The Detroit Red Wings are coming off a win over the Ducks on Sunday, 3-2, while the Oilers are coming off a 2-1 win against the Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
Detroit Red Wings (20-16-4, 44 Points) vs. Edmonton Oilers (21-15-1, 43 Points)
When: Thursday, January 11
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesar’s Arena (Detroit, MI)
TV: Bally Sports Detroit
Scoring Leaders
Detroit Red Wings
Points: Alex DeBrincat – 38
Goals: Alex DeBrincat – 17
Assists: Alex DeBrincat – 21
Edmonton Oilers
Points: Connor McDavid – 55
Goals: Zach Hyman – 25
Assists: Connor McDavid – 40
Expected Line Combinations
Detroit Red Wings
David Perron – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat – J.T. Compher – Patrick Kane
Michael Rasmussen – Andrew Copp – Christian Fischer
Robby Fabbri – Joe Veleno – Daniel Sprong
Jake Walman – Moritz Seider
Ben Chiarot – Jeff Petry
Justin Holl – Shayne Gostisbehere
Edmonton Oilers
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Connor McDavid – Zach Hyman
Ryan McLeod – Leon Draisaitl – Warren Foegele
Evander Kane – Derek Ryan – Connor Brown
Adam Erne – James Hamblin – Mattias Janmark
Darnell Nurse – Cody Ceci
Mattias Ekholm – Evan Bouchard
Brett Kulak – Vincent Desharnais
By The Numbers:
League Ranking
Detroit Red Wings
PP%: 21.9 (13)
PK%: 81.6 (11)
GF P/G: 3.55 (6)
GA P/G: 3.40 (25)
Faceoff %: 49.7 (17)
Edmonton Oilers
PP%: 25.8 (7)
PK%: 80.8 (12)
GF P/G: 3.54 (7)
GA P/G: 3.08 (16)
Faceoff %: 52.2 (7)
Red Wings Player to Watch: Alex DeBrincat
DeBrincat has played in 40 games this season, recording 38 points on 17 goals and 21 assists. He leads the Red Wings in all three categories. He has 13 points on the power play, seven goals, and six assists. He has four points on a goal and three assists in his last five games.
DeBrincat’s Line Assignments
DeBrincat is playing on the second line alongside Patrick Kane and J.T. Compher. He will also play on the second power-play unit with Kane, Robby Fabbri, Daniel Sprong, and Moritz Seider.
DeBrincat’s career vs. Edmonton
DeBrincat, in his career against the Oilers, has played in 14 games and has 13 points on eight goals and five assists. Last season against Edmonton, he had two points coming on assists.
Between The Pipes
Detroit: Alex Lyon (8-4-0, 2.51 GAA)
Lyon last started on Sunday against the Ducks, and he picked up the win, stopping 29 of the 31 shots he faced. He has never faced the Oilers in his career.
Edmonton: Calvin Pickard (3-2-0, 2.82 GAA)
Pickard last started on New Year’s Eve against the Ducks, and he got the win, stopping 28 of the 30 shots he faced. In his career against the Red Wings, he has made three starts, going 2-1-0, and stopped 86 of the 79 shots.
Wrap Up
After dropping nine of 11 games, the Red Wings have turned things around, won four of their last five since December 29th, and are coming off sweeping the West Coast Road trip. In this recent stretch, they have outscored their opponents 20-17. Tonight’s matchup is a big test as the Oilers had started out as one of the worst teams in the league but have turned it around and are currently fighting for a playoff spot; the real question tonight will be how they stop and contain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl; if they can do that Detroit should pick up a much needed two points.
In their last ten games against Edmonton, the Red Wings are 5-5-0 and have been outscored 33-32 in those ten games. The Red Wings last season went 1-1-0 against the Oilers and were outscored 9-7.
ITR 31: Let Them Fight – Inside The Rink
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