Detroit coach Mike Babcock decided to scratch practice yesterday to get his team away from the game for a day following a lost weekend as the Red Wings were blanked 3-to-0 on back-to-back nights at Columbus and Nashville on Friday and Saturday.

Tonight, Detroit hosts the New York Rangers and the Red Wings are hoping Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom can return to the lineup after both have been out for an extended period with fractured right hands