Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan is tinkering with his lines in an effort to end a three-game losing streak as the Anaheim Ducks pay a visit on Thursday.
Alex DeBrincat is skating with the first line, joining Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin. Rookie Emmitt Finnie has been moved to the second line alongside Patrick Kane and J.T. Compher.
“Sometimes lines get a little stale, and it’s no reflection on Cat or Emmitt or anybody else,” McLellan said. “We’re just trying to do different things.”
DeBrincat has four goals in 16 games after scoring a team-high 39 last season. But he has just one point in four games this month.
“Two great players, and obviously fun to play with them,” DeBrincat said of playing on the first line. “They have a lot of speed. They can make a lot of plays and hopefully we can have the puck a lot during the game. Those two guys are good defensively and we can create chances off their turnovers and go down and play with the puck, where we’re more comfortable.”
Detroit has been limited to two total goals during the three-game losing streak. It was shut out 1-0 by the Vegas Golden Knights last week, then lost at home to the New York Rangers 4-1 on Friday and to the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1 on Sunday.
With three days off between games, McLellan had an opportunity to work his players hard in practice.
“We don’t get a lot of time during the season to practice the way we did (Tuesday),” McLellan said. “We just can’t because you have so many games in a short time frame. They expended a lot of energy. It was physical, a lot of battling, and so it gave us a chance to have a practice like that.”
The Ducks had a seven-game winning streak snapped on the road Tuesday, 4-1 against the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche scored on a power play at 7:02 of the third period to take a two-goal lead and clinched the win with an empty-netter.
“Terrible start for us. Certainly they got off to a great start. Goalie kept us in the game,” Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville said. “The pace was good, but we had to be better. We weren’t good enough anyways.”
Leo Carlsson scored the Ducks’ lone goal to extend his point streak to 11 games. The 20-year-old has 20 points during that span.
“Too many penalties, probably, to take against that team, and they capitalized,” defenseman Jacob Trouba said. “They’re a good team. I think that’s been a good team in the league for a long time, and that’s what we’re striving for. And I feel we’re getting closer. We’re right there. I don’t think we’re far off it at all.”
The Ducks scored at least four goals in each of their previous six contests. Carlsson is among the league leaders with 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists). Cutter Gauthier (11 goals) and Troy Terry (five goals) each have 20 points.
Larkin leads the Red Wings with 19 points, including nine goals.
Anaheim recorded a 5-2 home victory over Detroit on Oct. 31. Carlsson enjoyed a four-point night with a goal and three assists against former longtime Ducks goalie John Gibson, while Terry had two goals and an assist.
–Field Level Media
