OctoPulse podcast: Anthony Mantha stuck in neutral; Jerry Green's love of hockey

Ted Kulfan takes a look at the Red Wings' recent stretch of winning hockey heading into Tuesday's game in Columbus and Detroit News reporter Jerry Green recounts his favorite hockey memories since he arrived in Detroit in 1954.

Known more for being the only reporter to attend all 55 Super Bowls, Green talks about growing up on Long Island and watching the old New York Americans, why hockey ranks among his three favorite sports along with baseball and football and why Gordie Howe was the greatest all-around athlete he has ever covered in any sport.

Among his Red Wings stories: Terry Sawchuk and Ted Lindsay climbing the mesh fence at Olympia to attack a heckling fan, driving through the tunnel and meeting a female customs officer who swore Bob Probert was innocent ("Poor Bobby"), sharing the Stanley Cup on his front lawn in Grosse Pointe Woods with neighbor Sergei Mnatsakanov and his Red Wings teammates, driving through the streets of Montreal with coach Jacques Demers, why Canadian hockey players are unlike the prima donna stars in other sports and how he still "misses the game" at age 92.

Kulfan and assistant sports editor Mark Falkner also focus on struggling forward Anthony Mantha, who has only one goal and one assist and is minus-5 in the 11 games since he was a healthy scratch in Florida on Feb. 5.

Overall, the 6-5, 230-pound Mantha is fourth in scoring with nine points in 23 games and a team-worst -13 with only two penalties this year, both against Tampa Bay on Feb. 3. (A hooking call against Tyler Johnson and an interference call against Ondrej Palat).

Here's the highlights from episode 46 of OctoPulse:

►2:20: Sam Gagner on Sunday's 7-2 loss in Chicago

►5:50: Jeff Blashill on loss of defensive structure 

►7:10: Anthony Mantha's trade value

►11:40: Jerry Green interview

►34:10: Ted Kulfan's tribute to Jerry Green

►35:20: Evgeny Svechnikov takes advantage of ice time