Pregame: Sharks @ Red Wings – 4/11

The Red Wings host the San Jose Sharks tonight in what only seems like their first game in a month. Detroit has been off since a 1-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday afternoon, just the team’s second (and final) three-day break of the truncated season.

It’s the first of games on consecutive nights for the Wings, as they visit the Chicago Blackhawks tomorrow night.

Stupid stat of the game: The Red Wings are 2-1-0 all-time in the regular season when hosting the Sharks the night before a road game.

Jimmy Howard, he of the pending $5.3 million/year contract, gets the start in net for the Wings (’cause if we ever see Jonas Gustavsson get another start this season, it means the playoffs are out of the picture). On defense, Brendan Smith is back in the lineup, replacing Ian White. Up front, Damien Brunner returns from injury with Jordin Tootoo as the healthy scratch.

Game time is 7:30 PM on FSD.