Everything you need to know ahead of tonight's Red Wings-Maple Leafs game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto
Everything you need to know ahead of tonight's Red Wings-Maple Leafs game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto
Tonight, fresh off a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, the Detroit Red Wings will tangle with the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto will also be playing the second leg of a back-to-back, having blown a 3-0 lead in a 5-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche yesterday at home. This evening's game represents a valuable opportunity to grab points off a team the Red Wings presently look up at in the Atlantic Division standings.
Of course, for most of Detroit, tonight's game will be relegated to a second screen, with the first NFL playoff game ever to take place in the city kicking off an hour after the puck drops in Toronto.
Even the Red Wings themselves will be thinking of the Lions this evening. Dylan Larkin conducted his post-game press conference last night in a Lions hoodie, concluding his remarks with well wishes for the team he grew up supporting.
Meanwhile, Alex DeBrincat, like Larkin a Michigander by birth, had a chance encounter with stalwart Lions tackle Penei Sewell earlier this week.
Between the chance for the city's first NFL playoff win since 1992 and the opportunity for a four-point swing in the Atlantic Division (all of it not quite a week since the state's first NCAA football championship since 1997), this sporting evening figures to be a momentous one for Detroit.
Lineup Notes: Reimer Starts, Walman Unlikely
Per Derek Lalonde's post-game remarks last night, James Reimer will start in goal tonight.
In 12 games this season, Reimer has three wins, an .889 save percentage, and a 3.41 goals against average. In his last six starts, he has given up five or more five times. In each of his last two starts, he has conceded six goals. With Ville Husso still out injured and Alex Lyon having started twice in the last three days already, Detroit has little choice but to play Reimer, but it is difficult to feel confident about doing so.
The start will represent a homecoming for Reimer, who spent six seasons in Toronto between 2010 and 2016. He appeared in 207 games in that span, posting a .918 save percentage and 2.83 GAA despite playing behind a dubious defensive outfit throughout.
Meanwhile, defenseman Jake Walman (who did not play yesterday) is unlikely to be available tonight (again per Lalonde). Lalonde indicated that Walman is continuing to battle illness.
Justin Holl Returns to Toronto
This evening, Justin Holl will play his first regular season game in Toronto since departing for Detroit last summer via free agency. Holl—who didn't crack the NHL until age 26—spent the first six seasons and 285 games of his NHL career with the Maple Leafs.
Despite being made a frequent whipping boy for the frenzied Toronto media and fan base, Holl told THN in the preseason, "I really enjoyed my time in Toronto. We had great teams, great guys on the team. We experienced a lot success as a team, so I have nothing but good things to say about Toronto. That being said, this is a business, and I'm very happy to be in Detroit, and I think we have a good looking squad for next year."
To date, Holl's Red Wing career has been something of a mixed bag. He got out to a strong start to the year, but his play has wavered as the season has progressed, and he has become a fairly regular healthy scratch—appearing in just 28 of Detroit's 42 games.
In those games, Holl has no goals, five assists, and a +4 rating while averaging 15:13 of ice time. Per MoneyPuck.com, the Red Wings have a 46.3% share of expected goals with Holl on the ice, compared to a 48.4% share of xG without him, at five-on-five.
Three Takeaways from the Kings-Red Wings Underlying Numbers
(1) Despite not looking his sharpest yesterday, Alex Lyon's numbers in net for the Red Wings were once again excellent. Lyon's rebound control did not appear as sharp as it has in his tenure in Detroit, and the Kings' second goal of the game was something of a stinker.
Nonetheless, the stats for Lyon look great. He stopped 33 of the 36 shots he faced (including all 32 even-strength shots), while also putting up 1.12 Goals Saved Above Expected according to MoneyPuck.
(2) This was a step in the right direction for the Red Wings' second line of Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, and Patrick Kane after that trio struggled in its matchup with Leon Draisaitl's line on Thursday night against Edmonton.
In 11:19 together at five-on-five, Detroit enjoyed an 0.603-0.527 advantage in expected goals (a 53.4% share). They also outscored LA 1-0 in those minutes, thanks to a dazzling goal from Patrick Kane.
The line controlled play on its shifts, then found a way to show its skill with a goal, without giving anything back the other way. It's hard to ask for more, and a nice sign of progress.
(3) Though the Compher line played a great game, it was not the Red Wings' best on the evening. That distinction belongs to the fourth line of Robby Fabbri, Joe Veleno, and Daniel Sprong. They played just 5:15 together, but they were utterly dominant in those minutes, enjoying an 0.581-0.094 edge in expected goals (an 86.1% share). On top of winning their shifts, the line also scored the goal that kicked of a run of three Detroit goals in under four minutes.
Last night was a triumph of depth scoring for the Red Wings. With five-on-five goals from Dylan Larkin, Kane, Andrew Copp, and Fabbri, Detroit got a goal from each forward line. If that kind of depth scoring persists, the Red Wings playoff prospects are great.
Where to Watch
Tonight's game (a 7:00 PM) start will be on its familiar home of Bally Sports Detroit. For out of market fans, it will be in its usual homes of Hulu and ESPN+.
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