Trusting Defensive Solidity, Lineup Notes, and Countering Carolina's Aggression: Red Wings-Hurricanes Game Day Notebook & Where to Watch
Everything you need to know ahead of the Red Wings' clash with the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at PNC Arena
Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports - Trusting Defensive Solidity, Lineup Notes, and Countering Carolina's Aggression: Red Wings-Hurricanes Game Day Notebook & Where to WatchTonight, the Detroit Red Wings will look to continue their exemplary start to 2024 at PNC Arena in Raleigh in a date with the Carolina Hurricanes.
With a win Wednesday night in South Florida, the Red Wings improved to 6-0-1 in the calendar year, that .929 January points percentage propelling the team back to postseason contention after a dismal December.
In that game against the Florida Panthers, it was Detroit's third line of Andrew Copp, Christian Fischer, and Michael Rasmussen who delivered both regulation goals in the 3-2 overtime triumph.
When asked yesterday what's changed for the Red Wings since their December struggles, Copp attributed Detroit's turnaround to "finding a way to stay in the game" without feeling a need to "open up our game" in a desperate bid for chance creation when trailing.
The Red Wings have trailed in five of their six 2024 victories (the only exception the home win over Los Angeles). To Copp, that success is a credit to a team that has "more faith" it can score the goals it needs to overcome a deficit, without having to chase offense recklessly (e.g. defensemen pinching aggressively in the offensive zone every time up ice).
Instead, there's "a little more trust" that goals will come if Detroit maintains defensive responsibility, and that trust has allowed the Red Wings to keep deficits slim and eventually overturn them.
Meanwhile, coach Derek Lalonde said yesterday, "I've liked our approach finding the right play at the right time." Lalonde made this point specifically in reference to moving the puck up ice responsibly as opposed to making panicked high flips to safety from the defensive zone, which inevitably invite another wave of pressure when the opponent recovers those pucks.
Lineup Notes
Alex Lyon will start once more in net for the Red Wings. The only potential change to Detroit's lineup from Wednesday is the possible introduction of Jake Walman, who has not played since the Red Wings' lone defeat of 2024 (an OT loss to the Oilers on January 11th).
Per Lalonde, Walman took part in his first full practice since going onto the shelf yesterday in Carolina, and the team will re-evaluate him today to see whether he might be available.
No Mystery to the Challenge Posed by the Canes
The Red Wings last met Carolina on December 14th at Little Caesars Arena, when Detroit was at or near the nadir of its December woes. The Hurricanes also entered that game in a troublesome run of form, but nonetheless found a way to dominate their hosts with a game that felt a perfect encapsulation of their style under coach Rod Brind'Amour.
"They're about as aggressive a team as you're gonna play, especially on the forecheck," said Ben Chiarot after that game. "They sell out pretty much on every puck; they've got five guys up and forechecking, defense pinching, super aggressive, and they've been doing it for a while now."
Carolina dominated the shot chart, and though the final margin was just one, it felt like a blowout.
When asked about how to prevent a repeat of that performance yesterday, Copp said, "they love their man-on-man up the entire ice, so we've gotta be prepared for that. We've gotta move pucks quick...Can't slow the game down against these guys."
Compounding that challenge is the fact that, unlike the last meeting, the Hurricanes head into this match-up red hot, having won seven of their last nine.
Where to Watch
Tonight's game (a 7 PM start) will be on its usual television home of Bally Sports Detroit. Out of market fans will also have their familiar viewing options: ESPN+ and Hulu.
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