Time: 7:30 PM EST

Place: Little Caesars Arena

TV: FS-D, TSN5, RDS, NHLN

Radio: 97.1 FM The Ticket/1270 AM

Senators Blog:  Silver Seven

It’s a battle for the Atlantic basement on a Friday night and unless the NHL is suddenly going to make each win worth 13 standings points, nobody’s changing places after this one.  That’s right, your Detroit Red Wings are currently 12 points back of Ottawa’s 37 points (and the Senators have a game in hand).

Listen, if you’re around here looking forward to actually previewing a mid-January game between these two squads then there’s probably not a lot you need explained to you about the context of such a matchup. If you are somehow unaware then you’re probably better off that way and I’m somehow both envious of you and curious as to why you’re reading this.

The Sens have lost four straight and are 2-5-3 in their last ten games. On Tuesday the Sens got trounced 6-1 by the Capitals and suffered injuries to Nick Paul and Christian Jaros. Detroit won in a comeback over Montreal most-recently but are 2-8-0 in the same ten game span.  The most-recent injury news from the Wings is that red-hot goal scorer Frans Nielsen didn’t practice yesterday due to an illness and his status is unknown for tonight. Trevor Daley did practice, but Blashill told the press he’s going with the same six defenders who played Tuesday.

#RedWings Blashill also said Mantha is not skating and will definitely not play before the break. Athanasiou might be able to play before break but definitely not this week.

— Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) January 9, 2020

It’s SVSU Hat Night at the LCA, but I’m not aware of any Red Wings players from there, so I can’t tell you who would be scratched because of the giveaway calendar this time.