Red Wings battle Senators after a break, needing wins to maintain playoff position. Key players return, but offensive struggles loom.
The Detroit Red Wings return to action Thursday against the Ottawa Senators following a much needed break after losing five of their last seven games. With 24 games remaining, Detroit sits in the first wild card spot after the Buffalo Sabres defeated the New Jersey Devils 2-1, tightening the Atlantic Division race.
Meanwhile, Ottawa enters the matchup with momentum, having won five of its last six games and sitting just six points out of a playoff spot, making Thursday’s game crucial for both teams.
Both clubs will reintegrate Olympic participants, including Detroit’s Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, and captain Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings struggled offensively before the break, scoring only seven goals in their final five games, and will need more production from players like Patrick Kane and Emmitt Finnie.
Encouragingly, Marco Kasper has found his form recently, while Axel Sandin-Pellikka, James van Riemsdyk, and J. T. Compher look to contribute. Ottawa’s offense, led by Olympians Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson, has been surging, with Tim Stutzle emerging as a key playmaker, meaning Detroit will need a strong defensive effort to start the stretch run on the right note.
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Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Ottawa (Thursday)
Kasper – Larkin – Raymond
DeBrincat – Copp – Kane
Finnie – Compher – Appleton
Soderblom – Rasmussen – van Riemsdyk
Edvinsson – Seider
Chiarot - Sandin-Pellikka
Johansson – Benard-Docker
Gibson
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