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January 22, 2004 - Wings await All-Star fate
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Thursday, January 22, 2004

Red Wings: Notebook

Wings await All-Star fate

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Nick Lidstrom

Wings vs. Kings

Faceoff: 10:30 tonight, the Staples Center, Los Angeles

TV / radio: Fox Sports Net / WXYT 1270

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ANAHEIM, Calif. Reserves for the All-Star Game will be named tonight, and that will be an intriguing topic for the Red Wings.

Defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom already has been named a starter, voted in by fans for the sixth consecutive season. Whats more, Dave Lewis will coach the Western Conference team by virtue of the Wings having the best record in the conference.

But who else will join them, and who wont, will be interesting to find out.

The complete Western and Eastern conference reserves will be announced during ESPNs telecast of the Philadelphia-New York Rangers game.

The Eastern reserves will be announced during the first intermission, the West reserves during the second intermission.

Several Wings deserve strong consideration.

Center Pavel Datsyuk would appear to be a lock. He ranked seventh in the NHL with 47 points entering Wednesday nights game against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. His 21 goals are tied for fourth.

Center Kris Draper is having a career season with 19 goals and 12 assists. He also is generating buzz as a candidate for the Sekle Trophy, which honors the best defensive forward.

Draper has never been an All-Star.

Im not giving it much thought, he said, but obviously it would be an honor.

Mathieu Schneider is fourth among defensemen with 29 points (five goals, 24 assists) and has a plus-16 rating. He might become a candidate for the Norris Trophy, which honors the best defenseman.

Resilient Kings

How are the Los Angeles Kings doing it?

Theyre without star forwards Jason Allison (whiplash), Adam Deadmarsh (concussion), Ziggy Palffy (shoulder) and Martin Straka (knee) for the rest of the season, and defenseman Aaron Miller (cervical sprain) indefinitely but are still in playoff contention.

The Kings defeated the Calgary Flames, 3-1, Tuesday for their second straight victory.

The whole thing seems pretty overwhelming, center Ian Laperriere said of the Kings injuries.

Forward Luc Robitaille, a former Red Wing, was scratched from two straight games last week for the first time in his Hall of Fame career. Since then, he has had two assists in two victories and played some of his best hockey, Coach Andy Murray said.

Fedorov scratched

Center Sergei Fedorov, a former Red Wing, was a late scratch from the Ducks lineup.

The team announced that Fedorov had the stomach flu. Forward Garrett Burnett replaced him.

Fedorov participated in the morning skate and pregame warm-ups. He hadnt missed a game this season.

Ice chips

With forward Steve Thomas returning to the Wings lineup, forward Boyd Deveraux was a healthy scratch. Forward Mark Mowers replaced Jason Williams in the lineup.

I want to include everybody, Lewis said. Its not good to have somebody sitting (for a lengthy period).

Mowers hadnt played in three consecutive games.

... Lewis said the condition of goalie Dominik Hasek (groin) will be evaluated later this week. There is no timetable for his return to the lineup.

... On Tuesday night, several Wings were guests of the cast of 24, a Fox television series. They got to see a taping of the show. Keifer Sutherland, the shows hockey-loving star, will be a guest on the Wings pregame show tonight (10 oclock, Fox Sports Net).