Blashill: Focus is on Sabres, not rookie sensations

Detroit — Jeff Blashill is not greatly interested in the fact that two outstanding rookies, who are also friends, will be in action when the Red Wings take on the Sabres on Tuesday night.

His team has bigger concerns, including keeping its collective chin up above the wild-card race in the Eastern Conference.

So, the fact Dylan Larkin (10 goals, eight assists, plus-14) and Jack Eichel (eight goals, four assists, minus-6) are buddies, beginning even in days before they spent a lot of time together through a few years in Ann Arbor at the National Team Development Program of USA Hockey, is more for the fans and the media, perhaps.

“The first thing that I think, though, when I hear that is: We’ve got a big game against Buffalo,” Blashill said.

A team must play. A coach must coach.

“Lots of people want this to be Eichel versus Larkin, but it’s not,” he said. “It’s the Detroit Red Wings versus the Buffalo Sabres and, to me, that’s what’s the most important thing.”

The Wings enter the contest after a string of narrowly contested games, including several blown leads in third periods and a drought — of an intensity that might impress farmers in California — in timely scoring.

At 12-8-4, they are in third place in the Atlantic Division entering play Tuesday. And they are still scoring fewer goals than allowing, 56-60, for the season.

That said, the Red Wings have points in seven consecutive games (4-0-3).

The Sabres (10-12-2) arrive having defeated the Predators, 4-1, on Saturday. They are 2-4-2 since Nov. 12, and coach Dan Bylsma, a native of Grand Haven, is presiding over a team performing perhaps a bit better than expected, after some difficult seasons.

Buffalo sits in seventh place in the Atlantic Division, five points out of the second wild-card spot.

“We think we’ve got lots of other really good players in the room that are going to have to be great tonight, and I’m sure they do as well,” Blashill said, emphasizing the importance of the game over the presence of two up-and-coming stars.

Petr Mrazek will start in net for the Wings, and Brendan Smith moves in on defense for Jakub Kindl, while Teemu Pulkkinen returns to the lineup, after Tomas Jurco played one game.

Larkin earns rookie honor

Larkin was named the NHL’s rookie of the month on Tuesday, after leading all first-year players with seven goals in November. He had 10 points in 13 games.

He leads all rookies with 10 goals and a plus-14 rating.

gregg.krupa@detroitnews.com

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