Pre-game Calgary
Jonathan Ericsson is definitely out and Derek Meech in for the Wings tonight. He's got the dreaded flu-like symptoms, something the Wings feared coming out of the sick bay known as Edmonton. The Wings are now worried about the flu spreading, which it has done across the league.
Tonight's game marks the first-ever on-ice confrontation between the brothers Kronwall in the NHL. I was all set to do an early story about it, but Niklas wasn't much in the mood to get into any talk of sibling rivalry.
"It'll be something to look back on later in life," he said. "But right now all my focus is on getting these two points."
The reason the Kronwalls haven't played against each other before is because Staffan has been yo-yoing between the NHL and AHL the past four seasons, with Toronto, Washington and now, finally, getting more of a chance in Calgary.
"He's been trying to get a chance to break in with different teams," big brother Nick said. "He's doing well in Calgary. I hope it continues for him."
That's really all there was to get out of him on the topic.
