Red Wings GM says MVP finalist Pavel Datsyuk “looked good” during practice day before Game 4

Red Wings encouraged by Pavel Datsyuk’s practice

PITTSBURGH — The Detroit Red Wings look like they’re going to get some much-needed help when they play the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals.

Pavel Datsyuk practiced with the defending champions Wednesday, a day after a 4-2 loss to Pittsburgh cut their lead to 2-1 in the series.

“I feel more comfortable,” he said.

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said Datsyuk “looked good” and was “zipping around,” adding his status would be determined definitively after the morning skate Thursday.

If Datsyuk isn’t cleared to play in Game 4, Holland said he will be healthy enough to play at some point in the Cup finals.

Datsyuk has missed five games with a foot injury. He is a finalist for league MVP and the award that honors its best defensive forward.

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said Kris Draper will play in Game 4, but did not know who he would scratch to put the four-time Cup winning forward in the lineup.

Draper had been cleared to play after being sidelined by a sore groin, but Babcock was reluctant to make changes after Detroit beat the reigning runner-up Penguins in the first two games of the series.

The Red Wings will count on Draper — and hope to have Datsyuk back — to help their weakness of killing penalties. They gave up two power-play goals in a 4-2 loss to Pittsburgh that cut their lead to 2-1 in the series.