The Red Wings are on the ice for the first time since Sunday's Game 6 in Nashville. The only two regulars not on the ice are Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Stuart. I'll ask after practice what the reason was for their absences. Stuart has been playing with a broken finger. Datsyuk has been banged up, but nothing that should keep him out of Game 1 of the second round.
On the ice is Kirk Maltby, who missed the first round with a strained hamstring. Last week he thought that he might be ready for the second round.
Also on the ice is Jonathan Ericsson. Since calling up seven players from Grand Rapids once the Griffins' season ended, the youngsters have been practicing on their own. So Ericsson is practicing with the varsity does mean something even if it's just to keep him ready just in case. Ericsson's presence gives the Red Wings eight defensemen at this practice.
The Wings are practicing in the same lines that they used in Game 6. Aaron Downey is working in on the fourth line of Helm-Drake-McCarty. With Datsyuk missing, Mark Hartigan and Kirk Maltby are working in with the top line of Zetterberg-Holmstrom.