How to Tame a Unicorn and a Four-Game Road Trip: Red Wings-Oilers Game Day Notebook & Where to Watch
Ahead of the Red Wings’ game against Edmonton, here are notes and lineups for Tuesday’s matchup.
© Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports - How to Tame a Unicorn and a Four-Game Road Trip: Red Wings-Oilers Game Day Notebook & Where to WatchDetroit kicks off a four-game Pacific Division road trip Tuesday against Edmonton, traveling to Rogers Place for a 9 p.m. puck drop. Facing the best player in the sport in Connor McDavid, the Red Wings are bound to face a challenge.
Detroit knows the arduous task ahead, too. In fact, as he fielded questions about how to stop the Oilers star at his Monday press conference, coach Derek Lalonde took a moment to appreciate McDavid’s greatness.
They can get rolling here. They put him in — I call him ‘him.’ That’s where we’re at,” Lalonde said. “I said ‘him’ and we all know who I’m talking about. That’s when you've actually made it as a superstar.”
There are a host of reasons for the Red Wings to call McDavid “him,” most notably the way he took over the game the last time they squared off at Little Caesars Arena in a 3-2 OT win by the Oilers on Jan. 11. On his home ice, with a team that has added a little depth in the way of Corey Perry, McDavid can be expected to do much the same.
"The hardest thing is that you gotta make plays against them," Andrew Copp said after the game. "You can't just chip it out because then McDavid crosses over, wheels with speed, and they're coming right back at you. So you can't just defend, chip, defend, chip, defend, chip. You gotta defend, make a play, then chip and forecheck hard and make them defend. That's the difference."
In the end, the name of the game isn’t taming a unicorn like McDavid, but rather stopping everyone else and making plays in spite of his abilities. If Detroit can do that, it puts itself in a far better position to win against the Oilers’ star.
Lineups
Robby Fabbri is missing the Edmonton game due to a personal leave, but he should be back for Thursday’s game against Vancouver according to Lalonde. In his place Klim Kostin is expected to play left wing on the fourth line with Joe Veleno at center and Daniel Sprong at right wing.
Kostin’s physical presence stands out most about his game. He averages the most hits per game played (1.87) among Detroit forwards, and the most hits per minute (0.22) on a Red Wings team that ranks second-to-last in total hits according to Moneypuck. Such physicality can slow the game down and disrupt, especially when Edmonton will force Detroit to defend more often than other teams.
In net, it seems like Alex Lyon will get the call for this game, but Lalonde did not confirm Monday who would start the road trip’s first game. Ville Husso is also expected to return this trip, likely to get a start sometime during the four-game stretch.
Edmonton, with the addition of Perry, has gained a bit of snarl as of late. Perry is playing with Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane on the second line, and both have embraced together the sort of power that makes them effective individually.
On the Road Again
Yesterday, I broke down why this road trip matters so much for the Red Wings’ playoff hopes. I won’t repeat the same talking points here, but I will note that this Edmonton game is a really good opportunity for them to set the tone for this road trip.
In facing one of the league’s most talented stars — and a team that proved elusive to beat even during Detroit’s January heater — the Red Wings can build on the momentum that their overtime win over Vancouver helped kickstart.
They can also learn a lot about themselves in the process. Facing the Oilers and Canucks, as well as Calgary and Seattle, Detroit has its hands full. But those are exactly the types of teams it would face come playoffs.
This road trip is a good litmus test for where the Red Wings are at right now, and what they need to work on before April.
Extended road trips have also treated Detroit well. On a three-game California trip in January, a big sweep set the tone for a big month. Winning the majority of the points on this trip would be a similar boon.
Where to Watch
Today’s game (a 9 p.m. start) will be on Bally Sports Detroit Extra. Out of market fans can also watch on ESPN+. For fans who don’t have access to either service, 97.1 FM will broadcast the game over radio.
Also from THN Detroit