November 7, 2009 - 6:42 PM

The Red Wings head to Toronto with a three-game winning streak on the line but with the Maple Leafs having only two wins on the season it's hard not to look at the pregame ceremony as the more important event tonight.

As part of the annual Hall of Fame Game, the Class of 2009 will be honored prior to tonight's matchup. Three former Red Wings are included in the class, headlined by longtime captain Steve Yzerman.

Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille round out the Detroit contingent while former New York Ranger Brian Leetch and New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello will also be honored.

The ceremony will be televised by both FSD and the CBC and is expected to push the game's start time back to 7:28.

The Wings will honor Yzerman at their first home game after Monday's Hall of Fame induction ceremony, next Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks.

In actual game news, Detroit will be without Patrick Eaves, who is nursing a sore foot. He suffered the injury while blocking a shot in Thursday's win over San Jose.

Brad May will return to the lineup to replace Eaves. May will play on the fourth line with Justin Abdelkader and Kirk Maltby while Ville Leino moves up to the third line to take Eaves' spot alongside Kris Draper and Darren Helm.

No other lineup changes are expected. Chris Osgood will start in goal.

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User Comments

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 7:15 PM

Coolest thing about bringing out all the old-timers in the ceremony, with Lanny MacDonald you get a Colorado Rockies reference.

Okay, not coolest, just fun.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 7:16 PM

I should add that, yes, I'm rocking an Yzerman jersey in his honor tonight.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 7:22 PM

Biggest ovation of the night for Stevie. Damn straight.

Posted by Stormo on 11/7/2009 at 7:23 PM

Coolest thing about bringing out all the old-timers in the ceremony, with Lanny MacDonald you get a Colorado Rockies reference.

Okay, not coolest, just fun.

You better believe a Rockies reference is cool

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 7:37 PM

Almost ruined a pretty solid start if it weren't for a goal post there.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 7:44 PM

Will our defensemen stop falling down? That's two in a row now.

Posted by Britishwingsfan on 11/7/2009 at 7:44 PM

f*ck's sake. A couple of minutes or so of complete dominance by the Wings then the Leafs go down the other end and score.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 7:58 PM

Big kill on a cheap call.

Posted by Britishwingsfan on 11/7/2009 at 8:03 PM

f*cking great end to the f*cking period. Urgh.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 8:03 PM

Top defensive pair and there's still two Leafs in behind them. Jesus.

Posted by Britishwingsfan on 11/7/2009 at 8:31 PM

This is taking the p*ss. The Leafs are taking just about all their chances, the Wings the complete opposite.

Posted by Mathieu_Datsyuk132351 on 11/7/2009 at 8:31 PM

Just turned the game on to watch them score. What's going on here!??!?

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 8:37 PM

Fantastic, Wings are getting their asses kicked and now Williams is hurt.

Posted by Britishwingsfan on 11/7/2009 at 8:37 PM

This is serious for Williams. Looks like it's his knee.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 8:38 PM

Yeah, that's bad. He's done for awhile. God, this season is brutal.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 8:43 PM

Mickey: "Still no word on Jason Williams..."

f*cked. That's what the word is.

Posted by Britishwingsfan on 11/7/2009 at 8:57 PM

On CBC they say he's going for x-rays. In my experience of knee injuries, that's usually just a precation, as there's not much else they can do while there's swelling on the knee.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 9:00 PM

At least the Wings kick ass in the third period?

Posted by Britishwingsfan on 11/7/2009 at 9:22 PM

Finally! Cleary!

Posted by Mathieu_Datsyuk132351 on 11/7/2009 at 9:23 PM

Well, scoring a goal is always a good way to start. Just 2 more now!

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 9:23 PM

Cleary with the milestone but will it matter? We'll see if there's a comeback here.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 9:25 PM

I thought if the extra man didn't touch the puck it was "just" an illegal substitution, not too many men on the ice. Shows what I know.

Posted by Stormo on 11/7/2009 at 9:28 PM

Even CBC (Leafs Central) was questioning the call so you are not alone

Posted by Mathieu_Datsyuk132351 on 11/7/2009 at 9:29 PM

Well, I'd say the light at the end of the tunnel is fading for the Wings.

Posted by Britishwingsfan on 11/7/2009 at 9:29 PM

Just couldn't clear the puck, the Wings players were knackered. f*ck.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 9:30 PM

Wow. So much for "keep your stick on the ice and good things happen." Loosely hold your stick in the air and the hockey gods will use it to redirect a puck into the net.

Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/7/2009 at 9:37 PM

Fractured fibula. f*cking fantastic.

I don't even care about the extra goal now.

Posted by Britishwingsfan on 11/7/2009 at 9:38 PM

This is getting embarassing.
Wales losing to the All Blacks was expected, but this certainly wasn't. What a sh*t day on the sports front this has been for me.

Edit: Fractured fibula? Day just gets better and better.

Posted by Creamer on 11/8/2009 at 10:29 AM

Gustavsson looked absolutely fantastic tonight! Perhaps you're just used to seeing fantastic goaltending on a nightly basis?

Regardless, he saved the Leafs butts on more than a few occasions, notably during the Wings powerplay in the 3rd when it was still only 3-1 and the Wings were certainly within striking distance.

Steve Yzerman
Credit: Clark Rasmussen

Misconduct

Hall of Fame Class of 2009 to be Honored in Pregame Ceremony