PITTSBURGH – Amid the Stanley Cup grind, the Red Wings took a mini-vacation to prepare for tonight’s critical Game Four.

With a league-mandate to stay in Pennsylvania after Wednesday’s Game Three, the Wheeled Wings did the next best thing. They didn’t hold practice on Thursday, attended the mandatory media session and then spent the rest of the day at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, about an hour away from Mellon Arena.

“I thought what we did yesterday was great, absolutely fantastic,” Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock said on Friday. “It's a great spot we went to. Totally get away from hockey and do something different, which I think is important.”

The resort is equipped with a golf course, rock climbing, fine dining and a spa. Meaning all eight Swedes on the Red Wings roster could get a Swedish Massage on their off day.

Talk about a great escape.

“It’s a good time, especially not talking too much hockey,” forward Pavel Datsyuk said. “It’s a long season. We’ll come back. It’s more exciting now. We’re more focused now.”

While Babcock spent most of his time away from the team, his players enjoyed each other’s company in an off-ice setting. After all, they’ve been pretty much playing since the first week of September. Still, the competitive nature of these Wings was still ultra-fierce, especially for ten players who found themselves on a miniature golf course, playing for team bragging rights.

Chris Osgood and Kris Draper emerged victorious in the Red Wing Open, but according to Dan Cleary, it was Ozzy who carried the team.

“Ozzy was making good putts,” Cleary said. “He was really stroking it well. He’s real poised on the mini putt course as well as on the ice.”

As for Cleary, his round was an utter disaster and Draper was quite happy to brag about it.

“There was some heckling going on,” Draper said. “Once, Dan Cleary, believe it or not, got a 14 on one hole. He pretty much put himself out of the tournament. He lost interest real fast after that.”

“Well it went into the water,” Cleary said. “So I had to re-tee it. Then it went into the water again and then it wasn’t an easy hole, it was tough.”

The winger was then asked if the course had a stroke limit.

“I thought seven was,” Cleary said. “But I took a 14 and wrote it on the card. 14 was the score.”

Now will a day at the resort work for the Wings? We’ll find out tonight. As mini-golf fun has given way to Stanley Cup focus.

“There’s an opportunity we have tonight to go up three-one and take it back to Detroit,” Draper said.

His teammate Dallas Drake agrees.

“I think whatever game you’re playing in the playoffs you’re going to be desperate,” Drake said. “You’re playing to win and to compete, so that’s a good statement.”

Should the Wings go up 3-1, these Wings might want to thank not just their sticks, but their putters as well.