NHL Playoffs 2012: 5 Changes the Detroit Red Wings Need to Make Before Game 3

The Detroit Red Wings accomplished more than just taking home ice from Nashville Friday night. Todd Bertuzzi wasted no time seeking out Game 1 villain Shea Weber 1:36 into the game. The fight was hardly a memorable slug-fest, but in the culture of hockey, sticking up for a wronged teammate is critical.

When the business of playing hockey ensued, Detroit showed why they were the class of the NHL for over half the season. Making the most of some early opportunities, the Wings got goals from Ian White and Cory Emmerton to play with the lead for the first time in the series.

Statistically the game looked to have favored Nashville, as the Predators seemed to enjoy quite a bit of power play time in the first period. However, the scoreboard is the only thing that matters when the final buzzer sounds. Detroit gave itself the home ice advantage it couldn't win in the final week of the regular season. With the series dead even, it now becomes a best of five, with three of those at the comfy Joe Louis Arena.

The Red Wings and their followers are happy to take the win, but here are five changes that Detroit needs to make heading into Game 3 on Sunday.

Cut Down Nashville's Shots

That stat line says that Nashville took 26 shots. It also says that Detroit players blocked 16 more. While the Red Wings found themselves killing quite a few more penalties than Nashville, they cannot allow 42 shots with regularity. On another night, one or two of those blocks is a deflection into Howard's net.

I would naturally expect that number to change pretty dramatically when the puck drops for Game 3 Saturday. Detroit is a puck possession team by nature. They like to control the flow of the game with precision passing and cycling movement through the offensive zone. The familiarity of home ice will most certainly see Detroit controlling more of the game.

The mission in Game 2 was to win, regardless of the stat line read. Coach Babcock is certainly aware of how many shots he conceded to get the win, and knows that posts and bad bounces could have turned that score upside down. We'll see a more aggressive fore-check at home, with fewer shorthanded situations and ultimately fewer shots.

Turn Kronwall Loose

	Kronwalled
	krahn-wawld - verb: to smash, level, waste, ravage, devastate, destroy, raze imply reducing something to uselessness. To defeat completely

Every year in the playoffs Nik Kronwall catches someone with their head down. Typically as they receive an outlet pass coming out of the defensive zone, or as they cut up the ice and start to pick up speed. Kronwall initiates radar lock and annihilates the player sending a very strong message to Red Wing opponents. Keep. Your. Head. Up.

Kronwall's clobberings seem to be regulated by Coach Mike Babcock so that the timing of the hit provides a spark or will shift momentum back to Detroit. Tag team partner Brad Stuart will usually drop back in case of a whiff, and the "Kronwalling" usually takes place right around the edge of the offensive zone. It happens so seamlessly you can almost picture the Wings practicing the timing so that they don't open themselves up defensively.

With the Shea Weber incident given "closure" according to Predators coach Barry Trotz, look for Detroit to put its own physical stamp on the series courtesy of No. 55.

For a sampling of Kronwall's best click here.

Shoot More Pucks

You can't score if you don't shoot. The Red Wings tried their best not to Friday, but managed to get three in the Nashville goal on their first 10 shots. Detroit is rarely out-shot by an opponent. The early lead and lack of power play opportunities might have contributed to the lack of rubber flung at Pekka Rinne.

We should expect some more favorable calls on home ice, and a more aggressive offensive attack now that home ice has been wrestled back to the Joe.

Don't Touch the Special Teams!

One of the biggest and most pleasant surprises so far has been the Red Wings penalty kill. Facing the NHL's top-ranked power play, Detroit has shut them out in 12 attempts. Twelve shorthanded opportunities in two games seems a bit high for the league's least penalized team.

Detroit's power play which seemed to be buzzing in Game 1 had only two opportunities last night. Perhaps some favorable calls on home ice will give them some more time to shine.

While the key to penalty killing is ultimately to stay out of the penalty box in the first place, the Wings and Jimmy Howard have been brilliant shorthanded. Conventional wisdom suggests that the home ice will provide additional motivation, but if it's not broken, please don't touch it.

Mix Up the Lines

With a roster that has so much talent, Detroit has to recognize that player for player, Nashville can't match up. Home ice, in addition to the enormous fan support, affords the home team the final line change before the faceoff. A team like the Red Wings plays its style regardless of who is out on the ice. Each line has a particular role, and Detroit rolls all four with regularity.

Being able to control the on-ice matchups is huge for Detroit because Nashville has a significant drop off between their top two defensemen and everybody else on their blue line. Barry Trotz knows that no matter how good and how strong Weber and Suter are, they can't play 60-plus minutes.

Adjusting lines mid-game is nothing new for Mike Babcock, and home ice gives him the opportunity to counter anything the Preds throw on the ice.

The chemistry between the top two lines isn't something that I would even consider changing, but throwing out something new and modifying on the fly could create advantages.

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