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Wings’ forecheck starts on the back end

Pavel Datsyuk

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock isn’t the only one who knows the importance of his team moving the puck efficiently from the defense to the forwards. Detroit’s opponents, the Anaheim Ducks, are also keenly aware.

“We have to get on their D,” said Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf, per MLive.com. “That’s the backbone of their team. If you can get to those guys, try to force them to make plays that they don’t want to make. It makes it a lot easier on our group when (Pavel) Datsyuk and (Henrik) Zetterberg and those guys don’t have the puck in open ice.”

In Game 1 on Tuesday, the Wings appeared disjointed coming out of their own end, and the results were predictable. Detroit failed to establish its forecheck, Anaheim had most of the puck possession, and the Ducks won, 3-1.

Game 2 goes tonight at the Honda Center.