Detroit City Wire

The Detroit Red Wings are set to conclude their first back-to-back games of the season as they face the Edmonton Oilers at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday night. The game will start at 6 p.m., with coverage available on FanDuel Sports Network and the Red Wings Radio Network.

Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde emphasized the importance of executing well in back-to-back games due to their geographical location. "We play a lot of back-to-backs obviously where we’re located geographically, so we got to be able to execute," Lalonde stated. He expressed interest in seeing how the team handles this challenge, noting that an afternoon-to-night schedule differs significantly from a night-to-night one.

Reflecting on Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, Lalonde highlighted the need for better offensive execution. "They’re always a tough team," he said about the Sabres, who kept Detroit scoreless during two power-play opportunities. Despite this, he commended goalie Alex Lyon for his performance.

Mortiz Seider, who contributed two assists against Buffalo, acknowledged that Detroit's lackluster start led to an early two-goal deficit. "Those early games, we got to make sure we don’t run from behind or chase," Seider noted. He stressed that giving skilled teams like Buffalo time and space can lead to exposure.

The Oilers enter Sunday's game following a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. Goalie Stuart Skinner achieved his first shutout of the season with 27 saves and holds a record of 2-3-1 with a goals-against average of 3.06 and a .890 save percentage.

Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl is currently on a five-game point streak with seven points overall, while captain Connor McDavid leads with eight points this season.

Lucas Raymond from the Red Wings emphasized readiness for Sunday's match after logging four points in his last two games: “We have a quick turnaround,” Raymond said. “It’s just about reloading, recharging and being ready to go [on Sunday].”