Everything you need to know before Red Wings-Wild this afternoon in Detroit
Everything you need to know before Red Wings-Wild this afternoon in Detroit
This afternoon at Little Caesars Arena, the Detroit Red Wings will host the struggling Minnesota Wild. Here's everything you need to know before the Sunday matinee.
Larkin In, Walman Likely Out, Lineup
-Dylan Larkin took a "maintenance day," not participating in yesterday's Red Wings practice, but coach Derek Lalonde was clear that he expects his captain in the line-up Sunday afternoon.
-Meanwhile, defenseman Jake Walman (who missed Friday's game in Boston, with the stated reason being illness) did not practice Saturday either, but Lalonde does not expect him in the line-up. The coach described Walman as "day-to-day" and saying he could return "possibly for [Sunday's game], more realistically Wednesday in New York" against the Rangers.
-With those updates in mine, Detroit's projected lineup for Sunday's game is as follows:
Joe Veleno-Dylan Larkin-Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat-J.T. Compher-Michael Rasmussen
Robby Fabbri-Andrew Copp-David Perron
Klim Kostin-Christian Fischer-Daniel Sprong
Shayne Gostisbehere-Moritz Seider
Ben Chiarot-Jeff Petry
Olli Maatta-Justin Holl
-Lalonde also tapped Alex Lyon as the team's starter in goal.
Fabbri Returns from Injury Hot
After being injured in the Red Wings' season opener in New Jersey, Robby Fabbri was out until a November 7th date with the New York Rangers. In his six games since coming back, Fabbri has provided a much-needed offensive spark to Detroit's middle six, providing three goals and an assist.
Lalonde pointed out that some of Fabbri's injuries have obscured the value he can provide to the Red Wings when he is healthy. "He's got a special stick," Lalonde told the media Saturday. "If it's on his stick in a certain situation, he can finish, and that's exactly what he's done."
The second-year head coach also pointed out that Fabbri has the full support of Detroit's coaching staff, even as he's struggled with injury throughout the last two seasons. "There's not a day as a staff we don't appreciate everything he's been through," Lalonde said.
Wild Limp Into Detroit, Having Lost Six Straight
The Minnesota Wild (5-9-4, 7th in the Central Division) arrive in Detroit having lost six consecutive games. That streak began on November 9th in New York, falling 4-1 to the Rangers, and it's run through a 3-2 loss at home to the Colorado Avalanche Friday.
For a team that has built a reputation for defensive solidity in recent years, Minnesota has major problems in its own end at the moment. The Wild penalty kill has been successful just 67.2% of the time, dead last in the NHL. Meanwhile, the team concedes 3.94 goals-per-game, worse than every team in the league except the woeful San Jose Sharks (who gave up ten goals twice in a row earlier this month).
Offensively, the Wild have been a middle-of-the-pack team, with their 3.06 goals-per-game ranking 18th in the league. Winger Mats Zuccarello leads the team with 20 points (five goals and 15 assists) in 18 games.
Despite the poor run of recent results, Derek Lalonde believes Minnesota is a playoff contender going through a rough patch, rather than a team whose recent form accurately reflects its reality: "You look at that lineup, and it looks like a playoff team, top to bottom." Lalonde believes the Wild "has a run in them some time here."
Where to Watch
Today's game, another 1 PM start, will be broadcast by Bally Sports Detroit—available on television on BSD as well as the Bally Sports Detroit+ app for cord-cutters. For out-of-market fans, the game will be streaming from its familiar joint home of ESPN+ and Hulu.
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