The Detroit Red Wings are gearing up for a pivotal matchup tonight against the Calgary Flames, as they navigate through a challenging March. Historically, this month has been a stumbling block for the Red Wings, but they're still in the playoff hunt.
With Dylan Larkin sidelined, the team faces a scoring challenge. Currently, they're clinging to a playoff spot, just a point ahead of Columbus and two behind Montreal for third in the Atlantic Division.
Red Wings fans are no strangers to nail-biting finishes in March, and with upcoming home games against Montreal and Boston, the tension is palpable. If they can make it to the playoffs, the pressure won't ease up, but for now, every game feels like a must-win.
Game Details:
- When: 7 p.m. ET
- TV/Radio: FanDuel Sports Network/97.1 FM
- Odds: Detroit (-1.5, -142), Calgary (+1.5, +170), DRAFTKINGS
The Red Wings have been struggling, dropping five of their last six games, while the Flames haven't fared much better, ranking near the bottom of the NHL standings. Tonight's clash might just come down to which team can hit the three-goal mark first.
Injury Update:
Coach Todd McLellan confirmed no changes for the Red Wings’ injured forwards. Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp are out for at least two weeks, Michael Rasmussen is sidelined for a week, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is day-to-day.
The Flames are shaking things up with four lineup changes following their 3-2 loss to the Islanders. John Beecher and Adam Klapka will step in at forward, while Yan Kuznetsov will take over on defense, and Devin Cooley is set to start in goal.
Projected Lineups:
Red Wings:
- Alex DeBrincat - J.T. Compher - Patrick Kane
- David Perron - Emmitt Finnie - Lucas Raymond
- John Leonard - Marco Kasper - James van Riemsdyk
- Mason Appleton - Sheldon Dries - Dominik Shine
Defense:
- Simon Edvinsson - Moritz Seider
- Ben Chiarot - Justin Faulk
- Albert Johansson - Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goalies:
- John Gibson
- Cam Talbot
Injured: Dylan Larkin (lower body), Andrew Copp (lower body), Michael Rasmussen (undisclosed), Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (undisclosed)
Flames:
- Blake Coleman - Mikael Backlund - Joel Farabee
- Yegor Sharangovich - Ryan Strome - Victor Olofsson
- Matvei Gridin - Morgan Frost - Matt Coronato
- Connor Zary - John Beecher - Adam Klapka
Defense:
- Kevin Bahl - Zach Whitecloud
- Yan Kuznetsov - Olli Maatta
- Joel Hanley - Zayne Parekh
Goalies:
- Devin Cooley
- Dustin Wolf
With both teams looking to turn their fortunes around, tonight's game promises to be a battle of resilience and strategy. The Red Wings will need to dig deep to secure a win and keep their playoff dreams alive.