleasure and humor. "It was great," Yzerman said. "We had a lot of laughs. It's not pretty, but it's fun to play. It was great." Yzerman and Shanahan had Detroit's goals in the 5-2 loss to an Avalanche alumni roster highlighted by Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg. Players joked about how humbling it was to suit up as middle-aged men, but they loved it, and so did the 43,319 fans that packed into a baseball stadium for a hockey game on a February evening. During a third-period video tribute to one of hockey's grandest rivalries, fans stood to applaud, and players broke from awaiting a face-off to raise their sticks in salute. "It was awesome," Joe Kocur said. "We just had a blast playing. Wish the outcome had been better, but we'll get them again. "Just going out there and looking in the stands and seeing how many people were out there. And the weather was perfect. It'd be fun to do this every couple of years for another 10 years." It was nearly 59 degrees when the game began around 5:30 p.m. locally. During introductions, Kris Draper got a hearty round of boos. So did Chris Chelios, who responded in the most Chelios way by booing right back. "This was actually comical," he said. "I couldn't help myself." Chris Chelios thanks fans after Red Wings-Avalanche alumni game at Coors Field, Feb. 26, 2016. Video by Helene St. James, DFP. The game was heavy on Hall of Famers and team executives. Yzerman took a break from his job as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sakic from being general manager of the Avalanche and Shanahan from his role as president of the Toronto Maple Leafs. "Wish we'd won," Shanahan said. "Don't like that. That bothers me. Another 20 years, we have to do this again. "Quite honestly, probably like many of us and even many of them, there was a part of us that wondered if this game could turn. We were mature boys. We're all in our late 40s and 50s and we work in the hockey world together and we mix and mingle. It was a great era, the Red Wings and Avalanche, late 90s, early 2000s." Red Wings vs. Avs memories: 'They let us go to war'

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Shanahan broke off to point to the guy sitting next to him. "Look at this guy," Shanahan said, pointing to Lapointe's ripped forearms. Lapointe was relieved to be done. It was a running clock through three 20-minute periods, making for a game that lasted just short of two hours. "I did better than I thought," he said. "But you could feel the mile high. After 20 seconds, we were gassed. Once in a while it got a little chippy." That was courtesy of Draper, who cross-checked Colorado defenseman Adam Foote days after he'd told a Denver radio station he'd like to punch Draper in the face. There were no fights during the game. These were men gathering to have fun and reminisce, not to rekindle a rivalry that captivated the hockey world from 1996 to 2002. Draper was central to the rivalry's start, victimized 20 years ago when Claude Lemieux hit him into the boards from behind, causing a broken jaw and shattered orbital bone. Lemieux never apologized, and the two never have spoken about the incident. As they met on ice again two decades later, Draper was magnanimous, underscoring a post-game handshake with a tap on Lemieux's shoulder. Draper long ago decided to move on from the hit, and now interacts with Lemieux as the professionals both are - Draper a special assistant to Wings general manager Ken Holland, Lemieux an agent to one of the Wings' prospects from last year's draft. Friday, all seemed forgiven. "I'd say both sides had a lot of fun," Draper said. "I thought the pace was pretty good. Guys were getting up and down the ice pretty good. It was awesome we had such a great turnout on our end, and I'm sure they're proud of the turnout they had on their end. And the fans were outstanding. "It was exactly what you'd expect with what these two organizations went through from '96 to 2002." The rivalry is why so many alumni made time for the game. Nicklas Lidstrom came from Sweden. So did Tomas Holmstrom. Neither wanted to miss it. "We've been through so much together," said Holmstrom's aid. "It's always fun to see the guys again." It didn't escape the notice of the Wings that while they beat the Avalanche in the 1997 and 2002 playoffs - the latter of which included an amazing 7-0 victory in Game 7 - that was glossed over by the folks who assembled the video montages. "The interesting thing is, the highlights, we didn't score one goal against them," Draper said. "Every time I looked around for a highlight, it was the Colorado Avalanche scoring on the Detroit Red Wings. I knew they were good. I didn't realize they were that good. We did score some goals on them." Yzerman opted to ignore the slight. "It was all Avalanche highlights," Yzerman said. "I got tired of them knocking us over and scoring. So I stopped watching."

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Yzerman said the third-period exchange between fans and players was "a special moment for us all." Just how much these former teammates meant to one another was on display afterwards, as the Wings alumni sat crammed into an indoor batting cage turned into a makeshift locker room. "You see the guys you played with, you played against," Yzerman said. "It's fun to be a part of." Beer can after beer can was popped open. Players took their time before changing and leaving, letting nostalgia linger. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Doc Emrick: Michigan Stadium my favorite outdoor game George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 1:12 p.m. EST February 27, 2016 DENVER – Mike (Doc) Emrick, who lives in St. Clair, will call his 12th outdoor hockey game tonight when the Red Wings face the Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field as part of the NHL Stadium Series. If he’s lucky enough, he said he’d be glad to call a lot more. “I missed the one at Wrigley Field because I woke up the day before with laryngitis and a throat infection,” Emrick recalled of the 2009 NHL Winter Classic that the Wings won 6-4 over the Blackhawks. “That’s the only Winter Classic I’ve missed. “I was there and looking at Lake Michigan from the Drake Hotel. And I had to call in. Dave Strader was alerted that there may be a need to come in on the 31st and sure enough there was." Emrick said the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor is his favorite. The Leafs won 3-2 in a shootout in front of 105,491, the largest crowd ever for an NHL game. Why is that one his favorite? “Because of the mixture of the crowd, of the drama of the game and of the snow,” Emrick said, who lives in St. Clair. “For me, I didn’t go to Michigan. I would have liked to. “One of the few smart things I said at one of our public gatherings was we should have a game at Michigan, it’ll blow the doors off all the attendance records cause we would. Sure enough we had it and we did. “They weren’t parking on the golf course, I don’t think, because of the snow. And there were people in Toronto jerseys pushing Red Wings people out of snowbanks with their cars and vice versa. And it took four hours to get back to St. Clair and normally it’s an hour and 20 minutes. But I didn’t care because it was a dramatic game and it was fun.” Emrick said the game is also the only one that remembers his teeth chattering in the third period. He called the game near the penalty box out in the open. “We weren’t allowed heaters because they said it would affect the ice down there,” Emrick said. “The big thing that all the fluid went through was right underneath where we sat.” Emrick’s will be inside at Coors Field, one floor above the main press box and he said the vantage point is fine. “The only time I ever called an entire game off the monitor were the two games at Yankee Stadium,” Emrick said. That was the 2014 NHL Stadium Series. The Rangers beat the Devils, 7-3, on Jan. 26 and then beat the Islanders, 2-1, on Jan. 29. The numbers on uniforms worn by the Rangers made it too difficult to read, so Emrick had to call the game off the monitor.

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Emrick said his philosophy for calling an outdoor game is similar to calling the seventh game of a Stanley Cup or Olympics. It’s a different and bigger audience than a normal regular-season game. “Not a lot of inside stuff without explaining,” Emrick said. For example, rather than asking what a team might do at the upcoming trade deadline, Emrick said he’d instead specify the trade deadline is 3 p.m. Eastern on Monday. “We know the Red Wings fans are out there, the Avs fans are out there,” Emrick said. “And the good thing about hockey fans, to our perception, is they’re pretty patient. They’ll be pretty tolerant of a less inside approach for one day, recognizing ‘Hey, we want other people to enjoy this too.’ ” Each of the outdoor games is unique, so there’s still a thrill to call each one. “They all seem special to me yet,” he said. “If you add ten more on, God willing, to my resume, maybe they won’t. But so far they do. “I like the Red Wings’ uniform design. Of course I’m biased, I like big numbers.” The outdoor games Mike (Doc) Emrick has previously called: Date....Site.......Outcome 1-1-08 Buffalo...Penguins 2, Sabres 1 (SO) 1-1-10 Boston...Bruins 2, Flyers 1 (OT) 1-1-11 Pittsburgh...Capitals 3, Penguins 1 1-2-12 Philadelphia...Rangers 3, Flyers 2 1-1-14 Ann Arbor...Leafs 3, Wings 2 (SO) 1-26-14 New York City...Rangers 7, Devils 3 1-29-14 New York City...Rangers 2, Islanders 1 3-1-14 Chicago...Blackhawks 5, Penguins 1 1-1-15 Washington, D.C....Capitals 3, Blackhawks 2 1-1-16 Foxboro, Mass....Canadiens 5, Bruins 1 2-21-16 Minneapolis, Minn....Wild 6, Blackhawks 1 Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings vs. Avalanche game day: Time, TV, radio, etc. Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press 4:02 a.m. EST February 27, 2016 2016 Coors Light Stadium Series - Colorado - Practice Day Detroit Red Wings (30-20-11, 71 points) vs. Colorado Avalanche (27-25-10, 68 points) When: 8 p.m. Where: Coors Field, Denver. TV: NBC (Channel 4 in Detroit). Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1; Click here for other radio affiliates). The skinny: Sure, there's plenty of novelty with the continuing NHL Outdoor Series as the latest chapter of this once heated rivalry. (Oops, considering the weather and ice conditions in Denver, probably shouldn't say heated.) And yes, it was more than cool to watch the guys that made the rivalry what it was on the ice Friday night. But this is a pivotal game for both teams. The Wings are in the first wild-card spot in the East, ahead of Pittsburgh by three points and trailing Boston by three. Meanwhile, the Avs are in the second wild-card spot in the West, four points clear of Minnesota. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.28.2016

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St. James: Wings cap special, breezy night with win at Coors Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 3:36 a.m. EST February 28, 2016 DENVER -- The experience was amazing, flying cotton and wind and darkness falling overhead. The Detroit Red Wings capped an entertaining weekend at Coors Field the best way possible, shrugging off swirling fake snow to bank a vital two points with a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche Saturday. The game began at 6:21 p.m. mountain time in glorious conditions -- mild, sunny, but with good ice because the sheet had been out of the sun for a couple of hours. The temperature was 65 degrees. A sell-out crowd of 50,095 crammed the stands, offering bipartisan support. Midway through the game, the wind was so strong the sheets of cotton used to provide at atmospheric setting for a winter sport played in a baseball stadium were being shredded and blown around. "It was just kind of weird," Tomas Tatar said. "You are looking up and the foam is flying everywhere. It was a little weird." A few times the stuff had to be removed from the ice, but there was no lingering issue. "We talked about before the game, when you play events like this, a lot of things happen," Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "You have to be prepared for weird stuff to happen and you have to stay poised. I don't think it really had an effect. There were just a few moments where that happened. "What a great event, though. I thought it was awesome. I thought the crowd was awesome. I thought it was a great setting. I was real thankful to be a part of it." Justin Abdelkader called the game, "a special time to be able to bring us all back to our roots of hockey and playing outdoors." Twenty four hours after the clubs' alumni had put on a nostalgic performance before 43,319, the NHL teams delivered an entertaining first period that saw Tatar score first, but the Avalanche take a 2-1 lead. The second period didn't get exciting until the wind picked up. Players tried to adjust. "You feel lit just a little bit," goaltender Petr Mrazek said. "The boards and glass are there, so I just felt it a little bit sometimes when I was standing and the wind just pushed me in the net a little bit." Tatar said he was "just trying to find a way for the wind to push me a little bit." The game got to 2-2 when Gustav Nyquist scored on a beautiful no-look backhand, and then Abdelkader provided a lead with less than 7 minutes to go in the third period. The Wings thought they had it.

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"After we scored that goal I thought now we're going to wrap it, but they scored right back," Tatar said."We just had to stick with it and we showed how strong we are." The Avs made it 3-3 14 seconds after Abdelkader scored. It took a wild last minute that saw the Wings score twice to secure the victory. "Oh man, it was crazy," Abdelkader said. "We score, then they come down and score that next shift. It was entertaining hockey." Fittingly, Brad Richards provided the game-winning goal in what was his fifth outdoor NHL game. The Wings added Richards in the off-season because they thought he could help them especially at crucial times, and so he did this night after eyeing Niklas Kronwall handling the puck. "I saw it go back towards Kronner and saw that he was going to keep it in," Richards said. "Got lucky that he put it on net, which was a good play by him. Got lucky that it came right to me and kind of had a little bit of time to chip it at the goalie. "I'd be lying if I told you I tried to put it in. I was just kind of chipping it towards the net and he was out of position. I don't know if it hit his back, but we'll take it." Richards had the line of the night when asked about the wind. "You have to ask the faster skater how they felt the wind was affecting them," he said. "I was the same speed all night. "It's a special weekend to be a part of. Growing up, any time I wanted to watch hockey, I'd want to watch Colorado or Detroit. There were so many great players, so just to be a part of this, the history of this rivalry, being around and seeing some of the guys yesterday. It was a pretty neat night under the lights. This will be a great memory." All the more so because the memory will be of a victory. The Wings are trying to make the playoffs for a 25th straight season, and the standings are ultra tight. The game showed yet again how badly the Wings need to figure out their power play, as they went scoreless through five opportunities and 10 minutes. But they found a way to win, and it was by getting the first goal in 12 games from Nyquist and the first in nine from Tatar. The Wings need those two if they are going to anywhere. Playing on national TV, the Wings flourished on a big stage, encouraged by the many fans wearing Wings gear. "We wanted to really win this game," Tatar said. "Fans were great and we were really happy they come support us all the way here. It's something special to play a game like this and I'm really happy we won. These types of games are amazing." Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Wings vs. Avs alumni: ‘Hatred is there .. respect is also’ George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 3:06 a.m. EST February 28, 2016 DENVER – Darren McCarty told his teammates to soak it in when a sellout crowd of 43,319 at Coors Field gave a standing ovation with a little more than five minutes left in the NHL Stadium Series alumni game Friday night. “I turned around, I said, ‘Hey, guys, this is the first and only time you’ll ever get cheered in Colorado,” said McCarty, who was one of the Red Wings that Avalanche fans loved to hate during an intense rivalry that spanned from 1995-96 to 2001-02. Players from both teams mixed together for a photo after the Wings lost, 5-2. “People realize this is sort of the closing to that chapter,” McCarty said. “The hatred is there, but the respect is also there. That’s from the organization to the players, coaches and to the fans. As brutal as this rivalry was, that’s how classy and respectful it is at the end, and that’s how it should be.” Perhaps an equally great show of class came after the game ended, when Claude Lemiuex shook hands with Dino Ciccarelli and Kris Draper. It was Lemieux’s check from behind in 1996 on Draper that helped ignite the rivalry. The hit left Draper badly injured. Ciccarelli lamented shaking hands, as is tradition, with Lemieux after the Avs beat the Wings in the 1996 playoff series. “It’s all good,” Lemieux said. “We’ve had many encounters since retiring. It’s all behind us. It’s a great event. Classy evening.” Even when the fans booed, the Wings it turned into some fun. Chris Chelios received loud boos during pre-game introductions. Shown on the giant outfield video board, he booed right back. McCarty opted to give fans who booed him a Mile High Salute, which was popularized by former Broncos running back Terrell Davis during his career from 1995-2002. “Hell, yeah,” McCarty said when asked if he planned the salute. “It’s Mile High. People know ... Well, people don’t know I’m a huge Peyton Manning fan. Mile High Salute was all in utmost respect for the boos. That was my way of saying, ‘Thanks for booing me. I appreciate the booing.’ I got no problem with that.” There were still some signs of the rivalry, though. Kirk Maltby was among the Wings who was a bit baffled by the choice of video clips used to showcase the best moments in the rivalry. The video package was heavily slanted in the home team’s favor. “Every highlight was a positive highlight for Colorado,” Maltby said. “We’re like, ‘Man, did we score any goals or win any games?’ So we had a good little chuckle out of that.” Avalanche Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy certainly showed his competitiveness, stopping 20 of 21 shots over two periods of play. Only Steve Yzerman was able to score on him.

