Michigan Sports Fan Blog

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Andreas Lilja has been assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins on long-term injured-reserve conditioning loan, general manager Ken Holland said this evening.

Lilja went to Grand Rapids today.

“He’ll practice tomorrow, and then play Wednesday, Friday and Saturday,” Holland said. “We’ll probably decide by Saturday whether we appeal for two more games, but it certainly appears that way.”

Lilja has not played since suffering a concussion while fighting Nashville’s Shea Weber last Feb. 28. Lilja is attempting to return to the Wings’ lineup, and the team determined that it’s best if that begins with a stint in the American Hockey League.

Click here to read the full article – By Detroit Free Fress

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Reliever Jose Valverde and the Detroit Tigers finalized their $14 million, two-year contract on Tuesday.

The agreement, which was reached last week pending a physical, includes a $9 million option for 2012.

Valverde saved 25 games in 29 chances for the Houston Astros last year before filing for free agency. The 30-year-old right-hander was 4-2 with a 2.33 ERA. Valverde led the NL in saves with Arizona in 2007 and Houston in 2008.

Detroit needed a closer after choosing not to re-sign Fernando Rodney and Brandon Lyon.

“We think Jose is one of the premier closers in the game,” Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said. “He addresses to us what was our biggest need on our ballclub and gives us a chance, we think, to have a very solid pitching staff.”

Rodney received an $11 million, two-year contract from the Los Angeles Angels, and Lyon signed with Houston for $15 million over three season.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

The Detroit Pistons will attempt to put the brakes on a seven-game losing streak Tuesday, when they welcome the New York Knicks to The Palace of Auburn Hills.


The Pistons will also play host to Chicago on the brief residency and are 8-6 at home this season. They suffered their seventh consecutive defeat on Sunday in a 102-95 decision at Toronto, as Richard Hamilton returned to the lineup from a sore right hamstring and scored 15 points for the Pistons

Ben Gordon netted 15 points off the bench, while Rodney Stuckey had 14 points, eight boards and five assists in a losing cause.

“Early in the game I didn’t feel like I had my legs, but it got better as the game went on,” Gordon said. “We had some decent looks later in the game, but just couldn’t make the shots.”

Click here to read the full article – By of sportsnetwork.com

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Todd Bertuzzi broke into a big grin. After 22 fruitless shots over nine games, he finally fired the puck — and saw it sink in behind the goaltender.

Was that smile a sign of pure relief?

“To say the least,” Bertuzzi said. “I love to score, and when you’re not scoring, it’s not that much fun. I just shot it on net. I think he thought I was going to make the pass, because I know Turcs really well, and he knows me from playing against me. So I think he thought I was just going to throw it cross-crease. So it caught him short side.”

Bertuzzi’s fourth goal was set up by Pavel Datsyuk, his linemate for the past several weeks — many of them frustrating as the two, along with Tomas Holmstrom, went game after game without producing.

Click here to read the full article – By Detroit Free Fress

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With three regulars among the forwards out of the lineup, the Red Wings are getting more and more use out of two of their newest members.

Drew Miller topped 13 minutes in the Wings’ 4-3 shoot-out victory Saturday against St. Louis, the most he has played since first suiting up for the Wings on Nov. 12 after being picked up off waivers from Carolina. Patrick Eaves, signed in August as a free agent, played nearly 15, the most in eight games, and set up Kris Draper’s goal.

“Eaver has created his own identity here with this team and that’s something that is helping everyone here,” Draper said. “We had a big turnover this summer and players were finding their way in here, finding the structure and system that we want to play. …

“Eaver is one of the guys that certainly is playing with a lot of confidence right now, and that’s what you need.”

Click here to read the full article – By Detroit Free Fress

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Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz isn’t second-guessing his decision to start Matthew Stafford.


“No second thoughts at all,” Schwartz said Friday, a day after his rookie quarterback threw four interceptions in a 34-12 loss to Green Bay. “Him throwing the interceptions had nothing to do with his shoulder.”

Stafford separated his left, non-throwing shoulder at the end of a Nov. 22 game against Cleveland, but after a penalty returned to throw a touchdown pass with no time on the clock to secure a 38-37 win over the Browns.

It was one of five touchdowns for the first pick in the 2009 NFL draft, who became the second rookie quarterback to do so.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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The Detroit Pistons continued a hellacious West Coast swing in Portland on Wednesday night and the result was similar to the Pistons’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers the night before.

The Trail Blazers jumped out to a huge second-half lead and had to fend off a furious Pistons rally in the fourth quarter to escape with an 87-81 victory.

Here are some notes from the game:

Stuckey put it together too late: If you watch the highlights of the game or see the final stat line of 21 points, six rebounds and five assists, you might be fooled into thinking Rodney Stuckey had a decent game. That was definitely not the case

Click here to read the full article – By Justin Rogers of MLive.com

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Dan LeFevour ran for four touchdowns and passed for two more, leading Central Michigan to a 56-28 victory over Toledo on Wednesday night.


LeFevour increased his career total to 45 touchdowns rushing for the Chippewas (8-2, 6-0 Mid-American Conference), moving past Curtis Adams (1981-84) for the school record.

Bryan Anderson caught four passes for 67 yards for Central Michigan. He has a reception in 50 straight games, the longest active streak in the country and one game shy of the NCAA record.


Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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