Time: 10:00 PM EST

Place: Honda Center

TV: FS-Detroit+, Prime, NHL.tv Free Game of the Day

Radio: 97.1 FM The Ticket/1270 AM

Duck Blog: Anaheim Calling

For the first time since the first two games of the year, the Red Wings have won back-to-back games and are going for three-straight for the first time all season. Also for the first time all year, they are on a winning streak while their opponent is on a losing streak. Robby Fabbri has been, well, everything and more two games in with two goals and an assist thus far. Meanwhile, Anthony Mantha’s 18 points lead the way as he continues to consistently be inconsistent with three points his last three games. He had just three points his previous seven. Taro Hirose has been a healthy scratch the last two games and that will be an interesting situation to monitor moving forward with the additions of fellow RFA’s Fabbri and Brendan Perlini. Also, the Wings called up Givani Smith yesterday after it was announced Justin Abdelkader will miss three weeks with a “mid-body injury.” I can’t sit here and say things are beginning to turn around for the Red Wings, but if there was ever a time to keep winning it’s tonight in Anaheim against a struggling Ducks squad. And oh yeah, 5 of their next 6 are on the road starting on the left coast tonight. How’d that go last time....

Quack. As mentioned the Ducks are struggling. Since beginning the year 6-2-0 they have gone 3-6-1 their last 10. They are in the midst of a long, 7-game home stand and are looking to get back in the win column by any means necessary. It’s a much younger team than they are used to in Anaheim and the growing pains are showing. However, Jakob Silfverberg leads the way with 14 points, and he is 29. In fact, it’s still the vets leading the way as their Top 7 scorers have all played 5+ years in the NHL. Max Jones, Troy Terry, Max Comtois and Sam Steel are the big four under 22 for the Ducks and they have combined for just 18 points on the year in 18 games. Mix that with struggling goaltending from young stud John Gibson and you have a slumping Ducks team. It’s been veteran Ryan Miller (Go Green!) who has been much better in net for the Ducks, but he has only played in 5 games this year (started 4). And with Gibson allowing 10 combined goals his last two games, I’d expect to see the 39-year-old East Lansing native get the start tonight. Only real injury to report is D-man Hampus Lindholm being placed on IR over the weekend. Other than that, the Ducks will be at full strength tonight as they try and end their 3-game skid. Quack.

Projected Lines

Red Wings

Bert-Larkin-Mantha
AA-Filppula-Fabbri
Perlini-Nielsen-Smith
Helm-Ehn-Erne

Nemeth-Hronek
Cholowski-McIlrath
Bowey-Green

Howard
Bernier

Ducks

Ritchie-Getzlaf-Kase
Rakell-Henrique-Silfverberg
Comtois-Steel-Terry
Jones-Grant-Rowney

Del Zotto-Fowler
Mahura-Gudbranson
Larsson-Holzer

Miller
Gibson