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The Detroit Red Wings (4-4-3) will finish their four-game road trip tonight against the Edmonton Oilers (8-2-1) at Rogers Place. The puck drops at 9:30 p.m. ET, with television coverage on DSN and radio broadcast on 97.1 FM. The Oilers own the NHL's fourth-best record, while the Red Wings are 23rd in the league standings.
Stopping Edmonton's dynamic duo is paramount. Connor McDavid has amassed 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) over his last four games, and Leon Draisaitl is riding a six-game scoring streak with nine goals and five assists for 14 points. The Red Wings will need to find a way to contain both superstars to have a chance.
Detroit enters the contest after a 4-1 loss at Calgary on Saturday. Lucas Raymond has been hot, posting three goals and two assists for five points in his past five games. Alex DeBrincat has also contributed four goals and three assists for seven points in his last six games. Dylan Larkin has one goal and five points in nine games as he awaits a trade. Carter Mazur has been a healthy scratch in six of the team's first 11 games.
In goal, John Gibson has struggled, allowing three or more goals in six of his eight starts this season. Michal Postava could make his first NHL start, but as of this morning, the Red Wings have not announced a decision. Up front, free-agent signing Victor Arvidsson has been a bright spot with four goals and four assists for eight points in 11 games.
Key Analysis
The Red Wings' road trip finale presents a daunting challenge against an Oilers squad that has earned at least a point in eight of the last nine meetings (6-2-1). Edmonton is coming off a 7-2 loss to Toronto, so expect a motivated effort. Defenseman Evan Bouchard brings an eight-game point streak (three goals, 10 assists) into the matchup. Detroit will be without Marco Kasper (upper body, week-to-week) and Mason Appleton (upper body, week-to-week), neither of whom is on the trip. Daniil Tarasov is day-to-day with an undisclosed issue.
For Edmonton, Devon Levi is out for two weeks with an undisclosed injury, Mattias Ekholm is day-to-day, Jason Dickinson (IR) is day-to-day, and Alec Regula and Matt Savoie are on long-term IR. Tristan Jarry or Matt Tompkins, recalled from the AHL on an emergency basis, will start in goal.
Detroit's projected lines: DeBrincat-Finnie-Arvidsson; Brandsegg-Nygard-Larkin-Raymond; Rasmussen-Copp-Mazur; Danielson-Compher-Kolesar. Defense pairs: Chiarot-Seider; A. Johansson-A. Johansson; Wallinder-Faulk. Goalies: Postava or Gibson. Subs: Englund, Sandin-Pellikka.
Edmonton's projected lines: Podkolzin-McDavid-Draisaitl; Kapanen-Nugent-Hopkins-Hyman; Formenton-Michaels-Joseph; Jones-Dach-Hallander. Defense pairs: Shea-Bouchard; Walman-Murphy; Mukhamadullin-Emberson. Goalies: Jarry or Tompkins.
Originally reported by yahoo.