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“I’m one (win) closer to Martin Brodeur,” Roy joked afterward. Roy retired with a then-NHL record 551 regular-season wins in 2003. He was eventually passed by Brodeur, who finished with 691. “You knew he was going to be competitive,” Maltby said of Roy. McCarty agreed. “You gotta remember, he’s one of the greatest goalies to ever play the game, so he’s got that in him,” McCarty said. Players from both teams had dinner with each other the night before. Nobody was really expecting any dirty hits. “We’re older,” Maltby said. “I’d like to say maybe we’ve matured a little bit as individuals. We were out there saying, ‘Your mind tells you to do something, but it takes an extra couple seconds for your body to do it compared to when you were playing.’ “We had some fun, and that’s what it’s all about.” It was fitting that Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan scored the goals for the Wings. “We relied on those guys a lot through the years for the offense,” Maltby said. “Those guys scored a lot of big goals for us over the years.” Everyone agreed there wasn’t enough time as the seconds ticked off the clock. “You looked up at the clock and maybe wished it was more of a stop time in the third, at least maybe the last five minutes,” Maltby said. “Just to really soak it all in. “I don’t think you could have asked for a better all-around atmosphere.” Maltby said there were too many memories of the Avs to pin down his favorite. Nick Lidstrom said he remembers the most intense parts of the rivalry: “The Draper hit, what happened with Mac and Lemieux. Later on, I remember the playoffs in 2002 when we were down 3-2 and we came back and beat them 7-0 in Game 7 at home. Those kind of memories stick out.” For some, the highlight of Friday came from just being around the guys one more time. The chance to be back on the ice, on the bench and in even a makeshift locker room with those they considered their brothers. Lidstrom and Tomas Holmstrom made the trek from Sweden to wear the Winged Wheel once more. “Fun to play with the boys again,” Holmstrom said. “Many battles over 10, 15 years.” Lidstrom agreed. “It’s even more special when you’re together with so many guys you played over the years with and had success with and battled with,” he said. “It’s kind of in a different atmosphere, but it’s still fun being back with the guys again.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Wings fans sneak behind enemy lines for Coors Field game George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 1:34 a.m. EST February 28, 2016 DENVER – Darren Van Dyke, a 17-year-old from Grand Rapids, was decked out in an autographed red No. 25 Darren McCarty jersey outside Coors Field on Saturday afternoon. He came for the alumni game on Friday night with his uncle, Daniel Dunn, 40, of Grand Rapids. Van Dyke was born to be a Wings fan. “I was named after him in ’98,” Van Dyke said of McCarty, which explains why McCarty remains his favorite player. He said he got the autographed McCarty jersey as a birthday present. McCarty was also Dunn’s favorite player. “Back in the day, he was my guy,” Dunn said. Dunn and Van Dyke said they had a good time in Denver and are hoping the Wings will have another outdoor game in Michigan within the next five years. Wings beat Avs, 5-3, at Coors Field Hundreds of fans visited the Spectator Plaza a couple hours before the outdoor game between the Red Wings and Avalanche. The plaza was full of musical acts, interactive games and plenty of food options and merchandise. Dunn said the Avs fans had been great to them. “It was very friendly,” Dunn said. “The atmosphere’s been great. The city has been fantastic. We’ve been walking around all day. We were on 16th Street, walking up and down, high fives with everybody.” Hundreds of fans were. Kent Denton wasn’t going to miss the outdoor hockey game at Coors Field on Saturday. Denton, decked out in a No. 9 Gordie Howe Red Wings jersey and a Michigan State cap, grew up in Grayling and now lives in Denver. Why did he decide to wear the Howe jersey to the game? “Because I met Gordie Howe back in 1967, back when I was a young kid,” said Denton, now 54. “Hockey has been my favorite sport ever since then. “I met him in Grayling at a place called the Penguin Inn. He came over to our table. We were in a little café. He told me and my brother we were two very well-mannered young men at the time. From then on, hockey has been my favorite sport, and football takes second place.” Denton said he’s lived in Colorado for almost 18 years.

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“Denver’s a great city, and they have good sports teams as well,” Denton said. “They put on fantastic shows, just like tonight. They just won the Super Bowl. The parade, they had, like, a million-plus people there. “The (Avs-Wings) rivalry has died down, but the emotions are still there from back in the day.” The Roman family from Grosse Ile made a vacation out of the outdoor game. They went skiing at Keystone and also went to the capital. “It’s our seventh capital,” said Dan Roman, 49. “We have a goal to see all the capitals before the kids are out of high school.” Also along on the trip was Dan’s wife, Melissa, 10-year-old son Mark and 8-year-old daughter Brooke. Mark is the hockey player in the family. He said his favorite player is Dylan Larkin. Why? “I think because he scores a lot of goals and he’s fast,” Mark said. The family didn’t go to the alumni game on Friday. “When we bought the tickets, I didn’t know the alumni game came with them,” Dan said. “Then we booked the skiing trip, so we couldn’t come down yesterday.” And the ski trip didn’t disappoint. “We’ve been to Utah; we’ve been to Vermont,” Dan said. “This was the best by far. It was really, really cool.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.28.2016

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NHL: Red Wings 'helpful to' league, outdoors games Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 2:44 a.m. EST February 28, 2016 DENVER -- The Detroit Red Wings have a fan in the NHL. Their strong fan base has made them an outdoors game darling. They spent this weekend at Coors Field, participating in an alumni game with the Colorado Avalanche on Friday, followed by a Saturday game between the NHL clubs. Saturday's game, won 5-3 by the Wings, had a sellout crowd of 50,095. That game comes a little more than two years after the Wings hosted the Maple Leafs in the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium, drawing more than 105,000 fans. There are rumors that next season, the Wings will play an outdoors game in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was at Coors Field Saturday and spoke about the appeal of the Wings. "What I'd say about the Red Wings, which is to their credit, is they travel well," Daly said. "You go to any NHL arena on any night, and the Red Wings are playing, they've got a lot of fans. That's helpful in outdoor games, and helpful to the league generally. They have a very good following." Asked specifically about the possibility of the Wings playing outdoors next season in Toronto, Daly said, "it's something that's been raised, but not something we're in position to make any announcements on." The NHL had as many as six outdoors games during the 2013-14 season. This year there has been three -- the Winter Classic and the two Stadium Series games featuring Detroit-Colorado and Minnesota-Chicago. Asked what an ideal number is Daly said, "you look at your opportunities in each year as to what cities and what venues can host games. We haven't made any announcements with respect to next year, but they're coming. "It's a little bit different next year because it's our centennial season starting 2017. So we'll see what next year has to offer. I don't think you want to do too many of these games. I think we're at the right number with a couple outdoor games a year." Daly also said that because January 1, 2017, falls on a Sunday, potentially pitting the NHL against the NFL, "we have a history that when January 1 is on a Sunday, we typically go January 2 for the Winter Classic." Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings trade Kindl to Panthers for draft pick Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 4:49 p.m. EST February 27, 2016 DENVER - After two years of trying to move Jakub Kindl,the Detroit Red Wings finally found a taker. The Wings unloaded Kindl to Atlantic Division Florida Panthers for a sixth round pick in 2017. The Wings have to retain 15% of Kindl's salary, but the key for them is they gain $2 million in salary cap space for next season. The struggling Canadian dollar threatens to leave the salary cap ceiling at or near the $71.4 million it is this season, and the Wings have key players to re-sign with raises. "Most significantly, it opens up cap space for us going into the off-season," general manager Ken Holland told the Free Press Saturday afternoon. "It's a good day for Florida, and it's a good day for Detroit because we created cap space. Jakub needed new scenery. He hasn't been able to be in the lineup consistently enough." The move comes two days before Monday's 3 p.m. NHL trade deadline. The Wings don't have much in salary cap space, and will only make a move for an impact player, not a rental, not a depth guy. They don't want to give up any higher-round picks, either. Kindl's story with the Wings ends with much less fanfare that it started. The Wings drafted Kindl, 29, at 19th overall in 2005. He never materialized as an elite defenseman, and when he did look like he belonged during the lockout-shortened 2013 season, it didn't last. Kindl often was a healthy scratch under former head coach Mike Babcock, and that continued under coach Jeff Blashill. Kindl appeared in just 25 games this season, producing two goals among six points. The Wings ended up waiving Kindl mid-January, and when there were no takers (even when Kindl could be had for nothing in return), he was sent to the minors. That cleared $950,000 in space off Kindl's $2.4 million salary cap hit. Moving Kindl helps the Wings out next season, as he had a year left on his contract. The Wings have numerous players to re-sign, most notably goaltender Petr Mrazek and defenseman Danny DeKeyser. A sixth-round pick may not sound like much, but every now and then, a gem is found in the later rounds. A recent one factored into Kindl dropping down the defense depth chart: Alexey Marchenko, taken in the seventh round in 2011. He and Xavier Ouellet both leapfrogged Kindl. "We like the development of our young guys," Holland said. "Where we can, we are going younger. We're happy to have the $2 million in cap space." The Wings play the Panthers in Florida on March 19. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Wings send Kindl to Panthers for 2017 sixth-rounder Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 4:52 p.m. EST February 27, 2016 Denver – Defenseman Jakub Kindl, who was never able to secure a full-time job with the Red Wings, was traded by Detroit to the Florida Panthers on Saturday. In exchange, the Panthers sent the Red Wings their 2017 sixth-round draft pick. The Red Wings will retain 15 percent of Kindl’s $2.4 million salary this season, and the same amount for next season. This move also clears some salary cap space for the Red Wings ahead of Monday’s 3 p.m. Eastern trade deadline. A 2009 first-round draft pick of the Red Wings, 19th overall, Kindl never utilized his size (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) in a physical way, lacked focus defensively, and never developed a mean streak the organization hoped he could find. Kindl, 29, had six points (two goals, four assists) in 25 games with the Red Wings this season. Twice he was waived this season without any other team claiming him. There was optimism among Kindl and some in the Red Wings organization that when Jeff Blashill replaced Mike Babcock as head coach after last season, Kindl might be inspired to be more productive. But after short periods of optimism, Kindl never was fully able to lay claim to a regular job in the lineup and gain the full confidence of the coaching staff. The Panthers also acquired former Red Wings forward Jiri Hudler from Calgary for two draft picks. Detroit News LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Fake snow gets real interesting at Wings game Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 1:29 a.m. EST February 28, 2016 Denver — You expect some different things at outdoor hockey games, some unusual stuff. But a fake blizzard? That’s pretty much what occurred in the third period of Saturday’s 5-3 Red Wings victory over the Colorado Avalanche as the wind began swirling and started blowing the cotton disguised as snow all over Coors Field and onto the ice. Luckily, the commotion was temporary, and the game went on without another hitch. But certainly it was a bit different to see a bunch of cotton flying all over the field — looking pretty much like snow. “It was just kind of weird looking up and foam is flying around everywhere,” said forward Tomas Tatar, who had a goal and assist. “It’s a little weird. I was just trying to not think about it too much.” Play was stopped momentarily during the third period to get any strands of cotton off the ice. The team switched ends at the 10 minute mark of the third period to make it equal for both teams. The wind became somewhat of a factor in the third with its swirling and gusts, which made skating and any sort of offensive attack a bit more difficult. “For sure you felt it a little bit,” Tatar said. “But both teams had the same stuff, we switched the sides, and it worked out pretty well. “I was just trying to find a way for the wind to push me a little bit (up the ice).” “It was a little blizzard,” said forward Gustav Nyquist, whose early third-period goal tied the game and sparked the Red Wings. “But it was not too bad, I would say.” Said forward Brad Richards, who scored the eventual winner: “The cotton thing, it looked like it was going to affect it but it ended up that it didn’t.” As for the wind? “I didn’t get to ask the faster skaters how they felt the wind affected them,” said Richards, not known for his end-to-end speed. “I had the same speed all night.” Excellent event This outdoor game, at the minimum, equaled the Winter Classic at The Big House against Toronto with its intimate setting, fine weather, and festive atmosphere. “What a great event,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “It was awesome. The crowd was awesome. It was a great setting and I was real thankful to be part of it.”

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Friday’s Alumni Game got the weekend going with fans reliving the heated rivalary between the Red Wings and Avalanche. “It was a special weekend,” Richards said. “Growing up, anytime I wanted to watch hockey I wanted to watch Colorado or Detroit. There’s so many great players. “To be part of this history, being around and seeing some of the guys yesterday and knowing they played (it was special). “(And) it’s a huge two points for our team and great experience.” Thousands of Red Wings fans were in attendance for both games over the weekend. “Our fans are special,” captain Henrik Zetterberg said. “This weekend was a big weekend for our club. We saw that with all the fans, starting yesterday or even the day before we got here, people walking around. That gets us excited. “But with the history with these two clubs, the game brought a lot of fans. The excitement of winning this game was big.” Smith scratched Brendan Smith was a healthy scratch as Jonathan Ericsson re-entered the lineup after missing six games with a lower body injury. Blashill said he decided on the six defensemen he felt would help the Red Wings win this particular game. “He’s (Smith) not injured,” Blashill said. “We have seven real good defensemen and I have to make hard decisions as to who plays. I played the six that I thought were going to give us the best chance. We’ll continue to evaluate it.” Ice chips Tomas Jurco replaced Teemu Pulkkinen in the only other change in the Red Wings lineup. … The Red Wings have earned at least one point in each of their last nine games against the Avalanche (6-0-3). … The sellout crowd of 50,095 raised the total attendance for the NHL’s 18 regular-season outdoor games to 1,021,055 – an average of 56,725 per game. Detroit News LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings victory is as big as all outdoors Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 12:46 a.m. EST February 28, 2016 Denver — These outdoor hockey games, with all the festivities and hoopla, are a little more special for a team if it wins. It took until the final minute Saturday but the Red Wings managed to do that with a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field. Brad Richards scored at the 19-minute mark in the third period to break a 3-3 tie, with help from Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov, who appeared to bat the puck into his own net. Darren Helm added an empty-net goal with 19.3 seconds left to conclude the scoring. “I don’t know if it hit his back or something but we’ll take those,” said Richards, who was playing in his record fifth NHL outdoor game. “It was a special weekend to be part of. Growing up you wanted to watch Colorado and Detroit, with so many great players, and the history of that rivalry. “It was a huge two points for our team.” The victory ended a six-game winless road streak for the Red Wings, who hadn’t won a game away from Joe Louis Arena since Jan. 25 in Brooklyn against the New York Islanders. Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist each had a goal, breaking long offensive slumps, and Justin Abdelkader added a third-period goal. “The points are unbelievably critical right now, finding a way to get two points is critical every night,” Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “We have 20 games left and we have to continue to finding a way to get two points.” A sellout crowd of 50,095 attended Saturday’s Stadium Series game, a successful and entertaining event all the way around, including almost ideal weather up until the wind began to strengthen beginning in the second period. In the third, huge gusts made the fake snow blow all around Coors Field and momentarily stopped the game. The teams switched ends at the 10-minute mark of the third period because of the wind. “We talked before the game, when you play events like this a lot of things happen, and you have to be prepared for weird stuff to happen,” Blashill said. “You have to stay poised. I don’t think it had a real affect, just a few moments where that happened.” Said goalie Petr Mrazek of the flying cotton: “It was like it was snowing a little bit.” Tatar hadn’t scored a point in eight games but saw that streak end with his 17th goal to open the scoring.

