This script is looking awfully familiar.
After an early March slog saw many prognosticators and fans write off the Red Wings’ playoff chances, they again have a chance to move back into the picture (well, a tie tonight, which is not in the picture due to tiebreaker rules) if they secure two points tonight.
I haven’t written them off yet, but things feel tighter than last season — and Ottawa is distancing themselves in the first Wild Card spot, so a lot of teams are battling for one playoff spot. But much like last year, Detroit seems to be able to win when their backs are against the wall, and tend to let it slip through their fingers when they have the chance to secure some breathing room.
That pattern would dictate a win tonight, but last time out against the Capitals did not go so well… the Red Wings were thumped 5-2 in a game that felt like it could have been worse. It didn’t help that Detroit’s defense was pretty poor that night with multiple breakaway goals, but it was one of Cam Talbot’s leakier nights as a Red Wing.
Fresh off a surprisingly stout defensive effort against Vegas and a Petr Mrazek shutout, the Red Wings will look for a better effort tonight as they seek to move closer to that playoff spot, with the Senators, Canadiens, Islanders, Rangers and Penguins also in action.
How to Watch
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
Radio: 97.1 The Ticket
Red Wings Projected Lineup
Soderblom – Larkin – Raymond
DeBrincat – Kasper – Kane
Berggren – Compher – Tarasenko
Motte – Rasmussen – Smith
Chiarot – Seider
Edvinsson – Johansson
Gustafsson – Holl
Mrazek
Talbot
Capitals Projected Lineup
Ovechkin – Strome – Wilson
McMichael – Dubois – Protas
Mangiapane – Eller – Raddysh
Duhaime – Dowd – Beauvillier
Sandin – Carlson
Chychrun – van Riemsdyk
Fehervary – Roy
Thompson
Lindgren
