Red Wings aim to capitalize on Avalanche's slump. Can Detroit reignite their rivalry and seize a crucial home-ice advantage?
After dropping consecutive games, the Detroit Red Wings will be looking to rebound as they open a challenging home-and-home series against the NHL’s top-seeded Colorado Avalanche. Colorado has been one of the league’s most dominant teams this season, with just 17 losses through 52 games, but this matchup may come at an ideal time for Detroit.
After bursting out of the gates to start the year, the Avalanche have cooled off considerably, posting a 4-6-2 record over their last 12 games. By contrast, the Red Wings have surged during that same stretch, going 8-2-2, which is an encouraging sign as they prepare to take on one of the league’s elite.
Detroit will look to capitalize on Colorado’s recent slide and take advantage of the opportunity while the Avalanche search for consistency. Whenever these two teams meet, memories of their fierce late 1990s battles come rushing back, and this series has the potential to reignite the rivalry once again.
It sets up as an intriguing matchup between two teams built on different strengths. Colorado boasts the league’s most explosive offense, averaging 3.88 goals per game, and is tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the NHL’s best defense at just 2.48 goals against per game.
Even during their recent skid, the Avalanche offense has remained dangerous, producing 3.25 goals per game, but their defensive play has suffered. Over that 12-game stretch, Colorado ranks among the bottom ten defensively, allowing 3.50 goals per game.
Detroit, meanwhile, features a middle-of-the-pack offense this season, but its defense has been a strength, ranking inside the top 12 at 2.96 goals against per game. The setting also favors the Red Wings, as the game will be played in the Motor City, where Detroit owns an 18-9-2 record, tied for the fifth-best home mark in the NHL alongside fierce rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
While Colorado still holds the league’s third-best road record at 15-6-5, the Avalanche enter Saturday having lost four of their last five games away from home, adding another layer to what should be a compelling clash.
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Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Colorado (Saturday)
Kasper – Larkin – Raymond
DeBrincat – Copp – Kane
Finnie – Compher – Appleton
Soderblom – Rasmussen – van Riemsdyk
Benard-Docker – Seider
Sandin-Pellikka - Chiarot
Johansson – Hamonic
Gibson
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