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Nyquist ended a stretch of 11 games without a goal early in the third period with his 15th goal, tying the score at 2. Abdelkader gave the Red Wings a 3-2 lead at 13:28, only to see Colorado’s ageless Alex Tanguay tie it 14 seconds later. Nathan MacKinnon and Tyson Barrie scored first-period goals for the Avalanche. The Red Wings' ineffective power play went without a goal for a sixth consecutive game, going 0-for-5. It is 0-for-17 over the six games. Tatar scored his 17th goal — his first point in eight games — to give the Red Wings a 1-0 lead at 5:07 of the first period. But the Avalanche quickly answered, with MacKinnon scoring on a wrist shot from the top of the circle, his 20th goal, at 7:44. The second period saw each team only put four shots on net before Nyquist scored at 1:27 of the third period to ignite the Red Wings rally. His backhander handcuffed Varlamov. “Nyquist’s goal was big for us, it kind of got us going,” Abdelkader said. “From there, we played good. We got better as the game went on.” Detroit News LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Daly on possible Wings-Leafs outdoor game: No comment Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 8:15 p.m. EST February 27, 2016 Denver -- The Red Wings played in an outdoor game on Saturday night, and there have been reports that they will soon play in another -- against the Maple Leafs on Jan. 1, 2017. The game would take place at BMO Field in Toronto, where Toronto FC of the MLS plays home matches. Bill Daly, NHL deputy commissioner, wouldn’t speculate on the possibility of that Red Wings-Maple Leafs matchup. “Obviously it’s something that’s been raised but not something where we’re in a position to make any announcements,” Daly said Saturday at Coors Field, where the Wings met the Avalanche. Daly praised the Red Wings organization and its fans. Plenty of those fans were on hand for this Stadium Series weekend with Saturday’s NHL game and Friday’s alumni game. “They travel well,” said Daly of Red Wings fans. “You go to any NHL arena on any night the Red Wings are playing and there’s a lot of (Red Wings) fans. In general, they have a very good following.” It’s doubtful the Detroit-Toronto game would be the NHL’s Winter Classic, but rather a game recognizing the NHL’s and Maple Leafs’ 100th anniversary season. The St. Louis Blues are rumored to be hosting the actual Winter Classic on Jan. 2 against Chicago – on a Monday, since the NHL would rather not go head-to-head on Sunday against the NFL. The Wings and Maple Leafs met outdoors in the Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2014 at Michigan Stadium. Detroit News LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings trade Jakub Kindl to Florida for sixth-round pick, clear some cap space Ansar Khan on February 27, 2016 at 4:04 PM, updated February 27, 2016 at 4:29 PM DENVER – After trying unsuccessfully for months to move Jakub Kindl, the Detroit Red Wings have finally traded the defenseman to the Florida Panthers. The Red Wings received a sixth-round pick in 2017 and retained 15 percent of his salary. Kindl cleared waivers twice this season, including earlier this week, when he was assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins. That cleared only $950,000 from the Red Wings' cap. This move clears some more money, giving the club a little more flexibility before Monday's 3 p.m. trade deadline. Kindl, after this year, has one more season remaining on his contract at $2.4 million. Kindl, 29, spent much of the past few seasons in former coach Mike Babcock's doghouse as a frequent healthy scratched, criticized for his lack of competitiveness and reluctance to take a hit to make a play. He got a second chance this season with Jeff Blashill, but that didn't pan out. Kindl played in 25 games this season for the Red Wings, picking up two goals and four assists. Kindl had a breakout season in 2013, which earned him a four-year, $9.6 million contract. Kindl, the club's top pick in the 2005 draft (19th overall), played in 273 games over parts of seven seasons. He has 16 goals and 52 assists. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings Gameday: Detroit has been outscored 22-10 during six-game road skid Brendan Savage on February 27, 2016 at 3:03 PM, updated February 27, 2016 at 3:55 PM GAME INFORMATION • Who: Detroit Red Wings (30-20-11) at Colorado Avalanche (32-27-4) • Where: Coors Field • When: 8 p.m. • TV: NBC, CBC • Radio: 97.1 WXYT-FM, 1270 WXYT-AMA and Red Wings radio network • Social media: Follow MLive sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. • Twitter: Follow Ansar Khan and Brendan Savage • Live coverage: Join our open thread at 7 p.m. GAME NOTES • The Red Wings enter their second and final game of the season against Colorado having lost six straight on the road. They're 0-4-2 in that stretch and have been outscored 22-10. The Red Wings haven't won on the road since beating the New York Islanders 4-2 Jan. 25 at Barclays Center. • In their first meeting this season, the Avalanche won a 3-2 shootout Jan. 12 at Joe Louis Arena. Pavel Datsyuk forced overtime by scoring midway through the third period. He also scored in the shootout, when Petr Mrazek allowed two Colorado goals after making 19 saves. • Mrazek will start in goal vs. the Avs. He has a 1-0-2 career record. against Colorado. Mrazek is 1-0-1 with a 1.39 GAA and .946 save percentage in his last two appearances after giving up five goals in back-to-back games. • The Red Wings have earned at least one point in each of their last eight games (5-0-3) vs. the Avs, according to STATS. That's the longest streak in the NHL vs. Colorado. ... Datsyuk has had a point in his last 10 games vs. Colorado. Only Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin has fared better when it comes to active streaks against an opponent. He has a point in his last 12 games vs. Tampa Bay. • The Red Wings haven't allowed a power-play goal in their last four games. The bad news? Detroit hasn't scored a power-play goal in its last five games. That's the second-longest active streak in the NHL behind Pittsburgh's eight. ... The Red Wings are 1-2-2 in their last five games, when they've scored a total of seven goals. ... The Red Wings are 14-10-5 on the road. ... Detroit is 5-2-3 in its last 10 games.

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• Semyon Varlamov, who made 43 saves in Colorado's first meeting with the Red Wings, is scheduled to start in goal tonight. He has a 2-5-1 career record against the Red Wings. • With 607 career goals, Colorado's Jarome Iginla can tie former Red Wings forward Dino Ciccarelli for 17th place on the NHL's all-time list by scoring once tonight. ... Tonight will mark the first time the Avs have played outdoors. The Red Wings will be playing for the third time. They also played in the Winter Classic in 2009 at Wrigley Field and 2014 at Michigan Stadium. ... Jonathan Ericsson is expected to be back in the Red Wings lineup after missing the last five games with a lower-body injury. • With 21 games remaining in the regular season, it's not too early to start paying closer attention to the standings. The Red Wings are holding down the first wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 71 points, three more than the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have two games in hand. The Red Wings are fourth in the Atlantic Division, three points behind Tampa Bay and Boston. They're six points back of first-place Florida. Detroit and Tampa Bay have played 61 games, Boston has played 62 and Florida 60. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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NHL trade rumors: Could the Red Wings be on the verge of trading Jakub Kindl? By Brendan Savage | on February 27, 2016 at 2:11 PM, updated February 27, 2016 at 3:11 PM DETROIT – Could the Detroit Red Wings end up finding a buyer for Jakub Kindl before Monday's 3 p.m. trade deadline? It appears to be a possibility. Craig Custance of ESPN.com tweeted that several teams are interested in making a deal for Kindl, who has cleared waivers twice this season and is playing in Grand Rapids of the AHL. Kindl has one more season remaining on his contract at a $2.4 million cap hit, which has been a stumbling block in the team's efforts to move the defenseman, the club's top pick in 2005 (19th overall). By assigning him to the AHL, the Red Wings gained only $950,000 in cap relief. If they're able to trade him, without retaining salary, it would free up an additional $1.45 million, giving the team a little more flexibility to make a deadline move. The Florida Panthers could be at the top of the list when it comes to Kindl suitors, although Red Wings general manager Ken Holland had no comment this afternoon. Havey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun Sentinental tweeted the Florida Panthers "are all over" Kindl. Panthers,all over recently demoted Red Wings D Jakub Kindle #FlaPanthers — Harvey Fialkov (@hfialkov) February 27, 2016 Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings' Brad Richards playing in fifth outdoor game with 'two fastest guys I've ever seen' Ansar Khan | on February 27, 2016 at 2:01 PM, updated February 27, 2016 at 2:42 PM DENVER – Detroit Red Wings forward Brad Richards soon will be the answer to a trivia question: Who has played in the most NHL outdoor games? Richards will be playing in his record fifth NHL outdoor game tonight against the Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field (8 p.m., NBC). "Anytime you're part of the league, let alone getting to do these things it's just great memories for me that I'll be able to have the rest of my life," Richards said. "Every day you don't take this game for granted and to be able to do these things with the audience and the attention on it, it's not a regular game in an 82-game schedule." He'll be lined up with a pair players participating in their first NHL outdoor game – rookies Dylan Larkin and Andreas Athanasiou. "I'm playing with two guys that are hopefully not going to be affected by the ice; they're the fastest guys I've ever seen on the ice, so hopefully they'll bring me along for the ride," Richards said. Larkin likened Richards to a quarterback having a pair of speedy targets for deep passes. "I'm telling them if I get the puck in time hopefully they can just fly and I can get pucks into some space for them because they're literally two of the fastest players in the world," Richards said. "Double-A in overtime the other day (Tuesday vs. Columbus), how he wound up there, I don't know if I've ever seen someone on skates go that fast. And you can tell he's skating a lot more as he gets confidence. So hopefully we can get something going and stick together for a bit. It would be fun." What advice would he gives players taking part in their first outdoor game? "There's a line and stuff about being simple and weird things can happen with bounces and just the way the game is," Richards said. "It's not your normal game, so we talk a little about that. But they'll enjoy it." Richards played in three outdoor games with the New York Rangers and one with the Chicago Blackhawks. He prefers the night games. "It's just cool to go out under the lights and see the crowd with a different look to the building," Richards said. "I think the (game vs. New Jersey in 2014) there was snow coming down in the second period and that's pretty cool, too. You just kind of roll with what Mother Nature's going to give you." Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said he has relied on Richards' experience in preparing for this game. "I've talked to Richie a lot through the year and asked him about a lot of things," Blashill said. "He's got a great head on his shoulders, been through tons of experiences.

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"Brad brings tons to the table. One is he brings a wealth of experience that we try to find out as much as we can to help us in making our decisions." Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Jakub Kindl happy to stay or go with Griffins - 'I just want to play' Peter J. Wallner | on February 27, 2016 at 10:00 AM, updated February 27, 2016 at 10:04 AM GRAND RAPIDS – Jakub Kindl just wants to play, and if that is in Grand Rapids, the veteran defenseman is good with that for now. Kindl, in his first game back with the Griffins after a month in Detroit, opened the scoring Friday in the Griffins' 4-1 victory against Iowa. He converted a nice pass in front for his third goal in 10 games with the Griffins in what he called a bonus for what he wants to accomplish to get back to the NHL. "It felt good; it's never easy when you don't play regularly," said Kindl, who has two goals and six points in 25 games with Detroit. "Scoring a goal for me is just a bonus. I just want to get better as every game goes on and I definitely want to help this team go far." Kindl, a former 19th overall pick in 2005, is in hockey limbo with the organization. The Red Wings waived him in early January after he sat a string of 16 of 22 games. No one picked him up and he eventually landed back in Grand Rapids with another season left as part of a four-year, $9.6 million contract. That $2.4 million appears too steep for another team for a back end defenseman. "I just want to help this team; great prospects ... and great veterans who know how to win," he said. "Whatever happens, happens. If I stay here the rest of the year, great. If I go somewhere else, that's great, too." Injuries in Detroit got him recalled Feb. 3 where he played in just two games before sent back down Tuesday. The Griffins can't offer a perfect opportunity, either, with defensemen rotating because of an abundance of veterans. Coach Todd Nelson said Kindl will likely sit Saturday or Sunday. "I'm not sure what we'll do with the lineup tomorrow," Nelson said. "He hasn't played a lot so we're going to have to look at that." At the time he was put on waivers, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said of Kindl, "I think he's an NHL player. I think we have a bunch of guys really close and he was just the odd man out." "It's never easy when you miss two games, three games – trust me, I've been in this boat before," Kindl said. "But I got to do whatever it takes to be ready. Whether it is on the ice or off the ice skating. That's what I've done the past two weeks." Nelson said Kindl "played a good game though at times he was a bit lackadaisical with the puck where he got in trouble a few times. But other than that, he made some great plays. Scored a nice goal and worked the power play pretty well." Kindl is no stranger to Griffins' fans. This is the eighth season he's played in Grand Rapids, beginning in 2006-07. He has played in 249 games with the Griffins.

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"Those are things you sometimes cannot control," Kindl said. "The first time I came down here (in January), I was a little disappointed and mentally tired because I wasn't playing enough. Then I jumped into the train here that was going pretty fast down here as well, so it wasn't easy. "Again, it took me a little while to get things going. As I played more and more and things are starting to feel the way they should." Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings-Avalanche alumni game competitive but clean as players showed mutual respect By Ansar Khan | on February 27, 2016 at 7:02 AM, updated February 27, 2016 at 7:11 AM DENVER – They were a few pounds heavier, several steps slower and not nearly as hostile toward each other as days gone by. But when the former Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche took the ice Friday at Coors Field, the competitive juices were flowing like back in the day. "We're hockey players," Nicklas Lidstrom said. "Even though we're retired, it comes back when you play a game like this." The Avalanche prevailed 5-2 in a game that was incident-free. Nobody expected anything crazy to happen, like the bloody battles between these former rivals from 1996-2002. But, you never know when some of these guys get together. "Obviously, there was a lot of speculation because we'd never done this against them before and there was so much history to it but I think it's been such a great weekend, not only reconnecting with our guys but talking to some of their guys," Darren McCarty said. "I had an unbelievable conversation with Ray Bourque last night -- Ray Bourque knows who I am, so that's pretty good." After all the acrimony, there is mutual respect. "I don't think it got chippy," McCarty said. "Guys were playing hard, but no one was trying to hurt anybody." Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote sounded like he wanted to hurt Kris Draper, when he said during a radio interview earlier in the day that he'd like to punch the former Grind Line center in the face. Draper delivered a little cross-check to Foote at one point. "Oh, was there?" Draper said. "I didn't know that." Draper added, "Obviously, both sides had a lot of fun. I thought the pace was pretty good. I think guys were getting up and down the ice pretty good. Igor (Larionov), Shanny (Brendan Shanahan) and Marty (Lapointe) were fun to watch; they did a lot of good things. Obviously, (Joe) Sakic coming down the left side, that's Joe Sakic. (Peter) Forsberg's able to snap it around pretty good, too." Steve Yzerman and Shanahan scored for the Red Wings. "We had a lot of laughs," Yzerman said. "It's not pretty, but it's fun to play. "I played in the one in Detroit a couple years ago. I felt worse, actually, tonight, so I would say conditioning a little bit was a factor." Lidstrom thought his team would score more.

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"I thought the pace was pretty good in the beginning but then it slowed down," Lidstrom said. "But I think you saw guys were competitive, even towards the end when we were down a couple goals. I think that competiveness came out." Said Draper: "There were some pretty good battles down low and you felt those," Draper said. "You kind of felt that a little bit. The stops and starts and the battling, that's where you get it. That air's pretty thin." Tomas Holmstrom, the long-time net-front dynamo, flew in from Sweden for this event. "It's so much fun, see all the guys again together," Holmstrom said. "The guys you battled with for 10-15 years, it's tough to describe it in words. The only thing is they look older. They look old." How do you look so young? "It's got to be the clean water," Holmstrom said. He didn't look as game-ready as Lidstrom, however. "Nick looked amazing as always," Joe Kocur said. "I think he should come back and play again." Maybe they will all gather next year in Toronto. The Red Wings are rumored to be playing the Maple Leafs in the Jan. 1, 2017 Winter Classic. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings revel in dramatic ending to a special outdoor game experience Ansar Khan | on February 28, 2016 at 1:13 AM, updated February 28, 2016 at 1:24 AM DENVER – The man who has played in more NHL outdoor games than anyone else had the puck on his stick with one minute remaining in a tie game Saturday, and he knew what to do with it. Brad Richards scored the winning goal, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in an NHL Stadium Series game at Coors Field. The swirling wind created a blizzard-like scene during the third period. Much of the fake snow placed around the rink was flying all over, some of it onto the ice. Players talked afterward about how much they enjoyed the atmosphere before 50,095. More importantly, the Red Wings (31-20-11) snapped a six-game road winless streak (0-4-2). "It was entertaining hockey," Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader said. "For us to find a way to win, Richie to get that goal, was big for us." Richards' goal snapped a 3-3 tie. Darren Helm's empty-net goal with 20 seconds to play sealed it. Niklas Kronwall kept the puck in at the blue line, getting it on net. Richards went to the net and chipped the rebound over goaltender Semyon Varlamov. "Richards, we thought, he was trying to follow the puck to that area and he found a way to get it up and over a little bit," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I thought it would go back towards Kronwall and thought he was going to keep it in and got lucky that he put it on net," Richards said. It was Richards' fifth NHL outdoor game. "It was a special weekend," Richards said. "When I was growing up, anytime I wanted to watch hockey, I wanted to watch Colorado or Detroit. There's so many great players. It's a huge two points for our team and a great experience." The Red Wings, despite going 0 for 5 on the power play, also got goals from Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Abdelkader – all of whom ended lengthy scoring droughts. Petr Mrazek made 24 saves in his first outdoor game. "It was a weird game," Blashill said. "I think it's a little bit of a hard game for the goalies. The puck seemed to bounce a little bit more. We just tried to keep getting pucks to the net, and find ways to get in from the side." Nyquist had the night's slickest goal – a no-look backhand shot that found the top corner and tied it at 2-2 at 1:27 of the third. "I was lucky that it went in," Nyquist said. "I just tried to catch the goalie a little bit off-guard, throw it in high.

