Red Wings face toughest test shorthanded. Untested players must elevate against potent Lightning to stay in playoff hunt.
With both of their top two centers, Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, sidelined for the next few games, the Detroit Red Wings are entering one of the most important stretches of their season while relying on some of their less proven players to step into larger roles.
The challenge becomes even tougher on Thursday when they face one of their most difficult opponents of the year on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Sunshine State.
Detroit narrowly won the first meeting between the teams this season, earning a 2–1 overtime victory in October. Their most recent matchup was very different, as Tampa Bay controlled the game and came away with a 6–3 road win. Now the Red Wings will try to claim the season-series lead despite difficult circumstances with their depleted lineup and a challenging road environment.
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The lineup will have a noticeably different look. J. T. Compher is expected to move up to the top line alongside Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. At the same time, Marco Kasper is being given a major opportunity as the second-line center, where he will skate with talented wingers Lucas Raymond and rookie Emmitt Finnie. Even though these combinations are new, one or both of these lines will need to deliver strong performances if Detroit hopes to secure an important win.
Forward Michael Rasmussen moves up to the third line alongside rookie Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Mason Appleton. The fourth line closely resembles a group from the Grand Rapids Griffins, with Sheldon Dries joining Griffins captain Dominik Shine and veteran winger James van Riemsdyk.
The standings only add to the urgency. After a win on Wednesday, the Montreal Canadiens extended their lead over Detroit to three points for third place in the Atlantic Division. At the same time, the Red Wings hold only a three-point advantage over the closest team outside the playoff picture, the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Tampa Bay enters the game tied with Montreal at 82 points this season and would like to move closer to the top of the division. The Lightning sit four points behind the division-leading Buffalo Sabres and will aim to either close that gap or at least maintain second place and keep home ice advantage for the playoffs.
Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Tampa Bay (Thursday)
DeBrincat – Compher – Kane
Finnie – Kasper – Raymond
Brandsegg-Nygård – Rasmussen – Appleton
Shine – Dries – van Riemsdyk
Edvinsson – Seider
Chiarot – Faulk
Johansson - Benard-Docker
Gibson
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