from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now,

Grand Rapids Griffins coach Ben Simon ran the bench during Saturday’s game. The coach of Detroit’s AHL farm club got the win in his first NHL game.

Assistant coach Doug Houda, the one Detroit bench coach who avoided COVID protocol, maintained his role running the defense. GR assistant coach Todd Krygier, a former NHL forward himself, ran the forwards.

“Those guys did a great job to come up under tough circumstances for them, and for the players that are hopping in,” Houda said. “The whole day’s an interesting day with all the COVIDs going on. We found a way, we battled through. When you get a win at the end of the day, we just move on.”

Blashill was in constant communication with the staff via Zoom.

“We got him set up on video,” Houda said. “We’d go over different situations . . . We tried to cover all the bases.

“He would meet us between periods. He’d talk about what he saw and then we’d talk about what we saw and then just go back out and address it (with the players).”

more on last night's game....

Below find post game video with Dylan Larkin and Doug Houda plua extended game highlights.