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"Nothing was really going on in the second, it was back and forth, a check-fest, but it's nice to get one there early (in the third) to get some energy." Said Tatar: "I was battling on the boards; I saw Gus got it in the middle. I was just trying to get to the net and I saw the puck went top-shelf. It was amazing shot. He's a really skilled player and he deserved a goal like this." Abdelkader gave his team a 3-2 lead at 13:28, driving the net and redirecting a centering pass from Helm. "With (Helm's) speed he got to the puck first," Abdelkader said. "I had a feeling he was going to try to get it to the front there so I just tried to park myself there and get a stick on it for a redirection. I wouldn't say it was fluky, I would say it's more just what we're trying to do – get pucks to the front of the net." Alex Tanguay responded just 14 seconds later to tie it. That set the stage for Richards' heroics. "When you play events like this, a lot of things happen," Blashill said. "You have to be prepared for weird stuff to happen. And you have to stay poised. But what a great event. I thought it was awesome. I thought the crowd was awesome. I thought it was a great setting. I was real thankful to be a part of it." Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings postgame: 50,095 see Detroit snap six-game road skid in outdoor game Brendan Savage on February 27, 2016 at 11:40 PM, updated February 27, 2016 at 11:43 PM If you missed the Detroit Red Wings' 5-3 win Saturday over the Colorado Avalanche in a Stadium Series game at Coors Field, we've got you covered. Here's a quick snapshot: THREE STARS 1. Brad Richards – The Red Wings veteran forward scored his second game-winning goal in an outdoor game. He also had the winner when the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 3-2 in the 2012 Winter Classic. 2. Tomas Tatar – Detroit's young forward got the scoring started 5:07 into the game, picked up an assist and had a plus-2 rating. 3. Nathan McKinnon – The Avs forward had a goal, assist and three shots on goal. BY THE NUMBERS 5 – Appearances by Richards in an NHL outdoor game. That's a league record. 6 – Consecutive road losses by the Red Wings before breaking the streak against the Avs. They were 0-4-2 in that stretch. 8 – Games without a goal for Tatar until he connected vs. the Avalanche. 11 – Games without a goal for Gustav Nyquist until he scored in the third period to tie it 2-2. 14 – Number of seconds it took Colorado's Alex Tanguay to tie the game 3-3 after Justin Abdelkader gave Detroit its first lead with 6:32 left. 32 – Games since Nyquist and Tatar scored on the same night. 50,095 – Attendance for the first NHL outdoor game ever in Colorado. TV TALK "We did see a little bit of everything. Some good goaltending, some nice offense, some nice offensive play, tons of speed as expected. This ice surface played fast and it certainly lent itself to the skilled players on both sides. The mix between young stars and old stars and when it did matter most, one of the old stars delivered for the Detroit Red Wings: Brad Richards, two Stanley Cups." – Kevin Weekes, NHL Network. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Brad Richards' late goal lifts Red Wings over Avalanche in Stadium Series game By Ansar Khan | on February 27, 2016 at 11:03 PM, updated February 27, 2016 at 11:32 PM DENVER – A unique environment yielded the same season-long issues for the Detroit Red Wings: Their power play was awful and they couldn't hold onto a third-period lead. But this time, they got a fortunate break near the end. Brad Richards scored on fortuitous bounce with 1:00 left in the third period, lifting the Red Wings to a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL Stadium Series game before 50,095 at Coors Field. This was Richards' NHL-record fifth outdoor game appearance. The Red Wings (31-20-11) snapped a six-game road winless streak (0-4-2). It was the Red Wings' third outdoor game in eight seasons. They are 2-0-1. Darren Helm sealed the outcome with an empty net goal with 20 seconds remaining. Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Justin Abdelkader also scored for the Red Wings. Petr Mrazek made 24 saves. The Red Wings went 0 for 5 on the power play, registering only six shots. They experienced the same issues – too much passing, no sustained pressure, few second chances. They have gone six games without a power-play goal (0 for 17). That's their longest drought of the season. Abdelkader gave the Red Wings a 3-2 lead at 13:28 with his 15th goal, ending his 12-game goal-scoring drought. He rushed to the net and redirected a pass from Darren Helm past Semyon Varlamov. The lead was short-lived. Alex Tanguay tied it 14 seconds later. He converted a pass from Gabriel Landeskog while Mrazek was sprawled on the ice, trying to get back into position. Nyquist tied it at 2-2 with a nifty goal at 1:27 of the third. He beat Varlamov with a no-look backhand shot that caught the top corner. It was Nyquist's 15th goal, ending his 11-game goal-scoring drought. The Red Wings had six minutes of power-play time in the first period but managed only four shots on goal and no goals. They opened the scoring with Tatar's even-strength tally at 5:07. He fired in a loose puck while Nyquist was at the net front. Tatar's 17th goal ended his eight-game streak without a point.

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The lead didn't last long, as Nathan MacKinnon tied it at 7:44. Alexey Marchenko was caught pinching, enabling MacKinnon to skate down the left side. He buried a shot over Mrazek's left shoulder, one the goaltender probably should have stopped. The Avalanche took a 2-1 lead on Tyson Barrie's goal at 14:38. Jeff Blashill used his coach's challenge, claiming goaltender interference on Carl Soderberg, who was in the crease while battling with Dylan Larkin. "After reviewing all available replays and consulting with NHL Hockey Operations staff, the referee confirmed no goaltender interference infractions occurred before the puck crossed the goal line," the league stated in its release. The pace slowed considerably in the second period, which was scoreless. Each team managed only four shots and had virtually no sustained pressure. The Red Wings' best chance came during Henrik Zetterberg's partial breakaway, which Varlamov handled. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Check out photos from the Red Wings-Avalanche outdoor game Brendan Savage on February 27, 2016 at 9:43 PM, updated February 28, 2016 at 12:13 AM The Detroit Red Wings beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 Saturday in a Stadium Series game at Coors Field. Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist, Justin Abdelkader, Brad Richards and Darren Helm scored for the Red Wings. Petr Mrazek made 24 saves. The game, played before a crowd of 50,095, marked the first time the NHL has held an outdoor game in Colorado but it's the third time the Red Wings have played outdoors. They also played in the 2009 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field as well as the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Live scoring, stats: Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche (stats) By Brendan Savage | on February 27, 2016 at 7:00 PM, updated February 27, 2016 at 7:10 PM • Who: Detroit Red Wings (30-20-11) at Colorado Avalanche (32-27-4) • Where: Coors Field • When: 8 p.m. • TV: NBC, CBC • Radio: 97.1 WXYT-FM, 1270 WXYT-AM and Red Wings radio network • Social media: Follow MLive sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram • Twitter: Follow Ansar Khan and Brendan Savage The Red Wings and Avalanche will make history tonight by playing in Colorado's first outdoor NHL game. The Stadium Series matchup will be the third outdoor game for the Red Wings, who previously played in the 2009 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field and the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. This is the Avalanche's first outdoor game. Petr Mrazek will start in goal for the Red Wings, who have lost six straight on the road and have been outscored 22-10 in that stretch. Reminder: There will be no in-game updates. Please participate in the comments. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Red Wings' Ken Holland clears cap space for offseason, not trading top prospect or high pick By Ansar Khan | on February 27, 2016 at 5:45 PM, updated February 27, 2016 at 7:17 PM DENVER – The Detroit Red Wings cleared a decent amount of salary-cap space by dealing defenseman Jakub Kindl to Florida on Saturday. But general manager Ken Holland said the move doesn't make him any more liable to make a trade before Monday's 3 p.m. deadline. It frees up cap space for next season. "The biggest thing is it clears $2 million of cap space heading into the summer, when I got a number of restricted free agents to sign," Holland said. "We'll see where the cap is and how active we can be (with unrestricted free agency)." The list of restricted free agents the Red Wings need to sign in the off-season includes goaltender Petr Mrazek, defensemen Danny DeKeyser and Alexey Marchenko and forwards Riley Sheahan and Teemu Pulkkinen. The Red Wings received a sixth-round pick in 2017 and retained 15 percent of Kindl's salary (he has a $2.4 million cap hit through 2016-17). Asked if the move at least gives the team more flexibility heading into Monday's trade deadline, Holland said "Not in the least." "If you want to make a deal, there's always ways to make a deal," Holland said. "My thinking as we head into Monday is cap space nothing to do with whether we make a deal. It has to do with where the Detroit Red Wings are. "Given the age of some of the key players on our team we took a run at it last year (trading prospects and picks for Erik Cole and Marek Zidlicky). Right now, do I anticipate us doing anything? I don't know. I don't anticipate trading any top prospects or high draft picks." Kindl cleared waivers twice this season, including earlier in the week, after attempts to trade him were unsuccessful. "(Panthers GM) Dale Tallon called me when he was on waivers this week and said they had interest but wasn't going to claim him," Holland said. "We talked over the last couple of days. "I think Jakub is an NHL defenseman, he's done a nice job on the second power-play unit when we put him in. He just hasn't been able to establish himself." The Red Wings signed Kindl to a four-year, $9.6 million contract in 2013. "When we signed him it looked like he was going to take the next step for us," Holland said. "It never really happened. Florida is loading up, they're in first place, they're looking to make a run; they think Kindl can help their cause." Michigan Live LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Richards helps Red Wings defeat Avs in outdoor game By PAT GRAHAM, AP Sports Writer POSTED: 02/27/16, 11:28 PM EST | UPDATED: 33 SECS AGO # COMMENTS DENVER (AP) — The fake snow surrounding the rink was only intended for decoration. Certainly made for a nice blizzard, though, when the whipping wind caught hold of the cotton-like substance and sent it flying everywhere. “It was snowing, right? In the 50s,” Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek cracked. This “snow” storm couldn’t derail Detroit as Brad Richards scored the winning goal with a minute remaining and the Red Wings beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 at Coors Field on Saturday night in the NHL’s warmest regular-season outdoor game. Richards, playing in his fifth NHL outdoor game, flipped a shot over the shoulder of Colorado goaltender Semyon Varlamov. Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Justin Abdelkader also scored for the Red Wings. Darren Helm added an empty-netter to seal the win. “I’d be lying if I told you I was trying to put it in,” Richards said of his goal that he just tried to put on net after a save from Varlamov. “But we’ll take those.” Nathan MacKinnon, Tyson Barrie and Alex Tanguay had goals for the Avalanche in the first NHL outdoor game in Colorado. Talk about a heated rivalry: The game-time temperature was an unseasonably balmy 65 degrees at puck drop. The warmest game-time temperature before Saturday in an NHL regular-season outdoor game was 62 degrees on Jan. 25, 2014, when Los Angeles hosted Anaheim at Dodger Stadium. And yet there was a blizzard as the wind lifted strands of cotton into the air in front of a capacity crowd of 50,095. “The guys did a good job of cleaning up when they had to,” Abdelkader said. “It really didn’t affect the game.” The wind was a different matter. It was gusting so hard that with 10 minutes left, the teams changed ends so one didn’t have an advantage. Asked if the wind bothered him, Richards joked: “You have to ask the faster skaters how the wind was affecting them. I was the same speed all night.” Following Richards’ goal, Colorado pulled Varlamov for the final minute. But the Avs couldn’t get anything past Mrazek, who finished with 24 saves. Abdelkader gave the Red Wings a 3-2 lead with 6:32 remaining after Nyquist tied the game earlier in the period. Just 14 seconds later, though, Tanguay knotted it on a rebound. It was Tanguay’s first goal since Jan. 20.

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“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get the win, especially after the big goal by Tanguay,” Jarome Iginla said. “You could see it tighten up in the third. We played it like a playoff game.” The league staged quite a show at the home of baseball’s Colorado Rockies, complete with fake snow that stretched all the way to the outfield wall. Good thing, too, because the real stuff would’ve melted. There also was a backdrop that included faux mountains near a stage where Andy Grammer belted out some of his hit songs, including “Keep Your Head Up” — solid advice for a hockey player. Denver-based rockers The Fray also performed. Matt Duchene donned eye black just like a baseball player might. Fitting, since one goal was situated near third base and the other close to where first base would be located. After Tatar’s goal at 5:07 of the opening period, Colorado answered with two of its own, one by MacKinnon and another from Barrie that withstood a Detroit challenge. The Red Wings argued that Carl Soderberg interfered with Mrazek as the goaltender tried to stop Barrie’s shot and challenged the play. It appeared that Mrazek’s skate bumped into Soderberg, but after a review the officials upheld the call of a goal. In this rivalry’s heyday, it was one of the best around and one of the most bitter. The Red Wings and Avalanche met six times in the Stanley Cup playoffs, with the winner of the series going on to hoist the Cup four times. The festivities began Friday with an alumni game. Led by Hall of Fame goaltender-turned-coach Patrick Roy, the Avalanche beat Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings 5-2. But the Red Wings atoned in a game that mattered in the standings. Both teams are in the middle of a playoff push. “It’s really tough with the loss,” MacKinnon said, “but, all in all, it was an awesome game.” NOTES: D Jonathan Ericsson was back after missing the last six games with a lower-body injury. ... The Avs became the 21st team to play in a regular-season outdoor game. ... Duchene will auction off the skates he used in the game for charity. Macomb Daily LOADED: 02.28.2016

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Adam Foote still wants to punch Kris Draper in the face Brian Manzullo 2:29 p.m. EST February 26, 2016 It's good to know there's still some bad blood between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche. Former Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote was asked Thursday morning on 104.3 The Fan in Denver which Red Wing he'd punch in the face. "Draper, for sure," Foote said, to laughter from show hosts Mark Schlereth and Mike Evans. That would be Kris Draper, the former Red Wings "Grind Line" member who was notoriously checked into the boards in Game 6 of the 1996 Western Conference Finals by Claude Lemieux, breaking his jaw and shattering his cheek and orbital bone. "Lemieux was frustrated simply because, the way the game was going, Detroit knew they were going to lose that series," Foote said. "(Scotty) Bowman was setting the table for the following years, in my opinion. Just earlier in that game, I got hit from behind with (Vyacheslav) Kozlov, and that took 20 stitches.” Mellowed Patrick Roy has Avs in contention Colorado won Game 6, 4-1, en route to winning the Stanley Cup in the franchise's first season in Denver. Draper and the Red Wings never forgot that game. And Foote didn't like the way Draper handled the fall-out, leading to the famous March 26, 1997, brawl at Joe Louis Arena. "All we heard all summer was about Draper, and how he wanted Lemieux out of the league," Foote said. "I think the real deal that started the rivalry ... Two great teams started the rivalry, number one. But Terry Gregson missing the call, letting things go at the end of that series escalated for the following season, which, you know, that game started to get dirty at the end of that Game 6 in 1996. So I’ll never forget that. "I just didn’t like the way Draper carried it, I mean yeah, you can be upset, it was a bad hit. It was a bad hit on myself. And all we heard in the media for, God, over a year, was that hit. And it’s hockey, it happens, and the emotions were up. It’s too bad that he got hurt that way, but ... he was always just a little bit of a pest." Here are the two hits in question, in case you want to re-watch them: More press clippings The Red Wings and Avalanche revisit their storied rivalry this weekend, starting tonight with the alumni game at Coors Field, featuring many of the great that were involved in the teams' historic battles. Foote told the Denver Post that he expects both teams to be respectful toward each other, despite everything they've been through over the years.

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"We're all a little bit older, and hopefully we've all matured," Foote told the Post. "But I think hockey players can be the most immature guys out there, and that's what makes them so special. I think you're going to see a lot of respect and fun out there, but I think they want to win. It'll be one of those things that you feel out, but once the puck drops, we don't want them to score, they don't want us to score. But I think we'll be respectful to the rules of the game and each other. Lemieux added, according to the Post: "It's never been on my end that there was anything to bury, so to speak. I always said nothing on the ice I did was personal; it was always about doing what I feel I needed to do to win. The incident with Draper was not intentional — it just happened, it was a fraction-of-a-second decision. I finished one too many hits and he was injured." Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Avs' Roy: Red Wings alumni 'look in great shape' Helene St. James 2:28 p.m. EST February 26, 2016 DENVER -- Patrick Roy eyed his competition and had a pause for concern. Hours before this evening's alumni game between the Detroit Red Wings and Roy's Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field, Roy spoke to reporters after coaching the NHL-level Avs through a midmorning practice in bright sunshine. The Wings and Avs play Saturday evening (8 p.m., NBCSN). "The good thing is I have to focus on tomorrow night's game," Roy said. "That will probably help a lot. But the fact I have been on the ice 15-20 times certainly helps me to feel I am the best I could be. "I always remind myself that I am 50 years old and I cannot play like when I was 35. But I am going out there to enjoy myself. It's a great moment for every one of us. It was a big rivalry with them." Roy speculated that the game "might be friendly at the start, then change over the course of the game. We are all young inside of us and we all love competing. It will be fun. I am curious to see how it will go. The third period will probably be the best one." The alumni game rosters are something to savor: Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan, Igor Larionov, Tomas Holmstrom, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Darren McCarty. For the Avs: Roy, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Claude Lemieux. Sakic is the Avalanche general manager. Yzerman runs the Tampa Bay Lightning. Shanahan is president of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lidstrom and Holmstrom came over from Sweden. "I'm sure it was pretty easy for every one of us to say yes," Roy said. "First of all, it's a great event to play outdoors. This was a very good rivalry." There was a reunion, of sorts, Thursday evening, when Roy mingled with the likes of McCarty, Lidstrom, Holmstrom and Mathieu Dandenault. "It was nice yesterday to see the guys from the Red Wings. You can tell some of them are still in very good shape. Probably every one of us said, 'Oops, we better be ready because these guys seem ready.' I'm sure it's going to be a fun game." Helene St. James sits down with former Red Wings 'Grind Line' members Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby to reminisce about the famous Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry that began two decades ago. Feb. 24, 2016. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Mellowed Patrick Roy has Avalanche in contention PAT GRAHAM 2:07 p.m. EST February 26, 2016 DENVER – One of the greatest goaltenders of all time nearly became a swimmer. Only, he couldn’t stand freezing water. So Patrick Roy took up skating instead, elevating teams along the way with his cool play in net and his fiery attitude. The four-time Stanley Cup winner detested losing as a player. Still does. But as coach of the Colorado Avalanche, he’s trying to master the art of emotional balance, when to use his spirited voice — not to mention his menacing stare — and when to back off. A more peaceful Roy has the Avalanche in playoff contention during his third season behind the bench. Colorado hosts the Detroit Red Wings in an outdoor game Saturday (8 p.m., NBCSN). “There are times when we’ll hear it from him like we should,” defenseman Erik Johnson said. “But he’s not, per se, a yeller and a screamer like people might think. He’s very fair and real easy to work with, giving players input and working as a partnership with us rather than a hierarchy-type deal.” Of course, Roy still has eruptions. But he has worked to keep his outbursts in check since Day 2. Day 1 wasn’t exactly a shining example, when he pounded on the glass partition in fury during his first regular-season game as coach. In a lopsided win over Anaheim, no less. But that has proved to be more of an emotional outlier than the norm. Roy’s style has evolved to this: backing his players, even after dreadful losses, and keeping an even keel. That took nearly a decade to sink in as he learned how to maintain his cool while coaching the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He realized that yelling didn’t lead to goals and that screaming only caused players to tune out. “I love to win as much as I did as a player,” said the 50-year-old Roy, whose team tied a franchise record for wins in 2013-14 when he was coach of the year and missed the playoffs a year ago. “But as a coach, you’re learning to control your emotions because if you don’t control it, it’s going to have a negative effect on the players.” When Roy gets home after games, he scrutinizes every decision he made, from lineup combinations to power-play opportunities. “Sometimes, you just realize that it’s a team game and it’s in the hands of the players and the best thing you could do is support them,” Roy said. “I just try to be the best I can.” His father, Michel, has certainly seen a transformation. They had dinner after a recent loss, and his son was remarkably calm.

