The Detroit Red Wings parlayed a strong last-week-of-November record into winning two of four December games and 1 of their past 3, including Saturday night's ugly, lethargic 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers.

The Wings are making their first trip to Florida as members of the Atlantic Division, and they tangle with the Panthers tonight (7:30 PM, FSD/FS Florida/WXYT AM) and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.

Tonight, the Wings will have Pavel Datsyuk back in the lineup, Jimmy Howard in the net and a Stephen Weiss with something to prove against his previous employer--and Mike Babcock telling the press that Mr. Weiss simply needs to relax while also issuing something of an, "I don't like you" warning to HBO's 24/7 crew.

Yzerman's participating and probably playing in the Alumni Showdown, if only briefly, Pavel Datsyuk can catch fish pretty decently, the NHL will hold something of a pre-Winter Classic party outside Michigan Stadium on January 1st...

And it's a live blog, friends, enemies and members of the James Earl Jones For Crisp Lady club.