The Detroit Red Wings begin another crucial week tonight with a home game against the Calgary Flames. They’re halfway through March, which has been their Achilles heel the past couple of seasons, and they’re still in playoff contention. But with Dylan Larkin among the recent casualties, scoring will be at a premium. They’re still on the playoff bubble, a point ahead of Columbus, and just two behind Montreal in the race for third place in the Atlantic Division.
Fans have grown used to holding their breath in March, and they have home games against Montreal and Boston to white-knuckle later this week. If they make the playoffs, the pressure can’t be any worse than it is right now for the Red Wings.
Where: Little Caesars Arena
When: 7 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: FanDuel Sports Network/97.1 FM
Odds: Calgary (+1.5, -170), Detroit (-1.5, +142), Calgary (+1.5, -170), DRAFTKINGS
Not: The Red Wings in general. They’ve lost five of six. while the Flames are the second-worst team in the NHL this season.
Spotlight: The first team to three goals could likely win this one.
Story: Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said nothing has changed with their injured forwards. Larkin and Andrew Copp will miss at least two weeks. Michael Rasmussen will be out for at least a week, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is day to day. … The Flames are expected to make four lineup changes from their 3-2 loss at the New York Islanders on Saturday; John Beecher and Adam Klapka would go in at forward for Martin Pospisil and Ryan Lomberg. Yan Kuznetsov would replace Hunter Brzustewicz on defense, and Devin Cooley is in goal for Dustin Wolf.
Red Wings projected lineup
Alex DeBrincat — J.T. Compher — Patrick Kane
David Perron — Emmitt Finnie — Lucas Raymond
John Leonard — Marco Kasper — James van Riemsdyk
Mason Appleton — Sheldon Dries — Dominik Shine
Defense Pairings
Simon Edvinsson — Moritz Seider
Ben Chiarot — Justin Faulk
Albert Johansson — Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goalies
John Gibson (Cam Talbot backing up)
Subs: Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Travis Hamonic
Injured: Dylan Larkin (lower body), Andrew Copp (lower body), Michael Rasmussen (undisclosed), Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (undisclosed)
Flames projected lineup
Blake Coleman — Mikael Backlund — Joel Farabee
Yegor Sharangovich — Ryan Strome — Victor Olofsson
Matvei Gridin — Morgan Frost — Matt Coronato
Connor Zary — John Beecher — Adam Klapka
Defense Pairings
Kevin Bahl — Zach Whitecloud
Yan Kuznetsov — Olli Maatta
Joel Hanley — Zayne Parekh
Goalies
Devin Cooley (backing up)
Subs: Ryan Lomberg, Martin Pospisil, Brayden Pachal, Hunter Brzustewicz
Injured: Jake Bean (undisclosed), Samuel Honzek (upper body), Jonathan Huberdeau (hip surgery)