The Detroit Red Wings are coming in hot and ready with a three-game win streak. The weekend of games is against the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators.
It appears early returns from free-agent signings and the DeBrincat trade are excellent. Detroit is getting scoring from all over the lineup. They are beating good teams like Tampa Bay and the Pittsburgh Penguins. They also had a two-game win streak going into Wednesday’s contest. Still, four games is a small sample size so the wheels of this great opening run can come out from underneath them quickly if they aren’t careful.
Red Wings off to Hot Start With Win Streak
This start is reminiscent of last year’s start where they went 3-2 in their first five games. In addition, they went 7-5 in their first twelve. This is a good sign for the Red Wings considering last season they were playing meaningful games until before the deadline. After selling off important players like Tyler Bertuzzi and Filip Hronek for draft picks the team fell out of the playoff race. If those trades didn’t happen or they went out and bought in players, Detroit could have made a push for the playoffs. This seems to be a better roster than last season, even before they hit the ice. Their opening run has only been further confirmation of that.
The Red Wings opening run has been nothing short of special. The last time the Red Wings recorded 19 goals in their opening four games was way back in the 50s. Currently, they sit tied for first in the league for GF/PG (Goals for per game) with 2.75, 1st on the powerplay scoring on 46.2% of their powerplay chances so far, and 13th in penalty kill percentage with 86.7%.
Crucial Weekend Games Ahead
Ottawa Senators
Saturday is set to be a big game. Detroit will face off against Ottawa. Both teams are carrying a three-game win streak, recording lots of goals in the process. Going into the game both teams will have 19 goals scored and 16 goals scored in their last three games. Adding the fact that they are divisional rivals makes this a bigger game since. It is a meaningful two points, as one can jump higher in the standings. Both teams know this and have had a day or two to prepare.
Offensively, both teams have a lot of talent, each with five or more players playing at a point-per-game pace or higher. Defensively Ottawa has allowed just .25 goals fewer per game than Detroit. Their goaltending save percentage is almost identical (.907 for Detroit, .910 for Ottawa) but Husso needs to step up for Detroit and Korpisalo for Ottawa. The powerplay is the only area where you start to see the teams differentiate. Detroit boasts a potent powerplay with a 46.2% powerplay percentage while Ottawa has a 25% powerplay percentage.
Prediction
Because of how close in statistics these teams are, the winner of this game will make a name for themselves as being hot and dangerous. Expect both teams to come out strong defensively and to keep the game tight. In the end, Detroit’s powerplay and depth will give the Red Wings the extra goal they need to give them the two points in the standings.
Score: Red Wings win 4-3
Players to Watch
Detroit
Seider is easily one of Detroit’s most important players. Being a young guy at only 22 years old, a lot of the Red Wings’ future success involves how well he pans out. He typically is one of Detroit’s best defenceman offensively. In his career so far he has put up 95 points in 168 games played. It puts him at a little over half a point per game. In the four games, the Red Wings have played this season the defence has given up a lot of odd-man rushes and has not done a great job of reducing scoring chances. Right now Detroit averages the third-fewest shots allowed per game in the NHL. However, comparing scoring chances to their opponents in their games they are almost even. If Detroit is going to win they will need their defence to show up. Ottawa’s offence is not a team you can mess around with. Seider plays close to 23 minutes a night, with the few days to prepare they have had, people are sure Seider has been in the video room seeing where his errors were and planning where he can break up a potent Ottawa offence.
Ottawa
Coming into Saturday’s match up Stutzle has two goals along with four assists in his four games played so far. Another young guy this young Ottawa team generates a lot of offense through him. In their Wednesday contest against the Capitals which had the Senators winning 6-1, Stutzle was the main driver on offence. He generated three assists in that game and made it almost impossible for Washington to try to get back into the game. Also, last year when the Senators put the dagger into the Red Wings season it was Stuzle who helped carry that team recording two goals and two assists in those two unfortunate games.
Calgary Flames
Calgary will play tonight against Columbus and Detroit on Sunday. Right now they own a 2-1-1 record after beating the Buffalo Sabres last night. They average 3.25 goals per game, 3.25 goals against per game, have an 18.8 powerplay percentage, and a 93.3 penalty kill percentage.
Calgary has a good penalty kill and a lot of depth in each position. These players have done well throughout their career, been deep in the playoffs, and have played a lot of meaningful games. Calgary does have some players who have been underperforming so if they find their spark they could certainly make this a tight game. Still, a red-hot Detroit Red Wings team hot off the heels of a hard win in Ottawa will be the victors of this matchup.
Prediction
Detroit’s offense shows up big and keeps Calgary from climbing back into the game. The Wings escape with a 5-3 victory.
Players to Watch
Detroit
Many hockey personalities and analysts have Raymond being Detroit’s X-factor for this season. When he entered into the league he made a big name for himself and then stumbled in his sophomore season. Currently, he is still at just two points in four games, but still, there are a lot of games left to be played. In the season opening game, he started on the second line and neither the top line nor the second line was that visible. Leading to the change of putting Raymond on the top-line. Since then the top line has helped Detroit get a three-game win streak with the likes of Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat, and Lucas Raymond. He is due for a breakout game this season and a Calgary Flames struggling to find their identity might be just what the doctor ordered.
Calgary
The Flames are an interesting study, just a couple of seasons ago they were considered a playoff team some even said a cup-contending team. Last season they vanished finishing 14th in the league and missing the playoffs. This had to do with a lot of players underperforming on their roster. This biggest one at the time was newly acquired Jonathan Huberdeau who was involved in the trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers. He more than halved his point total from a season before going from 115 points to a meager 55 points last season. So far this year he seems to have found his game playing at a point-per-game pace through four games played. He will have a chip on his shoulder because of last year’s performance and will be trying to show Flames fans why they traded for him. A young unproven team like Detroit who has struggled with their defense early versus a veteran still is in his prime and that has dismantled teams with his skills before could be the unfortunate team in the way.
Main Photo: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
