Red Wings at Vancouver Canucks 10-24-15

The Red Wings need to see more goal celebrations from Tomas Tatar and his linemates.

(The Associated Press)

DETROIT - When Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill spoke with Riley Sheahan, Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist on the ice before practice Thursday, he made it clear the club has high expectations of their line.

"They're going to get lots of opportunity and now they have to be difference-makers in the game," Blashill said. "It's going to fall equally on their shoulders as it does on other lines. But in the role they're going to play they're going to have to be real impactful players."

The Red Wings (4-4-1) face the Ottawa Senators (4-3-2) tonight at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit) in the front end of a home and home set. They need their second line to produce, taking some pressure off the top line of Henrik Zetterberg, Justin Abdelkader and Dylan Larkin.

"They were real good in Edmonton (3-1 loss on Oct. 21) and we broke them up because of an injury (to Brad Richards)," Blashill said. "I think they can be real good together. In fact, as I spoke to them yesterday, I believe they either have been or are going to be elite players in this league, but they have to prove it.

"When they're together, they have to prove it on their own merit and not on a line with Zetterberg or a line with (Pavel) Datsyuk, so they're going to have to step up and prove they're elite, elite players in this league."

Sheahan, in particular, needs to step up, by moving his feet better and being stronger on the puck. He has just two points (goal, assist) and a team-worst minus-4 rating in nine games.

"I think his impact on the game has to be better," Blashill said. "(He is) another guy I have lots of belief in, another guy I think will be much better."

Here are the Red Wings lines tonight:

Justin Abdelkader-Henrik Zetterberg-Dylan Larkin

Tomas Tatar-Riley Sheahan-Gustav Nyquist

Tomas Jurco-Darren Helm-Teemu Pulkkinen

Drew Miller-Luke Glendening-Joakim Andersson

Landon Ferraro (healthy scratch)

On defense:

Niklas Kronwall-Jonathan Ericsson

Danny DeKeyser-Alexey Marchenko

Brendan Smith-Jakub Kindl

In goal:

Jimmy Howard (starting tonight)

Petr Mrazek (starting Saturday)



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