The Detroit Red Wings enter tonight’s game 7-2-1 in January, right in the thick of the Eastern Conference Wild Card race. The Red Wings currently hold the second wild-card spot, with the Devils breathing down their necks with just a two-point deficit and two games in hand. Tonight’s opponent, the Philadelphia Flyers, holds the third spot in the Metro, but similarly needs to bank points with New Jersey, NY Islanders, Washington and Pittsburgh all within striking distance and as many as four games in hand over the Flyers.
While Detroit has mostly looked sharp of late and nearly took a point against Dallas in a game that was once trending to be a rout, Philadelphia enters the game having lost three straight, surrendering a combined 18 goals over that stretch. That’s not a stat likely to put John Tortorella in a good mood.
The Red Wings held an optional morning skate, but a few non-game-related updates are worth covering:
That’s right: Brogan Rafferty gets his seventh trip across I-96 in the last 12 days. Simon Edvinsson missed yesterday’s game in Grand Rapids with an injury not expected to be serious, but either way, Rafferty appears to be the preferred choice to be available just in case of a last-minute status change — and he may have a decent shot at getting in the lineup tonight (more later).
But the bigger news is that Ville Husso is healthy and is also highway-bound for a conditioning stint with the Griffins, who host the Belleville Senators on Friday and Saturday. I’d assume he’ll get one of those games.
Kane’s move to IR is likely just roster space-related, as the retroactive dating to Jan. 14 means he can already come off. They haven’t ruled him out before the All-Star Break, but I’m all for waiting given how the team has been going of late. Detroit has two more games before the break after tonight’s, so a strong finish bolstered by the return of Kane in February could leave the team feeling pretty good about itself before setting out for all-star vacations (sans DeBrincat).
How to Watch
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena
TV/Radio: Bally Sports Detroit / 97.1 The Ticket
Red Wings Lines (projected)
With the optional skate, we’re likely to see yesterday’s lines in practice. Of note, J.T. Compher did not skate yesterday due to illness but did participate this morning, per THN’s Sam Stockton, and Ben Chiarot was absent for both, so he’s most likely out. If for some reason Compher can’t go, Rafferty is the only other healthy body so the Red Wings would likely go 11/7 in that case.
Alex DeBrincat – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond
David Perron – J.T. Compher – Robby Fabbri
Michael Rasmussen – Andrew Copp – Christian Fischer
Klim Kostin – Joe Veleno – Daniel Sprong
Jake Walman – Moritz Seider
Olli Maatta – Justin Holl
Shayne Gostisbehere – Jeff Petry
Alex Lyon
James Reimer
Flyers Lines (projected)
Per the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia skated with these lines this morning, but have been running 11/7 of late, so a forward could be scratched. Newcomer Jamie Drysdale is doubtful due to injury, and it’s Samuel Ersson’s net for the foreseeable future due to the ugly developing news covered in QH yesterday.
Noah Cates – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny
Joel Farabee – Morgan Frost – Cam Atkinson
Tyson Forester – Ryan Poehling – Olle Lycksell
Nicolas Deslauriers – Scott Laughton – Garnet Hathaway
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Marc Staal – Ramus Ristolainen
Nick Seeler – Sean Walker
Yegor Zamula
Samuel Ersson
Cal Petersen
Keys to the Game
1. Shoot pucks. Ersson has proven reasonably reliable during his 35 NHL games so far and already shut out Detroit earlier this season on Dec. 16. But given that the Flyers have allowed six goals on average in their last three and are without Drysdale, making it easy on a defense group whose confidence may not be soaring right now would not be ideal.
2. Bounceback for Lyon. Between the on-ice play, body language and off-ice content he so often stars in, Lyon does not come off as a guy lacking for confidence. He was pulled in Tuesday’s loss to the Stars, which very few would fault him for given how difficult of a time Detroit had clearing the zone in the second period. He will not be short on motivation tonight, going up against his former team and looking to keep hold of the starting job he’s waited his whole pro career to have, with Ville Husso’s impending return-to-health looming over his shoulder.
