Detroit City Wire

The Detroit Red Wings are preparing for a challenging road game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on Friday night. The Red Wings, coming off a decisive 7-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, aim to continue their momentum as they face the Hurricanes. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m., with coverage available on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit and the Red Wings Radio Network.

Detroit's recent encounter with Carolina resulted in a narrow 2-1 loss at Little Caesars Arena on March 4. "The start is important any given night," stated Todd McLellan, head coach of the Red Wings. He emphasized the need for his team to be prepared early against Carolina's quick pace and strong face-off capabilities.

Key players Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat, and Marco Kasper were instrumental in breaking Detroit's six-game losing streak by contributing significantly in their last match against Buffalo. Lucas Raymond highlighted the importance of maintaining execution while reflecting on previous games.

Petr Mrazek will be starting as goalie again after making his first appearance since rejoining Detroit from a trade deadline acquisition. McLellan noted Mrazek’s settled performance against Buffalo and expects similar energy in Friday’s game.

With only 17 regular-season games left, McLellan is focused on balancing rest and practice for his players, emphasizing both physical and mental preparation.

Carolina enters this matchup riding a four-game winning streak following their win over Tampa Bay Lightning. They are currently second in the Metropolitan Division, driven by offensive leaders Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov. Their goaltending duo of Pyotr Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen has secured 32 wins this season.

McLellan acknowledged Carolina's defensive strength alongside their offensive pressure across all zones, highlighting areas where Detroit needs to remain vigilant during the game.