Updates

#RedWings Mantha skating again with the team in the optional morning skate. Bernier in starter’s net. pic.twitter.com/ke3Fg9drlm

— Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) February 3, 2020

Get there early! Crazy eyes not included.

🎩❄️🎩❄️🎩

Check it out! The first 5,000 fans at @LCArena_Detroit for tonight’s #PHIvsDET matchup will go home with a #RedWings fur hat, courtesy of @MotorCityCasino! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/UUenVqUL61

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 3, 2020

As of post time, we haven’t seen any update on the lineup. We know Nielsen and Zadina will be out, and Athanasiou will be in, reportedly on the top line.

Projected Red Wings Lineup

Bertuzzi - Larkin - Athanasiou
Fabbri - Filpulla - Perlini
Helm - Glendening - Erne
Abdelkader - Ehn - Smith

Hronek - Cholowski
Nemeth - Biega
Ericsson - Bowey

Bernier
Howard

Projected Flyers Lineup

Van Riemsdyke - Giroux - Konecny
Farabee - Couturier - Voracek
Laughton - Hayes - Pitlick
Raffl - Bunnaman - Aube-Kubel

Provorov - Niskanen
Sanehim - Myers
Hagg - Braun

Elliott
Lyon

Three Keys to the Game

Score four goals. The team that scores four or more goals usually wins the hockey game. The last time the Wings pulled off this feat was nearly a month ago, when they beat the Habs. So yeah, the Wings should score four goals, at least. That way they probably win. Probably.

Let in fewer than four goals. So if the team that scores four or more usually wins, the team that scores three or fewer usually loses. That logic checks out. Positioning has to be important; the Flyers aren’t exactly bruisers anymore like their legendary forefathers, but they still play heavy and the puck and will try to bully their way to the net. Detroit will need key positioning to counteract this. (Gulp.)

Play Meatloaf. If the Pizzarena blares “I Would Do Anything For Love,” the Wings will win. Guaranteed. The fans who love this team are really putting up with the “anything” in that song title these days, and I’ve seen enough movies to know that you play an uplifting beat like the one Mr. Loaf is laying down then you will end up winning the game, for sure. If the Wings lose tomorrow and they don’t play this tune in the stadium, you have the DJ to blame. If they lose and you thought they played this in the stadium, then congratulations, because the only reasonable explanation is mass hallucination.