Everything you need to know heading into tonight's game as Detroit looks to slow down the Winnipeg Jets and their starring Michiganders
Tonight, the Detroit Red Wings (4-4-1) play host to the NHL's hottest team to start the year, the Winnipeg Jets (8-1-0, best mark in the league by raw points and points percentage). The Jets arrive in Detroit coming off their first loss of the season, falling 6-4 on home ice to the Toronto Maple Leafs Monday night. That defeat does little to dampen their scorching start. Winnipeg presently ranks second in the NHL in goals-per-game at 4.44, with the league's top power play at 44.4%.
"You win eight in a row in this league, it's very impressive," said Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde this morning. "I think we had six [in a row] last year, and you know kinda what goes into that. And then to do it on the front end of the season, especially in a league that's extremely hard to win in. You see half the league, the majority of the league, around .500. That goes to show the parity of the league, and then for them to go and reel off eight straight, really impressive team: High end skill, they have pace, they have size, well coached. Really good challenge for us tonight."
At the center of the Jets hot start are two Michiganders, one a goalscorer, the other a goaltender. Kyle Connor of Shelby Township is off to another excellent start with eight goals and six assists already to his name, while Commerce native Connor Hellebuyck has an imposing 6-1 record, 2.14 goals against average, and .925 save percentage to open the year.
As the Red Wing look for a way to slow down the sizzling Jets, they can turn back to the first period of Sunday's game against the Oilers for inspiration. "It was our best period of the year," forward Joe Veleno told The Hockey News this morning. "You could see the momentum from every line that was wave after wave. Guys were just flying all over the place, and it was nice to watch, and it was nice to be a part of. It's fun when you're spending time in the O zone, and you have some momentum, you put together a few good shifts, and it's just a great feeling how the game can kinda turn around."
Veleno went on to point out that whether the opponent in question is Kyle Connor or Connor McDavid, there is value in forcing a skilled foe into their own end. "It's tough for their star players to get anything going for themselves if they're spending time in the D zone, and they obviously don't really like that," Veleno pointed out. "If we can find a way to keep that pretty consistent throughout the game, limit their chances—Obviously they're gonna create: They're talented players. I'm sure they're gonna find ways to create offense, but if we can limit just giving them easy offense and making it harder on them, then I think we'll like our chances."
That's what Detroit did to start hot Sunday and what the Red Wings lost from their game during the Oilers' comeback. To Veleno's point, if Detroit can keep it up for a full 60 minutes Wednesday night, it has a clear path to an upset.
Tarasenko Battling Flu, Game-Time Decision
Alex Lyon will get the start in net for the Red Wings, but one lineup note to keep an eye on come warm-up is the status of Vladimir Tarasenko. Tarasenko did not participate in morning skate as he battles flu-like symptoms with a bug still haunting the dressing room. "This flu bug is picking us off one by one, so I guess it's a nice flu bug. It's not all at once, but it's been picking us off periodically here," Lalonde said this morning. "So, probably a game-time decision. We're not opposed to going 11 [forwards] and seven [defensemen]...And we may even bring someone up." Lalonde added that Tyler Motte, who appears close to his return from an almost two-week injury absence will not be available.
Where to Watch
Tonight's game, a 7:30 puck drop, will be on its usual television and streaming homes: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit for in-market fans and ESPN+ for those out-of-market. 97.1 The Ticket will handle the radio broadcast, as usual.
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