The Detroit Red Wings will open a three-game road trip Wednesday night with a chance to complete a sweep of their season series with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Red Wings also will shoot for their third straight win overall after they rallied from a 2-0 deficit Sunday in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators.
Detroit has won six of its past seven games.
“We’ve been in a lot of different situations this year, and we’ve found ways to get wins,” said Alex DeBrincat, who scored the overtime goal on Sunday. “We’re a confident group. We know what we can do, and we know we are a good team and can beat anyone in the league.”
The Red Wings have won the first three meetings of the season against the Maple Leafs — Oct. 11 and 13 in a home-and-home set, and 3-2 in an overtime home victory on Dec. 28.
The Maple Leafs know they must improve on the effort that resulted in a 6-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Monday. It was the opener of a five-game Toronto homestand that followed a 2-1-1 road trip.
“I thought we were just flat from the start of the game,” said Toronto captain Auston Matthews, who had a goal and an assist. “Didn’t seem like we had the legs we needed tonight.”
Matthews has 11 goals and eight assists in his past 12 games. He passed Borje Salming for fourth all-time in Maple Leafs scoring on Monday with 769 points.
“We didn’t play well enough. That’s it,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “We made too many mistakes.”
The Maple Leafs again were without William Nylander, who has been dealing with a groin injury since Dec. 28 and aggravated it in a loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
“I’m not sure when he’s going to be on the ice,” Berube said.
Toronto’s Matthew Knies had an assist Monday after being a game-time decision because of a lower-body injury.
“It doesn’t hinder my ability to play,” Knies said. “I’m here. I’m playing. I’m a part of the group. But I just really haven’t felt 100% for quite a while now. We have a big break coming up (for the (Olympics), so I’m just going to try to use it to recover to the best of my ability. And try to be back and help the team.”
Knies did not practice on Tuesday.
Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said he feels his team is aware of the importance of games within the division against teams such as the Maple Leafs and Senators.
“I think our guys have been coming to the rink with a lot of juice for all the games, which is a real good sign,” McLellan said. “They understand the standings and circumstances of wins and losses.”
James van Riemsdyk, who scored a between-the-legs goal Sunday, liked the way the Red Wings dealt with the Senators’ physical game and feels that it is a good sign for the future.
“You have to have a pushback,” van Riemsdyk said. “You can’t get pushed out of games like that. I thought our team responded well. That’s something you will need down the stretch. The games get a little more competitive and contested out there, and you have to stick together.”
–Field Level Media