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“He told me, ‘I have to learn how to realize I’m just the coach. I can’t score or block shots for them,’” his father recounted. “As a player, he could, at times, overperform and go beyond his limits. … All he can do now is make sure they give all they have.” Michel Roy was in town promoting his book that was re-released through a U.S. publisher. The subject? His son, naturally. There are number of intriguing revelations in “Patrick Roy: Winning. Nothing Else,” which gained the stamp of approval from the legendary goaltender: ■ Roy’s last name could’ve been Arsenault. His father only found out later in life that his biological dad was Arsenault, not Roy. ■ Before the 1984 draft, the family went to brunch and dropped a coin into a machine that forecast lucky numbers for the day. His was 51, which happened to be the overall spot where Montreal selected him. ■ Roy was a talented tennis player and swimmer, one of the best breaststrokers in the province for his age. But he detested how cold it was at the pool. He certainly doesn’t mind a frigid ice rink, though. He had 551 career wins as a goaltender and a league-record 151 victories in the playoffs. “When Patrick was six or seven or eight, he was a frail kid and very skinny, not very strong. By looking at him, you’d never guess he would become a pro athlete,” his father recounted. “It is, basically, because of his passion for winning, passion for the game, determination, that he achieved what he has achieved.” Same goes with Roy, the coach. “He’s brought an attitude here, what it’s going to take to win, how we were going to have to play to win games,” said Avalanche forward Alex Tanguay, who was teammates with Roy on the 2001 Stanley Cup squad. “His will to win has always been what sets him apart.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Where are they now? Catching up with ol' Wings, Avs George Sipple 3:41 a.m. EST February 27, 2016 2016 Coors Light Stadium Series - Alumni Game Free Press sports writer George Sipple catches up with the Red Wings and Avalanche players in Friday night’s alumni game at Coors Field in Denver: Red Wings ■Doug Brown: Lives in Greenwich, Conn. Son Patrick plays for the Charlotte Checkers (American Hockey League). Son Christopher plays for Boston College. ■Chris Chelios: Red Wings assistant coach. ■Dino Ciccarelli: Owns Ciccarelli’s 22 Sports in Shelby, Auburn Hills and Detroit. ■Ty Conklin: St. Louis Blues goaltending development coach. ■MathieuDandenault: Analyst, TVA Sports. ■Boyd Devereaux: Co-founder/director for Waking Sound, a video production company in Toronto. ■Kris Draper: Red Wings special assistant to general manager. ■Steve Duchesne: President of TexCana Energy Inc. ■Jiri Fischer: Red Wings director of player development. ■Tomas Holmstrom: Retired. Lives in Sweden. ■Mike Knuble: Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) assistant coach. ■Joe Kocur: Coaching consultant, Detroit Hockey Academy; president of Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association. Runs the Joe Kocur Foundation for Children. ■ DETROIT FREE PRESS Colo. 5, Det. 2: Yzerman, Shanahan score; Wings alumni fall Martin Lapointe: Montreal Canadiens director of player development. ■Igor Larionov: NHLPA certified agent. ■Manny Legace: Director, Detroit Hockey Academy. ■Nicklas Lidstrom: Advisor, Team Sweden. ■Kirk Maltby: Red Wings pro scout. ■Darren McCarty: Vice president of business development for Cushman & Wakefield, a real estate firm.

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■Larry Murphy: Operates a storage facility in Michigan. Also an occasional analyst for NHL Network. ■Stacy Roest: Tampa Bay Lightning director of player development. ■Brendan Shanahan: Toronto Maple Leafs president and alternate governor. ■Steve Yzerman: Tampa Bay Lightning vice president and general manager. ■Dave Lewis: Coach of the Belarus national team. Also helps out with the Saginaw Spirit (Ontario Hockey League). ■Barry Smith: Chicago Blackhawks director of player development. ■Mickey Redmond: Red Wings analyst for Fox Sports Detroit. Avalanche ■Craig Billington: Colorado Avalanche assistant general manager. ■Rob Blake: Los Angeles Kings assistant general manager. ■Ray Bourque: Owns Tresca, a restaurant in Boston. ■Adam Foote: Colorado Avalanche development consultant. ■Peter Forsberg: Modo Hockey assistant general manager. ■Milan Hejduk: Hockey coach for his sons. Lives in Colorado. ■Dan Hinote: Former Columbus Blue Jackets assistant coach. ■Valeri Kamensky: Vice president of Spartak (Kontinental Hockey League). ■Mike Keane: Runs the Mike Keane Celebrity Hockey Classic. ■Jon Klemm: Former head coach and assistant coach for the Spokane Chiefs (Western Hockey League). ■Claude Lemieux: President, 4SPORTS North America. ■Curt Leschyshyn: Lives in Saskatechewan. ■Sandis Ozolinsh: Carried flag for Latvia at Sochi Olympics. ■Shjon Podein: Previously coached high school hockey at St. Louis Park (Minn.) ■Mike Ricci: San Jose Sharks development coach. ■Patrick Roy: Colorado Avalanche head coach/vice president of hockey operations. ■Joe Sakic: Colorado Avalanche executive vice president/general manager/alternate governor. ■Stephane Yelle: Co-founder of Rx Dash ’N Bash in Henderson, Nev. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Jamie: First Cup run, rivalry endear us to 90s Red Wings Jamie Samuelsen 4:14 a.m. EST February 27, 2016 Why does the popularity of the 1990s era Red Wings endure in Detroit almost 20 years later? When there was a rain delay at old Tiger Stadium back in the 90s, they would often throw up the video commemorating the 1984 World Series Championship team. The actual team on the field was so bad back then that fans would happily reminisce about the good old days. You could tell after a while that it kind of annoyed the players of the day. It was almost like, did you come to see us or did you come for a little nostalgia? The current Red Wings probably know how those Tigers felt. The Wings are going for their 25th consecutive playoff appearance led by one of the best young goalies in the game (Petr Mrazek) and one of the best young players in the game (Dylan Larkin). Yet all anyone seemed to want to talk about this week was the Friday night game between the Red Wing and Avalanche alums. Don’t get me wrong. Plenty of eyes will be on Saturday night’s game as well. But make no mistake -- the main event was Friday night in the thin mountain air in Denver. The Red Wings ended their long Stanley Cup drought in 1997. They’ll mark the 20 year anniversary of that team next spring. Yet here we are getting just as excited to see Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom and Igor Larionov as we did back then. Championship teams will always hold a special place in our hearts. But this title team ranks up there with the ‘68 and ‘84 Tigers and the ‘89 and ’90 Pistons as the most beloved teams that we’ve ever seen in Detroit. The first reason is obvious -- they won. Whether you roll to a title or squeak one out, you’re still raising a banner. Those wins were “our” wins so we’re always going to remember them a little bit better than a team that was knocked out in the first round by the Sharks or the Kings. But the way that that team won augments their standing a bit. We watched them grow, starting with Yzerman. We saw the travails and the devastating exits before winning it all. Goose Looney’s. Jamie Baker. Scott Niedermayer’s stick. The neutral zone trap. Paul Coffey into his own net. There were so many years of frustration and there were so many episodes of failure that it felt like the whole thing was just too big and would never happen. But as each year passed, another piece was added. Sergei Fedorov came aboard in 1990. Lidstrom in '91. Scotty Bowman was hired in 1993. The Wings picked up Mike Vernon from Calgary before the 1995 season. Larionov was a quiet pick-up in 1995. Then the final piece of the puzzle -- Brendan Shanahan came over in a trade from the Whalers at the start of the 1996-97 run to the Cup. Probably my greatest memory in sports was watching Yzerman carry the Cup around Joe Louis Arena that historic night in June. Everyone in the building was giddy -- laughing, crying, embracing. Everyone watching on TV at home was doing the same

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thing. The city was thrilled. They were selfishly thrilled. But you could real feel a sense of deep appreciation for Yzerman and the players. We were happy as a city. But we were also happy for the players. The Stanley Cup is the toughest title to earn in sports. And the 1997 Red Wings may have earned it more than any team that came before it. The celebration was on, which is another reason that this team is so important to this city. The Cup made it’s way around Detroit and it seemed like everyone had a Cup story. You’re at a bar in Ferndale, the Cup might be there. A golf outing in South Lyon? Who knows. The Cup might make a cameo there, too. The players on that team were young, fun and happy. They didn’t want to celebrate alone. They wanted to share the title with the city. You don’t see that much anymore which makes that experience that much more special. The celebration was muted by the limousine accident that injured Vladimir Konstantinov and Sergei Mnatsakanov. But it didn’t diminish the affection that this city had for this team. As if those Wings needed anything more, they had these Avalanche and one of the greatest six-year rivalries in sports history. There was blood, hatred and fisticuffs. There were altercations in the tunnels behind the dressing rooms. There were confrontations in the parking lots after games. At one point, Avs coach Marc Crawford suggested that a metal plate in Scotty Bowman’s head was causing some interference in what he was hearing. When asked to characterize his relationship with Bowman after that statement, Crawford deadpanned: “Diminishing.” And this was before Crawford had his epic meltdown at Joe Louis Arena as the Avs came apart at the seams in Game 4 during the ‘97 conference finals. The Avs were full of villains. They were nasty. They took liberties. And the Red Wings did it right back to them. Yzerman said recently that he remembers the games more than the fights. The rest of us remember it all -- which is why it still resonates how lucky we were to live through it and how unlikely it is that we’ll ever see something like that again. I swore to myself that I’d never turn into one of those, “back in my day” guys. I’m holding strong to that promise, trying my best to embrace Larkin and Tomas Tatar the same way that we embraced Yzerman and Lidstrom. But if anyone ever tries to tell me that a modern rivalry is the best they’ve ever seen -- I’ll just laugh and know that they missed out on the best one ever. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Wings vs. Avs: Current rivalry nor Coors Field surface icy Helene St. James 1:42 a.m. EST February 27, 2016 DENVER – The faux snow surrounded the ice sheet as it baked in the sun. The Detroit Red Wings went through a short but exhilarating practice Friday as they prepared for tonight’s outdoor game against the Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field. “It was cool,” rookie Dylan Larkin said. “I thought it was a lot of fun. It’s a great stadium. Not knowing too much about baseball stadiums around the country, this is a really cool venue.” The ice got varied reviews. The Avalanche practiced at 10:30 a.m. local time, when the temperature was still in the 40s. The Wings didn’t go on until 1:30 p.m., when it was around 60 with bright sunshine. They basically walked on, did a few rushes and went off. “If it’s bad so we can’t pass the puck, we don’t really care,” captain Henrik Zetterberg said. “If it’s bad so we end up injured, that’s when we have to have a discussion. But I am pretty confident the ice will be good.” The fact the game is outdoors created weathermen among the Wings. Coach Jeff Blashill pointed out the start time isn’t until 6 p.m. local time, about 10 minutes after the sun sets. “We fully 100% expect the ice to be good,” he said. “The sun goes down in Denver, and degrees drop a tremendous amount.” Larkin said the difference between the sun hitting the ice or not was noticeable already in the afternoon. “You could tell along the boards where there was a shadow, the ice was really good,” he said. “It does get pretty cold here at night, so when it’s game time, it’s going to be awesome.” Awesome, and important. The Wings are trying to gain ground as the playoffs beckon. “We are approaching it as a normal game,” Zetterberg said. “There’s a little extra around it, but for us it’s two points that we want to get.” Petr Mrazek will start in net. Blashill said he still was evaluating who will be scratched. The Wings have been a part of two other recent outdoor games: the 2009 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, and the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. Both fell on New Year’s Day, before the season had even hit the midpoint. After this event, the Wings have just 20 games left. “It’s different,” Blashill said. “Lots of times these are played around Jan. 1 time. It’s later, so does that allow us to, maybe while enjoying the moment, make sure we’re real focused? I hope so. We better be. They’re two critical, critical points.”

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The Avs likewise are trying to gain ground from the wild-card spot they occupied Friday afternoon. “That’s what I said to them,” Colorado coach Patrick Roy said. “I mean, there’s a lot of distractions, but at the same time, these are big points for us.” Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla said the timing of the game “feels like the last stretch. Where we are in the standings, where Detroit is in the standings, I think that it’s going to be pretty cool that it feels like a more important game.” There’s no bad blood between these Wings and Avs, like there was between the alumni who populated the clubs’ rosters two decades ago. Many players from both sides said they planned to watch Friday night’s alumni game. For the current group of Avs, one key is to contain Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. “You appreciate their skill level,” Iginla said. “They’re not fun to chase around out there. They’re guys you’re still trying to shut down. It’s fun to watch them when you’re not having to play against them.” The Avalanche prevailed in a shoot-out when the teams met two weeks ago at Joe Louis Arena. The Wings left an impression that “they’re a team that’s tough to play against,” Colorado forward Matt Duchene said. “They’re very fast and very skilled. “This feels awesome. I think it’s going to be so much fun.” Saturday’s high is forecast to be 73, dropping to the mid-50s come game time. That’s considerably warmer than any of the past two outdoor games for the Wings, but with the atmospheric snow, and the sky overhead, it’s bound to be another special memory. “It’s fun to be a part of, especially when you see all different stadiums and arenas around the country,” Zetterberg said. “Chicago was pretty awesome for us. The Big House was a blast. Now this one. It’s a fun thing.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Colo. 5, Det. 2: Yzerman, Shanahan score; Wings alumni fall George Sipple 1:45 a.m. EST February 27, 2016 DENVER -- The Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche brought back a lot of memories. They did not bring back the fighting that helped make their rivalry one of the greatest in sports. The Red Wings never had the lead and went on to lose, 5-2, to the Avalanche on Friday night in the NHL Stadium Series Alumni Game in front of 43,319 at Coors Field. The best moment of the night came with 5:21 left, after Brendan Shanahan scored to cut the deficit to 4-2. A message on the video board read “Thanks for the memories.” The crowd gave a standing ovation and all of the players on the ice raised their sticks in acknowledgement. Colorado fans then broke out into a “Red Wings suck” chant. “It’s such a good rivalry, their building, very pro Avs,” said Steve Yzerman, who scored the other goal for the Wings. “In the Joe, it’s pro Red Wings. “You get both groups cheering at the same time, that’s never happened before. So it was a good moment.” Joe Sakic and Ray Bourque each scored a goal and an assist, and Patrick Roy made 20 saves over the first two periods to lead the Avalanche. Yzerman was the only Wing to score on Roy, knocking in a rebound to tie the game, 1-1, with 10:35 left in the first period. “I knew he was practicing, getting ready,” Yzerman said of Roy. “He’s a competitor. He always has been and will be forever.” So how did it feel to score one more on him? “It was all I could do to get my stick on the puck,” Yzerman said. “Surprised that it went in. But it was nice.” Valeri Kamensky opened the scoring 5 minutes into the the game on a feed from Peter Forsberg. It was fitting that Kamensky would score the first goal for the Avs. He also scored the first goal in Avs’ history – against the Red Wings on Oct. 6, 1995. The next two goals came from the former captains who wore No. 19 for each team. Yzerman tied the game for the Wings with 10:35 left in the first period, scoring on a rebound. Sakic scored on a wrister from the left circle, beating Ty Conklin to give the Avs a 2-1 lead with 6:23 left in the first period. Milan Hejduk gave the Avs a 3-1 lead with 4:21 left in the second period.

