The Detroit Red Wings will host the Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday evening, aiming for a second straight home victory. The matchup is part of an Atlantic Division contest and comes as the Red Wings look to maintain momentum in a close playoff race.
“We all have the same goal in mind,” said goaltender John Gibson. “We know it’s a really tight race this year, kind of different than in the past. You know you have to win every night and you can’t have losing streaks, so there’s a little bit more pressure. I think we’re welcoming it. We’re excited and confident in the group we have in here.”
Sunday’s game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket). In their last meeting on January 5, Detroit defeated Ottawa 5-3 at Canadian Tire Centre.
Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan commented on Ottawa’s recent form: “They’re winning some games and feeling good about themselves,” he said. “Their approach to the game might be a little bit different, but our start was important in that building on [Jan. 5]. That certainly helped us get through some of the rougher times in that game later, but I think the start will be important as well again [on Sunday].”
Detroit opened its current homestand with a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Friday, marking its 17th home victory this season. Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, captain Dylan Larkin, and Marco Kasper scored for Detroit while Gibson made 20 saves to extend his personal winning streak to five games.
Gibson has posted strong numbers recently with a 14-2-0 record, a 2.06 goals-against average, .929 save percentage, and three shutouts over his last 16 starts. He described his performance by saying: “finding my game on a nightly basis and kind of getting into my groove.” He added: “It wasn’t the start I wanted, but it’s a long season. You try to be patient, put the work in and I knew it was going to change eventually.”
Coach McLellan noted changes in Gibson since December: “[Gibson] looks bigger,” McLellan said. “His chest is sticking out. He feels better. I notice it the most during TV timeouts, when he comes to the bench and kind of takes charge. ‘Hey, D-men, be aware of this. If I get it here, this is what I’m thinking. They’re looking backside.’ Just his interaction and his activeness around the players have gone up immensely. And he’s now got leadership qualities too. That took a little while to come to fruition but it’s happening.”
Ottawa enters Sunday after playing Montreal Canadiens Saturday night where they lost 6-5 in overtime.
Senators forward Tim Stützle has points in three consecutive games (two goals and two assists) leading Ottawa with 49 points this season (21 goals, 28 assists). Drake Batherson follows with 42 points (18 goals, 24 assists), including five points over his last five games.
James Reimer is expected to make his debut for Ottawa against Detroit after signing with them Friday; he spent last season with Detroit.
The Red Wings began play in Detroit in 1926 as one of hockey’s Original Six franchises (official website). The team plays its home games downtown here at Little Caesars Arena and has won eleven Stanley Cup championships here, making them not only one of hockey’s oldest teams but also its most successful U.S.-based franchise according to their official site.
