The Detroit Red Wings return to action Wednesday as they continue their lengthy road trip north of the border, following a confidence-boosting 3-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. The victory marked Detroit’s third in four games and extended their point streak to five consecutive contests.
Now the Red Wings face a favorable matchup against another struggling Western Conference team in the Calgary Flames. Calgary got off to a rough start this season with a 12-15-4 record but has been showing signs of life, going 7-2-1 in their last ten games. The Flames still have a winning record at home at 7-4-2, while Detroit has been nearly as steady on the road with a 7-5-2 mark. The clash promises to be compelling, pitting a team building toward the playoff race against one seeking to climb out of the lottery standings.
Lineup Storylines
Detroit coach Todd McLellan has seen his lineup adjustments begin to pay dividends, with depth scoring starting to emerge at just the right time. The most notable surge has come from the bottom line of J.T. Compher, Michael Rasmussen and James van Riemsdyk, who has scored in six of his last seven games. In six games together, the trio has already combined for seven goals.
Meanwhile, veteran winger Patrick Kane has started to regain his form after returning from injury, tallying three goals and 11 assists for 14 points over his last 14 games. Center Andrew Copp, who struggled earlier this season, has found a spark on the second line alongside Kane and Alex DeBrincat, recording points in three straight games with two goals and an assist.
The top line continues to lead the charge, with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond providing steady production to support rookie Emmitt Finnie. Even the third line has shown signs of life, as rookie center Nate Danielson has points in two straight games and Marco Kasper finally snapped an 18-game point drought with an assist on Monday.
On the other side, Calgary has hit its stride behind key players like Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson, both of whom have been linked to trade rumors but are showing their value on the ice. Kadri has been an elite playmaker over his last ten games with two goals and 12 assists for 14 points. Andersson has matched that pace from the blue line, contributing three goals and nine assists in the Flames’ recent hot streak. Their efforts have helped forwards like Joel Farabee thrive, as he has collected five goals and three assists over his last ten games.
The Flames’ dynamic lines of Kadri with Farabee and Yegor Sharangovich, along with Andersson paired with Kevin Bahl, supported by MacKenzie Weegar on the second pairing, will make Calgary a difficult team to score on. Detroit meanwhile looks to continue its surge, testing the Flames’ defense with a balanced lineup that has finally started to click at the right moment.
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Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)
DET ML (-110) | CGY ML (-110)
DET -1.5 (+200) | CGY +1.5 (-250)
O/U 6.0 Goals
The Red Wings have faced the Flames more often than many might expect, with Wednesday’s game marking their 173rd all-time meeting. Detroit has typically struggled on the road in Calgary, but they have recently turned the tide in this matchup with six consecutive wins. The Flames last defeated the Red Wings in March 2022 and have since dropped three straight home games against them.
If Gibson starts on Wednesday, he will aim to build on an impressive performance on Monday, when he recorded 39 saves for his first shutout as a member of the Red Wings. He has strong career numbers against the Flames and should help maintain the trend of low-scoring games between these teams, as the Red Wings and Flames have combined for five or fewer goals in six of their last eight meetings.
Gibson will try to keep Calgary off the scoreboard, and he has favorable matchups against several of their top players. Kadri has recorded points in just one of his last six games against Detroit, Andersson has three assists in 11 career games versus the Red Wings, and top-line winger Jonathan Huberdeau is on a six-game point drought against Detroit.
For the Red Wings, Patrick Kane is expected to remain hot, as he has excelled against the Flames. Kane recorded a goal and an assist in their last matchup, a 5-0 victory for Detroit in February 2024. Throughout his career, he has been highly productive against Calgary, totaling 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points in his last 25 games against the Flames.
Goalie Matchup
Detroit: John Gibson Expected (Season: 7-7-1 record, 3.34 GAA, .881 SV% | VS CGY: 11-10-2 record, 2.65 GAA, .913 SV% in 23 games)
Calgary: Devin Cooley (Season: 3-3-2 record, 2.16 GAA, .919 SV% | First Game VS DET
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