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Bourque scored at 1:01 of the third period to give the Avs a 4-1 lead. Manny Legace had no chance, screened by Dan Hinote. Stephane Yelle scored at 17:32 of the third for the final goal. The game featured to penalty shots, but neither team scored on them. Tomas Holmstrom’s backhand attempt on a penalty shot was denied by Craig Billington 7 minutes into the third period. Billington replaced Roy after 40 minutes. Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios and Avalanche forward Legace denied Mike Ricci’s bid on a penalty shot with 10:34 left in the third. The Wings certainly had some fun with the Colorado crowd during pre-game intrroductions. The fans heavily booed Kris Draper and Chris Chelios. In typical Chelios’ fashion, he booing them back while he was shown on the video board. Darren McCarty saluted the crowd. It only made sense for Conklin to start in goal for the Wings. He had started in three outdoor games during his NHL career, including the 6-4 win over the Blackhawks at Wrigley Field in 2009. Conklin was replaced midway through the second period by Legace. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Wings look to make 'simple' decisions outside vs. Avs George Sipple 6:46 p.m. EST February 26, 2016 DENVER -- Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith has played outdoor hockey in two college football stadiums, and indoor hockey in an NFL football stadium. He’ll play in another outdoor game Saturday, this time in a major league baseball stadium. The Red Wings face the Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field in the NHL Stadium Series at 8. “My other experiences on the outdoor rinks, it was really cold weather,” Smith said after practicing Friday in 60-degree weather. “Today, because of the heat and the sun, the more people were on it, it started melting.” Smith scored a pair of power-play goals for Wisconsin in a 3-2 win over Michigan in the Camp Randall Classic in Madison in 2010. “That was really cold,” Smith said. “I can’t remember the temperature, but it was extremely cold.” Smith remembers the cold weather and snow of the 2014 NHL Winter Classic, which the Wings lost, 3-2, to the Maple Leafs. “It was still pretty cold that day too,” Smith said. “It wasn’t as cold as Wisconsin. This one is a little bit different. The ice melts pretty quick. I know the temperature will drop pretty good before the game. That will be huge bonus and they’ll have it covered, so it’ll be good.” Smith also played in the Frozen Four at Ford Field in April 2010. Wisconsin beat RIT, 8-1 in the semis, then lost, 5-0, to Boston College in the finals. “Ford Field would have been more like this ice,” Smith said. “They were both kind of soft.” Smith said he’s confident that the ice will be fine for Saturday's game. He echoed comments made by Wings coach Jeff Blashill that simple is best in an outdoor game. “In an outdoor game you have to just make easier decisions, much simpler,” Smith said. “You gotta use the walls more because the elements are a big thing and the ice kind of chips up. There’s some bad bounces. Sometimes you just have to make a safe play rather than a good play. That can be sometimes frustrating. “It’s what you gotta do and ultimately you watch guys like Pavel Datsyuk, who can skill stickhandle in the snow like last time. You’ve got your fantastic players that can still do that. Defensively, you gotta make sure that you make plays to get it out. Put it probably more in space than normal.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Respect is final takeaway from Wings-Avalanche rivalry Ted Kulfan 12:44 a.m. EST February 27, 2016 Denver — There were no punches thrown, no excessive chippiness or anything like that. No faked punches or anything staged, either. But Friday’s Stadium Series alumni game between the Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche showed the healthy respect on both sides. Even if it was an exhibition game, and no spot in the Stanley Cup Finals was at stake. “There were pretty good battles, you felt those,” Kris Draper said. “You felt that a little bit. The stops and starts, the battling.” The closest there was to anything outrageously physical? Kris Draper delivered a nasty little crosscheck to Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote. It so happens it was Foote who said in a radio interview earlier in the day Draper would be the Red Wings player Foote would most like to punch in the face. Was this retribution from Draper? “Aw, pfft,” Draper said when asked if he was surprised by the comment. “All that shows is I was involved in a great rivalry.” If this was a final chapter of sorts to the rivalry, Darren McCarty said it was a fitting end. “It wasn’t about the war, it was about the hockey and how good the hockey was,” McCarty said. “How many Hall of Famers were on each side and that’s a big part of what it’s all about.” Special moment The most memorable part of the evening might have been in the third period when a video of the rivalry showed on the giant scoreboard. Fans responded with a standing ovation for both teams, and players responded with sticks raised high. “I told the guys it was the first and only time you’re going to get cheered in Colorado so enjoy it,” McCarty said. “People realize this is the closing of that chapter, and the hatred is there but the respect is also there.” Where’s the hands? Tomas Holmstrom had a penalty shot in the third period but didn’t convert, much to his chagrin. “I have to go back to the North Pole and work on my stickhandling,” Holmstrom said. Coming back and playing in this game was something Holmstrom enjoyed.

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“It’s too bad we don’t do it more often,” Holmstrom said. “I miss it.” Who looked good? The most impressive line the Red Wings’ had? “Shanny (Brendan Shanahan), Igor (Larionov) and Marty (Lapointe), they were fun to watch, they did a lot of good things,” Draper said. And who looked like he could come back and play in the NHL tomorrow? “Nick (Lidstrom) looked amazing,” Joe Kocur said. “He should come back and play again.” Detroit News LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Avs top Red Wings in thrilling alumni game Ted Kulfan 12:51 a.m. EST February 27, 2016 Denver — The actual game Saturday is going to have to do some work to match this. The Stadium Series Alumni Game Friday at Coors Field between the Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche — one of the great rivalries in any sport — lived up to the hype. The Avalanche wound up defeating the Red Wings, 5-2, which made for a pleasant evening for the excited crowd of 43,319 at Coors Field. Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan scored for the Red Wings, while Valeri Kamensky, Joe Sakic, Milan Hejduk, Ray Bourque and Stephane Yelle scored for the Avalanche. But it was so much more than the final score. There were plenty of memories to take out of this evening which the hockey clock was turned back to a different time. “We just had a blast,” Joe Kocur said. “Wish the outcome was better, but we’ll get them again.” So many memories: ♦ During introductions, Chris Chelios gave it right back to the fans heavily booing him when he booed right back into the video camera. ♦ Darren McCarty, who received equally loud jeers, saluted the crowd in every direction of the ballpark. “I was hoping (to get booed),” said McCarty, an avid Denver Broncos fan who insisted he was mimicking Terrell Davis with the salute. “That would have bummed me out if I hadn’t gotten booed. That’s the ultimate honor in an opposing rink.” ♦ Chilling applause for fan favorites, including Detroit’s Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom, and Colorado’s Sakic, Bourque, Patrick Roy and Peter Forsberg. ♦ Plays that brought back memories, such as Yzerman skating up ice and putting back a rebound past Roy, Sakic snapping a goal from the dot, Lidstrom smoothly breaking up a play, or Roy making a couple of acrobatic saves. ♦ And there was Tomas Holmstrom jostling with Avalanche defensemen around the net, hostilities renewed. “It was so much fun to play with the boys again,” Holmstrom said. “We were in so many battles. It was great to see a lot of the guys getting older.” It all brought back so many wonderful memories, and the huge crowd basking in almost ideal 58-degree weather loved every minute of it.

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Both teams were excited to renew acquaintances in what was one of the more bitter and heated match-ups for a decade. A huge highlight occurred with about five minutes left in the game when the scoreboard showed a tribute to the rivalry then had the words: “Thanks For The Memories, Thanks For the Rivalry, Thanks For Playing For Us One More Time…” “It was kind of a special moment for us all,” said Yzerman, as fans stood and applauded both teams while players responded in kind by raising their sticks in saluting the fans. “It’s been a pretty good rivalry and the chance with the fans in unison, that hadn’t happened before.” The respect was equal on the Colorado side. “I was happy to be part of it, it was great years,” said Roy, the current Avalanche head coach and former goalie. “We had a lot of good runs here, we played them a lot of those years and it was a big rivalry with them every year. “If we beat them, then we (felt) we had a chance to win the Stanley Cup.” And, of course it wouldn’t be a healthy rivalry if there wasn’t something to needle about one team to the other. Those highlights the Avalanche showed certainly didn’t show many of the Red Wings goals during the rivalry in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It seemed like all the goals shown on the scoreboard were Avalanche goals. “I wish we had a chance to edit the highlights,” Larry Murphy said. “But it’s their home building. I was wondering, though, if we had ever scored a goal all those years.” Detroit News LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Warm weather cuts short Wings outdoor practice Ted Kulfan 10:27 p.m. EST February 26, 2016 Denver — A lot of Red Wings had circled Saturday’s game on the regular season schedule. Outdoors at Coors Field, against the Colorado Avalanche, beautiful setting, crisp air. “It’s not hard to get up for these kinds of games,” defenseman Brendan Smith said. “They’re exciting and fun and obviously the rivalry between the Red Wings and Avalanche. “It’s really easy to get up for these games.” Now, let’s all hope the game will take place as scheduled Saturday evening. Both the Red Wings and Avalanche had difficulties during Friday’s practice sessions, although it was almost to be expected given the 60-degree temperatures and bright sun. Passing the puck, or skating, all proved to be difficult. The Red Wings cut their practice session to approximately 30 minutes under a blazing sun. “If it gets any worse than that, there’s no way we can play,” forward Darren Helm said. “It was pretty tough to do anything. Skate, pass, pucks bouncing. You pass and it would be bouncing 10 times before it got to someone’s stick. “Hopefully it was just the sun that was cooking too much.” Temperatures will fall from highs near 70 degrees during the day Saturday to ideal lows of 30-35 once the sun goes down. “It cools off at night, so it’ll be a lot better conditions,” Helm said. “But it was definitely tough to just practice out there.” If the game Saturday were to be postponed, the makeup date would be Sunday evening — but no one expects that to happen. “It should be fine. It cools down to game time and no one will be on the ice (during the day Saturday) either, so it’ll be much better,” captain Henrik Zetterberg said. “If we can’t pass the puck, we don’t really care. But if it’s bad so we could end up injured, that’s when we have to have discussion what what to do. “(But) I’m pretty confident that the ice will be good. I have no plans or thoughts about a postponement or moving it, or anything like that.” Coach Jeff Blashill knew Friday’s practice would be difficult being it was mid-afternoon.

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“We knew today was an impossible situation with the sun,” Blashill said. “They wouldn’t have scheduled a game during the day for that reason. We had to try to get a practice in and be able to walk on the ice, (but) we knew it was going to be impossible. “We knew that when the sun is up and it’s 70 degrees, it was going to be hard to manage, but we fully expect 100 percent the ice to be good (Saturday).” Crucial points For all the hoopla surrounding Saturday’s game, the bottom line is both teams need the two points in the standings. Players are attempting to treat the game as normally as they can. “There is two points, and they are big points,” Zetterberg said. “Both teams know that and both teams want it. For us, we have to approach it as a normal game. “Obviously it’s a little extra with everything around it but it’s just two points that we want to get.” Blashill wants his players to enjoy the event but remember the importance of what’s at hand. “There’s a balance,” Blashill said. “Enjoy the process but focus on the attention to detail. It’s important to keep the game simple.” Outdoor veterans Counting NCAA outdoor events, this will be Luke Glendening’s sixth outdoor game, and fifth for Brad Richards in the NHL, more than any other player. “You don’t take anything for granted,” Richards said. “Any time you’re part of the league, the NHL, let alone getting to do these things, it’s just great memories for me I’ll be able to have the rest of my life. “To be able to do these things and have the audience and the attention on it, it’s not a regular game in an 82-game schedule.” Ice chips Blashill said Petr Mrazek will get the start in net but didn’t announce any other lineup decisions, although defenseman Jonathan Ericsson (lower body) will return after missing the last six games. ... Helm (ill) returned to practice and will play. ... Whether Tomas Jurco or Teemu Pulkkinen is the last forward in the lineup remains to be seen. Detroit News LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Avs' Patrick Roy returns to crease for alumni fest Ted Kulfan 3:30 p.m. EST February 26, 2016 Denver — The alumni on the Red Wings playing tonight at Coors Field have talked about their excitement about participating. Now, count Colorado Avalanche coach — and Hall of Fame goalie — Patrick Roy among those looking forward to the Alumni Game, from the Colorado perspective. “I was happy to be part of it, it was great years,” said Roy after his team’s morning skate Friday at Coors Field. “We had a lot of good runs here. We played them a lot of those years and it was a big rivalry with them every year. “If we beat them, then we (felt) we had a chance to win the Stanley Cup.” Roy will play in net for some of tonight’s game. “The good thing is I have to focus on tomorrow night’s game, that probably helps a lot,” Roy said. “But the fact I’ve been on the ice for 15 or 20 times it certainly helped me to feel like the best I can be. “I have to remind myself I’m 50 years old and I can’t play like I’m 35. I’m going out there to enjoy myself and take the time to enjoy the moment and I’m excited to see the fans and I’m sure the fans will be excited to see the players. It’s a great moment for everyone of us.” Zach Redmond thrilled Avalanche defenseman Zach Redmond (Traverse City Central/Ferris State) grew up a Red Wings fan in northern Michigan, so the opportunity to participate in this Stadium Series game is a thrill. “It was hard not to,” said Redmond of growing up a Red Wings fan. “They had such a good thing going and being from Michigan, we’ve been blessed with how good the Red Wings have been our entire life.” Redmond said this game reminds him of going out on lakes around Traverse City. “I always had a buddy who frozed a spot in his backyard and we’d be on the ice all day every day,” Redmond said. “(Grand Traverse Bay) froze over once, it’s rare it freezes all the way through, but it did once and we got on the ice (when Redmond was 7). “It’s fun (walking onto Coors Field). You get the feeling of growing up on the lake in Michigan, but you look around and see Coors Field.” Redmond, 27, is finding it difficult to crack the Avalanche lineup but he’s completely recovered from a right thigh laceration in February 2013 that almost ended his career. “You feel lucky to still be playing,” Redmond said. “It could have ended a lot worse.” Ice conditions

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Avalanche players said the sun made things difficult for Friday’s morning skate (a difficult glare off the ice) but it’s expected that Saturday’s game should have almost ideal conditions. “It was bad because of the sun but tomorrow should be great,” forward Matt Duchene said. “There were some shady parts on the ice that were real good, you could tell the difference, but once you get into the sunlight it was bad. But that’s just the Colorado sun. “As soon as it goes back (behind the clouds) it’ll be good. “It feels awesome. It should be a lot of fun tomorrow.” Detroit News LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Foote on Draper: He turns my stomach Staff Writer 5:03 p.m. EST February 26, 2016 So much for a civil runup to tonight's Red Wings-Avalanche alumni game. In an interview on ESPN 104.3 The Fan in Denver, when asked whom he'd most like to punch in the face the Avs' Adam Foote replied without hesitation the Red Wings' Kris Draper. "Draper for sure," said Foote, when prompted by hosts Mark Schlereth and Mike Evans who suggested the former NHLer would be "putting on the foil" for the alumni showdown at Coors Field (7 p.m. FSD/97.1). "There's something about him that turns my stomach the wrong way." Foote shed some insight on the Claude Lemieux hit on Draper, which set the tone for the bad blood in the heated rivalry. "The first year we won the Cup was in 96, it's all when it it all went down," Foote said. "Lemieux hit Draper from behind. It was kind of an awkward position. "Lemieux was frustrated simply because of the way the game was going. Detroit knew they were going to lose that series. Bowman was setting the table for the following years, in my opinion. Earlier in that game, I got hit from behind by (Vyacheslav) Kozlov and took 20 stitches." Foote didn't mince words about the rivalry, suggesting the way the Wings carried on about the hit during the summer fueled the animosity. "Two great teams made the rivalry," Foote said. Draper responded on WMGC FM 105.1's "Dery & Sharp" on Friday afternoon. "Foote doesn't like me; I don't like him." Draper said. "... If this puts a little more intensity into the game, I've got no problem with it all." The Wing alumnus didn't think there would be any fights, though. "I think there is going to be a little bit different tone than most alumni games because of the history of both organizations," Draper said. "The bottom line is, listen, we want to win this game, no doubt about it." Detroit News LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Former Avalanche Adam Foote wants to punch ex-Red Wing Kris Draper in the face Ansar Khan February 26, 2016 at 3:03 PM DENVER – Maybe tonight's NHL Stadium Series Alumni game between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field won't just be a friendly exhibition. Sounds like of the acrimony and hostility that was prevalent 15-20 years ago hasn't dissipated. Former Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote told a Denver radio station he wants to punch Red Wings Grind Line center Kris Draper in the face. On with Schlereth and Evans on 104.3 The Fan, Foote was asked, "Out of all of those guys on Detroit who is the one guy you want to punch in the face?" "Draper, for sure," Foote said. He added, "There's something about him that turns by stomach the wrong way." Foote then explained why. "When that whole deal went down in Game 6 (of the 1996 Western Conference finals) ... (Claude) Lemieux hit Draper from behind, it was kind of an awkward position," Foote said. "Lemieux was frustrated simply because the way the game was going. Detroit knew they were going to lose that series. (Red Wings coach Scotty) Bowman was setting the table for the following years, in my opinion. Earlier in that game I got hit from behind by (Slava) Kozlov and that took 20 stitches." "All we heard all summer was about Draper and how he wanted to get Lemieux out of the league. ... I just didn't like how Draper carried it. You can be upset, it was a bad hit and it was a bad hit on myself. All we heard in the media for over a year was that hit. It's hockey, it happens, the emotions were up. It's too bad that he got hurt that way but he was always just a little bit of a pest." Foote and Draper will be playing for their respective alumni teams tonight (7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit). Michigan Live LOADED: 02.27.2016

