The Detroit Red Wings are trying to do the best they can with what they are left with. Numerous Wings players have been knocked out of action ranging from day to day to months depending on what kind of injuries they have suffered. So now the big challenge is finding a way to win until those players come back. So far, so good as the Wings just went 3-1 and 1 on a 5 game road trip and are coming off a 6-5 victory over the Blue Jackets at the Joe on Saturday night. However the stakes just got a little bigger as Detroit makes their way to Pittsburgh for a Tuesday night battle with the Penguins. Mike Babcock spoke of the Penguins at practice on Monday saying "they are playing well and they are going to be hard. They beat us in exhibition twice and I thought they skated well at that time. They have a good scheme, their goaltender is good so it will be a tough test."

Detroit will once again go with well traveled veteran goalie Joey MacDonald who was called up as a back up and was forced to be the number one when Jimmy Howard went down with a knee injury. Howard hopes to play on Thursday against the Blues meaning, MacDonald will have a chance to get a couple of wins in a row. "It's exciting whenever you get a chance to play in the National Hockey league and against a team like this (Penguins)."

So do the majority of Wings consider the Penguins a rival still? Kris Draper resoundingly said yes! "It is and I think with us winning in 6 and them winning in 7, I think that is what created it. Going to the Stanley Cup Finals was some of the best hockey that I have ever been a part of." While a litany of Wings will miss this game due to injuries, Pittsburgh will be without their best in Sidney Crosby who still has lingering affects of a concussion that he suffered on New Years day. You think that Detroit would be happy not to have to deal with Sid the Kid, but Draper has a diferring opinion. "You want to play against the best hockey players, that's what you want to do. It's a great test for your team to kind of see where you are at when you are playing the best."

Listen to the Wings against the Penguins on Tuesday starting at 6:40pm right here on "the Ticket"

On a side note, Mike Modano was at practice today and claims he can pass and shoot the puck and hopes to start practicing regularly with the team in mid to late Febuary. "The Doctor has been really pleased with the way it's (wrist tendon) bounced back since I have been out of the cast." Modano also said that he is now in a better frame of mind knowing that he should be able to play this season instead of having to contemplate his career maybe being over. "It's feeling a little bit more positive, reaffirming that at least it's healing right and all looking good." The Livonia native suffered a cut tendon in his wrist on Nov. 26 against the Blue Jackets and required surgery.