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By the numbers: NHL Stadium Series game between Red Wings and Avalanche Ansar Khan February 26, 2016 at 1:58 PM DENVER – The NHL Stadium Series game between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche by the numbers, from the NHL: 1 -- First-ever NHL outdoor regular season game played by the Colorado Avalanche. They become the 21st NHL team to participate in such a game. 4 -- Career outdoor games played by Red Wings forward Brad Richards, tied for most all-time. 5 -- The Avalanche and Red Wings combined to win five Stanley Cup championships in a seven-year period from 1996 through 2002. Colorado captured titles in 1996 and 2001, Detroit in 1997, 1998 and 2002. 6 -- All-time NHL Stanley Cup playoffs series matchups between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche, starting with back-to-back showdowns in the Western Conference final in 1996 and 1997. The teams have split the series 3-3. Following their six playoff meetings, the winner of the Detroit-Colorado series went on to win the Stanley Cup four times. 20 -- The seats on Row 20 of the entire Upper Deck at Coors Field are colored purple, signifying that they are exactly one mile above sea level. 23 -- Average low temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit, for Denver on Feb. 27, according to accuweather.com. 33 -- Average temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit, at puck drop for the 17 previous NHL regular season outdoor games. 36 -- Skaters, goaltenders and coaches who have competed for both the Avalanche/Nordiques and Red Wings. Of those 36, only one has played in at least 150 regular-season games with both clubs: Kyle Quincey, who appeared in 154 games with Colorado and has played in 248 games with Detroit. 53 -- Average high temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit, for Denver on Feb. 27, according accuweather.com. 53 -- Length, in feet, of the world's largest mobile rink refrigeration unit, specially built for outdoor games conducted by the NHL. 118 -- The Colorado Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques and Detroit Red Wings have faced off 118 times during the regular season. The Red Wings lead the head-to-head series with 64 victories and 141 points, compared to Colorado's 49 wins and 108 points. The Red Wings have earned at least one point in each of the last eight meetings between these teams dating to March 5, 2013 (DET: 5-0-3, COL: 3-4-1).

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243 -- Number of ice pans under the main rink at Coors Field, each measuring 30" inches by 340 inches in size. 300 -- Ton capacity of refrigeration trailer that will keep the ice cool at Coors Field. 350 -- Gallons of paint used to make the Coors Field ice white. 537 -- Players and head coaches who have participated in the League's 17 regular-season outdoor games to date. 1926 -- Year the Detroit Red Wings were established. 1979 -- Year the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise was established. 3,500 -- Gallons of coolant used to freeze the Coors Field rink. 5,200 -- Approximate feet above sea level that the peak of the centerfield mountain range sits at Coors Field. It rises 23 feet above the field. 5,280 -- Number that appears on the collar of Colorado's special edition 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series uniform, referencing the number of feet in a mile and the Avalanche's home in the Mile-High City. Detroit's special edition uniform features a single white stripe across the chest and its diagonal placement is inspired by modern automotive aesthetics and is a tribute to the automotive industry that has been a foundation of the city of Detroit. 20,000 -- Gallons of water needed to create a two-inch ice surface, some of which was transported from the Coors Brewery in nearby Golden, Colo. 970,960 -- The NHL's 17 regular-season outdoor games have drawn total attendance of 970,960, an average of 57,115 per game. NHL outdoor attendance will surpass the 1-million mark on Saturday when the Red Wings play the Avalanche. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Advanced stats 101: Looking at hockey analytics and the Red Wings Tom Mitsos February 26, 2016 at 9:56 AM Corsi, Fenwick, zone start percentage. These terms are becoming more prevalent in the hockey world, and a number of NHL teams are hiring advanced stats gurus to help their team gain an edge. But what do they mean? Don't worry, we're here to help. This is a glossary of the most-used advanced stats and what they tell us about a player or team. Don't be intimidated by the phrase "advanced stats." Traditional stats — such as goals, assists and points — are information, and advanced stats give us new information and new ways to dissect a player or team's game without being very difficult to comprehend. Corsi Corsi (or shot attempts) is one of the most popular advanced stats. Corsi is any shot that is attempted, whether that shot is saved, misses the net, is blocked or goes in the net. What does Corsi tell us? During the course of any hockey game, the puck is constantly changing possession, which makes it difficult to track time of possession. By tracking shot attempts, we can get a better idea of which team possesses the puck more. If a team has more shot attempts, it makes sense to say it is dictating the play and driving offense more than defending. For instance, if Pavel Datsyuk is on the ice for 10 shot attempts for (Corsi for) and on the ice for five shot attempts against (Corsi against), then his Corsi for percentage (CF%) would be 66.67 percent. This means 66.67 percent of the total shot attempts between both teams are going in favor of Datsyuk and the Detroit Red Wings. These shot attempts include shots taken by Datsyuk and his teammates. A CF% of less than 50 percent means more shot attempts are going against that player's goalie. For example, Drew Miller's CF% for the season is 39.07. Corsi for and many advanced stats are best used when both teams are at five on five. If one team is on the power play, it stands to reason that team will have a higher CF% because the penalty killing team is more worried about defending their net than trying to score. Individual shot attempts (iCF) tell us how many individual shot attempts a player takes. CF% also can be used to determine how much offense a team generates. For instance, the Red Wings rank 10th in the NHL at 51.3 percent. While it is better to be over 50 percent, it isn't as good as the 2007-08 Red Wings team that won a Stanley Cup and

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featured Nicklas Lidstrom, and younger, better versions of Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall. That team's CF% was 59.1 and proves how dominant of a puck-possession team they were. Fenwick Fenwick (or unblocked shot attempts) is similar to Corsi, but Fenwick does not include blocked shots. Fenwick is any shot that goes in the net, is saved or misses the net. What does Fenwick tell us? Generally, hockey writers and statisticians use Corsi since it includes every shot attempt, but Fenwick can be used to see how many shots are getting through attempted blocks. Detroit Red Wings vs. Philadelphia Flyers - January 17, 2016 As an offensive defenseman, Detroit's Mike Green, right, starts the majority of his faceoffs in the offensive zone. (Mike Mulholland/MLive.com) Zone starts Zone starts show how many times a player takes a faceoff in the offensive zone, neutral zone or defensive zone. If a team has a faceoff in its defensive zone, a coach usually elects to put the strongest defenders on the ice in order to limit the chances of a goal against and vice versa for offensive zone starts. What do zone starts tell us? Zone starts generally are written as a percentage and abbreviated ZSO%. ZSO% is the number of offensive zone starts a player has divided by the total number of offensive zone starts and defensive zone starts. This season, Mike Green has a ZSO% of 66.74 percent at five on five. A ZSO% of more than 50 percent means a player starts more shifts in the offensive zone than in the defensive zone. This makes sense with Green, as he is more of an offensive-minded defenseman and therefore used more in an offensive role than a defensive role. Luke Glendening's ZSO%, on the other hand, is 33.15. Rate statistics When an argument wants to be made for how well a player is performing during a season, it's common to hear how many goals per game or points per game that player has. However, some players play as many as 28 minutes per game and some play less than 10. Therefore, it can be unfair to compare two players who don't play the same amount each game. What do rate statistics tell us? Rate statistics tell us how productive players are with the time on ice they get. The most used rate statistic is per 60 minutes, meaning how many goals, assists, points, etc. does a player score if that player played a full 60 minutes?

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For instance, Tomas Tatar's goals per 60 minutes (G60) is 0.88 at five on five, which means Tatar scores 0.88 goals for every 60 minutes of playing time he receives. This number is better than Zetterberg's 0.53 G60. Zetterberg receives 14.99 minutes per game of five on five time, while Tatar gets just 11.57. Both players have 19 points at five on five, but Tatar's points per 60 (P60) is 1.67 to Zetterberg's 1.27. Tatar has produced more in less time. Rate statistics can be used with Corsi and Fenwick, as well. Red Wings Canucks Hockey Detroit's Teemu Pulkkinen, left, has the highest Corsi for relative percentage on the Red Wings of any player who has played at least 10 games. (AP) Relative statistics Of course, with any statistic in sports, they can be deceiving. Sometimes a player struggles because that player is on a poor defensive team, and a player can thrive if in the right system or on the right line. What do relative statistics tell us? Relative statistics show how a player is performing relative to the rest of the team. A young team, such as the Edmonton Oilers, have a CF% of 49.0, below the desired 50 percent. Taylor Hall, Edmonton's leading goal scorer, has a Corsi for percentage of 52.96, which is better than 50 percent, but most likely lower than what it would be if Hall were on a better defensive team. However, Hall's Corsi for relative percentage (CF%Rel) is 6.03, which is the best mark on the team for anyone who has played at least 10 games. The 6.03 number represents the shot differential of shots directed at the opponent's net per 60 minutes of playing time when Hall is on the ice. On the Red Wings, Teemu Pulkkinen has a CF%Rel of 9.81, which leads every player besides Eric Tangradi, who has played just one game with Detroit. The Red Wings' Corsi for percentage is 51.3, but Pulkkinen accounts for nine more shots per 60 minutes when he is on the ice. Miller's CF%Rel of -13.70 means 13 more shots per 60 minutes are directed at his net. Relative stats can be used with other advanced stats, such as zone starts and goals for. Adjusted save percentage Some teams allow more high-danger scoring chances than other teams, which makes it hard to quantify a goalie's performance. Adjusted save percentage is the goalie's save percentage if he faced the league average of shots from each shot location. What does adjusted save percentage tell us? As you can see in the graphic from War-on-ice, there are three zones of

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zones-three.png Levels of scoring chances. War-on-ice scoring chances. The blue represents high-danger scoring chances, the red represents medium-danger scoring chances and the yellow represents low-danger scoring chances. A goalie who has a higher adjusted save percentage than unadjusted save percentage likely is playing behind a team that is giving up more high-danger chances, while a goalie who has a lower adjusted save percentage than unadjusted save percentage likely means the goalie is benefiting from the team's defensive play. For example, Jimmy Howard's adjusted save percentage at five on five goes up to 92.24 from an unadjusted save percentage of 92.15. And when Howard plays for the Red Wings, it's easy to see his team doesn't play as well defensively in front of him. Petr Mrazek, on the other hand, has an adjusted save percentage of 93.96 and an unadjusted save percentage of 94.06. His adjusted save percentage dropped, which suggests the team plays better defensively in front of him. Note: All stats from War-on-ice, and stats are taken heading into Tuesday night's games. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Kris Draper discusses hit from Claude Lemieux that ignited Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry Ansar Khan February 26, 2016 at 6:11 AM DENVER – It has been nearly 20 years since the infamous hit that ignited what became hockey's most heated rivalry for several years -- Claude Lemieux's check from behind on Kris Draper. Draper played against Lemieux numerous times following the incident in 1996. He shook Lemieux's hand following subsequent playoff series. They will faceoff once again Friday at Coors Field, during the NHL Stadium series alumni game between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche. Draper was asked how he feels about Lemieux and whether he harbors any animosity after all these years. "How I feel about Lemieux, honestly, I don't know him," Draper said. "We never talked about that and I don't feel (anything) about him, I guess. It was 20 years ago. I think it defined me as a person and as a hockey player and created a heck of a rivalry with two high-end organizations, and a lot of people embraced it. "In the end that Colorado-Detroit series defined a lot of us as hockey players through '96-97 and '02. You hated them and I got to figure when they had the same feeling. That's what made those games so special." Draper suffered numerous facial injuries requiring surgery and hospitalization following the hit in Game 6 of the 1996 Western Conference finals. Lemieux, who was suspended for the first two games of the Stanley Cup finals, didn't show remorse or apologize. "I can't speak for him and what he was thinking," Draper said. "But the bottom line is that's the way it happened and that's the way everything played out. To be honest, I wouldn't change anything for a second with the way that it went. "I had some injuries; they healed. You saw that my beautiful looks are all good." The Red Wings gained retribution on March 26, 1997, when Darren McCarty pummeled a turtling Lemieux during an epic brawl at Joe Louis Arena. Players said that game bonded them as a team. They went on to win the Stanley Cup. "When Kris got hurt I think a lot of the guys knew it was a cheap shot at the time, but we didn't know the extent of the injury," Dino Ciccarelli said. "Now we finish the third (period), we lose, we shake hands, we got into the dressing room and we all go up to see Kris on the table. He was almost unrecognizable. That's how bad the injury was. That's really where the hatred started for the whole rivalry. "I tell people it would be like cutting the side of your face with a knife and pulling the skin back. That's how bad Drapes' face looked. Of course I said, 'I can't believe I shook his

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freaking hand' after seeing the extent of the injury. But for the rest of the guys that's where the whole rivalry started right there. It was payback the next season." Kirk Maltby was asked if he had any idea of the kind of player Lemieux was before the hit. "Trust me, I did my little things on the ice," Maltby said. "At the end of the day, anything I may have done, crossing the line, I never truly intended to hurt someone. Yeah, you slash a guy in the back of the leg it hurts, putting the guy out ... at that time in the heat of the moment it didn't feel like (Lemieux) had much remorse, didn't feel bad about it at all. Looking back at it, it was a crappy play but I don't believe he set out to hurt Kris. But it is what it is and the things that followed are directly because of that." Lemieux couldn't be reached for comment. He is now an agent. Draper spoke to him once, last year at the draft, when the Red Wings selected one of his clients, goaltender Joren Van Pottelberghe. "That was the extent of the conversation that I've had with him in 20 years away from the rink," Draper said. "I'm looking forward to being with my teammates. I'm looking forward to playing. Every time I get on the ice I still smile. I love it. "I thought when we played at Comerica Park (in 2013) that might be my last game and I'm going to take this like it might be my last game and just take it all in. My wife and kids are coming and they're excited. You're playing an outdoor game at Coors Field and I'm playing with guys that I won four Stanley Cups with and that to me is the most important thing." Michigan Live LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Fans show appreciation for Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry during Coors Field alumni game Ansar Khan February 26, 2016 at 11:44 PM DENVER – The night began as you'd expect, a video montage loaded with Colorado Avalanche highlights and plenty of boos for the Detroit Red Wings. But, late in Friday's NHL Stadium Series alumni game, the crowd of 43,319 at Coors Field gave both teams a standing ovation, appreciation for some great hockey during a seven-year period from 1992-2002. And after the Avalanche defeated the Red Wings 5-2, players shook hands and gathered near center ice, raising their sticks to salute the crowd. "That was great," Darren McCarty said. "I turned around and said, 'Hey guys, this is the first and only time you'll get cheered in Colorado. Enjoy it.' "People realize that this is sort of the closing of that chapter. The hatred's there, but the respect is also there. That's from the organization to the players, coaches and to the fans. As brutal as this rivalry was, that's how classy and respectful it is at the end. And that's how it should be. "It was all in honor of a conclusion to probably the last best rivalry in hockey. Pretty much for a lot of guys it probably puts a closing chapter on it." McCarty, Chris Chelios and Kris Draper received the loudest boos during pregame introductions. Chelios booed back. "That's the most boos I've ever heard in my life," Chelios said. "I expected it, but it's still funny." He said of booing back, "I'm a horrible person! I'll probably get a few texts from that." Said Draper: "Cheli never does disappoint in a hostile environment. That's what makes Cheli Cheli." McCarty said he was hoping to get booed. His pummeling of Claude Lemieux during the epic brawl in 1997 set this rivalry on fire. "I mean, geez, I would have been bummed out if I didn't get booed," McCarty said. "That's the ultimate honor in the opposing rink." He responded by giving the fans the Mile High Salute, a Denver Broncos tradition. "I'm a Broncos fan and I figured I'd give them the Mile High salute," McCarty said. "Claude's the villain and I'm sort of the villain. That's the way it's supposed to be. That's what makes the rivalry great. Usually you don't like getting booed but in this case, that was like getting a huge cheer, so thank you guys and girls, women, men and kids."

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Draper said he figured he'd get booed after former Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote, during a radio interview, said he wanted to punch the former Grind Line center in the face. "I kind of figured with what transpired over the last 24 hours I'd get a pretty good boo," Draper said. "No worries, it's all good." Steve Yzerman called the standing ovation near the end a special moment, certainly much better than the pregame video show. "It was all Avalanche highlights," Yzerman said. "I got tired of them knocking us over and scoring. I stopped watching." Said Draper: "The interesting thing is, the highlights, we didn't score one goal against them. Every time I looked around for a highlight, it was the Colorado Avalanche scoring on the Detroit Red Wings. I knew they were good, but I didn't realize they were that good. We did score some goals on them." Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan scored for the Red Wings. Yzerman tied it at 1-1 midway through the second period after Valeri Kamensky opened the scoring. The Avalanche scored the next four goals – from Joe Sakic, Milan Hejduk and Ray Bourque – before Shanahan's goal with 5:21 to play in the third period cut the deficit to 4-2. Stephane Yelle capped the scoring late in the game. Patrick Roy made 20 saves through two periods. "You don't like losing and you still don't like losing to those guys," Draper said. "It doesn't sit well but it was fun. It was a great night and the atmosphere was awesome." Michigan Live LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Avalanche defeat Red Wings in Stadium Series alumni game Ansar Khan February 26, 2016 at 10:15 PM DENVER – It was just like old times Friday, when most of the main combatants of the fiercest rivalry in hockey donned their equipment once again. This time, there was no mayhem between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche in the NHL Stadium Series alumni game at Coors Field. But a crowd of 43,319 was entertained by the trip down memory lane. And most went home happy, as the Avalanche prevailed 5-2. Joe Sakic, the captain of those Avalanche clubs that engaged in so many heated battles with the Red Wings from 1996-2002, had a goal and an assist. Patrick Roy made 20 saves in 40 minutes of action. Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan scored for the Red Wings alumni. Before the game, players such as Chris Chelios, Darren McCarty and Kris Draper were booed lustily by the crowd. With 5:21 remaining, the fans gave both teams a standing ovation. The game featured 12 Hockey Hall of Famers. Two of them scored in the third period. Ray Bourque put Colorado ahead 4-1 before Shanahan scored on a rebound with 5:21 to play. Stephane Yelle capped the scoring with 2:05 to play. Milan Hejduk scored the only goal of the second period. He cut in front of the net and redirected a shot by Mike Ricci past Manny Legace, who replaced Ty Conklin midway through the period. Valeri Kamensky opened the scoring, beating Conkin from the net front after taking a pass from Peter Forsberg. Claude Lemieux also assisted. Yzerman tied it midway through the period, firing in a rebound of a shot from Dino Ciccarelli past Patrick Roy. Sakic snapped the tie with 6:23 to play. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Milan Hejduk's goal extends Avalanche lead over Red Wings in Stadium Series alumni game Ansar Khan February 26, 2016 at 10:17 PM DENVER – Milan Hejduk scored the only goal of the second period Friday in the NHL Stadium Series alumni game at Coors Field, giving the Colorado Avalanche a 3-1 lead over the Detroit Red Wings. Hejduk cut in front of the net and redirected a shot by Mike Ricci past Manny Legace, who replaced Ty Conklin midway through the period. Joe Sakic also assisted on the goal, his second point of the night. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Captains Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic score during first period of Red Wings-Avalanche alumni game Ansar Khan February 26, 2016 at 10:20 PM DENVER – It was just like old times Friday during the first period the NHL Stadium Series alumni game between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche – minus the mayhem. Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic, captains of their teams during the rivalry's heyday, scored goals at Coors Field. The Avalanche lead 2-1 after 20 minutes. Valeri Kamensky opened the scoring, beating Ty Conkin from the net front after taking a pass from Peter Forsberg. Claude Lemieux also assisted. Yzerman tied it midway through the period, firing in a rebound of a shot from Dino Ciccarelli past Patrick Roy. Sakic snapped the tie with 6:23 to play. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Red Wings not caught up in novelty of playing outdoors, they're focused on two points Ansar Khan February 26, 2016 at 6:48 PM DENVER – It was hot, the sun's glare blinding and the ice too soft, so Detroit Red Wings practice Friday at Coors Field was shortened to 20 minutes. Coach Jeff Blashill is confident conditions won't be an issue Saturday in the Stadium Series game against the Colorado Avalanche (8 p.m., NBC). In any event, the Red Wings aren't concerned about the weather, the thin air or soaking up the atmosphere. They're focused on picking up an important two points with just one-quarter of the season remaining (21 games). "We've got a lot of guys that have played in outdoor games so they understand the approach is to enjoy it but certainly pay attention to detail and there's two huge points," Blashill said. "When you play in an outdoor setting, I think it's important to keep your game fairly simple. There's a lot of factors that aren't in play in a regular indoor game." Petr Mrazek will start in goal, looking to help his team snap a six-game road winless streak (0-4-2). It will be the Red Wings' third outdoor game in eight seasons. The previous two were on Jan. 1. This late in the season, the urgency is ramped up. Brad Richards knows; this will be his record fifth NHL outdoor game. "You can talk about all this (atmosphere) stuff and it's OK yesterday and today to build up, but it's another game that both of these teams need," Richards said. "With some good hockey we're right there and have a chance to be in a good position. But if you don't watch out you can be on the outside looking in." The Avalanche needed a fantastic 43-save performance from Semyon Varlamov to pull out a 3-2 shootout victory in the first meeting between these teams Feb. 12 at Joe Louis Arena. "It's going to be a different situation," Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. "When we played there it was a back-to-back game, but they played really well. It's a good hockey team." Said Blashill: "I thought we won a lot of loose pucks and I would attribute a lot of that to the fact that they were tired. They're really good, and they've got dynamic players." The Avalanche practiced earlier in the day Friday, when conditions were better. "The guys were business this morning," Roy said. "We did a lot of drills in a period of 30 minutes and I thought our guys were sharp. Seems like they understand where we are in the standings, excited about the game but also focused for the game."

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The Red Wings at least got familiar with their surroundings, the home of baseball's Colorado Rockies. "It was pretty cool when you walked out there and then you walked into the sun and couldn't see a thing," Darren Helm said. "It was hot out there. Guys were saying it's supposed to be even hotter tomorrow. The ice wasn't great at all. It was pretty soft. It was definitely tough just to practice right now." Said Henrik Zetterberg: "I think if it's bad so we can't pass the puck, we don't really care. But if it's bad and we can probably end up injured, that's when we probably have to have a discussion about what to do. I'm pretty confident that the ice will be good tomorrow. I have no (concerns) about postponing it or moving it." Blashill said he knew his team was facing "an impossible situation with the sun." "We had to try to get a practice in; we had to be able to at least walk onto the ice," Blashill said. "But we 100 percent expect the ice to be good tomorrow. The sun goes down in Denver and the degrees drop a tremendous amount. We have full confidence in the NHL people to get the ice in a real good spot. We also know that we're both going to be sharing the exact same ice. I have no worries whatsoever." Several players wore eye black. Danny DeKeyser donned shades. "It feels like I'm playing hockey in the middle of the summer," DeKeyser said of the 70-degree weather. "Usually the ice isn't always the best (in outdoor games), so I think it's just making simple plays, not trying to get too cute. Getting the puck out of the zone and throwing pucks onto the net because it's pretty much the only way you're going to score." Michigan Live LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek anxious to start his first outdoor game Ansar Khan February 26, 2016 at 5:14 PM DENVER -- Petr Mrazek will be playing in the first outdoor game of his career Saturday, when he starts for the Detroit Red Wings against the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL Stadium Series game at Coors Field (8 p.m., NBC). Mrazek dressed as Jimmy Howard's backup during the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium, a 3-2 shootout loss to Toronto. "It was a great experience (back then)," Mrazek said. "I'm really excited. It's going to be my first outdoor game to start." Coach Jeff Blashill declined to reveal any other lineup decisions. He did indicate that Tomas Jurco would be playing in his first outdoor game. Darren Helm skated today after missing Wednesday's practice with an illness. He said he expects to be ready for the game. The Red Wings practiced for only 20 minutes Friday. Players said ice conditions were poor and the sun's glare was an issue. Blashill said he is confident the ice will be in excellent condition Saturday, and since it's a night game, the sun won't be an issue. Michigan Live LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Wings prep for ‘business trip' Chuck Pleiness 02/26/16, 5:28 PM This may be a marquee event for the NHL, but the Detroit Red Wings are just looking at is as another chance to improve in the standings. I think it’s status quo, a business trip,” Dylan Larkin said after the Wings practiced outdoors at Coors Field prior to Saturday night’s Stadium Series game against the Colorado Avalanche. “For me, it’s easy to look around and get excited, and be a rookie in his first outdoor game type of guy. But the guys are doing a good job of treating it normal. Treating this as a practice and treating tomorrow as a normal game day. “It’s hockey,” Larkin added. “It’s played on the ice. You don’t really pay much attention to the surroundings. It is what it is. I played in outdoor games last year at Michigan. It’s a cool time.” This is the third outdoor game the Wings will be participating in. “The important thing with that for me is enjoying the journey, whether it be the journey of the season, the journey of your playing career, whether it be a night like (Saturday) night that’s a pretty special night, getting a chance to play in this setting,” Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that have been in this spot, I have in the American League, lots of our guys have played in outdoor games so they understand the approaches to enjoy it, but certainly pay attention to detail and there’s two huge points. “There’s a balance between playing for two points and this event, but I don’t think it’s any other balance that we face,” Blashill continued. “I encourage our guys to enjoy every minute we get a chance to play and coach in the NHL. I think it’s a magnificent thing and it goes by too quick and so let’s enjoy the process of it but let’s focus on the attention to detail it’s going to take to be successful.” The Wings have played in two Winter Classics prior. “I think when you play in an outdoor setting, I think it’s important to keep your game fairly simple,” Blashill said. “There are a lot of factors that aren’t in play in a regular indoor game. So let’s make sure our attention to detail is great but let’s enjoy the process.” Friday’s practice was more for getting use to the surroundings. “I think when you have different situations, when you play an outdoor game like this and the setting’s obviously a whole lot different, I think it just helps with the next day,” Blashill said. “Even if it’s just walking through the tunnel, getting everything sorted in what’s a magnificent visitors’ clubhouse, walking out on the ice, I think that’s the things that make today real useful.” After missing practice on Wednesday, Darren Helm appears ready to play Saturday.

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“It’s different in a sense that more things are out of your control,” Helm said about the conditions. “I don’t want to say can go wrong, but there’s more things that can happen that are out of your control, so you have to go into the game just being OK with things going awry around you and keeping your focus and continuing to play. I think you have to enjoy the moment. You have to enjoy the whole atmosphere. I’m a big believer in that in life period. But while you’re focusing on playing, you’ve got to remember the ice conditions might not be great, the visibility might not be great. Lots of factors can happen. You’ve just got to keep playing and both teams are going to see the same thing. “I always say it’s like your wedding day, if you think it’s going to go perfect, you’re going to be sorely mistaken,” Helm continued. “Things are going to go wrong and you’ve still got to enjoy the whole thing.” Helm missed the 2014 Winter Classic against Toronto due to a groin injury. Macomb Daily LOADED: 02.27.2016

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Andy Miele returns after bloodied to score OT winner for Griffins

By MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS - Minutes after having his face bloodied by a high stick, Andy Miele returned to the ice late in overtime during the ensuing four-minute power play and scored the game-winning goal, extending the Grand Rapids Griffins' winning streak to five games with a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Wolves on Sunday at Van Andel Arena.

Miele's blast from the point 4:25 into the extra session capped off the Griffins' rally from a 3-1 third-period deficit and gave them their AHL-best 21st home win of the season, three of which have come since Friday.

The Griffins (33-20-1-1) will complete their four-game homestand by hosting the Central Division-leading Rockford IceHogs on Wednesday at 7 p.m., after which they'll play only six of their final 20 regular season games within Van Andel Arena's friendly confines.

Mitch Callahan staked Grand Rapids to a 1-0 lead at 12:26 of the opening period, driving the net and speeding around Justin Crandall to pot a slick centering pass from Mark Zengerle.

The Wolves answered with a pair of power play goals before the period was out to go on top 2-1. As Nathan Paetsch tied up Jeremy Welsh in front of the net, a blast by Jeremie Blain from the right point deflected off Paetsch's skate and past Jared Coreau at 15:01. Chicago then went ahead just 19 seconds before intermission, when Andre Benoit took a cross-ice feed from Danny Kristo at the bottom of the right circle and quickly went top shelf on Coreau.

Those Chicago goals broke Grand Rapids' 18-1 scoring run against its opposition that dated to the second period of its Feb. 20 win over Charlotte.

Former Griffin Jared Nightingale increased the visitors' margin to two at 7:08 of the second period, taking a shot from the point that deflected off two Griffins before bouncing between Coreau's pads.

Tomas Nosek cut the deficit to 3-2 by scoring on a rebound 1:25 into the final frame, a goal made possible by Ryan Sproul, who put the initial shot on Jordan Binnington after barely managing to keep a Chicago clearing attempt inside the zone. Ryan Russo then forced overtime with 2:42 remaining when his slap shot from the right point sailed into the far corner of Binnington's cage.

While the Griffins could not capitalize on a late boarding penalty to Kristo that extended into overtime, they received another opportunity in short order when Welsh was whistled for a double-minor for clipping Miele in the nose with his stick at the 1:03 mark. Miele

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left the ice for several minutes to get medical attention before returning for his vengeance, which came in the form of the game-winner and his team-high 40th point of the season.

Coreau fought back from his early misfortunes to earn his 26th win behind 18 saves, while Binnington turned aside 39 of the 43 shots Grand Rapids sent his way.

Chicago Wolves 3 at Grand Rapids Griffins 4 (OT) - Status: Final OT

Sunday, February 28, 2016 - Van Andel Arena

Chicago 2 1 0 0 - 3

Grand Rapids 1 0 2 1 - 4

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Callahan 16 (Zengerle, Jensen), 12:26. 2, Chicago, Blain 2 (Schmaltz, Kristo), 15:01 (PP). 3, Chicago, Benoit 6 (Kristo, Harrold), 19:41 (PP). Penalties-Nightingale Chi (tripping), 6:09; Frk Gr (holding the stick), 13:18; Ouellet Gr (interference), 19:02.

2nd Period-4, Chicago, Nightingale 1 (Barbashev, Crandall), 7:08. Penalties-Caron Chi (hooking), 1:14; Trupp Chi (hooking), 4:10; Campbell Gr (holding), 10:39.

3rd Period-5, Grand Rapids, Nosek 10 (Sproul), 1:25. 6, Grand Rapids, Russo 4 (Bertuzzi, Tangradi), 17:18. Penalties-Kristo Chi (kneeing), 4:53; Tangradi Gr (slashing), 6:06; Kristo Chi (boarding), 18:21.

OT Period-7, Grand Rapids, Miele 12 (Mantha, Russo), 4:25 (PP). Penalties-Welsh Chi (double minor - high-sticking), 1:03.

Shots on Goal-Chicago 7-10-4-0-21. Grand Rapids 8-14-14-7-43.

Power Play Opportunities-Chicago 2 / 4; Grand Rapids 1 / 7.

Goalies-Chicago, Binnington 12-12-2 (43 shots-39 saves). Grand Rapids, Coreau 26-10-1 (21 shots-18 saves).

A-8,036

Referees-Alex Garon (64), Ryan Murphy (5).

Linesmen-Justin Cornell (14), Jim Scarpace (75).

Notes: The Griffins welcomed 25,863 fans over their three home games this weekend, bumping their season average to 8,137. They need to average only 7,839 over their

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final seven home games to achieve an average attendance increase at Van Andel Arena for the sixth straight season and ninth time in the last 10 years